Married in 2018, this couple had two ceremonies, but no “real” wedding photos. After two years, and being apart due to work, Alexie and Matt finally got their dream shoot. Here’s their pretty epic love story.
Alexie: I believe the benefit of having a small wedding is that you can enjoy it. My husband, Matthew and I got married February 3, 2018. That February, we only had seven guests at our wedding: our parents and siblings and a family friend.
Matt: In 2018 everything was on a timeline. I was being spirited away for two years to a different city to study as a Physician Assistant with the military. Thanks to our family friend Dr. Richard Groves, and my father and brother in-law, who are all very handy with a camera, we did have some excellent pictures of our special day, but we still felt like we missed out on the experience and fun involved with having a professional photo shoot.
Alexie: Shortly after we got married we sent our friends and family party invites June 9, 2018… for an engagement party. We rented out a military mess hall, had a friend BBQ a pig and all kinds of delicious food (turns out convincing my husband’s friends to man a BBQ was incredibly easy). Matthew and I dressed in casual clothes and when the time came he and I went and changed in wedding attire. I really wanted a white dress so for that event I bought one. My dad stood at the front of the room and made a speech, which concluded with the video of us saying our vows. Our family and friends were surprised but all took it in stride. Many of them said they had suspicions and thought we might be getting married that day, but didn’t think we already had. My husband was about to be posted and I was expecting to make a big change of career shortly after that would have me away on training.
Matt: In March 2020 my clinical rotations ground to a halt amidst the pandemic and I found myself in Ottawa with my family coming to terms with my mom’s diagnosis of terminal cancer. She came to me one afternoon and placed a little red pouch in my hand. I tugged on the drawstrings and inside was a set of engagement rings belonging to her and my grandmother. “I want you to have these,” she said, “make these into new gifts for Alexie and your children so that they’ll know and remember us.” On the 15th of April she passed from this world leaving it a better place than she found it and leaving me very much in pain wanting to go home and be reunited with my wife. In early June I got my long-awaited wish and I boarded a plane for Victoria.
The couple then organized a shoot to truly capture their love, featuring dried flowers from Alexie’s original bouquet.
Matt: We stopped on the wharf next to the water with the setting sun behind us and Jitka captured the moment we had been awaiting for two long years. It was a fabulous evening out on the town and we couldn’t help feeling just a little bit like celebrities.
Photography: ItkasanImages
Florals: Flowers on Top
Hair: Hunt and Gather Hair Co.
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