The Bedard’s Wedding at Calgary’s Austrian Canadian Cultural Centre

How They Met

Barry and Teresa first met through friends, for a card night. After the evening of cards, she invited him for lunch, and things grew from there. An older couple, and both widowed, they didn’t waste any time, and within a month or two of dating, Barry proposed! Teresa, of course, said yes!

Their Ceremony at Holy Trinity Catholic Church

On our way to Barry and Teresa’s ceremony, the weather wasn’t looking great. It started as a small drizzle and opened into a full downpour, which unfortunately didn’t let up all day. Thankfully, the bride and groom are easygoing, and weren’t concerned about the rain!

We met them right at the chapel at the Holy Trinity Catholic Church. Teresa wore a lovely bright coral Oksanas dress, which coordinated perfectly with Barry’s tie. Father Joseph led a fantastic service, which observed full mass and homily. The gentleman who conducted the homily had a beautiful voice. The ceremony was lovely and flowed smoothly. At the end of the service, the congregation observed communion. The two love birds were pronounced husband and wife, and they shared their first kiss.

The Creative Formals at SAIT

The family group was large, so we took a wide shot of the whole family in front of the altar. Then, outside, we hopped into the limo with Teresa and her wedding party – made up of her daughter and granddaughters. We took a few classic shots of the women smiling and laughing in the limousine before driving to SAIT.

When we arrived we had Barry and Teresa wait in the limo at the entrance to the heart building, so we could scout out a few alternate locations. Our team entered through the parking garage. It was immediately apparent that the parking lot on campus is one of the hottest places to shoot indoor wedding photos. With seven other newlyweds and their wedding parties all gathered in the dry space to hide from the rain. We quickly passed through the parking garage area to meet our wedding party at a few different spaces we had selected for them on campus.

Because Teresa and Barry had their hearts set on shooting outside at Riley Park, we chose a place which gave the impression we were outdoors. We set them up next to a large glass window to get as much greenery in the background as possible. The groomsmen all carried black umbrellas with them, which provided a great aesthetic for the shots. Inside the building, we photographed some group shots. We used the structure itself as the backdrop in shots of the whole party, and the outside greenery for shots with the wedding party and the newlyweds.

We moved upstairs with the bride and groom and photographed them in front of a neon light display. The colours of the lights kept changing, giving us an ever-evolving backdrop. Once we wrapped up inside, we asked the newlyweds if they were interested in heading out into the rain. They were game!

Outside, we set up lights to highlight the raindrops that fell around them. With a few backlights, the atmosphere took on an ethereal glow, giving us some incredibly romantic shots.

The Reception at the Austrian Canadian Cultural Centre

Once we completed the creative formals, we headed to the Austrian Canadian Cultural Centre for the reception. The Centre has been operating since 1964 and strives to create an authentic Austrian atmosphere in the heart of the prairies. We moved into their main ballroom for the rest of the evening, which was decorated in navy and coral, with flowers by the Flower Gallery.

Barry and Teresa entered the room and the dinner began. To get things rolling, the guests played a trivia game to choose table order. The trivia was all centered around the bride and groom, including questions such as: Who was the Prime Minister when Barry was born? The game got everyone up and smiling.

The Austrian Canadian Cultural Centre crafted a beautiful meal and even served the head table. Everyone mingled for a while after filling their bellies, and then speeches began. Revealed in one speech was the fact that Barry knew Teresa was right for him because she made him feel young again. They prove that falling in love has no bounds. And it was evident throughout the day that they are two people who are very much in love. Their smiles said it all.

They played the classic shoe game, followed by the bouquet and garter toss. A beautiful cupcake table was laid out, complete with a small topper cake for cutting.

The dances began, starting with the newlywed’s first dance to “Could I Have This Dance” by Anne Murray. Their DJ, Peter with Magical Music, happens to be Barry’s brother! He got things started and kept a great selection of music rolling well into the evening.

We had a lovely day with Barry and Teresa and hope you enjoy their gorgeous images.

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 Bedard 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.

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 Bedard Wedding Credits

Date | 6.10.17
Officiant – Father Joseph
Ceremony Location – Holy Trinity Catholic Church
Reception Venue – The Austrian Club Calgary
Hair – Mary with Marlborough Plaza Hair Styling
Florist – Rose with Flower Gallery
DJ – Peter Bedard with Magical Music DJ’s Entertainment Group
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.