simone and preet. second shooting for retrospekt design.

I was presented with the amazing opportunity to assist Eileen from Retrospekt Designs in photographing a 3 day Indian wedding extravaganza and it was SO COOL!!!  One of my absolutely favorite things about photographing weddings is being given the chance - the PRIVILEGE - to participate in the celebratory traditions of other cultures.  Where else is it possible to actually be there to witness and participate in so many different activities that are so steeped in ritual and culture??  Over the years I've photographed so many different types of weddings (Catholic, Protestant, Sri-Lankan, Jewish, Chinese, Greek Orthodox, Ukrainian Orthodox, Native American, Sudanese, Islamic) and to add this stunning Indian wedding, dripping with vibrant colors and personality, is just the best thing ever.  I am so SO fortunate.  For realz. Soooo many thanks go out to Retrospekt Designs for allowing me to assist her during this wedding.  That lady is incredible.  Go check out her work.  Seriously.  Do it.

In the meantime check out my favorite images from this wedding.  It's probably my longest blog post yet but it's worth it!!!!

Looking for someone to capture YOUR wedding?  Shoot me an email at cheryl@aeris-photography.com or through my contact form on my website.

Retrospekt Designs and Aeris Photography.  Edmonton Wedding Photographers.

willow and andrew. married. a yellowhead brewery wedding.

I've heard it said in my industry that you shouldn't ever photograph a family member's wedding and may I politely interject that, in my experience, you should jump on said opportunity because it may be the most beautiful, intimate thing you've ever experienced. Willow is my second cousin and I was beyond honored when she and Andrew asked me to photograph their wedding. Guys - this wedding was a dream! One of my favorite things that a couple can do is forego all the nonsense that you're "supposed" to do at your wedding and do WHATEVER YOU WANT! They told me their friends were just as crucial as their attendants - the love and support from the people who desired to stand by them on this day and the rest of days was invaluable. They had a first look, had some time for formal photos with their friends, then met with a small group of close family and friends to sign their marriage documents. Andrew's father, a pastor in Sherwood Park, married them. They had their ceremony at the Yellowhead Brewery with a wider group of loved ones AFTER they had already been legally wed. They loved to laugh and obviously loved to love. Willow made her own bouquets and boutonnieres using flowers exactly suited to her taste. The girls didn't match but wore the most beautiful outfits with intricate textures and details. Their words to each other were intricate, poetic and kick-you-in-the-gut heartfelt. You could feel this one, guys. It was palpable. And I loved it oh so much.

Have a look at more of the weddings I've done for my family here (Lisa and Brad) and here (Ken and Angela). Then message me to see if I might be the right fit for your wedding (even if you're not family ;)) - cheryl@aeris-photography.com :)

heather and eric got married. a fairmont lake louise wedding. second shooting for christina louise photography.

I've had some incredible opportunities this past year to travel to photograph weddings (Check out my Ontario wedding here and the wedding I second shot in the Dominican here!) and when Christina Louise Photography asked me to second shoot for her for a Fairmont Lake Louise wedding I jumped on it! Not only is it awesome photographing alongside an awesome friend but a chance to shoot a wedding in the mountains is too amazing!! Eric and Heather and their entire wedding party were incredibly friendly and so fun - Such a FANTASTIC day!!

Have a look at some of my favorite images I captured down in the Rockies below! You can check out more of my wedding work here and shoot me an email here if you're looking for your own wedding photographer!

aeris photography: an edmonton wedding photography workshop.

I'm just wrapping up another year of business and I have to say that every year I've grown. A lot. I'm ready to spread the love and share the in's and out's of what I've learned in my journey thus far so I'm now opening spots to my first Edmonton wedding photography workshop!

This workshop will cover:

-Light. Using natural light as well as on and off-camera flash (and when I use each one).

-Settings. How I achieve the looks I want.

-Posing. From individual portraits to posing a group and everything in between.  We'll also have a styled couple there to practice with!

-How to shoot in numerous wedding situations. Getting ready, details, ceremonies, family photos, Formals and bride/groom portraits, receptions, etc.

-How to shoot in in the best light and the absolute worst.

-Business. What I've learned about style, branding, editing, consistency and vision.

-Contracts.  What you need to know.

-Client Care. What I've learned about booking awesome clients and keeping them happy.

Workshop date is Sunday, February 22, 2015 

Time: 10 am until you feel like you've got a handle of what you've learned!

Where:  Woodvale Community Facility (4540 50 St.  Edmonton)

Cost is $350 + gst.  Lunch, snacks, tea and coffee are included.

A 50% retainer is due to book your spot. The remaining 50% is due one week prior to the workshop.

Shoot me an email if you want in and we'll make it happen! Can't wait to see you there!

christie and wes. married. edmonton wedding photography.

I am so pleased to have been able to be a part of Christie and Wes' wedding a few weeks ago. This beautiful couple met through Track (Christie is a competitive hurdler who's raced internationally and is working towards competing in the Olympics and Wes is a Track coach) and fell swiftly in love. Their wedding was incredible - so full of tenderness, laughs, fun and a few tears. Watching couples like Christie and Wes commit their lives to one another is such a profound thing to witness and one of so many reasons why I love my job. Congrats, guys!

Check out a few of my favorite shots from our day together and hey, since you're here, feel free to check out more of my work here :)

angela and ken. married. destination wedding photography.

Ok. This one is a wee bit more personal than a lot of my previous weddings. A few weeks ago I had the opportunity to photograph my uncle as he married the love of his life, Angela. He has been waiting, patiently, for someone to share his life with and he found her. Amazing. Ken, my dad's youngest brother, has been close to my immediate family for as long as I can remember. Birthdays, holidays, random get-togethers - He's made it a priority to be with our family to celebrate so many things. Currently an audio-visual mastermind who writes, produces, lights and edits movies, tv shows, commercials and educational videos (the list goes on - check out his site here), Ken also used to work a bit more in photography. When I bought my first camera he was thrilled! He has encouraged me and challenged me. He even gave me my first paid gig before I had any clue what I was doing (I believe the image ended up on a billboard in Grande Prairie??)! So, yes, I was honored on many levels when he asked me to photograph such an incredible moment in his life. I flew out to Ontario (SO BEAUTIFUL!!) to a little town called Belleville and had an incredible time celebrating LOVE!

Ken, I love you. Angela, I love you, too. Welcome to our crazy family.

Have a peek at a few of my favorites from our time together and, if since you're here already, check out more of my work here. Shoot me an email if you're looking for someone to photograph YOUR love!

susy and chris. married. edmonton wedding photography.

Susy and Chris got married a few weeks ago and I had the awesome privilege of photographing their wedding. I photographed Susy's sister Amanda's wedding a few years back - this family has been so incredibly generous and thoughtful in hiring me and believing in me (I've photographed several of their friends, as well!). The day was absolutely gorgeous and the bridal party was a blast. I love my job <3 <3

Check out a few of my favorite shots from this incredible day. You can check out more of my weddings here, too. Feel free to shoot me an email if you think I could be a good fit to photograph YOUR love!

pamela and dustin. married. edmonton wedding photography.

There are a lot of things that I want to say about how special Pam and Dustin's wedding was. Not only were they surrounded by their friends, family and a community that clearly loves and supports them but some of the details of the day blew me away and had me holding back tears. Pamela and Dustin's son, for one, who couldn't stay far from them at any given time. He marched right up onto that stage to be beside his mom and dad while they got married (until he fell asleep and Grandpa had to come get him - SO CUTE!!). Then after one of the final blessings at the end of mass, Pamela's grandmother started singing - a jaw-dropping, hauntingly gorgeous song in their native language. The crowd's voices slowly chimed in and the basilica was filled with the most beautiful sound I've ever heard. Again, deep breaths in order to keep my eyes dry. Later, during the reception, I had the incredibly tender privilege of capturing the couple as they watched their slideshow - a slideshow that ended honoring Pamela's Dad who had passed away. The crowd smiled, laughed and cried together - It was beautiful. Pamela had really thought a lot about her dad when planning this day and it was so evident, special and full of honor and love. She incorporated a locket with her Dad's photo into her bouquet and gave me the privilege of photographing it alongside the ring that her Mother had been given when she married her Dad. These are the things that change each wedding for me - not the exact items necessarily but what they mean and the love that comes with them that gets integrated with a couple starting a new chapter of their lives together. It's so special and it's not lost on me how much of a unique privilege my job is. Thanks, Pamela and Dustin, for sharing your love. Here are just a few of my favorite shots from Pamela and Dustin's incredible day.  Feel free to check out more of my wedding work here and shoot me a message if you're looking for someone to capture your own love <3

Props to Sweet Bliss Weddings who did a killer job with the wedding planning and to Fabloomosity for the gorgeous florals.

things that rock my world. lottie-da designs...and a killer giveaway.

Being a small business owner myself, I've become a pretty big fan of promoting small businesses, specifically the business owners themselves - people whom I've met, whose work ethic I've seen, whose character speaks just as loud as their product. Enter Jaymie from LottieDa Designs. Okay, okay, I have a side motivation for being stoked about this small business - Jaymie is my sister in law. Not only have I fallen in love with my new sister (HUGS!!) but I couldn't believe what I was seeing when I first learned that Jaymie made bridal jewelry. Jaymie started LottieDa after she couldn't find anything for her own wedding that fit the style and quality that she was looking for in bridal accessories. I've looked around in my own fair share of bridal shops in the last 10 years and I have yet to see ANYTHING that matches the quality and all-around gorgeousness that LottieDa offers.

I've been singing Jaymie's praises for a while now and have been thinking that I wanted to do something to help more of the world know of her awesomeness. Hence, this blog post about another thing that rocks my world :) PLUS.....Jaymie gave me a pair of earrings to GIVE AWAY!!! In order to enter to win these earrings you need to comment on this blog post! That's it!! I'll be randomly selecting the winner from everyone who comments in early March so go ahead, share and comment!

These are the earrings up for grabs:

Check this out, too: All of my 2014 brides will be recieving a coupon code for a discount on anything in the LottieDa Designs Etsy shop! I happen to have a fair bit of availability left for 2014, too, so shoot me an email if you're looking for your own wedding photographer and think we might be a good fit. You can check out more of my wedding work here :)

Have a look at a few more selections of Jaymie's work below and then check out her entire shop here!

Gorgeous Drop Earrings:

Stunning hair combs and pins:

One of a kind hairpieces:

Beautiful and unique necklaces:

swept. an edmonton bridal experience.

Ok folks, listen up! If you follow Aeris Photography on facebook you may have seen a few posts I've recently shared about something incredible: SWEPT. SWEPT is a brand new, innovative, inspiring bridal show experience that you WANT TO ATTEND!! :)

*photo courtesy of Erin Walker Photography

Have you ever attended a bridal show before? You know the kind where you show up to an agricom, pay your fee and make your way through a crazy herd of people strolling by hundreds of booths and filling your plastic bag with pamphlets, free pens and magnets, entering draw after draw in hopes that you might win anything from anyone. Yah, those ones. Nothing wrong with shows like this but have you ever walked away more uncertain than when you walked in? Erin Walker, my pal, photografriend and the creator of SWEPT can relate. Read this excerpt about where Erin got the idea for SWEPT:

"[SWEPT] started out as a tiny idea, way back when i first attended a bridal show with a friend a few years ago. i expected the event to be like a wedding….i thought it would be beautiful, i thought i would leave inspired and pampered and instead i was left wanting more. the bridal show was just another trade show. there was no special atmosphere, and it felt like everyone was just trying to hand me pamphlets and sell me things. no matter where i looked in edmonton, there was no experience like the one i was hoping for at a bridal show.

fast forward a couple years and i was working in the wedding industry myself. i’ve learned more about the wedding industry from being a part of it than i ever would have seen at a bridal show! i’ve realized that some of the best and most creative moments i’ve had in my photography career have been collaborating with other creatives. the florists, planners, and designers we have in this city are unbelievable! working with other artists is inspiring, and it pushes me further in my own creativity.

realizing that creativity fuels creativity brought me full circle back to my experience at the bridal show with my friend years ago. what if we could create an experience where wedding vendors could collaborate and be creative, and brides could experience an over-the-top gorgeous event that would inspire them in planning their own wedding. this is where the idea for swept was born."

So here's what SWEPT looks like:

Enter a gorgeous venue (Edmonton's Royal Glenora Club) and get swept into an experience:

*photo courtesy of Erin Walker Photography

The Beauty Room - Be inspired by all things beautiful. Have a look at gorgeous gowns, get your groom measured for the perfect suit, have a look at some gorgeous hair and makeup looks for the year and get pampered by some of Edmonton's finest beauty professionals. Ask questions and receive answers from some top names in Edmonton's wedding industry.

The Inspiration Room - Get swept away by details! Floral arrangements, perfect tablescapes, gorgeous stationary...browse and breathe deep while sipping champagne and dreaming of your special day!

*photo courtesy of Erin Walker Photography

The Sweet Room - A room every bit as scrumptious as it sounds. Come taste, dream and chat with cake designers.

The Groom Room - A room for the fellas. Get your man inspired in his own right by learning about signature cigars, the perfect beer to suit his taste and more!

It gets better! Have a look a some of the AMAZING vendors participating in SWEPT:

• Poppy Barley
• Atmosphere Weddings
• Delica Bridal
• Hub Cigar
• Special Event Rentals
• Style Cakes
• Alley Kat

and so much more!!

So I can tell you want to come, yes?? Yes. SWEPT is taking place on Sunday, January 26, 2014. Tickets are pre-purchase only so get them now right here while you're already dreaming about it! Enter the coupon code GORGEOUS and get $5 your ticket!  Even more awesomeness??!  I'm giving away two free tickets!  To enter to win visit my Aeris facebook page, share the SWEPT promo post and comment beneath it OR share this blog post on your facebook page and message me to tell me you did it!  Winner will be chosen randomly on Monday, January 13!

While you're dreaming of your wedding I have to of course give a shout out to Erin Walker Photography so check her out! Along with shooting my own weddings I've also had the pleasure of second shooting for Erin and you can have a look at some of my own shots from weddings I've shot with her here, here and here! Both Erin and I still have availability for 2014 so give her a shout here or contact me here if you're looking for a photographer to capture your fabulousness!

salisbury greenhouse weddings | claudia and dane. styled bridals. edmonton wedding photography.

Every once in a while when I know I'm going to have a week or two off from shooting a real wedding I get excited about collaborating with other professionals in the wedding industry for special projects. This summer I met up with Arlene from Accentuate Weddings to do just that! Accentuate Weddings is an incredible vendor offering wedding decor rentals (chair covers, linens, drapery, table setups - you name it!) as well as recently adding floral arrangements to the mix! Accentuate even provided the linens for my own wedding! For this shoot, Arlene styled a breathtaking tablescape with gorgeous details. Seriously, guys, she's good at this so you should definitely check her out. We also collaborated with Riti from Makeup By Riti for Claudia's stunning wedding makeup. Riti's also done another of my recent real weddings which you can see here :) Back to the shoot: Good ol' Edmonton weather was even MORE unpredictable that we anticipated - We ended up having to reschedule twice due to crazy wind and pouring rain! When our third date ended up looking about the same we decided to make it happen regardless! Salisbury Greenhouse was incredible at accomodating us and provided a beautiful space for us to shoot in. Claudia and Dane graciously agreed to model for us (and yah, I'm friggin' happy they did...What a GORGEOUS couple!!) and the rest is history!

Check out Accentuate Weddings, Salisbury Greenhouse and Makeup By Riti.

CHECK THIS OUT: Accentuate Weddings and I worked a bit of a promotion for our 2014 bridal couples: If you book both Accentuate Weddings for your decor AND Aeris Photography for your wedding photography you will receive 15% off of BOTH of your bookings! 15% off your decor rental from Accentuate Weddings AND 15% off your wedding package with Aeris Photography! So, if you already know you want me to photograph your wedding this is a pretty awesome deal for your dream decor ;)

Want me to photograph your wedding?  Contact me here :)

hotel macdonald weddings | michael and alicia got married. second shooting for picture that photography.

A few months back I was privileged to shoot for Picture That Photography. Susan from Picture That actually taught a photography class that I took back when I was first starting my photography journey so I was elated when she asked if I'd second shoot for her <3 <3 Have a look at some of my favorite shots from Michael and Alicia's wedding! You can also check out more of my work here!

Shoot me an email if you're looking for your own wedding photographer by clicking here or by messaging me at cheryl@aeris-photography.com :)

devonian gardens wedding/river cree wedding | lee-ann and mike. married. edmonton wedding photography.

What a privilege I have to photograph people in love and one of the most special days in their lives! I've known Lee-Ann and Mike for quite a few years now and was so honored when they asked me to photograph their wedding. They are truly, no word of a lie, two of the most beautiful people you will ever meet, inside and out. If you know them then you are no doubt blessed. Lee-Ann and Mike are a fun and unique couple which is reflected pretty well in Lee's hot pink hair and the fact that they had a hawk fly in their rings (Nope, never seen that before)!

Check out some of my favorite shots from their wedding last Saturday!

You can also check out their engagement photos here and more of my weddings here.

Shoot me an email, too, if you're interested in me shooting YOUR wedding!

mariah and jake. married. edmonton wedding photography.

I had a great time this past Saturday photographing Mariah and Jake and their gorgeous wedding party. I love when my couples are so in love and so excited to marry each other that everything else during the day seems to just fall into place.  No stress, no worrying about the weather - they just enjoy each other and their wedding day. Mariah and Jake were like that and I loved it <3 Check out a few of my favorite shots from their special day!

You can also check out their engagement photos here as well as more of my wedding portfolio here!

While you're at it you should shoot me a message if you're looking for your own wedding photographer :)

jacob and amber got married. second shooting for erin walker photography.

I recently had the privilege of once again second shooting for my good friend and fellow photographer Erin from Erin Walker Photography. It was a stunning day with the cutest flower girl (so in love with her princess dress) who was so excited she just couldn't stand still and a gorgeous bride (and bridal party)! Check out some of my favorite shots from the day :) Check out more of my work here and feel free to contact me if you're looking for a photographer for your own wedding!

cindy and graham. married. edmonton wedding photography.

I had such a lovely time on Saturday photographing Cindy and Graham's wedding <3 The couple (and their bridal party and the majority of their guests) are not from Edmonton but decided to have their wedding here as an "equally inconvient" option for everyone attending (Graham's words lol) as they came from here and there and everywhere. Thanks to wedding planner, Christina, from Sweet Bliss Weddings they were able to pull off their own "destination" wedding. I'm so glad they did because then I got to be a part of it!! Have a look at some of my favorite shots from throughout the day.

Since you're here feel free to check out some of my other weddings here and then shoot me a message if you're looking for a photographer for your own wedding!

jacqueline and keith. married. edmonton wedding photography.

I had the great privilege of photographing Jacqueline and Keith's gorgeous wedding on Saturday! The dresses, the pink details, the gorgeous bouquet (one of the most beautiful I've ever seen, I think) and the STUNNING bride made for a great day and some lovely captures. Thanks, Jacqueline and Keith, for inviting me to be a part of your special day. I hope you and your friends and family enjoy checking out some of my favorite shots from the day <3 You can check out more of my wedding portfolio here! Drop me a message here if you're looking for a photographer for your own wedding!

melanie and peter got married. second shooting for erin walker photography.

I love having the opportunity to second shoot a wedding every once in a while. Erin is a good friend of mine and I always enjoy working with her so I was super-stoked to be able to shoot alongside her at a recent wedding. Check out some of my shots from the day and definitely go check out Erin Walker Photography as well <3 Since you're here you should check out more of my wedding portfolio here and then shoot me an email if you're looking for your own wedding photographer!

tannis and zachary. married. edmonton wedding photography.

I'm not sure how to write how I feel about Zachary and Tannis' wedding this past weekend. I suppose I could say it was remarkable and touching but that wouldn't quite get it. Although I'm a sap I tend to not get too emotional when I'm working at a wedding so I was a bit surprised when I couldn't hold it together later in the day. The whole day was amazing - the rain held off, the bridal party had great personalities and kept their spirits up even though taking photos is surprisingly tiring but the kicker for me was at the end of the day. Zachary's words to Tannis were so honest and lovely. The first dance...ahhh, the first dance.... Tears came. And Zachary's dance with his Mom.... I hope the photos can convey even a drop of how beautiful this wedding truly was. Enjoy.

While you're here feel free to check out more of my wedding portfolio here and contact me if you're looking for a photographer for your special day :)

mariah and jake. engaged. edmonton engagement photography.

Mariah and Jake are the type of people that make my job SO MUCH FUN. I had a great time photographing their engagement session recently and can't wait to shoot their wedding in August <3 Since you're here you should check out more of my engagement sessions here and send me an email if you're looking for a photographer to capture your engagement session!