Maximum Elegance at The Kent Vancouver

Wedding

December 10, 2025

The Kent might be my new favourite “unknown” Vancouver wedding venue. If you’ve never heard of The Kent, an art gallery and events space located on the edges of Gastown, then you’re not alone. I’d heard of a unique new space for a while but never investigated until Lauren and Brian found me to inquire about booking me as their wedding photographer, with The Kent as their venue. As soon as I saw that I’d get to shoot in a new space I dove into my research and immediately got excited about the possibilities! Some people might think that having tons of experience in a venue is an asset (and it is!) but being able to walk into a clean, modern space with incredible light and nothing but possibilities is just so. much. fun!

My Favourite Kind Of Wedding

I get asked a lot if I have a “favourite kind of wedding”. Do I prefer fancy Vancouver weddings with lots of decor? Would I rather capture a chill Gulf Island wedding with no itinerary and a sunset kayak ride? Do I have a favourite venue or traditions I’ve seen? Well honestly, depending on the day I might say I do, but what it really boils down to for me is the people, and I have to say that I have always been very, very lucky with my couples. Sure, there will be a stray guest that might get a little too silly and want to borrow my camera, but give me a couple like Lauren and Brian and I just KNOW I’ll be surrounded by love, thoughtfulness, and positivity all day long. And in this case, that’s exactly what happened.

Why Getting Ready Locations Matter

If you’ve already done a bunch of wedding research and you’re leaning towards including a getting ready moments in your photo timeline, then let’s talk about the importance of your getting ready location.

First up, is the environment you choose. Yes, the main priority is always going to be capturing the genuine moments and excitement at the start of the day, but you’ll want to carefully consider where you’ll be doing these photos. It doesn’t have to be a fancy hotel or a high-end Air BnB, but choosing a space where everyone can move around is key, and keeping the space tidy definitely helps the final photos. But the MOST important is the natural light. Having great light means having the most flattering photos, and in Lauren’s case The Hotel Vancouver Fairmont offered everything I love in a getting ready location. Ample room to move, gorgeous window light, interesting features to allow for creativity and an epic staircase for an indoor first look (note: this staircase needs to be booked in advance and there is a fee!). Also, major shoutout to the incredible Alisha Hopps who absolutely nailed Lauren’s sophisticated bridal look!

Planning Your Portraits

This is maybe one of the hardest parts about planning the photography portion of your day because there are always going to be factors that you (and your photographer) can’t control, so going in to it with an open mind, a few options incase of weather/ construction/ weird parades you didn’t know about can help alleviate a lot of stress. But most importantly, lean on your photographers experience. I always recommend that my clients not set their hearts on just one option because sometimes you just need to pivot.

Since Lauren and Brian were having a March wedding in Vancouver we knew that we’d need a few ideas to cover our butts. Luckily for us The Kent allowed us to use the space before the wedding for a portion of the portraits. This meant we were warm, dry, and that Lauren’s stunning gown was pristine for their ceremony. Plus, we got that “reveal” moment that a couple so often misses in the chaos of the day.

Allow Yourself Time

And my final bit of advice for today is to make sure to allow yourself time in the day to step back and ENJOY! All the planning, all the late night Pinterest boards, all of the obsessing over the weather is done and your wedding day deserves to be enjoyed by the two of you! Carve out some time in your timeline to walk away together, go hug in a closet if you have to, but make sure you take a minute to hold hands, enjoy a drink, and observe how everything has unfolded. Cramming your timeline full of Pinterest worthy “things to do” on your wedding day can make it feel like work, and it’s meant to be a party! If you need help crafting a timeline that feels more calm, let your planner know, let your wedding photographer know, and we’ll make sure that you get a bit of you time too 🙂

Big shout out to all of the vendors that helped Lauren and Brian achieve their wedding day dreams! Novelle Bridal, Rituals of Love, Cavalier Gastown, Grimson and Sons, Surmesur, Chef Mark Singson, Thistle Botanicals, Cadeaux Bakery and Monarch Burger.