Creative, Story Telling Wedding Photography in Calgary Alberta

wedding theme

Are you wearing Latte for your wedding? 2013 wedding season colour tends.

The votes for the top ten wedding colours for 2013 are in . . . leading experts say: One of the hottest trends is for Latte coloured wedding dresses. Grooms will look sharp in classic grey mixed with shades of red, lilac, nectarine and more. Gold mixed with light shades, delicate pastels of blush or pink can be used as accents. Teal, yellow and dusty rose are also popular and finish off the list. What colours are you choosing?

http://www.weddingbells.ca/planning/wedding-colours-2013/

2013 Wedding colours


Celebrate your love, bring hope to the world.

You’re getting married! What, have you got your head in the sand? Didn’t you hear the news, haven’t you seen the headlines? It’s all doom and gloom isn’t it? Terrorism, shootings, war, economic crash and environmental disaster top the headlines for 2012. So how is it that you are planning a wedding? Simple it’s 2013 and the world didn’t end, guess the Mayans were wrong. . . . . life goes on and you have chosen to live and even celebrate life. You are not in denial you’re choosing to focus on the positive. If we give in to the negative we loose. I for one don’t want to live in a world that is with out hope. Historically the celebration of marriage has brought hope, even in the times most deprived of it. Romance is exactly our ability to believe, to hope, to dream of something better, a brighter future. In marriage life goes on and is more than just bearable, its the living out that romance, that belief, that hope. I salute your choice to live, to dream and to love. So celebrate your decision, bring your families and friends together and share your love. Let it spread infectiously through their hearts and souls giving others hope, belief and reason to dream. Make 2013 a bit brighter world.

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Canmore Wedding, Elie and Christelle.

In Aug I had the chance to capture the story of Christelle and Elie.  We were in beautiful Canmore Alberta Canada.We had a beautiful day full of sunshine and comfortable temperatures. Christelle was stunning in her mermaid dress and Elie was quite dashing in his suite. To complete the experience we had a beautiful vintage car and wonderful driver Gerard. The couple`s love was accented by the splendor of the majestic rocky mountains and the serenity of the Silvertip resort. The day was full of emotion as the couple were surrounded by family and good friends. Christelle had two dresses and two pair of shoes, the reason for this became very apparent when the dance kicked off! Party rock was in the house!

below is a selection of my favourite images from the event please enjoy. Thanks to Lynn Fletcher Weddings for their planning skills and to the Christelle and Elie for their love for one and other.


Shabby Chic Weddings in Calgary Alberta

Shabby Chic Weddings in Calgary Alberta, often the trends in fashion and decorating make their way in to wedding trends, one such trend is “Shabby Chic”.  As a photographer I am excited to capture many amazing moments influenced by Shabby Chic. The juxtaposed elements create interest in the photos, especially in the details. Shabby Chic may just be the perfect metaphor for Calgary. Our beautiful city is just that Shabby and Chic. This look fits . . . well everywhere, grand halls and pavilions but feels just as home in community halls and old barns. Photographically speaking vintage settings, old automobiles etc always make for great elements within wedding portraits and Shabby Chic only strengthens this visual relationship.

So what is Shabby Chic anyways? I have compiled some info below that you can use as a starting point to design your perfect Shabby Chic wedding.

shab·by (shăbē)
adj. shab·bi·er, shab·bi·est.

  1. Showing signs of wear and tear; threadbare or worn-out: shabby furniture.
  2. Dilapidated or deteriorated in condition, especially through neglect; seedy: a shabby little park.
  1. Of mediocre or substandard quality: a shabby performance.

chic (shēk)
adj. chic·er, chic·est.

1.      Conforming to the current fashion; stylish: chic clothes; a chic boutique.

1.      The quality or state of being stylish; fashionableness.

2.      Sophistication in dress and manner; elegance

Embracing the shabby chic aesthetic means embracing casual and dress in the same theme. Beware though don’t equate casual with sloppy! It couldn’t be further from the truth, tailoring is very important.  You’re creating a look that mixes high and low new and old but not sloppy or dirty. Faded blues, charcoals, blacks and browns are the staples of a great shabby chic look. Avoid bright colours and always opt for the best tailoring you can afford.

This trend favours suits over tuxes and loose soft unstructured dresses over more fitted styles. Details are mixed and layered but always complimentary. This is true of table decor and wedding favours also. When designing your Shabby Chic Wedding consider; slip covered furniture, old Furniture painted White (freshly painted or old and chipped), distressed, pastel colours with floral prints or faded stripes, vintage or vintage inspired linens architectural elements, painted metals worn out Looking and sophisticated, casual and fashionably deteriorated while still being stylish. A large part of Shabby Chic’s allure is rooted in nostalgia. Lighter hues and softer colours are the name of the day.

Shabby Chic is greener, softer, rougher, more layered, textured, natural but above all stylish. Combine beautifully natural elements and vintage with touches of glamour and high fashion. Shabby chic is a little bohemian and definitely D.I.Y.  But don’t mistake this for “cheap” or “poor” as with any good trend there is no shortage of store bought items and designers waiting to help you plan the perfect Shabby Chic Wedding.

As usual it’s your day lets have some fun with it, do what you want!

Jeffrey Wilkins ConceptPhotos Calgary Alberta Wedding Photographer

P.S. A great source for some hand painted glassware Perfect for a Shabby Chic wedding.


It’s a piece of “Wedding” cake!

This week I thought I would share a few thoughts on wedding cake but before we get to the ideas of themes colours etc I thought I could share some advice.

It’s a piece of cake right? This is one time this statement however literal isn’t true. Wedding cake is much more than a piece of cake. There are many considerations beyond flavours and ingredients BUT . . . none so important. Not that it matters if your cake is chocolate, carrot or any other flavour, more importantly that you and your guests can stomach it.

One of great moments of your wedding will be the cake cutting ceremony.  Cutting the cake and sharing the first piece as husband and wife is a symbol of your commitment and unity as a new couple.  As a photographer I love the emotions as well as the shenanigans that ensue in these moments.  However when seen through the lens, there is almost no way to hide the look of disgust when a foul tasting cake is shoved in the mouth of a bride!

Make sure you taste a sample of the cake your ordering DON’T assume that because you like that flavour it will be okay. Be clear that this cake or part of the cake is for eating!  This is one place I can speak from experience.  Four our wedding our cake was a simple carrot cake. Yet something had gone wrong it ended up tasting more like stale rotten sawdust than anything resembling carrot cake!  A foul tasting cake can and did adversely affect this crucial moment.  Both my wife and I immediately spit out the cake we had just had thrust into our mouths. We can laugh at it now but the pictures tell the true story. Not to mention your guests will likely feel uncomfortable and possibly guilty for not eating the cake they were served.  Had we only tasted a sample, and made clear our intention was to serve this cake and not to build housing for third world countries this would have been avoided.

Style of the cake:

There are many popular styles that couple can choose from such as but not limited to: contemporary, dramatic, simple, classic, unique, traditional and regal. There are no hard and fast rules and it is entirely your decision have fun with it.

Budget:

The sky is the limit here and you have to decide what works for you, more money doesn’t always mean a better cake.

Size of the cake:

There are a few considerations here: which style are you going with, how many guests are you trying to feed, and of course what is your budget. Extra sheet cakes can simplify the guests, buy cutting the main cake and serving from the sheet cakes.

Colour of the cake:

Will your cake colour match or complement your theme? You should speak to your chosen cake baker for more in depth and more specific advice as colours can sometimes affect how eatable a cake is.

Flavour of the cake:

Some popular flavours include carrot, fruit, chocolate, vanilla, angel food and cream cakes.  If you like avocado, kiwi, coffee bean cake this might be a good time to go with your second more common choice. Sawdust should also be avoided here!

Tier shape:

As a photographer I feel these all have unique visual qualities that can create drama in your images.  Below are a few possibilities, once again have fun here.

• Round: the most traditional style

• Square: for a bold and elegant affair

• Multi- shape : unique style

• Cupcake wedding (a fun and easy way to distribute the cake)

Cake toppers:

This is an area where creativity can flourish. From elegant to humorous, from traditional to unique, from mass produced to one of a kind the possibilities are endless. It is your cake after all consider your desires and your personalities as a couple. Think of your theme and your colours. An often overlooked factor is the cake itself you don’t want to choose a large humorous cake topper for a small, elegant, fragile cake.

Cake baker:

Determine all factors above then find the bakers that fit your needs. Once you have a list narrowed down make appointments for a tasting and face to face visit.  Not only can you taste the cakes but you can see the facilities and get a sense of their professionalism.

Cake delivery:

Make sure to get this well planned in advance. I recommend putting someone in charge of this for you. Be generous with the time allowed. Organize not only with the baker but the venue. There is nothing worse than having a cake delivered to a venue that isn’t expecting or ready for it.

AS with all thing relating to your wedding day remember it’s your day have fun with it.

Jeffrey

Just a little update to this post, I discovered some great hints at: Wedding cake (although I don’t like feeling like a “for Dummies” user)

Especially like these two:

Displaying and Cutting Your Wedding Cake

The wedding cake is usually displayed from the beginning of the reception, so choose a filling and icing that can hold up for the duration. If you’re adding special lighting to the room, add a spotlight for the cake table. Otherwise, park it somewhere well lit and in full sight of the guests, but off the dance floor, or it might wind up on the floor during the first fast dance. Keep in mind the time of year and the length of time the cake will be on display so it doesn’t begin collapsing by the time it’s cut.

Cake table secrets

The base of the cake determines the size of the table. A huge, round table makes even the stateliest cake look minuscule. Make sure that the table is sturdy and is either on wheels or light enough with the cake for two waiters to carry it. To elaborately embellish the table, wrap picture wire (as if tying a package) around the tabletop, as shown in Figure 1. After the tables are covered, you can attach swags, garlands, and sprays with safety pins to the wires in the appropriate places. Layer sheets and/or tulle to give the tablecloth fullness and make it look more elegant.


ConceptPhotos Portrait Sampler

I hope you enjoy this video sample of some of my favourite moments and stores of 2010.

Last year I had so many great experiences with so many great people.  I was thinking of a way to show people a more comprehensive portfolio, that is a sampling of the popular types of portraiture that ConceptPhotos offers you. Since all of my experiences this past year had their own unique story I decided to create a story within the images rather than just focus on the generas of portraiture. This is also one of the services that ConceptPhotos offers you to capture your special day, your special story.  A selection of the best images from your day can be combined with music and words that tell your story.
Enjoy!

ConceptPhotos Portrait Sampler.


Have fun with your wedding photography.

Imagine having a relaxing time even having fun with your wedding photography. Its your day why don’t you? The best photographs do not come from the best lenses, the most megapixels or the highest price. It starts with the relationship between you and your photographer. We have to click! I need to get to get to know you and what makes you tick. As a photographer it is my job to understand the technical aspects of photography but this alone will not “create” a great photograph. “Fun” is the key if your enjoying the experience it will show through and you get images that you want to show off to the world. We will use a combination of posed and photo-journalistic styles to capture your day, with an emphasis on “fun”.

Recently I had a chance to have some “fun” with a great couple two beautiful hotels in Canmore AB. The majority of the shots are in the penthouse at Blackstone. We then took a short walk to Mystic Springs for some fun around the Ping-pong table. The young flower girl also accompanied us and as usual the best shots happened while we let her just be a little girl! Below is a sample of the shots from the day enjoy!