Taleea & Dix’s Hatley Castle wedding was one of those days that was stunning, yes, but also just so them. Every tiny detail was rooted in their story. It was beautiful and deeply emotional in a way that felt completely centred on them and the people who love them.

A first look at the bench where their story began. A Pinterest board titled “YEARNING” in all caps. A wedding day shot on film and Super 8. Every single piece of this day was intentional, right down to the locations, the people, the details, all of it.

Friends and family flew in from Germany and from Ottawa to be in Victoria with them, which meant the people who’d watched their relationship unfold from day one were all in the same room. The whole thing ended up being so elegant and grand while somehow still feeling personal and grounded. I’m still not over the day (and don’t think I ever will be.)

Getting Ready at Rosemead House

The day kicked off at Rosemead House in Esquimalt, which might be the most stunning getting-ready location I’ve ever shot on Vancouver Island. Walking in felt like stepping into a different era… ornate wallpaper, antique artwork, crystal light fixtures, rooms that look like they were built for exactly this.

Upstairs, Dix was hanging out with his closest friends watching football and finishing his speech, projecting a very…calm energy… (dare we say hidden nerves? can’t blame him). We got some detail shots, photos with the boys, and a private letter that turned that calm energy into emotion. Quiet morning, big feelings.

Downstairs, however… a completely different vibe.

Taleea and her bridesmaids were getting ready in matching white robes while hair and makeup happened around them. It was playful, light, full of anticipation. Her wedding dress hung from the ceiling, and it had so much volume and fabric that it basically became its own character in the room.

I got the girls dancing in the living room as we cracked jokes about how the guys thought they looked like ghosts in their robes (men just really don’t get it sometimes), and just let that easy energy carry through the morning. Honestly felt like the pinnacle of girlhood. The whole space was so romantic, like something out of a movie. Proof that Taleea had a vision and absolutely knew how to execute it.

A First Look at the Bench Where Their Story Began

After Rosemead House, we headed into downtown Victoria for their first look. And instead of picking just any ol’ spot, Taleea and Dix went back to the exact bench where they had their very first date.

As Taleea walked up, her dress practically parted the crowd and she was impossible to miss, in the best way. The second Dix turned around and saw her, his face just broke open with emotion. I shot the whole thing on Super 8 and film while my second photographer Mary covered it digitally.

Ohhh I just love a good first look.

A Private Tour of the BC Legislature

While we were shooting outside the Legislature, a security guard walked up to us, and for a second I genuinely thought we were getting kicked out. Instead, he offered us a private tour inside. Ummm, are you joking? OF COURSE.

Within minutes we were wandering through parts of the building most visitors never see. The library alone, with stained glass, intricate woodwork, and light pouring in, was incredibly stunning. Having those rooms entirely to ourselves let us get some genuinely unique portraits before heading off to Hatley Castle.

It was one of those completely unplanned moments that ends up being unforgettable. Shoutout to security guard Steve!!!! You rock, don’t ever change.

Why Super 8 Film Was So Important to Their Wedding Day

One of my favourite things about working with Taleea and Dix was how much they valued photography and film as part of the actual experience of their wedding, not just as documentation, but as something that mattered to them.

From the start, they wanted their memories captured in a way that felt tangible and lasting. I shot primarily on film and Super 8 throughout the day while Mary handled digital. Between the film rolls, the Polaroids, and the Super 8 footage, their wedding ended up being told through a handful of different mediums, each one adding its own layer.

For a wedding built this intentionally around story and meaning, it just fit. Working with a couple who genuinely prioritized film the way they did is basically a dream come true for me. Getting to tell love stories through film and Super 8 is exactly why I do this.

Yearning Portraits at Hatley Castle

Before guests started arriving, we spent time inside the castle getting portraits in some of its most iconic spots. The stained glass window was top of my list. It’s become a bit of a rite of passage for couples getting married there.

The light coming through that glass made for the most beautiful, dramatic, romantic atmosphere, and it matched exactly what Taleea had spent months building toward.

Taleea is one of the most organized brides I’ve worked with, with detailed shot lists and Pinterest boards for every part of the day. But one board stood out from the rest. Titled simply, “YEARNING.” All caps. It became my favourite mood board and a running joke for the entire wedding day. She wanted the portraits to feel romantic, emotional, full of longing. Yearning, if you will (we definitely will).

An Emotional Ceremony at Hatley Castle

As guests gathered in the gardens, Taleea and Dix made their way down toward the ceremony, surrounded by gorgeous florals with the castle rising up behind them.

The ceremony itself was heartfelt from start to finish, with laughter, tears, and that ripple of emotion that moves through an entire crowd at once. Looking around during the vows, I don’t think there was a dry eye anywhere. Two people who very clearly adore each other, finally standing in front of everyone who’d flown in from Germany, from Ottawa, from everywhere, to watch it happen.

Portraits & Grand Entrance

After the ceremony, guests headed off to cocktail hour while we stole some time for portraits out on the lawn. Time with just each other and a moment to take some down time.

Then it was time to make their entrance. The two of them did a quick round of shots beforehand (priorities), and walked into their reception to Backstreet Boys, which is exactly the kind of detail I love. Big castle, formal grounds, and then Taleea and Dix dancing to BSB.. iconic. Guests were cheering, everyone was laughing, and it set the tone for the rest of the night perfectly.

Blue Hour With the Peacocks

As dinner paused and speeches took a quick break, we slipped outside for a few more portraits around the grounds. The light had softened by this point into that perfect blue hour glow.

With the castle behind them and the last of the evening light settling over everything, we got some romantic, dramatic shots.

A peacock showed up just in time for portraits (paid actor), until we realized Taleea’s dress had gotten a little too close to a less glamorous part of the peacock experience. Quick wardrobe rescue ensued.

Disaster avoided, lots of laughing, and we headed back inside just in time for the celebration to pick back up.

A Celebration That Felt Like Home

As the evening went on, speeches brought more tears, more laughter, and story after story about who Taleea and Dix have become together.

Dinner led into cake cutting, their first dance, and eventually a packed dance floor lit up by flash, full of the people who’d travelled so far to be there.

For all the grandeur of the day, what’s stuck with me most isn’t the castle, or the dress, or any single detail. It’s the way Taleea and Dix made everyone around them feel. Including me.

Throughout the entire day they remained present, grateful, and connected to the people who had gathered to celebrate with them. They welcomed me in not simply as a photographer, but as someone they genuinely wanted to share the experience with, as part of their family, as a life long-friend.

And somehow, despite the castle and the scale of it all, the whole day still felt remarkably intimate.

It felt like home.

Vendor Love

It truly takes an incredible team of vendors to bring a wedding day like this together, and Taleea & Dix were surrounded by some amazing, wonderful people.

Emma and her team at Details BC kept the entire day running smoothly from start to finish. From doing the design work, coordinating vendors and managing the timeline to quietly handling all the behind-the-scenes details and hiccups, their presence allowed everyone to fully relax and enjoy the day. As a photographer, having a planner like Emma on site makes such a difference, and I can’t say enough wonderful things about working alongside her team.

Ten Fifteen Beauty created timeless hair and makeup looks that perfectly complemented the romantic, old-world aesthetic Taleea had envisioned for the day.

Bespoke Florals handled the stunning floral design and helped transform both the ceremony and reception spaces into something that felt elegant, intentional, and uniquely reflective of the couple’s vision.

Truffles Catering served an incredible meal during the reception and kept guests well fed throughout the evening. The food was beautifully presented and absolutely delicious.

One of my favourite things about working in Victoria is getting to collaborate with so many talented wedding professionals, and this team was no exception. It was such a joy documenting this Hatley Castle wedding alongside such a talented group of vendors.

Wedding Planner: Details Event & Planning
Venue: Hatley Castle
Florals: Bespoke Blossoms
Getting Ready Location: Rosemead House
Hair & Makeup: Ten Fifteen Beauty
Catering: Truffles Catering
Cake: Darling Cake Co.
Rentals: Trend Decor, Tabletop Rentals, Designer Weddings, Boom Rentals & Empresa Rentals
DJ: White Lotus Entertainment
Dress: Martina Liana
Photography & Super 8: Rae Terrillon Photography

Planning Your Romantic Hatley Castle Wedding?

If you’re planning a Hatley Castle wedding and are drawn to artful documentary storytelling, film photography, and Super 8 wedding films that preserve the feeling of the day, I’d love to document it for you. Whether you’re planning an intimate gathering or a full wedding weekend, my approach is rooted in creating imagery that feels honest, artful, and deeply connected to your story. You can take a peek at my offerings here and if it feels like a good fit I would be honoured to hear from you!