You dream about your wedding day and what it will be like, meticulously plan all the details, and the big day finally arrives. You have the time of your life with your new spouse, family, and friends, and then it&rsquo;s all over. The post-wedding blues definitely hit me to some degree when our wedding was all said and done &mdash; partly because I&rsquo;d spent more than two years thinking about it thanks to COVID postponements &mdash;&nbsp; and I didn&rsquo;t realize how common it is to feel a little sad after the fact. 
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Here are five ways to get past the post-wedding blues ASAP. Remember, your wedding is only one day and you have a new marriage to enjoy. That&rsquo;s really what it&rsquo;s all about.
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Have Some Downtime with Your Spouse
Don&rsquo;t use all your vacation days pre-wedding. Plan some downtime together after the wedding to decompress from all the visitors, planning, and celebrating. You can do some of your favourite things together, have a staycation at a nice hotel, and take in the fact you just got married.
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Relive the Memories Together
If you&rsquo;re really missing your wedding day, plan a date night at home with some charcuterie and bubbles and look at photos together. You&rsquo;ll have a preview from your photographer within a couple of days (I promise 48 hours) and you can also scroll through phone photos your friends and family shared with you. Talk about your favourite memories and relive them together. You may have seen or experienced things the other missed!
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Plan Regular Date Nights
Take turns planning regular date nights to give yourself events to look forward to. Every date doesn&rsquo;t have to be over-the-top or expensive either. You can alternate having a date night at home with going out. Challenge yourself to think outside the box, try new places and activities together, or surprise your partner with something you know they&rsquo;ll love.&nbsp;
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Have a Mini Moon or Save Your Honeymoon for Later
Couples traditionally leave for their honeymoon right after their wedding, and there&rsquo;s nothing wrong with that if that&rsquo;s your plan, but it can mean another let-down right away when you come home. Saving your honeymoon for later in the year allows time to slow down a little post-wedding and prolongs some of the excitement. If you want to get away sooner than later, plan a mini moon somewhere close by.
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Find a New Project to do Together
My husband and I joked that we weren&rsquo;t sure what we&rsquo;d talk about when our wedding was behind us &mdash; little did we know we&rsquo;d be talking about a baby not long after &mdash; but shifting focus to something else can help you bond in a new way and get excited about something. You could plan a DIY project for your new house or yard, start volunteering together, or join a recreational sports league. Staying busy will help!&nbsp;

Five Tips to Deal with Post-Wedding Blues

A good brand photography session can help elevate your online presence on social media and your website. We'll work together to create a mood board, determine the style you gravitate to, choose the best outfits and location, and then I'll guide you through posing on the day of the session so you never feel awkward or wonder what to do with your hands. Branding sessions are always a lot of fun, and I love hearing about what each client does. I've worked with psychologists, jewelry and clothing designers, artists, musicians, Realtors, boutique owners, executives, makeup artists, and hairstylists, to name a few. Dr. Anna Hushlak reached out to me and I was so excited to work with her. It felt like we hit it off at our session &mdash; one of the best compliments I get from clients is that they feel like they've known me for a lot longer than they actually have. She's a sex scientist and co-founder of <a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" href="https://weareferly.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ferly</a>, a female-focused sexual wellness app led by science and research-based therapy sessions. It's even received accolades from the likes of Vanity Fair. Anna is branching out into new endeavors and wanted some refreshed branding portraits she could use for her personal work.
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From Anna: "Meaghan did a brand portrait shoot with me and absolutely nailed the photos. She reviewed the aesthetic I wanted, talked me through each pose and how to position myself, did a fantastic job editing (super natural) and was empowering and made me feel comfortable. She organised the perfect studio for me, took the time to do three outfits and a variety of pose types too. I really love that she has a more candid style and that she makes you feel confident and at home in your body. Also fair and transparent with pricing and gave me a lot of options to choose from with selects. Can't recommend enough!"
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Studio: <a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" href="https://www.instagram.com/thegallerystudioyyc/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Gallery</a>
Makeup: <a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" href="https://makeupbymylynn.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Mylynn Lam</a>
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Dr. Anna Hushlak | Calgary Branding Photography

Engagement photos can happen anywhere &mdash; your favourite date-night spot, your first home together, where you got engaged, or even play up a theme you have in mind. Jory and Chad wanted to do their engagement session in a vintage diner, and the set at Idle Eyes Collective was a perfect fit. These two started off as friends, and that evolved into relationship that is a now true partnership. They're shaping their marriage in a way that feels authentic to them and defies convention &mdash; Jory actually proposed to Chad, rather than vice versa. I love when couples do things their way and don't follow traditions because they feel pressured.
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Jumpsuit and veil designed by <a href="https://www.nrtfashions.com">NRT Fashions</a>. She's a Calgary-based custom bridal designer who captures the unique style of every bride she works with.
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Jory & Chad | Vintage-Inspired Calgary Engagement Session

Congratulations to all the engaged couples reading this! This is an exciting time to share with your significant other, family, and friends. But your mind is also likely racing with all of the things you need to do to prepare for your wedding.
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Don&rsquo;t forget to make time for an engagement photo session during your wedding planning process. It&rsquo;s best to do this once you&rsquo;ve chosen your wedding photographer, as many offer engagement sessions as part of their wedding photo packages (I do). If they don&rsquo;t, it&rsquo;s still a worthwhile investment to do with one.
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As a photographer and bride-to-be myself, I&rsquo;ve been on both sides of the camera during engagement sessions. I love directing couples, but I&rsquo;m not a natural when the camera&rsquo;s on me. Even if you aren&rsquo;t the most comfortable in front of the camera, do an engagement session. I&rsquo;m so glad I did one, and your photographer will be there to guide you every step of the way. I sure will be, and I can&rsquo;t wait to work with you!
Here are five reasons why you should do an engagement photo session.
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Celebrate your engagement together
When you got engaged there was likely lots of celebrating with family and friends, but why not do something for just the two of you? Engagement photos are something you and your fianc&eacute; will have forever, and they make a fantastic keepsake of this special milestone in your relationship. An engagement session is a memorable experience (you&rsquo;ve likely never done a professional photoshoot together), and you can turn it into a fun date. Treat yourself to hair and makeup, put on a nice outfit, pop some bubbly (I like to gift clients with a bottle), and even incorporate dinner plans into the mix.&nbsp;
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It&rsquo;s great practice for the big day
As I mentioned above, you and your partner likely haven&rsquo;t done a professional photo session together. An engagement session is an opportunity to get comfortable in front of the camera together&mdash;especially with some of the more intimate posing prompts used in engagement and wedding photography. Your photographer will guide you through posing to get a varied selection of more formal and candid moments, and they can also get to know which poses work best so your photos are a true reflection of your personalities and style. There are lots of standard engagement prompts that photographers use, but they don&rsquo;t always work with every couple. It&rsquo;s better to figure that out during your engagement session than on the wedding day.&nbsp;
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You can get to know your photographer
On your wedding day, you&rsquo;re going to be spending the majority of the day with your photographer. They&rsquo;re there for all the moments, and it&rsquo;s important that you feel comfortable and trust them. You also want to be able to have some fun together! Your photographer will be there to hype you up, make you feel your best, and capture photos that remind you how amazing your wedding day was. You&rsquo;ll feel way more comfortable and relaxed on the big day if you&rsquo;ve already met and worked with your photographer.&nbsp;
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You can test your wedding hair and makeup
Your engagement session is also a chance to test-run some of the hair and makeup ideas you&rsquo;re considering for your wedding look. If you can line your engagement session up with your hair and makeup trials, even better. You&rsquo;ll get a feel for how the makeup photographs and whether you want to make any adjustments to the look before your wedding.
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Or, your engagement session can be an opportunity to try a different look. If you want a more natural look on your wedding day, for example, you could try something bolder for your engagement session.&nbsp;
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It provides photos for so many uses
You&rsquo;ll need photos of the two of you for different pieces in your wedding. Your engagement photos can be a great choice for your save-the-dates, for example. They&rsquo;re also useful for filling out your wedding website or even printing a few of your favourites out to use as decor at the wedding.

Why You Should Do an Engagement Session

There are plenty of questions to ask a photographer before you book them, so I thought I&rsquo;d put together a few that I hear most often from clients. When we chat about your session, feel free to ask me anything that will help you feel comfortable and prepared. There are no bad questions, and I&rsquo;d rather you ask than feel unsure about anything before we shoot together.&nbsp;
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How long have you been shooting for?&nbsp; This isn&rsquo;t the most straightforward answer, but in total I&rsquo;ve been shooting for more than 10 years. Photography has played different roles in my career during that time, whether it was shooting concert photos for Vue Weekly during my days in journalism or working with bands and brands during my free time. I started seriously pursuing portrait and commercial photography when I moved to Calgary in 2017, and it&rsquo;s only built since then!&nbsp;
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Do you do this full-time? I do. I made the transition to running my photography business full-time in May 2022. I was juggling photography with a job in marketing, and I couldn&rsquo;t manage both anymore. My marketing, PR, and journalism experience has been a huge asset in running my own business and providing a great experience for my clients.
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Why did you get into photography? It&rsquo;s common to hear photographers say they&rsquo;ve always had a camera in their hands, and it&rsquo;s likely true. I loved to shoot photos for fun as a kid, or I made my friends model for me in high school when I thought I was super artistic and learned how to use Photoshop Elements. I was using a point and shoot at the time, and the results were pretty terrible. But we all start somewhere! I&rsquo;ve always had a desire to help people in my chosen career path, and I&rsquo;ve realized that can come in so many forms. I wanted to do something that allowed space for creativity, didn&rsquo;t feel monotonous, and challenged me to grow and learn. Photography provides all of that, and I get to help people in my own way. That could mean helping a business launch a new product or rebrand, helping someone to see themselves as beautiful for the first time&mdash;I love seeing someone&rsquo;s confidence build the second I show them a good shot on the back of my camera&mdash;or capturing once-in-a-lifetime memories on someone&rsquo;s wedding day. No two sessions are the same, and I truly love what I do.
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What&rsquo;s your favourite thing to shoot? I can&rsquo;t choose one thing. I love weddings for the infectious excitement and emotions throughout the day, and all the candid moments you can capture that the couple doesn&rsquo;t necessarily get to see in real time. But I also really enjoy working with portrait clients, especially those who have never had a professional session done.
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Which camera do you use?&nbsp; I&rsquo;ve always been a Canon fan. I now have two camera bodies, which are the Canon R5 mirrorless (my primary camera) and the Canon 5D Mk IV.
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Do you use lighting during your sessions?&nbsp; This depends on the shoot. I love natural light and think you can create beautiful images with it, but I have lots of experience shooting with studio lighting. Lighting sets the mood for your shoot, so that&rsquo;s something to discuss when we&rsquo;re deciding on your location and the style you&rsquo;d like to achieve.&nbsp;
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Will you show me how to pose? Absolutely. Nine times out of 10 I hear something along the lines of, &ldquo;I&rsquo;m so awkward in front of the camera.&rdquo; My goal is to prove to you that this isn&rsquo;t true. Everyone is photogenic in their own way&mdash;sometimes it just takes a little coaching to bring that out. I&rsquo;ll offer posing prompts throughout the session and make sure you aren&rsquo;t left wondering what to do with your hands or how to stand.
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Where did you learn how to do photography? I have a post-secondary diploma in photography, which came from the Photographic Technology diploma program at the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology (NAIT) in Edmonton, but my education didn&rsquo;t stop there. I&rsquo;m always on the lookout for new techniques and business advice, and there is a wealth of knowledge on YouTube or through sites like CreativeLive, the Portrait Masters, and Patreon. I don&rsquo;t think you&rsquo;re ever done learning, no matter what level you&rsquo;re at.
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Do you do your own retouching?&nbsp; Always. Retouching plays a huge role in the final outcome of your images, and I put a great deal of work into each shot to make sure it looks its best and your gallery looks cohesive.&nbsp;
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Do you send RAW files? No, and you&rsquo;ll be hard-pressed to find a photographer who does. It&rsquo;s not uncommon to shoot hundreds (even thousands) of images during a session, and I always cull these images afterwards to find the best ones. Trust me, you don&rsquo;t want hundreds of huge files clogging up your computer. RAW files are massive, and they won&rsquo;t open without the proper software.&nbsp;
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Do you know any hair and makeup artists? I sure do. Hair and makeup can elevate your session, and I have several artists who I consistently recommend to my clients. In Calgary I recommend Avery Side of <a href="https://smudgeandsmoulder.com/">Smudge and Smoulder</a> for makeup and Jory Davie of <a href="https://www.jdstyling.com/">JD Styling</a> for hair. We often work on shoots together and they&rsquo;re both wonderful to have on-set.
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In Edmonton I recommend <a href="https://www.ambervictoriaprepchuk.com/">Amber Prepchuk</a>, who is a fantastic makeup artist.
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Will you help me decide on an outfit for my session? Absolutely! I have a wardrobe tip sheet that I send to every client once they book me, and I&rsquo;m always happy to review outfit photos leading up to the session to help you choose pieces that are going to make you look and feel your best.&nbsp;
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Will you Photoshop out XYZ? 
This is a tough one. Photoshop is a powerful tool, but it can be overused. I always do a bit of skin smoothing (but it still has to look natural), colour enhancements, exposure adjustments, and I'll remove distracting flyaway hairs and objects, but please don't expect photographers to change the way you look. You still need to look like you in your photos!
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Do you do collaborative / creative shoots?&nbsp; Yes, but the concept needs to add to my portfolio. I always prioritize client work, but I&rsquo;m open to collaborations if they make sense and I have capacity.

Portrait of me by <a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" href="https://www.rosieleephotography.co.uk" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Rosie Lee Photography</a>

Some of the Most Common Questions I Get Asked as a Photographer

Madison and Dillon are one of the fantastic couples I'll be working with during the 2024 wedding season, and we ventured out to Canmore for their winter engagement session. We had a beautiful day due to unseasonably warm temperatures, even if it meant there was less snow than we had hoped for. Shooting winter mountain engagement sessions can be a roll of the dice when it comes to weather, so it's best to have an open mind and be ready to adapt to changing conditions. Our session worked out in the end, even if we all ended up muddier than expected by the end, and it was made even more fun by the addition of their five-month-old Labrador puppy, Maverick.
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Makeup by: <a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" href="https://smudgeandsmoulder.com">Smudge &amp; Smoulder</a>

Madison & Dillon | Winter Canmore Engagement Session

Why does photography cost so much? It&rsquo;s the million-dollar question. We all have decent cameras in our pockets and apps that can turn lacklustre images into showstoppers. But the latest and greatest smartphone doesn&rsquo;t replace a professional photographer.&nbsp;
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Professional photography&mdash;and that first word is key&mdash;is an&nbsp;investment.&nbsp;When you hire a photographer, you are purchasing a service as well as a product (one you&rsquo;ll have for years, at that). You are also hiring someone with years of experience and expertise; someone who knows how to bring your concept to life&mdash;not to mention, a pro understands the ins and outs of photo retouching to enhance your images and make them shine. It&rsquo;s so much more than pushing a button, slapping a filter on the image, and calling it a day.&nbsp;
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&nbsp;Here are a few key points to keep in mind when you&rsquo;re discussing the cost of photography.&nbsp;
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The service extends beyond the shoot Opening a quote from a photographer&mdash;or any creative professional, for that matter&mdash;can cause sticker shock. You only need a few images, so why are you paying such a high price? A photographer&rsquo;s rate takes multiple factors into consideration.&nbsp;
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The shoot itself is a fraction of the quoted price. The photographer may only be shooting for an hour, but there&rsquo;s plenty of prep work done before the shoot even begins. Your photographer will likely do a virtual or in-person consultation with you, create a mood board (depending on the needs of the shoot), and even source props, if required. After the shoot, then it&rsquo;s time for image culling (choosing the best photos) and retouching (each image can take anywhere from a few minutes to hours, depending on the project). And there&rsquo;s post-shoot file management, gallery delivery, print product ordering (if required) and invoicing. When it&rsquo;s all said and done, a one-hour shoot equates to hours of work for the photographer.&nbsp;
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Every photographer&rsquo;s pricing structure is different, depending on their level of experience and the session they&rsquo;re quoting for. For example, portrait pricing is often quoted per hour with a certain number of images delivered, while commercial photography can be priced with a base creative rate, a price per image retouched, and even usage fees if the job requires.&nbsp;Some commercial photographers choose to charge per hour, though, so it will vary depending on how their pricing is structured. And weddings are another ballgame entirely, with photographers offering set packages that outline the number of hours they&rsquo;ll be shooting and any print products included. Some packages even include engagement sessions as part of the fee.
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Photographers are business owners too Photography isn&rsquo;t a quick skill to master, and it&rsquo;s certainly not a cheap one to get involved in. Professional-level cameras cost thousands of dollars, along with lenses, lighting, accessories, computers, software, the list goes on. It&rsquo;s an investment for the photographer, too, and each shoot adds wear and tear to this equipment.
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Photography is an art form, but it&rsquo;s also a business and should be treated as such. Photographers need to cover their cost of doing business beyond equipment, even if they work from home. They may require things like equipment or studio rentals, a roster of subscriptions to keep their business running (software, website hosting, gallery hosting, business management tools, just to name a few), travel, accounting fees, assistants, utilities, insurance, and education to stay at the top of their game. Each photographer&rsquo;s cost of doing business is different and factors into their price, and the rate the client sees is what they need to charge to stay in business and earn a profit.&nbsp;
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You get what you pay for As with any product or service, you truly do get what you pay for when it comes to photography. Photography can capture memories that will be cherished forever, or it can be the boost a small business needs to increase its brand awareness and client base. Regardless of the genre, photography is worth investing in if you want to see exceptional results. There will always be cheaper options, but this can mean disappointing photos and having to reshoot to achieve your desired outcome&mdash;which will end up costing more in the end.&nbsp;
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Professional photography isn&rsquo;t a conventional career path, and photographers are in it because they love what they do. This shows in their work, their lasting relationships with their clients, and the experience they provide during each session.

Understanding Photography Pricing

Congratulations to Sandee and Robinson, who tied the knot in front of their closest family and friends at the beautiful River Cafe in downtown Calgary. The River Cafe is nestled into the picturesque surroundings at Prince&rsquo;s Island Park, and these two had perfect weather for their outdoor ceremony, where they incorporated personal touches like heartfelt thank-you&rsquo;s to their parents, before a delicious dinner (shout out to the River Cafe team), speeches, and plenty of dancing. The day began with a traditional tea ceremony at Sandee&rsquo;s parents&rsquo; home, where Robinson (Rob) and his groomsmen had to pass a series of tests before they could even walk through the door. The bridesmaids put them through their paces, but they managed. This was my first tea ceremony, and their wedding was such a special, memorable day to be part of. All the best, Sandee and Rob!
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<div>Vendors:</div>
<div>Venue:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.river-cafe.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The River Cafe</a></div>
<div>Florals:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.instagram.com/ambrosiaflorals/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ambrosia Florals</a></div>
<div>Gown:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.thebridalboutique.ca/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Bridal Boutique</a></div>

Sandee & Robinson | River Cafe Wedding, Calgary, Alberta

Wedding planning is exciting, and it can also become very stressful&mdash;but it doesn&rsquo;t have to be. My husband, Chris, and I got married in July 2022 after several date changes thanks to COVID-19. His family and some of his close friends live in the UK, and we were waiting for restrictions to lift so they could be here for it.
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Going to a wedding or being in a bridal party is one thing, but I quickly learned it&rsquo;s a different ballgame when it&rsquo;s your own wedding (and your own budget). Planning a wedding from start to finish is something the average person has never done, and there are so many details to keep straight, vendors to contact, and expenses to track&mdash;it&rsquo;s easy for it to get away on you. Here are 10 of my top tips for planning your wedding, which come from my experience as a wedding photographer and as a 2022 bride. I&rsquo;ve also shared all of our vendors at the end of the post.
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Start with the big stuff
It&rsquo;s easy to get swept up in the fun stuff, like dress shopping (seriously, one of the best days of wedding planning), colour schemes, floral arrangements, and food, but you need to start with the biggest pieces before you dive head first into these details.
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First up, get your venue secured ASAP. Once you have your date and venue down, everything else starts to fall into place. Tour venues in-person, if you can; you&rsquo;ll have an opportunity to chat with a member of the team and get a feel for the space. Come prepared with a list of questions for the venue, such last-call time, when you can access the space, tear-down procedures, whether they allow outside alcohol and catering, their preferred vendors (this can be a huge help since these pros know the space well), insurance required, and if you need to secure a liquor license.
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Once you have a venue, book your photographer, videographer, and even caterer if the venue doesn&rsquo;t provide its own food since these vendors book quite far in advance.
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Decide which costs are worth investing in
Wedding costs add up quickly, and you can&rsquo;t do it all (unless your budget is unlimited). I also learned that most of the Pinterest-perfect floral arches and table settings you see on social media are expensive. What looks like a small cost can add up fast, too. Five dollars per chair rental sounds cheap&mdash;until you need to order 150 of them, plus linens, flatware, charger plates, glassware, the list goes on (and then add delivery fees). Pretty soon, your rental and decor bill can be higher than you planned.
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Have a conversation with your partner early on (ideally before you even book vendors) about what&rsquo;s most important to you and which costs you&rsquo;re not willing to go without. For example, I was obviously ready to splurge on photography and videography but wasn&rsquo;t interested in a wedding cake or favours. Honestly, no one takes favours home anyway, and our caterer did a dessert station instead. We wanted to provide our guests with a really fun night (especially after we postponed multiple times), so we focused most of our budget on food, the bar, a solid DJ, and fantastic venue (<a href="https://thecommonscalgary.com/the-venues">The Hemingway Room</a> at The Commons). We still had pretty decor, but we kept it relatively simple.
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Read your contracts
Whatever you do, do not skim your contracts and sign. Read these documents thoroughly and carefully. Every vendor&rsquo;s contract is different, and you need to have a strong understanding of what&rsquo;s included, like payment schedules, what happens if you need to cancel, if they can&rsquo;t be at your wedding due to illness, and so on. If you have questions, ask. You won&rsquo;t offend a vendor if you need them to clarify a point in their contract. I always welcome questions from clients because it means they actually read their contract.
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Record your ceremony and speeches
Confirm you&rsquo;ll receive your full ceremony and speeches as part of your videography package. We did, and I&rsquo;m so glad we have these videos. The ceremony and speeches go by so quickly, and you&rsquo;ll want to relive those moments. If you decide against hiring a videographer, ask a trusted friend or family member to record them on their phone for you&mdash;just make sure there&rsquo;s a mic during the ceremony so they can get all the audio.
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Don&rsquo;t be afraid to ask your vendors for help
This is (likely) the first wedding you&rsquo;re planning, but your vendors have done this countless times and have seen it all. They&rsquo;re experts in their field and know what works and what doesn&rsquo;t. Don&rsquo;t be afraid to ask them questions and communicate with them. This ensures you&rsquo;re on the same page leading up to the wedding, but you&rsquo;ll also feel better having some help. For example, most photographers (myself included) are happy to look at your timeline and help you block off realistic amounts of time for different sections of the day.
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Hire a day-of coordinator
A day-of coordinator was one of the best investments we made. I was adamant that I didn&rsquo;t need one when we started planning, but I quickly realized I needed help on the wedding day. I also didn&rsquo;t want to be fielding calls from vendors that day or having my friends and family do everything. We booked Stacy with <a href="https://www.lockeweddings.com/">Locke Wedding Co.</a>, and she was incredible. We had a couple of meetings leading up to the wedding, and she always came with questions I hadn&rsquo;t even thought about. I felt completely reassured that she had everything under control, and the day ran so smoothly thanks to her. You can also opt for a full planner, but a day-of coordinator is a great alternative if your budget doesn&rsquo;t allow or you&rsquo;re already deep into planning and realize you need help (like I did).
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Stay true to you 
At the end of the day, your wedding is about you and your partner. Period. People will have plenty of opinions about your wedding, but you don&rsquo;t have to listen to every single one. Stick to what&rsquo;s most important to you and plan a day that reflects the two of you&mdash;not what your parents, friends, or random relatives think it should be. Invite the people who are closest to you and don&rsquo;t feel pressured to include everyone you know, and you can absolutely skip traditions that you don&rsquo;t want to participate it (like garter or bouquet tosses). No one will notice that you didn&rsquo;t do these things. And, if you want to include something quirky into the day, go for it! Your wedding doesn&rsquo;t have look a certain way, and you&rsquo;ll be happier knowing you planned the day you wanted.
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Be open-minded about your dress&mdash;and find a great seamstress
I loved my dress, but it wasn&rsquo;t anything like what I thought I would wear. The shape was similar to what I had envisioned, but I had never considered a simple, full crepe dress and thought I wanted lace and beading everywhere. This is why you bring your most trusted people to your bridal appointment. I let each of my bridesmaids choose a dress during our visit to Pearl &amp; Dot (now the Anais Annette flagship boutique), and one of them pulled the dress I wore. It didn&rsquo;t look like much on the hanger (most wedding gowns don&rsquo;t), but I knew that it was the one as soon as I put it on (and so did everyone else). Even the sample fit well and it felt like me&mdash;more so than the intricate gowns I'd been trying on. This one felt like I was wearing it versus the dress wearing me. I also didn&rsquo;t think I wanted a veil, but before I knew it we were buying a chapel-length veil and then the belt that was added to the dress for a little sparkle. Most of the dresses I thought I wanted were so uncomfortable when I actually put them on, but this dress was hands down one of the most comfortable things I&rsquo;ve ever worn. The cut-outs on the side also highlighted my two rib tattoos perfectly. Buy something you feel good in and will be comfortable in all day. Don't be afraid to try some different silhouettes, too. I knew I didn't want a ballgown but tried a couple of fuller skirts anyway just to be sure. They were fun to try if nothing else!
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Once you have your dream gown, find a knowledgeable seamstress. Do not skimp on this, whatever you do. This can make or break the look of your gown, so budget accordingly. My alterations were double what I had budgeted, just because of the construction of the gown (there were three hidden layers of fabric, even though it looked simple) and the nature of the alterations (she had to reconstruct the back because, well, COVID happened and I wasn&rsquo;t the exact size I was in 2019 when I bought it). Ask the bridal salon you purchase your gown at for recommendations. They know seamstresses who they trust and who are familiar with their gowns.
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Practice your first dance
This doesn&rsquo;t mean a choreographed production, but by all means, go for it if that fits your style. This was a part of the day I was very nervous about (I don&rsquo;t love being the centre of attention and have two left feet sometimes), and I wish we had danced to our song at least a couple of times before the big moment. Chris did a great job leading us through it, but I think I would have felt more relaxed if we had practiced. My nerves also show in the video.
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Midnight snack&mdash;give the people what they want
Catering will likely be one of your largest expenses, and the midnight snack can really add to the bill. At this point in the night, the drinks are flowing and people aren&rsquo;t that concerned about what they eat&mdash;as long as there&rsquo;s food. If your venue allows it, look into having pizza delivered (we had Inglewood Pizza since it was close by). One of my bridesmaids also opted to have McDonald&rsquo;s delivered for her wedding (served on silver platters by the venue staff), and people still talk about how much they loved both.
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If you are in the midst of wedding planning and searching for a photographer, reach out and let&rsquo;s chat about your vision for the day. I love helping couples find photo locations, talented vendors, and providing guidance on timeline creation to make the day run smoothly.
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Our vendors
Venue: <a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" href="https://thecommonscalgary.com/the-venues">The Hemingway Room</a>, The Commons Photographer: <a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" href="https://www.danacolephotography.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Dana Cole</a> Videographer: Matt Hutchinson, <a href="https://heartsinreverie.ca/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Hearts in Reverie</a> Coordination: <a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" href="https://www.lockeweddings.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Locke Wedding Co. </a> Makeup (bride and MOB): <a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" href="https://ambervictoriaprepchuk.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Amber Prepchuk</a> Makeup (bridesmaids): <a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" href="https://www.google.com/search?client=safari&amp;dlnr=1&amp;ie=UTF-8&amp;oe=UTF-8&amp;q=nicole%20saxton&amp;rls=en&amp;sei=qw99Y9riFKPA0PEP-I-eyAk" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Nicole Saxton</a> (I had two artists because Amber is a dear friend of mine and was also a member of the bridal party, so I didn&rsquo;t want her working all morning) Hair: <a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" href="https://www.instagram.com/itsabobeatbobworld/?hl=en" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Kimberly Seibel</a> Dress: Lotus, <a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" href="https://theiacouture.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Theia Couture</a> (This style is discontinued, but there are still similar ones available) Veil &amp; Belt: <a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" href="https://saragabrielpro.com/">Sara Gabriel Designs</a> (My veil was the Julianne style, but the belt has been discontinued) Alterations: <a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" href="https://www.couturebymaisoon.com/">Couture by Maisoon</a> Custom MOB jumpsuit and Maid of Honour gown: <a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" href="https://www.nrtfashions.com/">NRT Fashions</a> (The rest of the bridesmaids' dresses were from The Bay or Laura) Bouquets and arch arrangements: Flowers by Joan (She doesn&rsquo;t have a website yet) Greenery table runners: <a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" href="https://www.succulentsandstems.com/">Succulents &amp; Stems</a> Decor Rentals: <a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" href="https://www.orangetrunk.ca/">Orange Trunk Vintage Styling &amp; Rentals</a>, <a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" href="https://www.specialeventrentals.com/">Special Event Rentals</a>, <a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" href="https://www.specialeventrentals.com/">The Commons</a> (They offer things like vintage couches, bar fronts, etc that are above the base rental cost), <a href="https://www.chairflair.ca/">Chair Flair </a>Catering: <a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" href="https://urbaneculinary.ca/">Urbane Culinary</a> DJ: <a href="https://soundsunlimited.ca/">Sounds Unlimited</a> Midnight Snack: <a href="https://inglewoodpizza.ca/">Inglewood Pizza</a> Officiant: Cynthia Beare, <a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" href="https://www.googleadservices.com/pagead/aclk?adurl=https%3A%2F%2Fallseasonsweddings.com%2Fen&amp;ae=2&amp;ai=CSE6LeBF9Y-x5kra05Q-XsKygAaTonOdo483hmIsF09bZgQEIABABILlUYP3Q8IDIA6ABuLev0APIAQGpAs_P8F2jCqk-yAPYIKoEW0_Q60Yc_NUUc1U_P9MYoTXaTuD9FcQG3fD6ZYd8isjU4dtMPM-mgoW3YRQrV-A9lkAfWzNWus9mOttZiFRK4gWGyT4P0b9U1aDkjv-BxRJ8_Xww-DKnkhildGbABMDX2fE4gAWQTogF6MyjbKAGUYAHsMjQL4gHAZAHAagHpr4bqAe5mrECqAfz0RuoB-7SG6gH_5yxAqgHytwbqAePqbECqAe7pLECqAfYprECqAfbqrECqAfQqrECoAjcsqUEsAgB0ggaEAIghAEyBIPAgA46CoCAgICAgICoAQJCAQSaCSFodHRwczovL2FsbHNlYXNvbnN3ZWRkaW5ncy5jb20vZW6xCcuaBwf5Tq6JuQnLmgcH-U6uifgJAZgLAaoMAggBuAwB6AwGqg0CQ0GiE1gKQwgDQAFSCAoGEgQIABABaPHW1YlDci0SKyACKAE4BEDozKNsWAFo_v__________AXABmAEB4AECkALf65-WtgGYAgAaDQoLZGlzdC1zYWZhcmkiAkNBghQYCAISFGFsbCBzZWFzb25zIHdlZGRpbmdziBQB0BUB-BYBgBcBkhcJEgcIARADGMkC4BcC&amp;cid=CAASFeRoNGBAhXOiBRw9ccS0NDdOz45DPA&amp;dblrd=1&amp;dct=1&amp;nis=8&amp;sa=L&amp;sig=AOD64_3X4-urv2PbipR2UKyLINhJfSZmsg&amp;sival=AF15MEAxU89D21zzDysFj9N-0wZkbMiFreFP2h2w-kAJ33QmYq_Sf08_DUpYIKsSFeRimT1PFlHsagRJ_GOEXkvdqLe1pTkNfzXQ2_SNq0AvC8KmYbroMF3ok-DLlqXL4lIf-7qX3D83Gp8LHbrr2XnTmHaIZlPQb_gBaNSyIPCX0LCMM13tI1gq2SW0vMy1xdEjRwHqHD7b&amp;ved=2ahUKEwiKja-essL7AhUVO30KHQwuDOAQ0Qx6BAgIEAM">All Seasons Weddings</a> Limo: <a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" href="https://www.ampmlimo.ca/">AM PM Limousines</a>
&nbsp;
(Below are some of the photos from our wedding, shot by the talented Dana Cole)

Ten Wedding Planning Tips From a Photographer and Recent Bride

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Morgan and Dylan planned a beautiful celebration this summer that was so true to their personalities. They started the day with a traditional ceremony at the Central United Church in downtown Calgary before heading to their reception at The Brownstone. Their wedding had a Beauty and the Beast theme, which I'd never seen before. Their vendors (who are all listed at the bottom of this post) did a fantastic job bringing the vision to life. Congratulations, Morgan and Dylan!
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<h2 class="slide-asset BLG_F21 BLG_D1 BLG_S8 BLG_H4 BLG_L1 BLG_W4 BLG_FS1" style="text-align: center;" data-tokenid="text6">Vendors</h2>
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Photographer
<a href="http://www.meaghanbaxterphotography.com/" target="blank">MEAGHAN BAXTER PHOTOGRAPHY</a>
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Venue
Central United Church &amp;&nbsp;<a href="http://www.thebrownstoneyyc.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Brownstone</a>
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Hair &amp; Makeup
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<a href="https://www.bellamorebeauty.ca/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Bellamore Beauty</a>
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Bride's Gown
<a href="https://www.lissimon.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Lis Simon</a>
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Groom's Suit
<a href="http://www.atelierbyensemble.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Atelier Suiting</a>
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Florals
<a href="https://www.henandchicks.ca/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Hen and Chicks YYC</a>
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Cake
<a href="https://www.yvonnesdelightfulcakes.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Yvonne's Deligtful Cakes</a>
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Catering
<a href="https://rockymountainbbq.ca/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Rocky Mountain BBQ Catering</a>
&nbsp;
DJ
<a href="https://houseofbounce.net/home/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">House of Bounce</a>
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Morgan & Dylan | The Brownstone Wedding | Calgary, AB

Meaghan shot our engagement and wedding photos this year and we couldn’t be happier with our pictures! As a couple, we don’t love being in front of the camera but Meaghan made us feel comfortable and captured the essence of ‘Us’ in our photos.Meaghan has a fun, easygoing, professional energy. Her communication skills are exceptional, she has a great artistic eye, and we had our sneak-a-peek photos from the big day the following week

Andrea & Sandy

We spent HOURS looking for a photographer before someone recommended Meaghan to us and we could not be happier with how our wedding photos turned out! Meaghan went above and beyond to make sure that everything was perfect and that no photo opportunity was missed. She was wonderful and easy to work with and we never felt uncomfortable (even though it was both of our first times in front of a camera!). The photos are everything we hoped they would be - simple, elegant, and authentic. Meaghan didn’t miss a single moment and was an expert at catching casual and candid moments. We have the most amazing album of photos thanks to all of her hard work.

Thank you SO much for everything, Meaghan. You really helped make our wedding the best day ever,

Tanis & Emerson

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Styled shoots are a great opportunity to connect with local wedding vendors, try out a concept you haven&rsquo;t had the opportunity to shoot at a real wedding, and learn from other photographers in the community. I recently teamed up with Ashley Nicole Styling to create a modern Bohemian wedding set-up at The Brownstone in downtown Calgary. We opened the session up to other photographers and had a great turnout of creatives at all different levels, which provided an opportunity for everyone to build their portfolios, try some new techniques and share knowledge.
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We were lucky enough to have the shoot published by Confetti, and the full feature can be found <a href="https://confettimagazine.ca/inspiration/modern-bohemian-bridal-inspiration/">here</a>. I can&rsquo;t thank the team enough for all their hard work to bring this concept to life. Our amazing vendors are listed below. Check them out and give them a follow on social media.
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Venue: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/thebrownstoneyyc/?hl=en">The Brownstone</a>
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Set Design and Styling: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/ashnstyling/">Ashley Nicole Styling</a>
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Lead Photographer: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/meaghan.baxter.photo/?hl=en">Yours truly</a>
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Makeup: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/smudgeandsmoulder/?hl=en">Smudge &amp; Smoulder</a>
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Hair: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/jd.styling/?hl=en">JD Styling</a>
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Models: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/ofmillenial/">Carol</a> &amp; <a href="https://www.instagram.com/ron.morris88/">Ron</a>
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Bridal Gown &amp; Accessories: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/blushandravenyyc/?hl=en">Blush &amp; Raven Bridal Boutique</a>
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Groom&rsquo;s Attire: Maison Simons
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Floral Arrangements: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/creativeedgeflowersyyc/?hl=en">Creative Edge Flowers</a>
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Decor Rentals: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/modernrentals.ca/?hl=en">Modern Rentals</a>
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Cake: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/modernrentals.ca/?hl=en">Black Dog Bakery</a>
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Calligraphy: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/mountaingrovestudio/?hl=en">Mountain Grove Studio</a>

Modern Bohemian Styled Bridal Shoot at The Brownstone Wedding & Event Venue in Calgary

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Couples & Engagements

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Portraits & Branding

Capturing authentic moments, creating timeless memories.

Video Title

Write in first person using this following sample text to match in style: I've become familiar with nearly every photography genre throughout my career, but what I love most is capturing authentic moments and memories. Wedding days are filled with precious memories and I want to capture them all for you.
Wedding photography is one of the biggest investments you'll make during the planning process, and my time with you doesn't start on the big day. I strive to get to know each couple I work with—from our initial meeting, to guiding you through crafting your wedding timeline, and answering any questions during the planning process (like finding awesome vendors and locations). I want to understand your vision for your wedding day and how I can capture it in the best way. We won't do any corny poses, I promise. Instead, I'll guide you and get you feeling comfortable in front of the camera in no time. One of the best compliments I receive from couples is how comfortable they feel with me and that it often feels like we’ve known each other for a long time.
On your wedding day, I'm there for you! I'll fluff your train, fix your tie, you name it. I've also got an emergency stash of supplies in case you need to blot a stain, wipe happy tears, or just freshen up.

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