I enjoy writing this particular post as a journal entry for myself to look back on over the years. Since going full time in 2021, each year has brought noticeable growth in my business and photography practice. Without recording my reflections, I am sure to become fuzzy on the achievements, or completely pass them by. I tend to always be looking forward or in the present rather than back. I find great value in recording data and noticing growth. Here, I will write my 2025 reflections as a full-time wedding photographer in Parksville and Vancouver Island!
1. New Wedding Venues
I find great value in being familiar with a wedding venue. Sure, I can visit the venue, but there is nothing comparable to actually shooting at the venue to really know it. There are two venues in particular in 2025 that I have completely fallen in love with! They are Bilston Creek Farm in Metchosin, and 40 Knots Winery in Comox. These venues are at the top of my list along with Tigh Na Mara Resort. What I love most about these three venues is their convenience of having both ceremony and reception in one location, guest experience is wonderful due to the entertaining setting, they are all magically beautiful, and they all have a wedding coordinator on-site the day of to help keep things smooth.
- Bilston Creek Farm, Metchosin
- 40 Knots Winery, Comox
- Butchart Gardens, Brentwood Bay
- Rusted Rake Brewing, Nanoose Bay
- Campbell River Heritage Museum, Campbell River
- Blue Heron Estates, Nanaimo
- Pacheedaht Campground, Port Renfrew
- Arrowsmith Golf Course, Qualicum Beach
2. I Photographed a Wedding in YOSEMITE VALLEY!!
This opportunity was incredible! From March 22nd to June 1st, my partner and I were on a road trip travelling the West Coast of USA, camping for weeks. The absolute highlight of this trip was our week spent in Yosemite Valley, California. This was my second time visiting this special place, and it once again wowed me. There is a natural spirit here that feels unlike anywhere else. For a hiker who loves elevation gain, and a photographer who loves picturesque things, this valley is heaven on earth. Truly!
About ten days prior to our visit in Yosemite Valley, I saw a woman asking on a Yosemite Valley wedding Facebook group for a last minute photographer. I had been watching this group regularly, wondering if there might be an opportunity to do my second favorite thing in the world besides hiking and camping…. photographing weddings!! I connected with her and we made an agreement. I was ecstatic!
On May 14th, I documented their symbolic wedding ceremony at the base of Yosemite Falls. They had legally married back home, but wanted to fulfill their Yosemite dreams of exchanging vows among family and friends at the very place he proposed; Yosemite Falls. Later that day, we met up again at Sentinal Dome for some unbelievable sunset photos. I felt like a total badass having scouted this location a couple days prior, and found a quick, easy route to the summit that made hiking in her wedding dress possible. For the last 40 meters or so, we tentatively made our way up through the snow. Adrenaline was high, as this whole thing was not even planned until that day!
3. I Became Engaged in YOSEMITE VALLEY!
This isn’t exactly tied into my business, but I feel it makes sense to add it here because I am now on the wedding planning side of things! On May 13th, my partner and I hiked to the top of Yosemite Falls. This hike is 11.5km roundtrip with 915m of elevation gain and loss. The hike is non-stop switchback incline, and my legs actually felt weak and a little wobbly near the top. I LOVED THAT. The views are amazing, hiking right beside the iconic waterfall and then rising above it. At the top, we nourished ourselves with nearly all of our remaining snacks, and started to get cold as the clouds rolled in. Nearly everyone had left by this point, and we set up the cameras for a couple of selfies. I was completely surprised when he pulled out a box and presented a ring, asking me to marry him! I was speechless and taken aback! I did not expect this moment at all, and was over the moon! The most perfect setting ♥ Now, it’s my turn to plan a wedding!
When I was photographing C&M’s wedding the next day, I had their best man take a few photos of us at Sentinal Dome. This guy knows how to use a camera, being a professional crime scene photographer! We find it hilarious that our engagement photos were taken by someone who usually photographs people in a much different state than us. We love the irony, and spontaneity!
4. Started Submitting Blog Posts for Canadian Wedding Photographers
SEO has always been my main marketing strategy. Having a strong website that comes up among the first with Google Searches is my strong suit. I receive many inquiries this way. In 2025, I joined the grassroots business Canadian Wedding Photographers in their resource directory for Canadian-based wedding photographers, venues, and other helpful industry insight. These guys are all about SEO. I was among the first to join, and I was also the first to submit a wedding venue blog post. Of course, I chose to write about Tigh Na Mara. The brilliance of writing and submitting a blog post to another website such as theirs, is that the blog post links back to my website, increasing Google’s trust and verification that my website must be important. SEO baby! I wrote a number of articles for them over the winter, which also honed my own blog post writing skills.
Read my first submitted blog post here: https://canadianweddingphotographers.com/blog/venue-tigh-na-mara
5. Built a Bomb-Proof Contract After Experiencing a Difficult Client
With 184 weddings under my experience over the years, I feel grateful to have had so few issues come up. However, this year, I experienced my first concerning issue. After delivering the photos, the client was unhappy with how the ceremony lighting turned out. They were not pleased with the harsh contrast of sun and shadow that the midday August sun created. They wished instead for me to edit the photos as if it were a cloudy day. This type of request is not within my skillset, and I was unable to appease them. I ended up refunding a portion of their payment because my contract did not protect me from this particular issue. However, I took this as a great learning opportunity and made a bomb-proof contract. Now, if the client’s editing request is unobtainable, I am not at fault for being unable to satisfy the request! A hard lesson learned here.
6. Revealing the Devee Photography Brand
This project is currently taking place, but it has been on my mind for a couple of years and I am finally following through with it. I feel that my business is lacking the personality behind the brand. The person behind the lens. Umm… that’s me! Ahhh! I am naturally so very shy and prefer to remain unseen, however, I realize this is a detriment to my business brand. I want my clients to feel even more comfortable and confident when booking my services. I want them to feel familiar with me before the wedding day, even if we haven’t met in person. This means sharing a little bit more about myself, and communicating my values and mission statements across my platforms. I am an expert in my field, and I need my clients to feel 100% confident in my services and skillset. I have had one coaching session, and a photoshoot of myself taken. More to come in 2026!
7. A Concentrated Work Load, Bye Bye Work Life Balance
This year, my wedding season started on June 9th after returning from a 9 week road trip across the USA. I shot 35 weddings total in 2025, most of them occurring between June 9th and September 23rd. This averages out to one wedding every four days. HOLY SMOKES!!! There was one week in July which had five weddings in a row, and three family shoots all in just seven days. Although the volume of work was similar to 2024, the time period in which it occurred was shorter. Therefore, I ended up being busier than before. Even with my extended delivery dates, I ended up behind schedule by about 10 days for many galleries. With clear communication to each of my clients, this ended up not being a problem for them. For me though, I stopped going to Crossfit, and rarely saw my friends and family. It was not a good work/life balance this year. In the upcoming year, I plan to extend the delivery times of my shorter weddings, and space out the workload.
8. A Viral Instagram Video
On December 21st, 2024 I posted a video of my partner using compressed air to clean out my old computer. I hadn’t cleaned it in at least 7 years. It was filthy to say the least, and I ended up replacing the entire unit. This video received nearly 1,000,000 views. I don’t care much for vanity metrics, but I do find it entertaining! Actually, a valid downside to having a video go viral for content that isn’t your main product or service is that those who have followed you are likely not going to be your customer. I gained a number of followers from this video from all over the world, and as far as I know, none of them have hired me to photograph them. Hahaha.
If you’re curious to see how disgusting my computer was: https://www.instagram.com/p/DD2PClDMihr/?hl=en
9. Working With Videographers
This year, I had the opportunity to work alongside other videographers. Usually, I shoot with my partner, Yannick, who handles the video side of this business. Working with him is easy and seamless. We know each other very well and can anticipate what our next moves are. Documenting both photo and video alongside my partner feels very efficient. This year, I worked with two other videographers and came to realize that everything takes just a little bit longer. So, with this newfound knowledge, I will be adjusting my advised timeline suggestions, ensuring both photographer and videographer feel there is adequate time to get their shots!
Overall, 2025 has felt extremely successful. A little too successful, that my social and fitness life took a hit. Looking forward to a more balanced year ahead in 2026!