What a year 2020 was! By the time March rolled around, we weren’t sure if we were still going to be able to call ourselves “wedding photographers” this year, or if COVID was going to cancel weddings and events completely. Quite a few of our couples decided to postpone their weddings until 2021, but the rest decided to shake up their plans and go for it!
We saw a little less travelling this year, but still managed to visit Waterton many times and went as far as the Pioneers Cabin in Edmonton. Many of the weddings were made more personal by cancelling venue reservations and moving the festivities to family’s and friend’s farms and ranches, where we found some stunning views of the Alberta landscape.
With 2020 being such an oddball, it was totally fitting that it was also a leap year! We started out the year with James and Kaylene’s leap year / 1920s themed wedding before we had any idea of what was to come.
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!
Kaylene and James held a Norland Estate 1920s themed wedding on the most memorable date of 2020 – the leap year! The girls rocked the vintage look the best of all with beautiful head piece jewellery and lots of fringe. Kaylene added a stunning beaded piece to her open backed wedding dress to tie everything together. They even loaded up on discount Halloween items the year before to supply their reception with themed props for their guests to wear!
We started the day at James’ parents’ acreage, then headed to the Norland where the girls were getting ready. I love that the Norland has such beautiful space to use for photos inside the house so we could protect everyone’s hair from the wind as much as possible. (If you were wondering why this winter wedding looks a lot like spring, the usual wind is to blame!)
Their couple’s portraits took place just as twilight was setting in and the pretty stringed lights around the Norland property had just turned on (which is so amazing for photos). Once away from the distraction of their guests, the sweetness of James and Kaylene’s relationship had a chance to shine. All of their silly faces at each other started to come out!
To maximize the number of guests who could party with them, Kaylene and James reserved the dinner time exclusively for their extended families and had the rest of their friends show up later in the night. Instead of staying for the big crowd, we planned a private fake first dance while they had the Norland’s reception room all to themselves! It’s pretty exciting being able to tell a couple directions as they are dancing ;)
This may look like a Christmas wedding, but these snowy Norland wedding portraits were part of the wild fall weather we’ve had! Janita and William didn’t let the cold temperatures or second snowfall slow down their wedding plans. They were just as enthusiastic about the snow, which looked amazing with the rich reds in their colour scheme.
The wedding party and their spouses tag teamed keeping the couple warm by picking up hot chocolate, being ready with blankets behind the scenes of the photos, and parking their truck nearby so everyone could warm up in shifts.
Janita’s family lives just down the road from the Norland, plus the venue is only one block away from their church, so it was the perfect place to do their wedding photos! There were still a few autumn colours here and there while the beautiful beams of sunlight provided welcome relief from the cold for everyone.
From the time Janita’s father started laying on the dad jokes during getting ready photos to siblings lightly teasing the couple during their reception, everyone was in a constant state of laughter and joy all day long.
Lindsay and Terry planned a beautiful summer wedding at the Norland Historic Estate. Their wedding date happened to take place on one of the most gorgeous days of the summer and their guests spent so much time laughing and socializing on the patio.
As we went through the day, it was apparent how valued the couple are to their friends and family. Their wedding party kept them laughing all day and were so thrilled about the love they have found in each other. Each bridesmaid gave a speech explaining how much Lindsay had touched their lives while the best man recounted his favorite adventures with Terry and the other groomsmen.
Lindsay and Terry’s ceremony was equally full of emotion and laughter. Grandparents were crying before anyone had even walked down the aisle, and Terry managed to hold it together better than one of the groomsmen (but just barely). Lindsay made the classic slip up of “my awfully wedded husband” which sent everyone into hysterical laughter.
However, the best was yet to come! As Lindsay walked down the aisle, she realized that she forgot Terry’s wedding ring in the Norland house. She played it cool through the whole ceremony until it was time for the ring exchange. Thinking on the spot, she quickly removed her engagement ring and placed it halfway down Terry’s pinky finger (the only finger where it would sort of fit). Their marriage commissioner, Carol, said it was the gesture that was the most important! Terry wore the engagement ring with pride until Lindsay was able to sneak away from their receiving line and grab the proper wedding band.
This was our first time back at the Norland Historic Estate since their massive renovation and ballroom expansion, and they’ve done an amazing job! The gazebo has been relocated to a much more photo friendly location (no more grooms in the blazing sun!), the ballroom can fit so many more guests, and the cozy patio area lets the party spill outdoors to take in the beautiful yard. Lindsay and Terry had perfect timing booking their wedding when they did to take advantage of all of the changes.
The Norland Historic Estate ends up in many of my wedding albums, and for good reason! The timeless look of this Lethbridge wedding venue lends itself perfectly to the heirloom quality of albums. Kathleen and Mike’s wedding there this past summer created a colorful summer Norland wedding album, featuring their themes of lemons, cross-stitching, and bright pink flowers.
This is an example of the Modern+ Wedding Album with a charcoal leather spine.
