Best of 2019
Calgary Wedding Photographer | Fly Free Photos | Medicine Hat Wedding Photographer | Calgary wedding Photographers | Moraine Lake Photographer | Costa Rica Wedding
Let's talk crazy awesome! When I sit & think about our 2019 year it literally has been a whirlwind. By far the busiest year for me in terms of photography & life. The amount of places we got to shoot at and visit still amazes me. Moraine Lake, Banff National Park, Drumheller, Costa Rica, Victoria, Pine and Pond and Canmore just to name a few.
This year has literally been one for the books. Here's a short but beautiful recap of all our 20 amazing weddings & adventures this year!
February 2019
Both Amber and myself had the privilege to do weddings at the Calgary Zoo. This venue it so stunning and literally the most perfect venue for photos, especially if it's freezing cold outside. Whether you have your whole wedding there like Steph & Terry did or you just do your first look and wedding party photos there like Kevin & Anna it is all around beautiful, warm and GREEN! haha
March & April 2019
Mike & I did a lot of traveling with the Ministry this year as well. ( We do all the social media & photo/video stuff for JGLM Canada ) These two months were a lot of getting ready for the classes that were being taught in Calgary and also traveling to Boissevain MB for a teaching. Plus getting a chance to see some of my family in Brandon, Manitoba and Mike's in Regina, Saskatchewan on the way home.
May 2019
Hello wedding season, this is when the ball really started to get rolling. May was such a mix of seasons! Hot Dang! haha We Started off with a beautiful May 4th (Yes Star Wars Themed) wedding where we had beautiful snowflakes at the end of the night. To May 25th where it decided to rain for a good part of the day. ( Which I wasn't at all mad about haha I love rainy photos ) The two venues were also amazing. I'm surprised at what the Coast Plaza (If your a Calgary Native like me) now Best Western has done with the place, it is beautiful! Then, for the first time ever, we got to do a wedding at Meadow Muse down in Fish creek park with some photos at the Bow Valley Ranche! Both venues are stunning and I highly recommend!
June 2019
Let's all just take a deep breath.. Between Amber, Mike and Myself we were able to document 8 stunning weddings in June! Yes friends 8 ! PLUS I ran my annual Women's Retreat to Costa Rica for a week & did a vow renewal in Costa! This month was a whirlwind & I'm so glad I have these two running with me! We were everywhere from the Klaiber Barn in Strathmore, to Lake Minnewanka for an elopement, Downtown Calgary (Murrieta's) & Canmore to The Baron, Banff National Park and Pine & Pond out in Panoka! Or right, and did I mention Costa Rica for a week in there. haha I literally do not remember this month unless I look at my calendar cause it was all such a blurr! BUT, it was OUTSTANDING and I wouldn't change it for anything! Thank GOODNESS Amber was there to do 3 of the 8 weddings cause hot dang chicken wing! I most likely would not have slept otherwise! haha
July 2019
July brought 2 firsts for our team! Mike and I not only got to shoot our first wedding video in Canmore at the Silver Tip, we also got to do part 2 of our Lake Minnewanka elopement in the Badlands of Alberta! Hands down the was the busiest weekend ever, with 5 weddings straight from Friday - Tuesday! Even though we didn't have any other weddings that month it was filled with awesomeness. A few engagement sessions in Banff, Moraine lake, and Kananaskis plus a trip to lethbridge to teach a DHT and out to Moyie lake for what we had hoped to be a mini vaca. Which actually turned into us editing the whole time haha Either way it was nice to do it in such a beautiful place & took breaks to explore & take a trip down to Idaho for a night.
August 2019
This month brought 3 amazing weddings, 2 of them with video as well. All in locations (or at least part of the location) that I have never shot at. I love shooting at new venues - The Rive Cafe was what started us off! A beautiful all in one venue with tons of places to shoot around it, I highly recommend it! Not only was this month filled with wedding awesomeness and a surprise proposal up at Moraine Lake it also took us on a trip to Regina so I could go back to my roots for 2 weeks and landscape Mike's parents front a back yard. I will admit, I had a blast doing it!! I used to landscape every summer with my Aunt's company - The Chinook Gardener ! Which, some summer's I do still partly miss.
September 2019
The fun doesn't stop friends! Sept. the lovely Amber shot 2 beautiful weddings, one for a very good friend of mine & Mike and I did 1 that included photo and video plus we did a trip to Victoria with the JGLM team! It's fun to look back and actually remember what happened this summer, cause things just flew by! The two weddings Amber did, funny enough were both at Heritage Pointe Golf course, friends! I highly recommend this place, it is beautiful & the staff were so amazing!!
October 2019
Even though Calgary got hit with some snow late Sept. & then again in October, it was still a beautiful month. Filled with Engagement sessions, surprise proposals and Ashley, Jeff & Rob shot our last wedding of the year! Plus Mike and I took a trip down to Houston for a conference where we thought it would be warm... haha Nope, ended up being almost as cold as Calgary.
November 2019
Editing, Editing, Editing! haha That's what November was filled with! haha That along with trips to Saskatoon and Regina to teach with JGLM as well as a few engagement shoots. But, let's be honest, most of it was spent sitting at my computer trying to finish up everything as soon as we could!! =)
December 2019
I don't know about you, but December is always jam packed for me from Christmas to Birthday's to Year end business stuff, Winter mini's, meeting with 2020 & 2021 Brides & Grooms plus wanting to start 2020 off with a clean slate there is no time for sleep! haha I'm excited and sad that this year is almost over, it has been a whirlwind of little to no sleep, but I am forever Thankful that I get to call this my J.O.B ! <3
Can I just take a moment and introduce you to some amazing people that I have brought on this year that I literally couldn't do it all without. This year I brought on 5 outstanding people who I couldn't be more blessed to know. Seriously, no matter how much or how little each of these individuals work with me I am forever blessed to have them.
Let's start with this guy, Mr. Mike Ritz! Also just know as Ritz. He is the sane to my crazy & my one man cheering squad. May 31, 2019 Ritz quit his job at Country Hills Toyota to jump in with me full time and I'm forever glad he did! Since him jumping on board I have been able to hand over the whole video division of my company ( Yes friends, that smiling face is now editing ALL the amazing video's we product - with my deal of approval of course ;) ) haha Plus he is dealing with the number side, which I'm forever glad cause Math isn't my strong suit & on top of all that he is my business partner, sound board, 2nd driver for all trips, gear packer & helps me tackle editing. Honestly, things year would have been so much different (in a bad way) if it wasn't for everything he has been able to take off my plate. I'm so blessed to have him in my life.
The lovely Mrs. Amber! I seriously have never met anyone like this women. She is the most down to earth, loving, caring, hilarious and compassionate souls I have ever met. Literally every couples that meets her absolutely adores her! I lucked about big time getting this amazing gal on my team. She literally is the best Associate anyone could ask for!! <3
I'm a whole lot sad that she has moved away from Calgary (cause that means I see her less), but I'm excited for her new adventure in Medicine hat & being able to serve so many more awesome couples down in that area! (& yes, she is still doing a few Calgary weddings :) )
Mr. Rob! One of the most humble, down to earth guys you will meet, he truly has a heart of gold and his professionalism blows me away. Rob joined our team early this year as our 2nd videographer for wedding with Mike & myself, plus as lead for associate weddings. I'm super excited to announce that in 2020 Rob will be transitioning into photos as well, so he will be heading up weddings able to do both photo and video!
& last but certainly not least is Ashley & Jeff! This power house Husband & Wife team joined the Fly Free team later in the year but came in ready to rock! 2020 is going to be an awesome year for this couple and I'm excited that they will be doing mostly Friday & Sunday weddings with the Fly Free Team! These two are such a blessing to have on your wedding day & really love the nutty gritty of getting to know you and your family inside and out.
Not only do I want to Thank all of them for sticking it out with me this year and pushing for an even better 2020, I also want to Thank YOU! Thank YOU for taking the time to read our awesome recap year and for supporting and helping my dreams grow! I seriously could not have done it or continue to do it without all my amazing clients! So, THANK YOU!!
If you would like to see some amazing behind the scenes from 2019's awesomeness please head on over to Fly Free's 2019 Behind the Scenes blog post, there are so awesome images to see! =)
& as always, if you are new around here and are planning an elopement or wedding and love our style, I would LOVE to chat with you and help you plan your unique day!!
Much love;
Krystal =)