It takes two

Almost three years ago we watched Kata and Altug tie the knot in Budapest. It was the first time someone had asked me to photograph their wedding but I was stoked. I showed up with my little Nikon coolpics (don't laugh - that little thing took some wicked photos!) and did my best to document their day.

Looking back, what strikes me most is what a leap Kata and Altug were taking. They were from different countries, spoke different languages, they had never lived together or spent long periods of time together - simply put, these two just jumped. And although they jumped without knowing what was below, they did jump with the right dose of determination and flexibility to make it work. After two years away we returned to a married couple made stronger and wiser by time and love. I think these photos from an afternoon in Buda tell that story all on their own.

  

xo from Angela, Laci and Ati 

From Russia with Love

It always amazes me how people find one another. For Alex and Elena, the story is not unheard of but nonetheless a story of fateful paths crossing far from home.

Alex and Elena are both from the former Soviet Union - Alex from the Ukraine and Elena from Siberia. A testament to their personal courage they each left home as young adults without their families, Alex detouring through Israel for a few years before arriving in Canada.

Alex spoke little English when he got here but set out to working in Toronto, undiscouraged and optimistic. Elena, having studied English in University arrived in Canada in 2006 as a Nanny for a family in Timmins,ON.

Alex & Elena's story began at a party hosted by a Russian speaking woman who invited strangers - Russian speaking strangers - to mingle without having met one another. Brave? Perhaps. But away from one's family, the company of others who share things in common with you is like being transported home. It won't replace a mother's hug, but there was something about it for these two that drew them to one another.

 It's not hard to imagine these two sets of eyes meeting from across a room and these two young adventurers getting lost in one another's gentle disposition and kindness. But this is not their story at all. In fact, neither Alex nor Elena were single when they first met, but they later found themselves both bachelors and spent time brainstorming mates for one another. A classic case of overlooking what's right in front of us.

Alex and Elena married in 2009 and have spent the last couple of years building a nest for themselves, and most recently, transforming a tired house into a family home. The last few months we've spent getting to know them has reminded us of a few important things: The world is smaller than we think; the universe understands balance and kindness begets kindness; and the harder we work the luckier we are. These two also make me wonder if some things shouldn't change so much - the way Elena dotes on Alex and the way he, in turn, takes care of her is a lesson in friendship and love that is far from old fashioned.

 

I Scott take you, Blue

Casually walking hand in hand, Scott recounted first meeting Melissa and the moment he fell in love with her eyes. Good thing, I said, because eyes are one of  the few things we have from birth that don't change - no matter how old. 'No really', he said, shy about his profession of weakness for this blue-eyed beauty. He wanted to make it clear. Melissa blushed.

It's a heart-warming afternoon spent with Scott and Melissa. They are smitten. They are giddy. They are beautiful together.

In the same creek where Melissa hunted crayfish as a child, she held hands with her love and they talked the day away about the amber season, a green wedding and blue-eyed babies.

Being this much in love infuses one with a stoicism that nothing can shake.

Long glances remind onlookers of the conversations between souls that need no words. 

There's not much you can hide in the eyes.

Although we suspect Melissa might be stashing some jewels in hers... ;) 

Congratulations Scott and Melissa. Snuggle up for winter - your spring vows are around the corner!

Angela & Laci

verb : to passion

There's a reason why the word passion requires the preface "to be" when activated as a verb - because passion is not something we do, it is something we are. Jeffrey and Jamie should indeed be considered gurus of passion. They live in the triumvirate artist-teacher-student and have inspired others to do the same.

In this house, there are no labels for artists. Anyone can be anything and their home is a museum of their philosophy. Their paintings adorn the walls, instruments lay poised for the picking, craft supplies collect on the window sill (as we speak an impressive collection of bag fasteners are awaiting their creative fate at Jamie's hand), a new soundtrack plays in the background of every visit, a Lego city sprawls across the garage - the house is teeming with creative passion. And the girls are bustling bees that even mom and dad have trouble keeping up with.  

                  

With the announcement of pajama time two sets of little feet skip up the stairs and passion of a different kind unveils itself. 

Without a doubt, love is itself an art. 

an interactive art of sharing, finding and generating passion

 that requires you to know your subject if you are to improve. So many of us forget that to be good at what we do we have to practice. If we try hard enough we become what we practice.

 

If that eye could talk - I think that's what it would say.