The Graham’s Beautiful Country Wedding

Posted on August 19, 2010

Excuse me if I’m a little biased, but I am posting a LOT of beautiful wedding images in this post!  The bias comes into play simply for the fact that these were taken at my sister’s wedding… therefore I found it much too difficult to narrow down to only a handful of photos.  You may recall the engagement session, also taken at their farm near Warner.  Such a beautiful place in the country, with so many lovely backgrounds to use. 

This particular wedding story was made possible by a lot of quick planning and action, since Denise and Jeremy set the date a mere month before it was to happen!!!  WOW!  They did a lot of work (with our Mom and Dad’s support a lot of the time!) to get the farm and preparations ready in time.  The results were well worth the effort in my opinion, as you’ll see reflected in the photos! 

The wedding ceremony was held in the couples’ backyard, with immediate family and a couple of very special friends present… very beautiful.  Their officiant was so great too, pleasant, patient and just the nicest lady… she did a wonderful job of making the ceremony very personal and meaningful for Denise and Jeremy. 

My daughter was their flowergirl and boy oh baby, was she excited!!!  Being such a tomboy, we were all pleasantly surprised with, not only her willingness, but insistance on wearing the cutest little flowergirl dress, sparkly shoes and prettied up hair!  It was a special occasion indeed, and she was thrilled to finally be able to call our new family member “Uncle” Jeremy!

The Wedding Ceremony at the Graham Farm

The night before the wedding ceremony, we headed over to the farm to finish up a few last minute details.  I got to help make the bride’s bouquet, the flowergirl’s bouquet, as well as corsages for the groom and all of the couple’s immediate family attending the ceremony!  There’s just something I love about creating arrangements and floral pieces… fun!  Plus, a little ladybug settled itself into my sister’s bouquet that morning also… a sign of good luck!  Perfect timing.

Wedding Flowers and More Flowergirl Images!

Once the wedding ceremony was finished, we began the celebrations with a few bottles of champagne… that chose to open themselves one by one due to the heat we experienced that day.  Needless to say, we were all “on guard” with our heads up, making sure no one got popped in the head with a rogue cork!  haha!  Champagne in hand, we took lots of family photos and then of course the majority of Denise and Jeremy’s wedding portraits around the farm.  The wedding reception was held at Ric’s Grill which is located in Lethbridge, Alberta… it’s really cool there!  The restaurant was built inside the old water tower, and while we were there, we were able to watch some of the Snowbird’s Airshow through the huge windows… it was an unforgettable experience!

Wedding Reception and Celebration

Wedding Portraits

Once we got back to the farm, the party really started with the arrival of many of Denise and Jer’s awesome friends!  Lots of people brought their trailers and stayed overnight, including us!  We visited, watched the kids playing on the wonderful playground and had a great bonfire late that night as well.  It was probably the BEST midnight lunch EVER… hot dogs and roasted marshmallows… mmmmm.  Even our little flowergirl stayed up into the wee hours of the morning, having the time of her life!

I can’t go without mentioning the very unique wedding cake as well… which I offered to make, not knowing fully what I was getting myself into!  Oh boy.  Apparently I told Denise to challenge me, that I could make absolutely whatever her heart desired… haha!  (It’s true though, I really wanted her to have exactly what she wanted that day… and was willing to do whatever it took to make it so.)  She and Jeremy decided on a two-tiered, square cake with a western flair!  Covered in fondant layers, made to look like leather, with leather straps, stitching and even heart-shaped conchos… completely edible from top to bottom.  Well, minus the bronze saddle and rope cake base which our Dad created!  The cake was a success, and everyone enjoyed eating it up… although most were horrified that we were going to cut into it at all!  haha!

The Western Wedding Cake

Close to sunset, Jeremy, Denise and I took a little trek to the top of their huge hill behind the farmyard… just to get a few more wedding portraits with the amazing view!  I have to say that I am THRILLED we got to do them… this one is possibly my favorite!

I hope you two enjoyed the day as much as we did, and want to say thankyou for making Hayden a big part of your wedding especially.  She will remember that day forever, I have no doubt.  I was honoured to be able to make these images for you, as well as standing up for you as a witness.  You have our support in every way, always. 

We love you guys xoxo

 

Gorgeous “Geldreich” Maternity Session in Bow Island

Posted on August 2, 2010

I had the pleasure of getting together with Ellen and Todd last week, to get one more item on their “List of Things To Do Before Baby Arrives” checked off… a beautiful maternity photo session!  These first time parents have less than one month left before their little one makes her debut into the world… and isn’t Ellen seriously looking gorgeous?!  Wanting more traditional photos, we started this session in my “home studio” with a simple white background… perfect choice, I just love how these ones turned out!  Although, I also really like the natural setting of the park that is located right down the back alley from our house!  We chose an area with an “alley” of beautiful trees to finish our photo session… really love these ones too, and they still have a traditional feel to them I think.

With the combination of these parents, this baby is definitely going to have beautiful blue eyes also I’m sure… I can’t wait to meet her!  Ellen and Todd, I hope that I honestly captured this piece of time for you, so you can always look back and remember what it was like.  Enjoy your next month of preparations and waiting   Make sure you take the time to go out for dinner at least one more time together… just the two of you.  Ellen, take as many nice long baths as you can, read a great book and rest up.  You are heading into the best time of your life, and you will need as much energy as possible to enjoy every sweet minute of caring for and loving your little girl… best wishes for her safe arrival.  Take care xo 

Maternity Photos Taken “In Studio”

Outdoor Baby Belly Photos!

 

Emily’s Photo Session at Medalta Potteries, Medicine Hat

Posted on July 29, 2010

This was a very special family photo session for me, for so many reasons.  First of all, I had Miss Emily in my Junior Kindergarten class four years ago… which is also the beginning of my friendship with her mom Sheryl!  Emily has always been a sweetheart in my eyes, but you can definitely see her little personality coming out in these photos.  She is a rockstar, just like her Mom.  And even though Sheryl may not admit it… her daughter really is a miniature version of her!  haha! 

This is the second photo session that I have done for these girls… the first being two years ago at Echodale which featured a little Emily in denim overalls and pink converse sneakers!  Stinkin’ cute.  Each time we have done photos, it has been in trade for Sheryl’s awesome crafting skills.  Some of you may know that I’m a crafty girl myself at the best of times, but when serious need for intricate sculpting arises… she is the lady I call on everytime.  Honestly, she’s pretty amazing at what she does. 

For my daughter’s second birthday two years ago, we were having a “beach themed” party, complete with a sandcastle cake.  However, her one special request, was to have her best buddies “Toopy and Binoo” be on the cake as well.  Uh… yeah.  Soooo… enter Sheryl.  She not only whipped up the cutest pair of little cake toppers, but also made them “beachy” complete with sand pail, shovel and the tiniest sea shells ever!  Fabulous! 

So this year, my daughter really wanted a Robin Hood party, bows and arrows, hats with feathers, swords, treasure hunt… the whole works.  Let me just say that it is next to impossible to find Robin Hood ANYTHING these days, so we needed to be super creative.  Again… enter Sheryl.  She put together the most perfect little Robin and Maid Marion I could have ever asked for… sigh.  She even reassured me that I could make my own Sherwood Forest tree if the cake really needed it still… which of course I had to try .Thank you Sheryl, for all that you do!  Don’t worry, we have almost an entire year to plan out the 5th Birthday Party theme… I just know you’ll come up with something awesome no matter what she chooses!    We had fun hanging out with you two and getting some sweet photos. xo

Hanging out at Medalta Potteries in Medicine Hat, Alberta… eating cupcakes and soaking up the sun.

Samuel & Marjorie’s Sweet Wedding in Medicine Hat

Posted on July 29, 2010

Another wonderful wedding… Oh my gosh!  I was so excited to once again be second shooter for Melissa, and really happy that it involved taking Marjorie and Samuel’s wedding ceremony photos.  The main reason I was so excited about this one in particular, was that Melissa had told me in advance, “This Bride and Groom are so easy going, and really just want to BE married!”  She was absolutely right.  I didn’t notice nerves of any sort before they walked down the aisle… only pure love and giddy happiness to become man and wife.  It was so beautiful and refreshing!  The ceremony was held at Temple Baptist Church in Medicine Hat, and although those rain clouds were threatening, everything turned out perfectly.  The church looked amazing, with lights all over the walls and ceiling, lit up like stars in the sky… divine.  The flowergirls and ringbearers stole the show (with their ties, frilly gowns and flower adorned little red wagon)… until the bride entered the room.  Samuel’s face lit up and Marjorie was so excited just to see him waiting for her at the altar, that I actually thought she might take off running to him   Good thing her Dad was there by her side to keep everything in check!  haha!  The wedding dress was to die for too… and suited Marjorie for sure.  The corsages for the groomsmen were unique too, using bamboo for the base.  Really cool.  AND their “getaway” car was fabulous too!  Extremely cool, and complete with a gift of champagne for the couple, from their driver!  Anyways, I could go on and on about the special details of this wonderful day, so for now… here are some of my photos to show not only some details, but also a few special moments.  Thank you for letting me be part of your day, it was truly an honour and a joy!

 

The Groom and his Groomsmen, hanging around being “boys” before and after the ceremony!

The touching wedding ceremony at Temple Baptist Church in Medicine Hat

Beautiful details… wedding car, bridal bouquet and champagne to celebrate their marriage!

Beautiful Engagement Photos, Country Style

Posted on July 12, 2010

I had the privilege to take these beautiful engagement photos in the country on a huge farm near Warner, Alberta.  This is possibly the cutest engaged couple that I have photographed to date, and just being around them for five minutes will tell anyone how madly in love they really are.  They bought their farm a year ago, and it is so incredible!  Aside from all of their land that surrounds it, the yard is full of mature trees, bushes, perennial gardens and great little “coves” tucked in here and there… perfectly designed for taking awesome photographs.  It was so much fun hunting around for the best places to test out for Denise and Jeremy’s engagement session!

We started out front in their trees, in a few of the secret hideaways we found (trying to stay out of the light rain that just had to grace us with it’s presence that day).  It didn’t take long for them to get comfortable and just “be” together, so I got a lot of great images right off the bat!  We did have to relocate two of their dogs however, who just couldn’t resist getting cozy with their family while I had the couple sitting on the ground for a few casual shots.  It was pretty funny!  Then, when we were sure the rain had passed, we headed out to the barn.  The light was so nice in the doorway, and I just loved the photos we got up in the barn’s loft too… so gorgeous and romantic.

I loved being able to take your engagement photos you guys… and can’t wait to try out a few more of the great locations out there for your wedding very soon!  A wedding on the farm… what could be better?  So excited!  I hope you adore and cherish these images as much as I enjoyed creating them for you.  You know that I love you and am so grateful that you have found the love of your life and best friend in each other, and I feel blessed to be a witness to your marriage and happiness.  xoxo

p.s… for those of you who don’t know this yet… Denise is my sister, and Jeremy is my soon-to-be brother!

 

 

 

Michael and Tiffany’s Beautiful Wedding Photos

Posted on July 7, 2010

I was totally excited when my friend from Melissa Ann Photography asked me to be her second shooter at Michael and Tiffany’s wedding last weekend!  It’s been a long time since I’ve shot a wedding, and was thrilled to be back in the scene… it was so beautiful.  This couple paid great attention to details and everything was perfect!  The ceremony was held in St. Pat’s Church, which was amazing and then since Michael is a Medicine Hat firefighter, they had the department’s old fire truck brought down for photos as well… too cool!  We went to a few different locations around Medicine Hat for more formal wedding photos, and the ones overlooking the downtown were stunning!  I had such a great time, so thanks Melissa and also thanks to the happy newlyweds   Hope you love all of your wedding photos from the day…

Meyer Monday {27} Medicine Hat Photographer

Posted on July 5, 2010

For our yearly “Birthday Session,” I usually try to get the birthday girl into a nice “girly” outfit and set her up all sweet, just to end up with a grumpy, whiny kid… and a grumpy, whiny me.  Not a good plan I’ve finally realized after four years!  So we skipped the “dress up” part, randomly decided to test out my new camera in our patio area (after a few good jumps on the new trampoline), and these were the result!  I think these may be the best Birthday Photos we’ve ever done together… AND I didn’t even have to pose her   I pointed to a rock and said, please sit here.  Little Missy did the rest… shoulder roll and all!  Gotta love this kid right?  haha!

Plus, we raised some Painted Lady Butterflies again this year… always a fun activity around here in the Spring!  We had six caterpillars that formed their chrysalis’ and the emerged this past week as well, so we released them in the patio area where our roses are in full bloom.  They actually stuck around us for quite awhile and hung out on the flowers for hours… very cool!  Love that my Butterfly Charmer got to experience it all again

Meyer Monday {26} Medicine Hat Photographer

Posted on June 29, 2010

Well, our daughter turned the big FOUR this past week… pretty exciting business around here, that’s for sure!  Not too big on princesses and all that girly stuff, she chose a Robin Hood theme for her party this year… now THAT was a challenge.  Pretty hard to find age appropriate Robin Hood things these days… but I had fun making up a scavenger hunt, party hats and of course the cake.  My very talented friend (who two years ago, created amazing Toopy and Binoo figures for the cake toppers) once again came through.  This time it was Mr. Hood himself and his girlfriend Maid Marion… priceless!  Still unsure how to arrange the cake, I decided to add a tree to the top as well.  Wasn’t really sure what I was doing at the time, but now that I see the results, I’d really like to try my hand at more sculpting in the future… just for fun   Here are the figures and finally the cake…

So amongst all the mountains of toys and gifts this little girl received, was a brand new Easy Bake Oven… thank you Auntie Neesie!  These ovens sure have changed since I was little… but the process really hasn’t.  It still takes at least 35 minutes to make a minute little cake or cookie that tastes… well… you know.  haha!  Nevertheless, she loves being able to bake on her own (more or less) and of course I had to thoroughly document the whole thing!

Celebrating the Beauty of Life {Medicine Hat Photographer}

Posted on June 21, 2010

I have often come across people in my community who are going through something in their lives be it sickness, recovery, a birth that has overcome great odds, an adoption; and my automatic response to those stories is that I want to reach out to them and offer them a photography session (free of charge of course).  Something that would document this time in their lives, to leave behind memories for those they love or to commemorate a happy and joyful time.

To me the images that we take mean so much more than just a time and a place- they are a celebration of our lives- moments preserved and made into artwork that will forever remind us of the Beauty of Life!

So I challenge you to nominate your friends or those you have heard of who are deserving of such a celebration.  Take an active roll in those lives around you- notice the beauty in one another.

I will choose one application per month (for now) that truly merits a session.  If someone you nominate is chosen, you will also receive a credit to use towards a Celebration Session of your own!  I can’t wait to start helping everyone give

Applications (using the Contact link in the menu):

Your application of nomination must include your information (name, email address and phone number as well as a detailed description as to why you feel this person or people deserve a session.)
Also you must include their name, address, email address and phone number.

Here’s a little beauty for today…

Fresh Look {Medicine Hat Photographer}

Posted on June 21, 2010

When Shana contacted me, asking if we could do some “different” photos for her business cards and promotional materials, I was so excited!  The usual, run of the mill realtor photos (you know exactly the type I’m talking about) are just not fitting for one of the youngest realtors in Medicine Hat.  Shana is so easy going and was up for trying anything I could think up… we had so much fun dodging through alleys looking for the perfect backdrops!  I am extremely pleased with what the downtown area had to offer us.  I hope you love these photos Shana, and that you had as memorable a session as I did… I’d love to do it again sometime!  And if you’re looking to buy or sell a house, look Shana up here.   

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