This blog will be a bit different than my usual wedding posts. This wedding was full of emotion. So many laughs and so so many tears. I struggled with not showing them and decided what the heck, that’s what this day was. It was real and raw and beautiful. So, grab the kleenex and be prepared to relive Joe and Maddy’s beautiful Hotel Macdonald Wedding day through their photos.

Maddy is calm and collected. Organized and put together.

Joe is calm and collected. Quiet and reserved.

The day I met them I just knew their wedding was going to be perfect. I mean Maddy had calculated the weather history for years and just knew it would not rain on their fall wedding day in Edmonton….

Well…unfortunately history failed us and it poured. Literally poured from the moment we woke up to the minute we woke up the next day. There was no break even for a minute.

So we improvised and made handsome guys in fabulous navy suits looks stunning holding umbrellas.

When I met up with the girls in the morning they were relaxed and ready for the day. Maddy, of course, put together stunning robes for the girls to wear while they got ready so of course we had to capitalize and do some photos. I love when the girls wear something cute for getting ready. It really ties the day together. Maddy looked stunning already and she wasn’t even in her dress yet. But the minute she put on her gown, she became a bride. She was beaming and smiling from ear to ear. She felt amazing and you could just see it. Maddy didn’t show her dress to her bridesmaids before the big day so she did an adorable reveal to them. This was the first time I’ve seen this and it was so so cute.

Their ceremony was held at Hotel Macdonald in Edmonton at the Wedgewood room. I absolutely LOVE this room. It is filled with beautiful natural light and is just stunning. I would shoot there every weekend if I could. Like many of my couples, Maddy and Joe opted to have an “unplugged wedding” Of course I love this for selfish reasons but with almost all of my weddings choosing to do this this year, I realised it really is a fabulous thing. To see family members be truly present and to see their faces. To really feel the emotion and hear the silence in the room is well worth asking your guests to put their technologies away.

After their emotional ceremony we had to make some decisions. Do we try it, test the waters (no pun intended) and head outside. Maddy was a bit hesitant at the beginning but with her groomsman being such gentleman it changed her mind fast. They held our umbrellas so the girls hair didn’t get wet and helped them walk through the puddles. This wedding party really was a great bunch and huge troopers. It was cold. It was wet. Yet, nobody complained. Smiles were on their faces and they stuck it out as long as I asked them too. And hey, who knew guys could look so handsome holding umbrellas! Luckily we had a back up location so we could warm up a bit and took advantage of being at Hotel Mac. Shooting indoors for formal photos is not my favorite thing. I am totally not afraid to admit it. I just do not strive indoors. When given four walls I seem to freeze and forget everything I love. This day put me to the test. The light. The small space. All of it was challenging and it was so freaking fun! I love how the images turned out and how they still have my same romantic feel but with a refreshing twist.

After we suffered through the cold and rain we headed to the Yellowhead Brewery for their urban reception. You see, Maddy and Joe are a perfect fit. They complete each other and are a fabulous example of how couples compromise. Maddy wanted all things glamorous and timeless for her wedding. Joe wanted something more urban and industrial. Hotel Mac meets Yellowhead brewery with a bit of Mercers Tavern in between. It was everything they could have asked for.

Now, about this reception.

No. Words.

Okay I have a lot of words about this reception but the images speak for themselves.

Maddy is such a crier and Joe all of a sudden became funny. I mean seriously, this guy has said maybe two words to me in all the hours we have spent together, but when it came time to for his speech he had us all in tears from laughter. His best man, Shawn, had probably one of the best speeches we have heard. Again, so much laughter but there were also a lot of tears. I remember being at the reception and crying behind my camera, which is quite normal for me. My husband just shakes his head at me everytime. But this time, I just could not stop. The emotion in the room was overwhelming. And as I edited their photos, I felt myself feeling it all over again. And then I smiled. My job was done. If I was crying while going through them, you better believe they will be. Mission accomplished!

Joe and Maddy, I am so thankful you found me. I believe we were a match made in heaven and I will always remember your big day.

Xo

N

Oh and there are a ton of cake pictures because let’s face it, it looks fabulous and her Mom made it so it’s extra special!

 Ceremony- Fairmont Hotel Macdonald (Annia Motes & Nadya Shaffer)