The Rosin’s Wedding at the Enmax Conservatory at the Calgary Zoo

The Rosin’s Wedding at Enmax Conservatory at the Calgary Zoo

Lion’s, Tiger’s and Jeffery the Flamingo made for an Unforgettable Formal Wedding

Jessica and Matthew Getting Ready for their Wedding Day

The Guys Getting Ready at the Bride’s Sister’s House in Nolan Hill

We began the day of the Rosin Wedding at the bride’s sister’s place, where the groom Matthew and his best man Adam were getting ready. Matthew’s mother and grandfather joined the guys. To begin the shoot we got a few shots of the beautiful Tiffany & Co. rings.

We did a quick session with the guys tying their ties and fastening their cufflinks before heading out. We drove to the nearby neighbourhood of Nolan Hill, where we used their moody faux castle ruins as our backdrop. We took several photos of Matthew with his mother, grandfather, and best man, before driving over to the girls.

Getting Ready at the Bride’s Parents House in Edgemont

We then went to Jessica’s parent’s place in Edgemont to photograph the girls. The girls were having their hair and makeup done at Curious Hair, Skin, & Body, so we set up for the getting ready session. We first photographed her beautiful dress by Bonny Bridal, purchased at Blissful Bridal in Calgary. Her dad was incredibly helpful, assisting us in moving furniture and setting up for the shots we wanted. He even put a hook in the wall so we could hang the dress above the bed! We took some detail shots of her wedge heels and her gorgeous ring that we set upon flowers by Philip Chong Flower Bar.

The beautiful bride arrived, accompanied by her sister and Maid of Honor, Marina. Jessica came down the windy staircase in her dress, followed by Marina and the adorable flower girl Emma. Back upstairs we photographed the girls twirling in their dresses, which was something Emma really seemed to enjoy! These shot are popular because they showcase the volume of the train in a swirl of movement.

We set up beside the window for some close-up shots of Jessica through her veil, which turned out absolutely beautifully. Marina helped Jessica into her shoes and we set up for family photos before getting ready to go to the zoo.

Their Ceremony at the Zoo’s Beautiful Arbor Gardens

Off to the zoo we went, and we parked in the south parkade by security. Upon arrival, we were met with rain. Luckily we had backed in beside the Conservatory by the butterfly exhibit. The indoor ceremony location was beautiful: it had wooden walls and ceiling, and a living backdrop of huge tropical plants. It was a truly unique place for Jessica and Matthew to share their vows. They each prepared their own personal vows and read them to each other for the first time at the ceremony. They each recounted the touching tale of how they met and fell in love. Officiant Cyndie Baum led a beautiful ceremony, and at the end, the flower girl Emma led the recessional. She chucked generous fistfuls of flowers into the air where they fluttered back down onto the aisle.

Once the ceremony was over we launched into family formals in front of the stone fronted conservatory.

The Creative Formals Throughout the Zoo

It was clearing up outside with only a little drizzle, so we walked over to the gazebo to begin the creative session. Jessica was amazing, and was willing to head outside even if it meant she got rained on! We shot the bride and groom with their wedding party once under the shelter. Adam, the best man, and Marina, the maid of honour, did some funny poses behind Jessica and Matthew. We took some awesome shots under the gazebo and used the vibrant green foliage of the zoo to our advantage.
We made our way toward the red bridge at the centre of the zoo so we could grab some shots of the wedding party while the weather held up. After a few shots the weather turned, so we hid under the overhang beside the snow leopard exhibit while it poured. After posing under the overhang, Jessica and Matthew decided to brave some of the rain, so we headed back to the bridge under an umbrella. We set up our equipment across the pond while the newlyweds stood on the bridge. We got some incredible shots across the still water with reflections of the couple in the pond.

After the bridge shoot, we headed back to the conservatory. Inside there is a gorgeous entrance constructed of brick and wood, lit up with skylights. We lit behind the couple, which created the illusion that they were glowing.

We next went into the butterfly exhibit with Emma for some pictures among the lush tropical greenery. Inside there was a little girl who had managed to get a butterfly to land on her hand. She was a good sport and posed with the butterfly in focus in front of the bride and groom.

The rain stopped so we went back outside to the flamingo exhibit, where Matthew dubbed one of them Jeffrey (an inside joke from one of their first dates), so now all flamingos are Jeffrey’s. We set the flamingos in the foreground with the newlyweds in the background, and for a few moments, it was easy to forget we were at the zoo.

The Rosin Reception in the Enmax Conservatory at the Zoo

The Dinner provided by the talented culinary staff at the Calgary Zoo

The reception began with the cocktail hour and delicious bites to eat. The room was set up with Chiavari chairs and fantastic table settings. Dinner was delicious, featuring salad, braised bison, fish, and crème Brulee for dessert.

First Dance as a Married Couple

Speeches followed the dinner, and then they moved into the dances. Jessica and Matthew shared their first dance as a married couple. This was followed by the father/daughter and mother/son dance, and a special dance with Emma before everyone else joined in.

The slideshows were up next. First, a personal snapshot of the two of them growing up played, and then we presented our same day slideshow of their images.

After the slideshows, Jessica and Matthew played the shoe game where it became apparent that they both thought she was the more outgoing of the two. Throughout the game, Jessica kept lightheartedly checking Matthew’s answers, until the game runner noticed!

Cutting the cake created by Cakes With Attitude

The cutting of the cake followed, where the newlyweds cut into a gorgeous two-layer red velvet cake by Cakes with Attitude. After cake came the bouquet and garter toss, where Marina’s boyfriend caught the garter!

Dancing the Night Away to The Sounds of DJ Bill Yorke

The dance began, and DJ Bill Yorke of Wild Bill’s DJ Services provided the music all night. Midnight lunch was a decadent array of food, including a poutine bar, a fabulous chocolate fondue, and a tray of cheese and crackers!

We had a great time at Jessica and Matthew’s wedding, and offer our congratulations to the newlyweds!

Online Gallery

An online gallery of all their images is available for the next 30 days. From the online gallery, you are able to favourite images, order prints and share the gallery with your family and friends. The gallery can be accessed via the link below and you can contact Jessica and Matthew’s directly for their secure password.

https://JMphotosCA.shootproof.com/RosinWED

The Rosin Wedding Day Slideshow

Above is the beautiful Wedding Slideshow that came with Jessica and Matthew’s wedding package. It was created from a selection of their best photos captured on their special day, mixed to their wedding song A Thousand Years by Christina Perry.
https://itunes.apple.com/ca/album/a-thousand-years/id470758314?i=470758561

We are so fortunate to have had the opportunity to share Jessica and Matthew’s special day with them and we wish them many years of happiness together.

Want to share in the experience? Contact us today for a free consultation or to book a portrait session!

Some of my Favourite Photos from Jessica and Matthew’s Wedding

The Rosin’s Wedding Credits

Date | 8.6.16
Officiant – Cynthia (Cyndie) Baum
Ceremony and Reception Venue – The Calgary Zoo
Hair and Makeup – Curious Salon’s in North Hill Mall
Wedding Cake – Cakes with Attitude
Florist – Philip Chong Flower Bar
DJ – Wild Bill’s DJ Services
Wedding Dress purchased at Blissful Bridal
Photography by Jeremy Martel & Amy Cheng

Learn more about our studio

JM Photography offers Calgary brides the very best in wedding photography! Our unique style and best in class experience is one of a kind. Each wedding is treated with the greatest of care and creativity, resulting in breathtaking imagery. We also offer Calgary newborn photography, capture maternity sessions as well as family portraits.

One of the top studios in Western Canada, servicing the Calgary area, including but not limited to, Canmore, Banff, Cochrane, Chestermere, Airdrie, Lethbridge, and Red Deer. We also offer coverage in Edmonton, Vancouver and to destinations worldwide.

Jeremy Martel

A Calgary based wedding, family and event photographer that specializes in capturing the real moments of a couples story or event. He runs JM Studios and they offer couples, families, companies, corporations and brands the very best in modern photography. He began taking photos at 17 and has been captivated by mastering this art form ever since.