Ardita Kola PhotographyValley Forge Engagement Session || Gysi & Tila
Posted on January 30, 2017
As many of you already know I recently had a baby girl, so I went on a bit of hiatus for the last few months of 2016 and am slowly getting back into the routine of things. We have a lot of weddings and engagements coming to the blog in the next few months as well as lifestyle sessions so stay tuned… 🙂
To start things off, this gorgeous couple here is my very own little brother and his beautiful fiance who will be tying the knot in April. I was so honored when they asked me to capture their engagement photos last summer at the Valley Forge Park.
As I’m starting to incorporate film more and more into my work, I used Fuji 400h on Pentax 645NII along my main digital camera for this session.
Scottish American Wedding || Cara & Calum
Posted on May 16, 2016
Cara and Calum have this amazing, straight out of the books, you tell your grandchildren about, love story… Sweet adventurous girl traveling through Scotland meets this amazing Scottish guy… oh and did I mention the accent? Of course Calum is one of the sweetest and most gentlemanly guy I’ve ever met, a true quintessential of his scottish heritage. After the wedding their love of adventure and travel will be taking them to New Zealand… sort of a little jealous there but I couldn’t be happier for them… 🙂
Their wedding was small and intimate with most of the guests travelling from all over the world. They combined her love of rustic with his amazing Scottish details and traditions and what emerged was that perfect blend that made their wedding truly theirs.
They had me at the word “kilt”… need I say  more?
The complete scottish attire though includes many other details that I wasn’t aware of until this wedding including the kilt, kilt shirt, argyle jacket, sporran, belt and buckle, kilt hose, ghillie brogues, kilt pin and flashes, and of course scottish dirks and daggers.
Aren’t these kids’ kilts completely adorable or what?
They chose the beautiful Glen Echo Gardens in Bellingham, WA as their wedding ceremony and reception location. The weather threatened all day to rain so the ceremony was moved under the tent but luckily it only rained for a few minutes and we even got lucky with some sunshine during their portraits.
Signs like this one were everywhere around the ceremony and reception, all handmade by Calum the week of the wedding. What an amazing idea for their rustic wedding.
Their wedding ceremony included a traditional Scottish handfasting ritual which was amazing to witness and capture.
Seattle Wedding at the Fremont Foundry || Caitlin & John
Posted on April 7, 2016
Ever wonder what a November wedding looks like in Seattle? Well to no one’s surprise it rains a lot here… But that didn’t prevent Caitlin and John in any way from having a beautiful wedding at the gorgeous Fremont Foundry in Seattle. We even got a little break from the rain to do some rooftop outdoor photos.
Given the big statement that the venue makes with its modern industrial vibe, they opted for minimal dĂ©cor, a fun cocktail party and an awesome band, The Bucking Horse, that kept everyone dancing to the very end. The bride even surprised everyone with signing one of my favorite songs, Wagonwheel…
Caitlin and John, thank you for allowing me to capture your beautiful wedding. I had so much fun and it was a great way to close out my 2015 wedding season. Love you both!!!
A special thanks also to Lena Peterson who helped shoot this wedding with me.
Seattle Wedding @ French Creek Manor || David & Yulia
Posted on September 28, 2015
I first met David and Yulia through their wedding coordinator, the very talented Stephanie from Lilac&Lace and immediately formed a great connection with them. They wanted a small but beautiful and elegant wedding using black, white and gold accents and Stephanie and her team did such a fantastic job putting together Yulia and David’s vision for their dream wedding. The French Creek Manor in Snohomish, WA also provided such a beautiful backdrop for their special day which was made perfect by their small and close circle of family and friends that came together to celebrate their special day.  Being a photographer herself, I could tell Yulia was a little sad to put down her camera but she had such a great time being on the other side of the lens.
Their wedding day started at their home in Kirkland for Yulia and an old fashioned Barber Shoppe for David. How cool is that?
After their emotional first look we headed to Juanita Bay Park in Kirkland for their portraits. As a destination wedding photographer, I feel so lucky to be able to shoot in some amazing wedding locations and I have to say the Pacific Northwest has a very special place in my heart.
 
 
As Yulia was getting ready to walk down the aisle for her wedding ceremony, David was patiently waiting for her. You could sense he was so full of anticipation and even got teary eyed when he saw her walking towards him. 
Deception Pass Park Engagement Session || Jaclyn & John
Posted on August 14, 2015
Jacky and John are seriously one of the sweetest and funnest couples I’ve met. As a photographer and especially a photojournalistic photographer I try not to get caught up in the moment but be ready to capture everything. Let’s just say these two and especially John did not make my job easy as I couldn’t stop laughing the entire time…
Needless to say I had such a great time exploring around the Deception Pass State Park with Jaclyn and John for their engagement session. From an amazing bridge, to forests and gorgeous beaches I could seriously spend a few days here and can’t wait to return and further explore this amazing park…
Golden Garden Park Engagement Session || Libby & Austin
Posted on June 9, 2015
Discovery Park Engagement Session || Brittney & Aaron
Posted on May 24, 2015
Brittney and Aaron’s engagement session took us to Seattle’s Discovery Park. If you’ve never been there before you’re in for a real treat. This park has everything to offer from amazing fields with tall grasses to a beautiful beach with driftwood, tall cliffs and even a lighthouse at the end of it. Combine those with gorgeous evening light and an incredibly sweet couple and I have to say that Discovery Park has become one of my favorite spots for photography.
Products || Wedding Welcome Packets
Posted on April 12, 2015
Over the past few years, as my business has grown, I’ve continued to look for ways to create a better experience for couples that book their weddings with me. One of my goal for this year, which my 2015 couples have already seen in the mail, was to create a Welcome Packet to welcome new couples into the Ardita Kola Photography family. If you’re thinking about booking your wedding with us, here’s a sneak peak at what will be coming your way in the mail… 🙂
NY Wedding || Greentree Country Club || Brianna & Bob
Posted on March 15, 2015
We have Brianna and Bob’s gorgeous wedding featured in our blog today held at Greentree Country Cub in New Rochelle, NY. What more can one ask than a beautiful couple, amazing beach front location and lots of laughter and love in the midst of family and friends. We had a few close calls but the weather cooperated beautifully and held off the rain throughout the day’s events…
A special thank you to Dawn Joseph Photography for asking me to shoot this wedding with her.
NJ Wedding at Farmstead Golf & Country Club || Martyna and John
Posted on February 1, 2015
I knew immediately Martyna and John’s wedding was going to be really special, intimate and full of character. From the beautiful venue at the Farmstead Golf & Country Club to all the amazing details both of them worked so hard to put together, this wedding was truly inspirational, fun and filled with love and happiness.
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