Masthead header

Miracles Do Happen: Kristina and Mitch’s Silvertip wedding

There are times in our life where we have to question– do things really happen for a reason?  Are we connected to a greater spiritual world and if we are not, can someone please explain why timing and chance can leave us breathless and in tears by the works of what seems to be a miracle.

I will never forget when Kristina contacted me about capturing her up-coming wedding to Mitch.  I can still hear her little voice over the phone taking a deep breath and telling me she had just lost both her parents to cancer– with in months of each-other.   I being a mother of two and living too far from my own family lost it crying.  How does a young beautiful woman cope with this kind of tragedy and find the strength to organize their wedding?      Omgoodness my heart was broken… after we hung up I called my mom crying this would be a nightmare for most people.

So why am I writing this seemly sad post…  At their wedding I witnessed something that left me speechless (as well as their massive crowd of guests)– was it a miracle or was it by-chance, what ever the forces were it left me overwhelmed with hope and confidence that their is some ‘greater being’ watching over us.

For their ceremony we had fantastic spring weather and as they began their family portraits a we could see heavy rain coming down the valley, we completed all images just in time to get the bride and groom in my Lexus to do our photo tour around the town of Canmore!  But unfortunately it began to rain so hard and with such heavy winds I looked at Kristina and said maybe you are meant to be back at Silvertip with your friends and family!  I reminded her that if the sky’s clear we can simply go on the breathtaking golf course for portraits!

So after an extraordinary meal (catered by Silvertip) and many loving and tender speeches, including that of Kristina’s older brother (who walked her down the isle) and Mitch and Kristina’s, I was told to look out the back window of the Pavilion Banquet room… to our surprise there was the largest double arched rainbow with the most intense indigo I have ever seen!  We rushed the bride and groom out the ballroom doors onto the back deck and as the over 100 guests followed us, and in the rain with the massive rainbow we all cried tears of the unknown… was it possible their parents were sending us a sign to say “we’re here with you and watching over you”.  After Saturday I will now say I have tapped into a greater spiritual side, be it by chance or luck or some great power from above no one there that night will ever ever forget how unbelievable that was.

Please enjoy a few of their wedding photos!  Thank you so much Silvertip for everything!  As always you hosted an incredible event!!!

 

One last thing… these two have been in love for 14 years since they were teens and were planning to get married before Kristina’s parents took sick with cancer.  When she booked me a year ago there was no baby in her belly but there is now… A big baby bump!!!  Congratulations Kristina and Mitch (and Baby bump), I give you all the love in the world from me!!!

 

 

Banff Weddings

ABanff Weddings

Megan and Troy’s Buffalo Mounatin Lodge Wedding

Venue:  Buffalo Mountain Lodge       |         Banff wedding photography by:  Crista Lee Photography        | Wedding commissioner:  Banff Lake Louise Weddings by Robyn Whyte

 

I had the honnour to get to know this wonderful couple and capture their wedding day! What had started out as a Banff elopement quickly grew and changed its course to a full blown party filling the Wapiti room in the beautiful Buffalo Mountain Lodge!   Something I love about February in Banff National Park is how one day it can be above zero and the next day it can be -17 with blistering winds… and to all of our “delight”  freezing cold temps and high winds were what we faced on their wedding day!  I did include one situational photo of this prom their portrait session, (just to keep it real ) but other wise these two strong Alberta born newlywed’s hardly flinched as the faced the cold and the elements for their portraits!  Thank goodness I know this valley like the back of my hand and was able to bring us to places more sheltered from the gust as well as fast access to and from my car!!!

Troy and Megan it was an hornour getting to know both you and your friends and family and I will you a lifetime of happiness and love!

Sincerely

Crista-Lee

Allana and Criag’s amazing Emerald Lake Lodge Winter Wedding

Venue: Emerald Lake Lodge  |   Wedding Planner: Magical Moments Event Planning   | Hair and Make Up:  Botega   |    Photography by: Crista Lee Photography  (Platinum Package with  lighting: Shirleen Burnett    DJ:   Quests End Mobile Disk Jockey  

There is something simply magical about weddings at Emerald Lake Lodge and another level of super amazing magical when a fun filled couple like Allana and Craig rent the entire venue for w week winter wedding celebration! Getting to know this wonderful couple cover the past 8 months has been such a pleasure and I was honored that they choose Crista Lee Photography and our Platinum Package with Shirleen Burnett.  I can not thank the staff at Emerald Lake Lodge enough for their amazing food and one of a kind amazing venue– hosting fantastic service and breath asking views from their beautiful log lodges!  Lesley and her talented staff for the Impeccable Decor, and the boys from Quests End… what can I say except you rocked the house!!!

 

Emerald Lake Lodge Wedding photography

 

 

Tom and Breanna’s amazing Buffalo Mountain Lodge Valentines wedding

When I first met Tom and Breanna for our initial consultation at Canmore’s fines cafe The Communitea I new right away these two had a connection that was very captivating.  When they decided to choose me as their photographer I was overjoyed and I must say that their yearning for and with each other will be very evident in each photo.  Tom, having traveled to over 58 countries and a graduate of Oxford university, England tells the sweetest story of how he found the love of his life, of all places, at the Calgary Stampede when he saw Breanna sitting alone eating a candy apple.  Together now they are beginning, what I know will be a very successful real-estate business based in Fort McMurray called the A-Team, and an A-Team these two are for sure! Their official site will launch April 10th!!!

They chose the most amazing venue in Banff for their wedding celebration, Buffalo Mountain Lodge, where the service and the lighting and the views and the warm Alpine glow from the wooden lodge would melt any heart… not to mention the food…. YUMMY!!!! They shared their ceremony at Saint Mary’s Catholic church in Banff.

Tom, Breanna, Buffalo Mountain Lodge… thank you so much for having Shirleen and I ‘Crista Lee Photography‘ cover your Banff wedding Platinum Style!!!  And Shirleen none of these reception images would ever be possible with on camera flash, without your talent and dedication to our Platinum Wedding Packages I would never be able to catch these kind of moments so naturally !!!!!  You are amazing girl as is you lighting ability!!!

Make-up by: Lori’s Mobile Makeup      |     Hair (For the bridesmaids)  by: JK Hair Designs 

M o r e   i n f o