Kamloops business Rozalind Photography scored the title of the photographer of the year throughout the province.
Image Credit: SUBMITTED / Rozalind Panasuk
March 04, 2020 - 7:30 AM
If you’re getting hitched this year, these Kamloops and Kelowna businesses should be on your radar.
The B.C. Wedding Awards winners have been released, and several local talents are being recognized as some of the best places to find the perfect photographer, cake, dress or venue.
Some of the awards were divided by region, with one winner overall. In other categories such as videographers, wedding entertainment and grooms wear providers, only one nod was awarded.
Kamloops took the cake, literally. Cocoa Dot Cakes was named the best cake designer of the year for Okanagan-Boundary, and is one of four River City businesses that took home a title.
Raine Artistry Co. of Kamloops took the crown as the hair and make-up specialist of the year for the Okanagan-Boundary area.
Kamloops’ Aspect Film Works was recognized as the videographer of the year throughout the province. Alex O’Daly started the business in 2016 after moving from Australia and says the scenery of B.C. has made her fall in love with work again.
“My visual style lends itself well to landscapes with forests and mountains and trees and lakes,” O’Daly says. “I have renewed my inspiration for shooting weddings here, and I think my films show that.”
Credit: FACEBOOK / Aspect Film Works
O’Daly says the people working in the Kamloops wedding industry are very supportive of one another. Another Kamloops winner, Rozalind Photography, agrees with her friend O’Daly. Owner Rozalind Panasuk captured the win for the photographer of the year in the region, as well as the province.
“Moving from Vancouver to Kamloops, it was more cutthroat, you did your own thing. Moving to Kamloops I found a few friends right away and I think everyone has the mentality that there’s enough work for everyone.”
Kelowna was also well-represented at the awards.
If you’re planning to get married at the top venue in the Okanagan-Boundary region, you’ll want to book Kelowna’s Brook and Barn.
The Wedding Cafe in Kelowna took the prize for the wedding coordinator of the year throughout the province. Jenn Esbjerg and her mom Barb Taylor have been running the business for eleven years, and say this is the biggest win they've received yet. The pair didn't make it to Vancouver for the awards, but found out the next day.
"One of the venues we work with, Brook and Barn, won best wedding venue and we were so excited for them, and then we got an email the next day saying we won. We were double-excited," Esbjerg says.
She says the Kelowna wedding industry is also pretty tight-knit, and says the majority of business owners are supportive of the others.
"Most are pretty collaborative and helpful to another... from our perspective, everyone is really kind and welcoming," Esbjerg says.
Of course, a classic wedding isn’t complete without a perfect outfit for the bride. Ten Fashions Bridal Boutique in Kelowna scored the title of wedding boutique of the year in the Okanagan-Boundary region.
Click here for the full list of winners.
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