During these chilly winter months, I have been craving a good ol’ country mountain resort weekend and this wedding at Baker Creek is everything I could ask for. With gorgeous chalets, wheat centerpieces gracing the reception and DIY wonderfulness for days, everything about this wedding is vintage country chic to a T. And we have got to talk for a moment about that cake by Brulee. Its brilliant colors of sugary frosted fruits are what cake lovers dreams are made of and I just want to take a bite right out of it. Find all the sweetness from Kim Payant Photography in the gallery here.

 

From the Bride… Our wedding was very “casual and close” with a “vintage country” theme to it. We aimed to have a small, intimate wedding with close friends and family, and the venue at Baker Creek Chalets was a perfect location for a secluded weekend wedding. The guests were limited to 50, and after eight years of being together, we were fortunate that almost everyone knew each other. It was a whole weekend wedding to allow for plenty of conversations and wild times and also to ensure we spent our wedding with everyone we love.

The gown I envisioned was always lace, no matter where the venue or what theme we chose. I chose a dropped back mermaid lace dress with straps from Etho’s Bridal. I felt a veil was not me, so I wore an oversized tulle flower from Silla in Kensington for a hair piece. “Vintage country” would not be complete without my old brown cowboy boots. We let the wedding party choose their own outfits for the wedding with little guidance from us. The ladies were to choose an off-white, short dress with brown cowboy boots. And the boys chose any gray suit with any gray tie; they kept it casual and all wore different shoes by TOMS. We didn’t have a clue how it would all look until the day of the wedding, and it was beyond perfect. They all were extremely comfortable and stunning in what they chose for themselves.

Our photographer was by far one of the most cherished parts of our day; her name is Kim Payant, a local and fabulous Photographer from Banff. She captured absolutely every detail we put into our wedding and emphasized every emotion. Our wedding exceeded our expectations in every way and we are blessed to have had such a talented photographer catch every last moment. The cake was an off white covered in all sorts of dusted berries from Brule. All the décor was DIY, led by my best friend (my maid of honor and sister), and with help from my bridesmaid and me, everything was breathtaking. Centerpieces were old mason jars recycled from friends and the local recycling depot. We filled the inside with wheat we so kindly removed from the dog park every evening, and we finished the outside by wrapping it with lace and tying it in twine. The guests were lead to the ceremony and reception by following homemade wood signs with “Ceremony” & “Reception” burnt into the wood. The same technique was used to seat our guests for dinner; we had a thin, flat piece of wood cut from the trunk of a tree that said “Welcome Friends & Family, come in and eat. There is no seating plan, so pick your own seat.” Our wedding was absolutely everything we have always dreamed of, by far the best weekend of my life and without an ounce of stress.

Wedding Photography: Kim Payant Photography / Wedding Venue: Baker Creek in Banff, Alberta / Officiant: Rick Kunelius / Wedding Cake: Brulee / Wedding Invitations: DIY / Wedding Dress: Ethos Bridal / Bride’s Flower Headpiece: Silla Designs / Bride’s + Bridesmaids’ Shoes: Vintage Cowboy Boots / Men’s Shoes: TOMS

WedStudio and Choreographed by Ciara have styled this incredible Celtic Christmas inspiration shoot and I literally could not be happier as I’ve spent the majority of my morning wrapped up in this gallery of all Modern Photography’s breathtaking images. I can’t believe my eyes as picture after picture, I see everything I’ve ever dreamed of in a winter photo shoot, including perfect plaids from the Highland Shoppe and a classic gown from Laura George that can’t be beat. See all the Celtic Christmas fun in the gallery right here.

 

From Choreographed by Ciara… No one understands the beauty of a cold winter’s day like Canadians. That’s why we dreamed up this stunning photo shoot idea, celebrating not only Canada’s epic chilly weather but also the beauty of a Celtic Christmas wedding. Wearing a Laura George dress inspired from the characters and historical styles of Pride and Prejudice, our sweet model braved the winter cold to smile doe-eyed into the camera of Sarah Murdoch of Modern Photography. We kicked up the Celtic factor by giving our bride a sash from the Highland Shoppe with a sparkling brooch that we imagined could have been a grandmother’s heirloom piece. Carrying a bouquet of fresh cedars and red roses, our bride’s senses take her back to memories of setting up a freshly cut Christmas tree in her family home.

Our groom braves the cold in a manly blackwatch kilt. We envisioned the coming together of two Celtic Canadian families, each celebrating their heritage. Made famous by the Vancouver 2011 Olympics, our groom sports red winter Canada mittens, which even Oprah included in her favorite things, as he shares hot chocolate and Christmas treats with his bride. She warms up in fur earmuffs and gloves that leave her ring finger uncovered. The couple cuddles on a vintage couch under the glow of a crystal chandelier. Weddings are always more fun when children are involved, and our ring bearer hams it up for the camera in his plaid suit with cap. Diving into cupcakes and seeing if the presents used as décor have something in them for him, he frolics in the snowy tundra.

The couple share a moment meant for two at an outdoor table clad with plaid accents and Christmas glow under a canopy of Christmas ornaments. Engagement ring napkin holders remind us that Christmas is the perfect time to celebrate a wedding as friends and family love a reason to come home for the holidays. As the sun set on our Canadiana Celtic Christmas Wedding photo shoot, all that was left were our footprints in the snow and our cold, red noses. It was worth it!

Photography: Sarah Murdoch of Modern Photography / Photo Shoot Venue: Redwood Meadows Golf and Country Club in Redwood Meadows, Alberta / Photo Shoot Design: Ciara Glendon of Choreographed by Ciara + Juliana Williams & Christina Petropoulos of WedStudio / Floral Design: Lakeview Flowers / Décor: Special Event Rentals + Private Collection / Cupcakes: Cakes With Attitude / Wedding Dress: Laura George / Hair + Makeup: Trena Olfert of Trena Laine Makeup Artist / Kilt Suit + Sash: Highland Shoppe / Ring Bearer’s Attire: Janie and Jack / Model Bride: Jessica Williams / Model Groom: Ryan Petropoulos / Model Ring Bearer: Declan Glendon Daykin

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Choreographed by Ciara

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Whenever I think I have my style pinned down, it’s a classic and totally traditional fête like this Calgary Golf & Country Club wedding that throws me for a loop. Timeless from start to finish, this blush + white stunner from Kristi Sneddon Photographer is as classically beautiful as they come. My favorite part? The bride left handwritten thank-you notes for each of her guests at their seat! There is so much more to see in the full gallery!

Click here for the FULL wedding!

From Kristi Sneddon Photographer… Kassia’s style is soft, beautiful and sophisticated, and her wedding reflected those traits beautifully! The soft blush and white colors added loveliness everywhere, from the stunning bridesmaids’ dresses to the flowers and reception. It was very important to Kassia and Brad that all of their guests felt special. They wrote handwritten notes to each guest and left that note on the tables for them to read. Watching the guests open the notes was heartwarming as they smiled, cried or laughed. After asking Kassia about it, she said she would have felt terrible if she didn’t talk to every guest and they left not knowing how important they were to their lives.

Wedding Photography: Kristi Sneddon Photographer / Wedding Venue + Catering: Calgary Golf & Country Club in Calgary, Alberta / Wedding Design + Planning: The Bride, Her Parents, Her Mother-in-Law + Sister-in-Law / Wedding Day Coordination: Calgary Golf & Country Club / Floral Design + Ceremony Arch: The Nosegay Flower Shoppe / Wedding Cake: Cakes With Attitude / Wedding Invitations, Seating Chart + Decor Ideas: The Social Page / Programs: The Bride’s Sisters-in-Law + Cousins / Chairs, Ceremony Backdrop + Runner: Special Event Rentals / Tables + Glassware: Calgary Golf & Country Club / Wedding Dress: Alvina Valenta via Cameo & Cufflinks /  Bride’s Earrings: Borrowed from a Bridesmaid, Purchased at Calgary Jewellery / Bride’s Bracelet: Swarovski /  Hair + Makeup: Butter Beauty Parlor / Groom’s Tuxedo: The Bridal Centre / Rings: Calgary Jewellery

JLM Couture, Inc is a member of our Little Black Book, Love what you see? Take a look at their portfolios.

JLM Couture, Inc

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