Weddings have allowed us to travel to a lot of amazingly beautiful places.  But I can tell you with 100% certainty that the Calgary/Banff (Canada) area has been hands down our favorite. So yeah… enough from me… here are some images from Chelsea and JP’s Calgary wedding. 🙂

In the wedding questionnaire listed on the bottom the question of “would you change anything,” JP answered, “Yes…. I’d have made that birdie putt on 18….” 😉
Meanwhile, Chelsea was at home getting ready with their daughter Ruby. 🙂THAT RING?! I have no words for it. WHOA! JP’s daughter and Chelsea’s best friend helping her in her dress. 🙂
LOVED the colors! You guys know that I love that every bridesmaid had different dresses and shoes… yet they all look perrrrrfectly coordinated! Oh and a quick tip for brides: if you allow your bridesmaids to pick their own shoes… if they’re not comfortable, the bridesmaids will have no excuses to complain. 😉 Just my 2¢.
I went a little crazy with the blue sky… but are you KIDDING ME?! HA!…gettin’ married time! So where we were at in Calgary didn’t have a radar service… (which is torture to Mike)…. and we could all SEE the storm brewing in the distance… and knew it was coming… but what we didn’t know was how long it’d take to get there.  So what the hell… let’s try it outdoors! I told Chelsea as we stood in the back waiting for her to walk down the aisle… “I say until you see lightning, live it up! Make some memories!” You see, Chelsea’s a wedding photographer too… so she was in agreement. What we didn’t know was that the wind, regardless of the lightning was about to be INTENSE! Notice the second groomsmen in is looking behind him? Yeah… that’s where the storm was. 😉
BOOM! Thennnnn that wind hit… Chelsea’s veil was out of control…Notice the Maid of Honor (Chantal) has the veil now? …the storm had officially made it’s appearance! Notice Sheryl the wedding planner (AKA Keri Russell 😉 ) directing the ceremony ground crew style? All she needs is a reflective vest and for that umbrella to light up!  She handled this quick transition better than any wedding planner I’ve ever seen. She was never stressed, never anxious, never frustrated… was never without a smile!
…the officiant makes the announcement.  The wedding party and guests start grabbing pieces of the ceremony and run indoors.Mike and I grabbed the gear we could and followed. I was right behind Chelsea, Mike was right ahead of her facing forward. I saw this photo happening but couldn’t make it around… I start yelling, “MIKE! MIKE! PHOTO! PHOTO!” He turns around, sees what I see, and grabs it. Meanwhile I was standing behind a golf cart to avoid being in the shot.
There’s JP’s mom… such a happy woman… even as the rain is pouring down that lady has a big ol’ smile!The ceremony was quickly transitioned to the dance floor. Chelsea and JP say that they loved how intimate and personal the makeshift ceremony was. I won’t lie… as the photographers of said situation it wasn’t easy. 🙂 These were probably the tightest quarters we’ve ever shot in (Morgan and Mac’s outdoor ceremony that was switched to an indoor ceremony is in second 😉 ). That being said, it really was perfect. These two are so great at sharing their love for each other and their people. Their vows were some of the most emotional we’ve ever heard; so to have been so tightly surrounded by those they love couldn’t have been more serendipitous.

BTW, can you find us? BOTH of us are in this one. 🙂 Sometimes I feel like my height is a disadvantage when it comes to photography (I specialize in the “through the shoulders” shot. 😉 ), but really… in this situation, I’m barely noticeable! 😀THEN… right as the ceremony ended, “The Harlem Shake” started. This groomsmen started going crazy…. then the “Do the Harlem Shake” lyric signaled the rest of the wedding party to start going crazy along with him. It was hilarious! As soon as the music died down, Chelsea’s grandma exclaimed, “I must be too old, I don’t get it…!”By the time dinner was over, the rain had stopped and the ground was dry. Lucky for us, it was an intense, short-lived little storm. 😀
Have I mentioned that I’m obsessed with her ring?!Our favorite. ❗ + ❓
…just in time for some gorgeous light!We laid down first to make sure the ground was dry. Oh, and by “we” I really mean Mike laid down first. 😉 The same place they exchanged vows just a couple of hours before… their first dance. 🙂
THE CANDY BAR IS OOOOOPENNNNN!!!!! I pulled the curtain back and snuck a peek of them in the photobooth. 😉 PHOTO NINJA STRIKES AGAIN!!!! 😀 Here’s their actual photo strip (I stole that image from Chelsea’s Instagram feed).

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Calgary, Alberta, Canada

coordinator  •  Sheryl Boury – Lynn Fletcher Weddings
makeup  •  Sarah Byrne 
florist  •  The Nosegay 
ceremony & reception venue  •  Sirocco Golf Club
dj  •  DJ Chantz
cake  •  Whippt Desserts & Catering
stationary  •  B&G Illustration – Riata Brown 
cake topper  •  Miss Cake
photobooth  •  The Photobooth Co. 
dress  •  Watters – Nina
bridesmaid dresses  •  Vera Wang for David’s Bridal
tuxedo manufacturer  •  Black by Vera Wang

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their songs

processional
groomsmen  •   “I Was Made for Loving You” -Vitamin String Quartet (Kiss)
bridesmaids  •   “I Wanna Hold Your Hand” – TV Carpio (Lennon/McCartney)
bride  •   “Highland Cathedral” – bagpipes
recessional  •  “Highland Laddie” – bagpipes
introductions  •  “Chelsea Dagger” -The Fratellis
first dance  •  “To Make You Feel My Love” – Garth Brooks (Bob Dylan)
family dance  •  “Just the Way You Are” – Bruno Mars
cake cutting  •  “You are the Best Thing” – Ray Lamontagne

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bride+groom

 [br]What was the most memorable moment of your day?

Chelsea:  Oh man, there are so many…JP’s vows will be hard to forget, I don’t think there was a dry eye in the house. Seeing our gorgeous girls walk down the aisle. The speeches were all amazing and so heartfelt. Having to abandon our outdoor ceremony to escape the crazy storm – but having all of our favorite people crammed onto the dance floor made it so much more intimate and memorable!! AND we got to get married in front of the Stanley Cup ice luge, which was actually pretty awesome!  Our emcees – they captured the feel for the evening perfectly, and were hilarious while doing so! 

JP:  I didn’t have a double bogey all day?? Hehe…Chelsea’s vows, and Hailey’s speech. Chelsea added:  his first answer was “I shot 80 that morning!”  He THINKS he’s funny. 🙂

[br] Any advice for future bride/grooms?

Chelsea:   Make sure you budget for a kick-ass photographer – bobbi + mike made sure that our day was relaxed, low-key, and SO MUCH fun – best of all, they captured moments that we will cherish forever.  Also, hire a day-of wedding coordinator! Sheryl worked with us from the very beginning, and the day was absolutely stress-free (and gorgeous!) because of her!! Take a moment to REALLY absorb it all. It goes by so, so quickly. 

JP: Enjoy everyone. Take time to let everyone know how much they meant to your day.

 [br]Funniest memory from your wedding day?

Chelsea:  Watching Ruby walk down the aisle, waving and smiling at everyone. Hanging in the limo with the drunkest groomsmen on the planet. Watching bobbi get Ruby’s attention during family pics…or when she yelled at Mike to take a shot of me sprinting across the parking lot with my dress hiked up to get out of the rain! She’s hilarious. For real. 🙂 

JP: Ruby walking down the aisle outside waving to the crowd like princess kate… We got it on vid… It’s frickin funny!

 [br]If you could do it all over, would you change anything?

Chelsea:  Not a darn thing. Even the change in weather for the ceremony ended up perfectly. 

JP: Yes…. I’d have made that birdie putt on 18….

 [br]Where did you go on your honeymoon?

Not til next summer, but JP is keeping it a surprise. 🙂

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So many expressions in one image! BTW, I mentioned that I had four haircuts in the last month… this was haircut #3…. the mullet. This pic doesn’t do the mullet ANY justice. It was baddddd…
Thanks friends for flying us to Canada. It was our first Canadian wedding and we’re really hoping it’s not our last! Getting to know you two, your families, and witnessing your love  was truly an inspiration. I’m not sure I’ve ever met two people who were more transparent and genuine. The people in your lives are lucky to have you. And if you don’t mind… we’d like to be included in that group. 🙂 I’m telling you, I have no shame!

Oh, and thanks for insisting that we visit the Banff / Lake Louise area… still awestruck by the experience. 🙂

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Much love friends!

~bobbi+mike ❗ + ❓

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