Something beautiful has been happening out of the challenge of adjusting weddings to fit into an ever-changing set of rules this year. We are seeing weddings become so much more meaningful and often tying in the couple’s roots. Nicole and Brayden had to transform their big Lethbridge wedding into a more intimate Skiff backyard wedding when their original venue could no longer accommodate their event. Instead of the usual go to spots in Lethbridge, Nicole’s family’s farm was an incredibly personal and beautiful backdrop for their ceremony and portraits.
Everything about their day was so perfect. Their outdoor ceremony took place with a chorus of birds singing in the trees behind them. The gorgeous yellow fields had just flowered and were easily within walking distance. The hamlet of Skiff was only a couple minutes away where we could make use of the old grain elevator and train cars, perfect for Nicole and Brayden’s love of trains!
There was so much love throughout the day and everyone in the family played a part in making the day run smoothly. Their wedding party, entirely made up of their siblings, doted on them all day and helped them pack whatever they needed. They were also great for encouraging kissing when Nicole and Brayden didn’t quite hear what I asked. ;) Nicole and Brayden are so sweet and their wedding was such a perfect way to start their lives together.
Charlene and Terry had a very emotional session with their family. This sweet mother, wife, and grandmother had recently entered palliative care. Knowing they had the gift of time, her children planned their Hillcrest family photos so they could capture some last beautiful memories with her in photos.
It was important to do the photos where she raised her children in the Crowsnest Pass, so we chose a beautiful spot down by the creek in Hillcrest. (It’s such a small world that her daughter lives several houses down from me in Lethbridge, and here we were travelling to our shared home town.) The family made a very big exception for physical distancing that day because it was important to snuggle in close to Charlene and show how much she was loved.
The quarantine meant I couldn’t photograph any real people for a while, so I grabbed all my Barbies when I was by my parents’ place and gave them a try at modelling. One of the biggest challenges was selecting outfits out of the strange collection I had (which totally will inspire a future photoshoot), though I was glad I had a diverse collection of doll types. Oh, there’s also the challenge of how none of the old Barbies had movable joints! I am amazed at some of the poses I balanced them in (plus a good chunk have Cam just out of frame holding feet).
I used this opportunity to play in the spring blossoms and try out a few experimental lighting techniques and multiple exposures. I’m so glad to have finally tried Barbie portraits!
(For behind the scenes videos of some of the more creative shots, you can check out my Instagram story highlights.)
When distancing rules made it so that they couldn’t have the large traditional wedding they had originally planned in Lethbridge, Julie and Nathan turned their event into an intimate Alberta foothills ranch wedding.
After their church ceremony at home, the couple and their immediate families travelled out to a family ranch past Claresholm. The property overlooked a stunning view of the valley in multiple directions and had gorgeous forests and vistas we could easily hike to for photos.
Julie has been in a few of the wedding parties we have photographed so it was a blast to do her wedding this year! Her and Nathan were always excited to have their photos taken and their own wedding was no exception. Although their plans of having a 10 member wedding party fell through, most of their original party was still able to attend as guests and take part in a few photos.
Natasha and Jeremy are perfect examples of patience as they planned their intimate Waterton Lakes Lodge wedding through the pandemic. The couple had to save dress and suit shopping until the last month while they waited for stores to allow customers and it was only a couple weeks before their wedding date that select national parks were allowed to open, meaning we could actually get into Waterton!
Through all this, Natasha had the added challenge of secretly transforming their vows from an elopement to a small wedding as a surprise for Jeremy. Although their guest list had to shrink to accommodate the gathering rules, they were still able to have their immediate families in attendance. Jeremy had no idea until he walked to the ceremony site and saw everyone (which started a cascade of everyone happy crying)!
It was strange seeing Waterton so quiet during its peak season but it gave us so much more space to get around for photos. And best of all, it didn’t rain on us one bit even though it threatened to. Natasha, Jeremy, and their families were so kind and great to work with. This sweet couple really made our first wedding of the season easy!
Kaylene and James had me design their Norland winter wedding album from the ground up, starting with selecting all of the images. I have just as much trouble narrowing down the photos as my couples do, so trust me, this is quite a task!
