Blog

Destination Wedding Photographers

Posted on January 3, 2021January 19, 2021 by info@patton-photography.ca

Destination wedding photographers are becoming a much more common, and affordable, option for many engaged couples. With the snow falling and the colder temperatures arriving, our mind travels back to some of our destination weddings. Worrying about sand getting into your shoes is a wonderful problem…. With the sun setting over the ocean, our awesome wedding couple relaxed on some swings at the ocean side bar having a quiet moment to themselves.

Bride and groom relax on swing at a destination wedding

Dress at a Destination Wedding in Mexico — Wedding dress at a destination beach wedding in Mexico

Many couples now bring destination wedding photographers with them to their destination wedding. This allows the couple to select the photographers whose style they most like and ensures a level of quality. This can not always be assured by simply using the random photographer working at the resort.

Ensuring Everything Is Perfect

While destination wedding photography sounds like an amazing opportunity, it involves a tremendous amount of work. Business Insurance policies need to be updated to include the destination, detailed equipment lists need to be generated to get all our equipment across international borders, equipment needs to be checked and packed carefully to ensure a safe arrival. Arrival on site, a minimum 24 hours prior to the wedding so the best places to take photos can be found.

On-site Planning

We consider such things as: where will the tide be at the time of the photos, are there large shadows created by the sun at certain times, where are some locations we can go if a sudden rain shower happens. Considerable time is also spent calibrating our cameras and lights so we know everything is working properly after the trip. Needless to say, the first day is a busy one and an early night is generally in order to prepare for the wedding day.

The wedding day is always busy and destination weddings are no different. To respect the couple’s privacy we generally leave the following day or the day after that and return to Calgary. This allows our couple to relax by themselves and enjoy the remainder of their trip.

Prior to leaving, we back up all our photos to a remote system so no data is ever lost. All equipment is carefully cleaned, wrapped and repacked. Finally, we ensure all our paperwork is in order to bring our equipment across the border again. As you see, there is not much time left for relaxation.

Bride and Groom standing on rocks at a destination wedding

If considering a destination wedding, be sure to find out the quality and style of the included vendors. In the end, you may find that bringing some vendors with you may be a better overall option.

Mountain Top Destination Wedding Photographers

We also have experience with helicopter wedding photos…yes that is a real thing!! In fact, chartering a helicopter to fly into a romantic location has become much more common. A remote mountain summit, or backcountry mountain lake are only a few of the many options available. Typically, the helicopter will take four guests (bride, groom, photographer, and one other guest) to the location.

There are different packages available with the various helicopter companies. Typically the packages allow you time on site between 15 minutes and one hour. We always get beautiful photos on these trips and may be something to consider for the adventurous couple. Remember, being destination wedding photographers means more than just travelling to beach destinations. We will hike, fly and travel virtually anywhere you want to go.

Mountain destination wedding — Bride and groom at a mountain top destination wedding

Likewise, there are many options for the couple that wants to add some adventure to their photos. A hike into the mountains is a great option for couples who want to add extra drama to their photos. From standing on a mountain ridge to along side a waterfall, or perhaps next to a 1000ft cliff, we can help bring the destination to you.

Let us know what you are thinking, give us some time to come up with some ideas. Remember, as photographers, we are often hiking with an extra 40 – 50 lbs of gear. In saying that, if you want it…we will make it happen.

If you are considering destination wedding photographers, whether it is an international location or a remote mountain peak, contact us anytime to discuss how we can assist you.

Adventure Destination Photographers

Incredible Mountain Engagement

Posted on December 16, 2020December 18, 2020 by info@patton-photography.ca

It feels like it has been a long time since we have photographed an engagement session. Erika and Mark’s mountain engagement session was an amazing one to get back into the swing of things with. With perfect weather, a perfect location, and an absolutely amazing couple, these photos are turning out amazing.

Talking with Erika and Mark, they wanted an outdoor session that was a combination of mountain adventure with the beauty of the colorful larch trees. Timing was everything and we put things off a couple times to ensure we got the best of the incredible colors the Canadian Rockies will offer.

Mountains, Larch trees, and….grizzlies??

We started with some all new locations we have never photographed before. We started along the edge of a lake under the view of Mt. Wintour. We spent time exploring the lake shore and the nearby forested area before moving to our next location. This region was bordering a closure area due to high grizzly activity so bear spray was a necessity. Keeping one eye on our camera and one looking out for large furry animals was a new experience.

Mark mentioned that he loved the idea of a dramatic photos but wasn’t into mountain climbing or anything. With that in mind I found an area where the highway was cut through a large rock wall. Standing on the edge of the rock face, as well as on the top of my truck parked along the road, we captured some great images of our couple along side a dramatic mountain rock face. We also turned this into a panoramic image which proved to be one of my all time favorite photos.

We made our way to a well known lake in Kananaskis which is known for its’ stunning views. The yellow Larch trees were in full display and even the lake was mirror calm allowing a great reflection of the South peak of Mt. Kidd. There were lots of laughs and smiles and it was a great morning. We are looking forward to this amazing couple’s wedding next summer.

After this session, we are looking forward to many more mountain engagement sessions in the near future.

Kananaskis engagement session with mountains and lake

Engagement session in Kananaskis in the mountains

Dramatic engagement photo in the mountains

Calgary photography session in Kananaskis in the mountains — Calgary engagement session in Kananaskis in the mountains

Calgary engagement couple standing in the mountains

Calgary couple in the Kananaskis mountains

Interested in talking with us about photographing your engagement or wedding? Contact us anytime.

Amazing Saskatoon Farm wedding

Posted on November 7, 2020January 20, 2021 by info@patton-photography.ca

We love photographing a Saskatoon Farm wedding. While always beautiful, this one was absolutely breathtaking. This summer has been so crazy busy that we are running behind getting our ‘sneak peek’ images out onto our social media for people to see, but I think they have been worth the wait.

We met Sarah and Tanner last year in a little coffee shop in Kensington. Sometimes when you meet a couple, you just know that they are meant for each other, and these two are one of those couples.

Always up for an adventure, this couple seem to always have a smile on their faces. You may remember them from our winter waterfall engagement session earlier this year.

The Wedding

The bride got ready at Lakeview Inns & Suites – Okotoks earlier in the day. For a beautiful room, this is a location we definitely recommend and one we hope to return to soon. Located in the center of Okotoks, it is an amazing facility in a perfect location. We can say enough about the great people here and highly recommend them.

A beautiful ceremony in the upper covered location, in addition to the fresh flowers and greenery made the area absolutely magical. The ceremony was made extra special as Sarah’s relative officiated our Saskatoon Farm wedding. This particular location is one of our favorites as the covered ceremony area combined with rows of flowers is absolutely stunning.

All the flowers and bouquets were crafted by Michelle at Li’l Mam Flowers. This was our first time working with her and she is INCREDIBLE. Certainly give her a call if you are looking for flowers and bouquets.

After spending some time taking photos at Saskatoon Farm, we left for Riverbend Campground Okotoks. The rustic log reception was the perfect venue for this couple. We also had another first with a food truck being used to cater the reception….and it was awesome. Individual orders were submitted in the days leading up to the wedding. As table numbers were called, the catering already knew who was coming and had the custom made pizzas hot and ready.

Daniel from Savino Pizzeria did “made-to-order” wood fired pizzas right on site and it was delicious. As always, the great ladies at Envious Events, Breanna and Meagan, kept everything running on schedule.

This wedding was the perfect rustic wedding while still being just outside Calgary city limits. It is a great example of combining an amazing vision in addition to locations. From Sarah’s stunning wedding dress, to the outdoor wedding, to the wood fired pizzas this was a beautiful wedding that was perfectly customized to our couple.

Finally, thank you again to Nathalie for your amazing photography skills as you work with us over this crazy busy summer. This has been one of our busiest summers on record and we have pulled it off without a hitch. It is a testament to the amazing work that our second shooters do and I can not express our true appreciation to them.

Calgary Wedding Photography

Processed using Sleeklens for Lightroom

Calgary bride getting ready at Lakeview Inn

Bride walking down the aisle at a Saskatoon Farm wedding — Calgary bride getting ready at Lakeview Inn

If you are interested in having us photograph your engagement or wedding, check out our wedding photography page.https://patton-photography.ca/wedding-photography-investment

A Coptic Orthodox Calgary Wedding

Posted on November 5, 2020December 8, 2020 by info@patton-photography.ca

Meet Lisa and Roni, one of our wonderful Calgary wedding couples from 2019. They are fortunate to be able to split their time between Calgary and the Caribbean, while attending post graduate school. Communicating primarily by email, we were able to organize all the details and timelines. As the date approached, we were excited for this wedding. In addition to being featured here, a part of this wedding will be featured in another blog pos. t We plan to show off some behind the scenes photo magic and reveal a secret or two. Keep an eye out for how we shift the color of the backlit mirror and produce a more flattering image.

An Incredible Calgary Wedding

It was our first experience photographing a Coptic Orthodox ceremony. The amazing ceremony at St. Mina Coptic Orthodox Church, Calgary left us in awe. Located in a spectacular church, combined with ornate clothing and capes, and all topped by an incredible ceremony.

After the ceremony, we headed off to do formals at some nearby parks and locations towards downtown. First stop of the photo tour, offering fantastic views of downtown, was Tom Campbell Hill. Afterward, providing an opportunity to be more creative, East Village and the National Music Center, were our next must stop locations. Finally, a quick stop at SAIT allowed us to round out our photo locations. These multiple stops ensure our couples have a wide selection of images and styles.

Completing the photos, we headed to the Carriage House Inn for an amazing reception. Located in South Calgary, the Carriage House always does an incredible job hosting wedding receptions. As always, we were excited to have the opportunity to work there once again.

In addition to a fantastic main banquet room, a great space for cocktail hour sits just outside the doors. While final touches are put on the main room, your guests can mingle just feet away from the reception preparations.

Congratulations to you both on your Calgary wedding, and we wish you all the best. Finally, many thanks to Erin for all her amazing work with this wedding!!

Wedding Photography magic After image — Groom and groomsmen

Beautiful Saskatoon Farm Wedding

Posted on November 5, 2020December 18, 2020 by info@patton-photography.ca

Amanda and Taylor’s wedding day was unbelievable. Incredible blue skies looked over an amazing wedding at the always beautiful Saskatoon Farm. Following a wonderful meal, a night of music and dance ensued. Obviously, this wedding was one to be remembered.

Following a wonderful ceremony at the garden wedding site, it was time for photos. We were able to capture a few photos at the Saskatoon Farm before moving to a new location. In addition to the ceremony site, we had access to an incredible acreage nearby. Finishing our photos we moved to our reception site. A delicious meal catered by Soul Sugar Catering followed by a night of music and dancing.

For those that don’t know of it, Saskatoon Farm offers a beautiful location for a wedding, in addition to offering beautiful photo locations. If you are looking for a venue for your wedding, be sure to check this location out. It was our first time working with Okotoks Best Western as well as Soul Sugar Catering, and I truly hope it won’t be our last, the venue and staff were amazing to work with and the meal was AMAZING.

It was great to see one of our favorite hair and make-up artists, Miranda from MSlay Studios. As always, her work was beautiful and should be top of your list when looking for a hair and make-up artist.

Lastly, it was a great day and we wish you both all the best