After a fall filled with editing beautiful weddings, I knew I had to share this gorgeous wedding couple session with all of you today. Trust me when I say, for every wedding, there are hours and hours spent behind the screen! 2021 has pushed me (and every photographer I know!) to my absolute limits but I keep being reminded of how much there truly is to be grateful for. To the couples who trusted me enough to document their wedding (or any other part of their love story this year), I am so incredibly grateful for you. You have no idea how lucky I feel to capture these moments!
Today, I want to share one of my favorite photoshoots from this past summer. No, it’s not Ashley and Cody’s wedding (although that was breathtakingly beautiful too!). Instead, it was this fun trash the dress alternative style shoot. After their wedding day, the two of them dressed up in their wedding attire again, and spent the entire time being present and actually enjoying their wedding photos! Instead of rushing and wondering what’s next (and stressing endlessly about the dress getting too dirty), I think booking a separate couples portrait day is a wonderful and unique idea. Here’s hoping it becomes even more common in 2022!
YOUR WEDDING PHOTOS TIMELINE
We have talked about this on the blog before, but the reality of a wedding day is that we will take photos whenever and wherever there is time. There aren’t too many couples rearranging their “photos time” to coordinate with sunrise, golden hour, blue hour, or any of those picture-perfect times of day. While I completely understand not always having the flexibility in your wedding day timeline, that’s one of the reasons why a separate photo session is such a wonderful idea. We can book your couples’ photos at a time of day that works for you, without stressing about where you need to be before (or immediately after). For Ashley and Cody, we met close to golden hour on one of the incredible Alberta beaches and the sun setting gave us incredible lighting for their photos.
CHOOSING A WEDDING PHOTOS LOCATION
The second reason I absolutely love a separate wedding photoshoot is that we have complete freedom of location (and we can even take advantage of two or three locations if you desire!). For Ashley and Cody, we found a spot that would give us great lighting, and a mixture of both natural trees and water backdrops. We weren’t forced to scout out a hidden gem or perfect location near their wedding venue. We weren’t on a tight timeline where the slightest bit of traffic could derail our plans. The location was chosen simply because it was beautiful, and gorgeous photos of these two celebrating their love for one another was the only goal.
ENJOY YOUR WEDDING PHOTOS!
It sounds crazy, but I truly believe that the wedding photos you take are only as good as the memories you had taking them. I want you to relax and enjoy the process. I want you to be present with each other and really take time to appreciate and lean into each other during the photos. As a wedding photographer (and married woman!), it’s this kind of connection that just makes my heart melt. I believe you’ll enjoy your wedding day photos more if you know you have another session coming! Anything that leads to less pressure for you is WORTH IT.
A TRASH THE DRESS ALTERNATIVE PHOTO SHOOT
I hope this has convinced you (or better yet… inspired you?) to book a separate wedding couple photoshoot after your wedding day! This doesn’t have to be instead of wedding day photos, but instead, it can be a welcome addition to your gallery! I know I might be a little biased as a wedding photographer, but you can truly never have too many moments documented during this incredible time.
Last but not least, it’s crazy to say but I am already over half booked for 2023! If you are currently looking for a wedding photographer in Alberta (from Lloydminster to Canmore), I would love to learn more about your wedding day vision and see if I might be a good fit. I am so incredibly grateful for all of the couples who trusted me in 2021, and now that the editing is almost done, I can start to really embrace and look forward to my 2022 and 2023 couples who have booked already! I have to say, the future is looking stunning. Connect with me here directly if you think I might be a good fit for your wedding day.
