The Roussy’s Wedding at Calgary’s Italian Club

A Scenic Day for the Roussy’s Wedding

Kristie and Chris Getting Ready

The Guys Getting Ready at Riverview Bed and Breakfast

We started the day out by Okotoks at the Riverview Bed and Breakfast. The B&B is a beautiful 10,000 square foot house overlooking the Sheep River. The 80 acres of property are breath taking, and the outdoor decks cascade down toward the valley.

We began with Chris and the guys, who were getting reading in the upstairs section of the B&B. We photographed them all lacing up their Chuck Taylor All-Stars. The girls also each wore a pair of the popular Converse shoes, so we grabbed a bunch of them lacing up as well! Everyone in the massive party had a pair, and between the groomsmen, bridesmaids, ring bearers, and the bride and groom, we ended up photographing 18 pairs of shoes! We got some individual shots of all the guys before heading downstairs to the bride and her party.

The Girls Getting Ready at the Riverview Bed and Breakfast

When we met with Kristie she was having her hair and makeup done by the talented women of Tux N Tulle Beauty Bar. Stylists Jenna and Erin run the company, and take their beauty bar to the next level. Their service is unique, in that they offer a “Glam on the Go” concept, and bring the salon to you, no matter where you are. The beautiful mobile salon even features a mimosa bar!

While Kristie was in hair and makeup with Jenna, we took some shots of the intricate details of her dress and her wedding ring. Her mom then helped her with a few touch-ups on her dress and the other girls headed into the makeup chair. A few weeks ago, Kristie unfortunately broke her leg, so needless to say, she was a little limited in her mobility. Instead of heading upstairs, she headed down into the ready room in the basement to switch into her dress.

The day was turning drizzly, and we started to worry about getting rained out. We did some quick staged shots of Kristen getting into her dress and jewellery before heading outside for the ceremony.

Their Ceremony Overlooking the Beautiful Sheep River Valley

Once outside we joined officiant Stan Cowley of Rafter Six Ranch. The ranch is an historic retreat in Kananaskis Country between Banff and Calgary. He came out to the Riverview looking every bit the part of a rancher with his white cowboy hat and suit.

The ceremony began, and Kristie needed a little help getting down the stairs due to her injured leg. Her dad and one of the groomsmen helped her descend the stairs before she made her way up the aisle to her groom.

The ceremony was very sweet. At one point during the ring exchange, Kristie fumbled her line, and said Chris’ line before he got the chance. The adorable moment got a few laughs out of everyone. Because it was a little misty out, the newlyweds headed inside to sign their documents, before we were ready for the family photos.

The Family Photos Beside the Bed and Breakfast

We then popped back outside for family photos. The Riverview Bed and Breakfast is in such a beautiful picturesque area, so we used the amazing backdrop of fall colours to our advantage. The family groups were quite big, but the shoot ran smoothly.

The Creative Formals at Scotsman Hill

When the family formals wrapped up, we hit the highlight of the photo session. Chris is a truck driver by trade, and he knows a few of the guys nearby at Peterbilt trucks. Peterbilt trucks have a global reputation for innovation, and a rich history of performance dating back to 1939. As luck would have it, a truck matching their aqua blue wedding colour rolled into the shop, so the guys brought it over for the photos. It was brand new and quite shiny, so we used the shine off of the chrome for reflection shots.

Then we headed off to Scotsman Hill in Calgary, a popular destination for photos because of the spectacular views of the city skyline. We did a big grouping of the whole wedding party along the hill and then headed down toward the Rundle Ruins. The large sandstone ruins are all that remains of Calgary’s first real hospital, built in 1894. The building was systematically demolished in 1973 and the cornerstone and entrance were moved to Victoria Park. The crumbling facade serves to fuse the old and the new Calgary together. The ruins make the perfect backdrop for photos, so took our time here with the wedding party and the newlyweds.

The Roussy’s Reception at Calgary Italian Cultural Centre

From there it was off to the Calgary Italian Cultural Centre for the reception. The centre has been a cornerstone of the Italian community in Calgary since 1959. The current building was built in 1977, and it is a beautiful place for a reception. The head table backdrop is made of sheer curtains and twinkling lights, and is flanked by white pillars. The main ballroom features a gorgeous S-curve ceiling with great lighting and a disco ball above the dance floor.

Kristie and Chris chose the decor themselves, and did an awesome job. The tablecloths were striking black sequence with an aqua table runner. Atop the tables were black lantern centrepieces and Hershey’s-Kisses-filled wineglasses. They also had a candy bar that featured coke bottles, green rings, fuzzy peaches, and gummy worms that you could take home in little glass jars. The TinkerCloset put the beautiful flowers for the day together.

At the entrance was a jar for suggesting date ideas, a Jenga tile message board, and a plinko-style guest book with wooden hearts.

The Dinner provided by the talented culinary staff at Calgary Italian Cultural Centre

The reception started with a private dinner for select members of the family, put on by the in-house caterer Roma Catering. The dinner looked amazing, featuring roast chicken and beef, veggies, pan-fried potatoes, Caesar salad, and bruschetta. Rounding out the meal was a lovely tiramisu and a raspberry/blackberry cheesecake.

Then the couple had their entrance into the hall, followed by speeches.

Cutting the cake created by Serenity Cakes

After that it was cake-cutting time! The cake was a scrumptious two-tiered fondant creation by Serenity Cakes. Each cake was decorated with fondant icing and lilies, and sat atop a table full of blue, birthday cake flavour cupcakes.

Dancing the night away to the sounds of DJ Troy with Jazzed Up Events

After the cake cutting we showed the reception our same day slideshow. The first dances followed the slideshow, and the newlyweds started things off. Their first dance was followed by a father/daughter dance and a mother/son dance. Kristie’s dad then had a dance with all his daughters and one little granddaughter. To cap it off, Chris’ dad had a dance with his new daughter-in-law.

DJ Troy with Jazzed Up Events kicked the party off after that. He was a great DJ, even giving announcements throughout the night. The dance floor was a bit slow to get started, but once people got going it was busy for the rest of the night. Midnight lunch of cheese, fruit, meat, and buns came out, and the party continued into the night.

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 Kristie and Chris directly for their secure password.

http://JMphotosCA.shootproof.com/RoussyWED

The Roussy Wedding Day Slideshow

Above is the beautiful Wedding Slideshow that came with Kristie and Chris’s wedding package. It was created from a selection of their best photos captured on their special day, mixed to their wedding song Everything by Lifehouse.
https://itunes.apple.com/ca/album/everything/id462054822?i=462054950

We are so fortunate to have had the opportunity to share Kristie and Chris’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 Kristie and Chris’s Wedding

The Roussy Wedding Credits

Date | 10.01.16
Officiant – Stan Cowley
Ceremony Location – Riverview Bed & Breakfast
Reception Venue – Calgary Italian Club
Hair and Makeup – Jenna Nicole with Tux N Tulle
Wedding Cake – Serenity Cakery
Florist – Detail Wedding Design
DJ – Troy Laboucane with Jazzed Up Events
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.