The Brouwers’s Wedding at Calgary’s Mahogany Beach Club

David and Crystal Getting Ready

The Guys Getting Ready at one of the Groomsman’s House

On a sweltering hot July day, we met up at groomsman Troy’s house. He was kind enough to lend the guys his home while they all got ready. David, the groom, was there with his two future stepsons, and his groomsmen, Ryan, Troy, and Matthew. The lighthearted group had a bar set up with Sky vodka, Baileys, orange juice, and beer, and spent the morning taking it easy. We took them out onto the back porch, where we took some photos of the guys under a bright red deck canopy.

The Girls Getting Ready at the Bauers

We left the guys to cool off inside the house and drove down to meet Crystal at her bridesmaids Jenn’s house. Michelle and Christina of Michelle Suffolk-Walsh Hair and Makeup were busy putting the finishing touches on the girls. As always, they did a beautiful job of creating gorgeous styles on all the women. Crystal and her maid of honour, also named Crystal, both got into their dresses, and while we waited we photographed the details on the bride’s shoes and rings. The girls all looked fabulous in their Tiffany blue dresses, and each carried a decorative handheld fan to beat the summer heat.

Crystal and David’s First Look

Once we had taken photographs of her beautiful dress, Crystal was ready to head downstairs to see David. The guys showed up to the house and sent a messenger upstairs to announce their arrival. David waited at the foot of the grand staircase, facing away from the girls as they lined up along the stairs. We lined up the shot with him in the foreground, looking at the camera. In the background, Crystal descended the stairs and came to tap him on the shoulder. It was a beautiful moment, surrounded by their wedding party. We used the unique space around the stairs to snap a few shots of the whole wedding party and then headed out to Pearce Estate Park.

Their Creative Formals at Pearce Estate Park

For the creative formals, we headed out to the “constructed wetlands” of the historic Pearce Estate Park on the Bow River. The 21-hectare park is home to the Sam Livingston Fish Hatchery, and the Bow Habitat Visitor Centre, where visitors can learn about the biodiversity of the area. Because the weather was so warm and the wedding party was large, we didn’t want to drag them too far from the cool interior of the limousine. Instead, we found a lovely grove of trees off to the left of the parking lot, complete with beautiful ponds.

As soon as we arrived, we stumbled upon Spiderman, who was in the park for a kid’s birthday. He was happy to join the couple in some of the photos, and they were thrilled at the random encounter.
We then photographed the wedding party, trying a variety of poses in one spot so the groups could alternate with breaks in the air conditioning. We walked along several pathways that run amongst the trees. Even though there were plenty of people enjoying the weather, they were very respectful of our shoot. We then walked down to the Bow Passage Overlook, a work of public art within the park. The sculpture strives to capture the movement of the landscape surrounding Calgary and to provide a link between the city, the environment, and the river. The pillars lying along multilayered terraces gave us an incredibly unique backdrop.

We wrapped up the shoot, and it was time to head off to the ceremony!

Their Ceremony at Knox United Church

For the ceremony, we stepped into Knox United Church, one of the oldest and most beautiful churches in Calgary. Construction on the current church began in 1912 when the cornerstone was laid on the corner of Fourth Street and Sixth Avenue South. The interior of the building is gorgeous, with towering vaulted ceilings and high stained glass windows.

For David, the church represents a family tradition, because not only do his parents attend the church, his grandmother was also married there! The seats slowly filled, and it was time for Crystal and David to follow in his grandmother’s footsteps.

Reverend Doctor Grant Dawson led the service, capturing the attention of the audience and officiating a beautiful ceremony. It was a sweet and straightforward service. They said their beautiful vows, exchanged the rings, signed the registry, and were pronounced husband and wife! They shared a kiss, causing the room to erupt with cheers.

After the ceremony we took the family back into the main Chaple for their family photographs and then we snuck Crystal and David up to the balcony for a couple pics backlit by their vibrant stained glass.

The Brouwer Reception at the Mahogany Beach Club

Upon arriving at the Mahogany Beach Club the wedding party shared a classic champagne toast in front of the limo. They had a drink together outside, before heading into the reception. The 22,000-ft. club is a beautiful addition to the new Mahogany Lakeside Living community in southeast Calgary. It runs many educational and recreational programs, as well as boasting a beautiful event space.

The wedding party and newlyweds all made their entrance, the emcee announcing them as they entered. When they were all seated, the dinner seating Trivia began! Trivia on the bride and groom decided the table order for the buffet. Questions such as, “What is the groom’s dual citizenship,” or “Where was their first vacation?”, populated the list.

There was some controversy over whether Crystal’s first job was at Wendy’s or Aldo, but in the end, the Wendy’s camp emerged victorious.

A few people got up to sing, including the flower girls, Crystal’s mother, and her bridesmaid Paige. The speeches followed, kicking off with Crystal’s parents teasing David. Bridesmaid Jenn got up to say a few words, as did David’s brother. He gave a heartfelt speech about marriage and how it functions, about working together and respecting each other. David and Crystal got up for ‘thank-you’s,’ and David said a few words to his new wife.

To wrap up the speeches, David had something funny set up. He hired a friend to come in as Darth Vader and give the final speech, which was a hilarious roast to the groom.

The dessert table was set up, and then the cake cutting followed. Then we showed our same day slideshow.

The music began, and David and Crystal did their first dance to “When I’m With You” by Sheriff.
We had a lovely day with Crystal and David, and we hope you all enjoy their photos as much as we did capturing them

Online Gallery

An online gallery of all their images is available for the next 90 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 the couple directly for their secure password.

The Brouwers Wedding Day Slideshow

Above you will find the Wedding Slideshow that we created from a selection of the best edited photos that we captured on their special day.

Additional Blog Posts for Crystal and David

In addition to their incredible wedding day celebration, they also have other blog posts you can enjoy. Click the links below to check out those posts.

We are so fortunate to have had the opportunity to share this special day with them and all their family and friends. We wish them many years of happiness together.

Want to share in the experience? Contact us today for a free consultation or click here to book a portrait session! We also have a wickedly fun Calgary Photo Booth that is great for any event as well as Corporate and Event Photography for all sorts of events and corporate functions.

Calgary Wedding Photographers – JM Photography © 2017

The Brouwers Wedding Credits

Date | 7.8.17
Officiant – Grant Dawson
Ceremony Location – Knox United Church
Reception Venue – Mahogany Beach Club
Hair and Makeup – Michelle Walsh with Michelle Suffolk-Walsh Hair & Makeup
Florist – Catherina Blaker with How Sweet
Photography by Jeremy Martel & Muhammed Alsalim

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.

We are 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.