Jenn Hildebrand

Galiano || My Birthday Weekend

For my birthday, a few of my close friends and I went to Galiano Island for a weekend adventure.

Saturday morning we packed the car full of groceries and good tunes, and set sail. The moment we made it to Galiano we headed straight over to their Saturday Market. It was super cute with a guitarist playing some cover songs as well as locals selling fresh fruit and veg, coffee, sweets, and other local made items.

Once we were done there we drove to the other side of the island to the place we were staying. The moment we settled in we headed straight to the kitchen to cook up some food. There’s something so great about having “family” meals with your friends. I la la laaave it. I also really love Bows + Arrows coffee and am still crying over their cafe shutting down in East Van…

Okay if you ever go to Galiano, definitely check out the Sandstone Caves. It is on Private property so you do need to be careful of that, but oh MAN is it gorgeous. It’s a bit of a walk down but totally worth it. And you better believe we took this as an opportunity to have a photoshoot.

This is genuinely the best place to get that classic PNW insta shot.

Sunday – aka Birthday day! This was spent exploring the island. Some places to definitely check out would be:

  • Galiano Island Soap Works
  • Galiano Island Books
  • Bowline Cafe – Had the most delightful Lavender Fog with their in-house made nut milk!
  • Babes in The Woods – Had their veg pizza and it was delishhh
  • the trails – it was raining on Sunday so we weren’t able to go on many but we did do a v short walk towards some steps that led down to the water and it was so gorgeous. Honestly, there’s nothing better than being in nature!

Honestly – this weekend was what I needed. I’m a very on the go person and I barely take time to rest. Being away from the busyness of the city and surrounding myself with nature allowed me to really slow down. Plus there’s the bonus of being with some of my people. Instead of being on our phones we played board games (and A LOT of Dutch Blitz), asked each other questions that allowed us to dig deeper, and we allowed ourselves to unplug from the every day. If you haven’t had a chance to visit BC’s Gulf Islands, I 100% recommend you do!

How To Style: Wide Leg Jeans

OH MAN! If someone would have told me that I’d really dig wide leg jeans I would have said you’re crazy. There is no way I’m moving away from my comfortable skinny jeans. Well, I’m now eating my words because I really, really, REALLY dig these New Look jeans.

I picked these jeans up over the summer on a whim. It was close to midnight and I was scrolling through ASOS – as one does. On the model they were cropped- but because I’m standing at 5’3 they’re not quite cropped on me. But because they do have a raw hem, I could trim them easily if I want.

How I like to style them…

Because they’re not fitted jeans – and are REALLY high waisted, I like to tuck in a tank top and then a loose cardigan to give it a super relaxed vibe.

For accessories, I normally throw on a long necklace and then a belt… and for shoes, I either opt for a pair of sandals OR I’ll throw on some white tube socks and a pair of sneakers. I’m all about socks and sneakers these days…

Stepping out of your comfort zone when it comes to fashion can be daunting. But once you get over the “I don’t think I can pull it off” bump and realize that you CAN pull it off, you’ll be so happy you did.

–

What’s one fashion trend you’re scared to try? Let me know!

J. x

27.

Twenty Seven.

Here’s to a new year.

Twenty six can be concluded as a year of growth – emotionally, spiritually, mentally, and unfortunately not physically. (A girl can only dream of what it’d be like to be 5’4 *sigh*).

Things that happened this year:

  • got a new job (YAY!)
  • made some new, super rad friends who are crazy empowering, loving, and encouraging
  • was introduced to the Land of Eyelash Extensions (I’ve been made their Queen)
  • went vegan
  • then decided that I love smoked salmon too much and instead chose the pescetarian life (sorry Nemo)
  • tried to date… LOL key word tried
  • chopped my hair
  • dyed my hair
  • dyed my hair again
  • BROKE MY ARM (I still can’t believe that happened…)
  • grew closer to God – this has been so important for me…
  • learned more about my own calling in life and ministry
  • stepped out of my comfort zone SO many times (and something I don’t mind sharing more about if you’re interested)
  • discovered that I can cook semi decently
  • can count on my hands the number of panic attacks – which is major progress
  • joined a gym (YUP… me… a gym…)
  • and saw Harry Styles in concert (BLESSINGS)

Twenty six was something else.

But going into twenty seven, I’m excited for what’s to come.

Here’s to a year of more awkwardness, more selfies, laughter, food, travelling, friendship, love, concerts, and growth.

Here’s to a new year.

*photo credit: Cally Petersen Photography

A Cup Of Joy | #UGMxCoffee

I’m the queen of going out for coffee.

If you’re trying to get a hold of me, chances are I’m either at work or at my local coffee shop. I love it! I love the atmosphere, the hot drinks, and the aesthetic. I love meeting up with friends over a hot drink… I love setting up my laptop with a delicious London Fog and getting work done… I love sitting down with one of my girls I mentor and chat about life. It’s one of my favourite things!

But here’s the deal.

Not everybody has the opportunity nor do they have the luxury to go out for coffee.

I grew up in East Vancouver. With that being said, I’m no stranger to the Downtown Eastside. Growing up, I had my fair share of going downtown with either a high school group or my church youth group to hand out coffee, a sandwich, or a pair of socks. These outings sparked conversations with the people that lived in my neighbourhood whose lives didn’t quite look like mine. I was also taught to always show kindness to the homeless community because even though their lives looked different than my own, we all searched for the same thing – someone to show us love and kindness.

When UGM approached me and asked if I wanted to be part of their campaign Coffee + Conversation it was a no-brainer. At UGM, each cup of coffee is an opportunity to create life-changing connections with guests staying in their Emergency Shelter.

So… How can you do your part? You can help support me by making a donation to my fundraising campaign A Cup Of Joy. I chose joy because everyone deserves happiness… to be shown kindness… and to see joy in the midst of hardship and sorrow.

The process is fast, easy, and secure… and you can be sure that your donation will make a difference in the lives of our struggling neighbours.

By clicking here you can provide the $3.50 it costs to provide a warm meal and a hot cup of coffee to someone who needs it. The amount you choose to give is totally up to you! My goal is to raise $500 over the next few weeks (Campaign ends March 10th), providing at least 100 opportunities for life changing connections. ALSO!! With every donation made, may it be big or small, you will be entered to win a really cool giveaway (free coffee anyone??).

Will you join me in bringing a cup of joy?

Winter Skin Care Routine (’17)

Starting of #blogmas with something I’ve been asked a lot lately- my go to skin care routine. I’ve been super lucky (aka, blessed) to have reasonably unproblematic skin. I think the biggest factor to that being the amount of water I drink. I try to drink at least a litre of water a day to try and stay hydrated. I also love to moisturize like crazy. But, I also try to be diligent with my skin care and actually wash it.

So, with that being said, here are my current skin care picks:

Cleanser: My ride or die for skin cleansers is normally the REN cleansing milk… but lately I’ve been trying out the Saje Zen Cleanse. I started working at a local Saje store and figured it might be a good idea to try out their skin care products. And I must admit, the Zen cleanse is a pretty close second to my trusty REN cleansing milk. It’s super gentle on the face. It’s 100% natural. It’s made with avocado… and I love it.

Toner:  Rose Mist by Saje has been my new favourite find. It’s only made with water and rose oil. Rose is SO good for your face. It’s incredibly hydrating and what I love about this product is that I can use it as a final “toner” after I’ve finished my skin care routine AND I can also use it on top of my make up to bring  a bit of extra hydration. Win-Win.

Moisturizer: My skin is like the sahara desert in the winter time. I have flaky dry patches around my nose and along my scalp. I think most of it is due to my own health issues (yay bad thyroid… not), but I think it’s also because of the weather change. I’ve been using a BioDerma Hydrabio Moisturizing Serum. I love it. It’s not your typical serum meaning it’s not liquid-y. It’s thick and leaving my skin feeling extra moisturized. I love to use this under my makeup too and I’ve noticed that it lasts a lot longer with it on. It’s also great if you have super dehydrated skin like myself.

Eye Cream: Kiels Midnight Recovery eye cream has been my current find in terms of eye treatment. I never really know what the eye cream is doing to my skin, but I have noticed that my concealer has been applying better since using an eye cream. So – I’ll take it!

Night Cream: LiftActiv Supreme Night by Vichy was gifted to me by my mom after she realized it wasn’t doing much for her own skin. I have found it to be wonderful for myself. I love night creams and I wake up the next day with soft skin – so.. obviously that means I love the product more.

These are my current go to winter skin care products. I’m curious to hear what some of yours are?

J. xx

Let’s Style: Jean Jackets

I’m OBSESSED with this jean jacket. I bought it from ASOS over the summer and have been wearing it non stop now that it’s colder. What I love about it is how easy it is to throw on over any outfit. Being super casual? Throw on a jean jacket. Wearing a dress? Throw on a jean jacket. Going to the pumpkin patch? Throw on a jean jacket!!! The best part is that it’s crazy comfortable and I’m all about comfort.

Whatever the occasion may be, a jean jacket is totes okay. Even in November (especially in November – ummm, layers?!) I’m a big fan of layers. I’m the kind of girl that get’s really warm and would rather layer with a sweater, jacket, and scarf.

So pull on your favourite pair of skinny jeans (black or blue – Canadian tuxedos are cool, k?), a comfy sweater, sneakers and your favourite jean jacket and you’ve got yourself a comfortable, yet stylish, autumnal outfit.

I’m still on the hunt for a cute jean jacket with a (faux) fur lining. If you know of any good ones, definitely let me know!

OUTFIT DETAILS: 

Jean Jacket – ASOS CURVE
Jeans – OLD NAVY (You heard me! They have the comfiest jeggings)
Sweater – EVER NEW MELBOURN (Last season, but here‘s one that is similar)
Shoes – Converse (I forgot how much I love the original black converse)

How do you like to style jean jackets?

J.xx

 

Killarney Secondary – Pre Prom

Before I start, can I just say how sorry I am for being super MIA over the last month? I genuinely don’t know where June went (and clearly forgot how to write a blog post..)! So I’m back with a super cute pre-prom photo shoot I did in June with a group of girls from a local secondary school.

I was first approached by one of the girls (Mariah – she’s the one giving super Morticia Addams vibes in her black dress and classy red lip. GORGE!) who happened to be one of my old youth (and now intern at the church I work at). She asked if I’d be free to photograph a group of her friends before they danced the night away at prom. I couldn’t pass up the opportunity because if you know me, you know how much I love proms. The dresses, the laughs, the freedom in their eyes knowing high school is OVER. It’s one of my favourite things to photograph.

Even though I’m pretty sure this was the hottest day in June (to the point where it was hard to tell if it was highlight on my cheeks or sweat), that didn’t matter. We found some shady spots and even braved the hills in their high heels. They had me laughing and awe-ing the whole time!

PS. If you are a grade 12 student (in the lower mainland) and already planning your prom for next year, I would LOVE to talk senior photos or pre-prom photographs. Feel free to shoot me a message!

OK! That’s all for me.

Enjoy!

Jenn x

Five weddings and a Second Shooter

This past summer I worked seven weddings in total, five of which I second shot.

Second shooters are so important. I know personally when I work a wedding, I always feel a little lost without my second shooter around. One of the biggest reasons is because I have crazy anxiety, and she helps me settle myself the night before so I don’t go into a frenzy. She’s a real gem (Hannah Richter– go check her out if you haven’t already!) and I’m so thankful to be able to work with her!

This past summer, not only did Hannah second shoot for me, but I was able to return the favour and second shoot for her. What’s so neat about our relationship is that we’re not only partners in photography, but I’d consider her a really good friend. That in itself makes working weddings together an absolute breeze! We completely understand one another and most of the time we don’t even have to say anything to know what the other person needs. I never second shot before I started with Hannah, and I don’t think I’d ever want to work with anyone else. Or have anyone work with me. (Okay, this is getting too mushy…)

I’ve been wanting to share with you a few of my favourite shots from my second shooting adventure this past year and figured it would be easiest to mash them all together in one post.

Enjoy!

J. x

Shauna + David

There is something beautiful and intimate about a beach wedding, and Shauna and David’s late August ceremony is no exception.

I hadn’t met Shauna and David before their wedding. In fact, they had booked me only two weeks before their big day. I had been corresponding through their wedding planner (something I hadn’t done before), and was super curious to meet them. Normally I like to meet up with the couple before hand so I can learn a bit about their love story, and get a feel for them and their style. I was a bit nervous going into it, but I have to tell you – these two were an absolute delight to work with!

Their energy was vibrant and their love is so contagious. They had me swooning and smiling the whole time. The way that David would look at his bride – it’s how every bride wants to be looked at. Full of love, adoration and joy.

They had arrived at the beach together, taking away from the traditional “first look”. But everything about this wedding wasn’t traditional. (And that only made them even more fun to work with!) Shauna rocked a short, lace dress, David – an effortless, rockstar attitude with a simple black suit, and their guests were dressed casual. I mean it is a beach wedding after all!

The ceremony was short and sweet, full of love and laughter. The sun was beating down on us, but that didn’t matter at all. I mean, Vancouver is extra gorgeous in the sunshine.  It was the perfect weather making for a perfect day!

Here are a few shots from their beach ceremony.

Enjoy!

J. x

Eric + Patricia

These two lovebirds are married!

It feels like yesterday that I photographed these two gorgeous people. First their engagement, and then their wedding. It’s already been over a month since they said “I Do” and I’m excited to be able to share with you some shots from their day.

Eric and Patricia are some of the loveliest people you’ll ever meet. They are filled with so much love, affection, compassion and heart. When you meet them, you can’t help but be drawn to their passion for animals and others. They have absolute hearts of gold and I couldn’t imagine a better person for the other.

The day started bright and early at 6:30AM with the girls. Patricia only had a maid of honour – her sister, but a few friends were also there to get ready. Once everyone was looking beautiful, we pilled into a few cars and drove farther up North Vancouver until we hit Grouse Mountain. Known for the “Grouse Grind”, this is an stunning location for an outdoor wedding. Plus, everything is right there. Ceremony, portraits, reception – it’s a wedding dream.

With the sun shining bright, these two said “I Do” in front of seventy of their closest family and friends. There’s something so beautiful about an intimate wedding! After the ceremony, I took them farther into Grouse and towards a dusty road. These made for some textured shots that are to die for. With only their siblings as their bridal party, it made photographing super quick and easy – and the results, amazing. The ceremony had been an afternoon full of vegan food and treats, loads of laughter, tears, and infectious love. It’s undeniable the love that Patricia and Eric’s family and friends have for this couple. All in all, it made for a wonderful wedding between two amazing people.

Also a BIG MASSIVE THANK YOU to Hannah Richter from Hannah Martin Photography for second shooting. This girl is an absolute gem and there is nobody else I’d want to work a wedding with more. If you have a chance, look at her website. She just launched it and it’s gorgeous.

Alright!

Here are some photos from Eric + Patricia’s breathtaking mountain wedding.

J. x

       

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