by Sarah | Weddings
Whoa. Wait. Surprise? That is the response I got over and over when I told friends and colleagues and facebook followers what I had just done. My favourite was when people thought Brian had surprised Jackie with a wedding. yikes that would have been awkward. And illegal I think! So no, Brian and Jackie were the co-conspirators of this extra-ordinary wedding held at Murrieta’s in Canmore, Alberta. They decided quite a few months ago that they wanted to do something a little different, a little special. I was brought in on the ground level and thoroughly enjoyed helping to scheme and plot. They used an engagement party as the ruse to get their family and friends to make the trek to Canmore, citing that it was to be a big event and that it was extremely important to them to have everyone there. The party would start as any other engagement party might, with lots of greetings, drinks, food and music. Little did the guests know that myself, my uber fabulous second shooter extraordinaire Blair (check her out), Jackie, Brian and their entire wedding party had just spent a few hours shooting their creatives. (On a side note, I have to thank everyone in the wedding party for braving the cold with smiles and laughter) The bride and groom changed out of their wedding attire and back into party clothes in time to greet all their guests. The scene was set for a great night with soft dinner music playing and lots of reunions between family members and loved ones. Then, at precisely 6pm, there was a sudden and very loud music change; Marry Me by Bruno Mars was blasted over the speakers and the wait staff of Murrietas kicked into high gear, swooping in and taking the tables out from under the guests. There was confusion, nervous smiles and a lot of whispers as the room suddenly began to take shape as a wedding ceremony complete with altar and several rows of chairs creating an aisle. Before even I knew it, the ring bearers were walking down the aisle bringing in the stunning vision that was Jackie. The entire plan, the whole night went off without a hitch, not even a glitch. Upon exiting the ceremony, the newlyweds were bombarded with hugs, friendly jabs and jaws on the ground. They had done it with all the love in the world, wanting to create a special surprise for everyone they loved. A photobooth completed the evening as well as some pretty wicked dance moves and the most delicious cookies ever. It was such an honor to capture and be part of something so daring and unique. The only thing missing was Brian’s white stead, but perhaps there can be another party… right Brian? Until next time, Enjoy! x
by Sarah | Weddings
Silvertip is a truly stunning wedding venue and one that I never tire of shooting at, in fact I always find something new every time I’m there. Katrina and Drew wanted the intimacy of the fireplace in the grand ballroom and I think it was incredibly fitting for their thoughtful and cozy ceremony. I always location scout with my couples prior to their wedding day and I was excited to show them a new location (to me) that I had just found. It includes pretty much everything a couple could ever want in the mountains- fields, water, mountain views, even an abandoned house! I was thrilled when Katrina’s face lit up at the site of the old house, saying it was exactly what she wanted. For Drew, it was all about the Canmore Rail Bridge, which is a classic Canmore location. Really, it is too awesome a location to pass up so we made time for a stop there too. Their wedding day was pure perfection, the whole wedding party was a blast, full of laughter and happiness. I had the absolute pleasure of having the wonderful Blair second shoot for me, thanks to her for all her efforts! blairmariephotography.blogspot.com Enjoy the photos!
by Sarah | modern photography
Happy New Year! I hope that you had a wonderful Christmas and got to spend lots of time with your loved ones. My parents (in law) flew over from Scotland for a blissful two weeks and I enjoyed every minute! Aside from taking some much needed time off, I did get to keep my skills sharp with Caley and John’s GORGEOUS Canmore winter wedding. And what a day it was. We could not have asked for more in terms of the temperature and that fact that it was late December. And I could not have asked for a more down-to-earth, comedic, up-for-anything bunch of people to spend time with and photograph. Caley and John are one of those super cute couples that just make me smile. All the time. In fact, after putting together their sneak peek, my cheeks are sore from smiling so much. I couldn’t resist sending Caley a text a few minutes ago telling them how emotional and happy their images make me. Especially when I was picking the series to show of their ‘First Glance’. If ever there was a reason to consider doing the first glance at your own wedding, Caley and John’s moment is it. I get goosebumps just thinking about it, and a little teary looking at the images: how much they adore each other, how thrilled they were, how intimate and special it was and how lucky I was to be there, not only as a witness, but as a photographer capturing this moment forever. Enjoy the sneak peek! 
by Sarah | modern photography
I really love the mountains and I feel really lucky to have them so close. This summer has been the season of non-Calgary weddings for me. From international destinations like Scotland and Vermont to BC and back near home to Cochrane and Canmore and Banff, I’ve got a summer of traveling! It’s been a really engaging experience with all these locations, some familiar and some not and so far I’ve had an absolute blast! I was introduced to Amber and Jason through a friend of mine and I was happy to find out I would get to shoot at Silvertip Golf Resort in Canmore once again. It’s been a couple years and I’ve been dying to capture that beauty again, especially loving the outdoor gazebo area for the ceremony. I was delighted to see that Patricia Compton www.imarry.ca was conducting the ceremony as she’s definitely one of my most favourite commissioners! It was a beautiful day full of white puffy clouds and a little bit of sunshine to keep things bright. Amber was stunning and Jason had almost certainly practised his ‘smize’ ha! It’s days like this day that I am thankful for the opportunity to capture one of the most important days in my clients’ lives. Enjoying the view, loving my life, excited for more.
