The Cordner-Anstey’s Wedding at the Valley Ridge Golf Club

The Outdoor Ceremony at Valley Ridge Golf Club

We began the day of Anna and Stephen’s wedding at the Valley Ridge Golf Club on the edge of the Bow River. The Golf Club is set in a beautiful, serene valley, and while only minutes from downtown Calgary, feels a world away.

We arrived a little early to set up the slideshow Anna and Stephen had created for cocktail hour, which highlighted their early years. We met Jane Paterson of JP Weddings, who was officiating the legal ceremony, and James, who would officiate the personal element. The weather at the ceremony site was perfect, with a slight breeze wafting through the valley.

The ceremony began with Stephen leading his mother and soon-to-be mother in-law up the aisle. The wedding party followed, accompanied by the adorable flower girl and boy. They carried little baskets of flowers to deposit on the aisle.

Anna entered with her father and walked up to her groom. Birch branches made up the archway, behind which a beautiful flowering lilac bush functioned as a backdrop. One of the groomsmen began with a reading, and the vows followed. Anna led with a set of simple and genuine vows. Stephen then read his from a large piece of parchment. She was shocked by the size of the paper and how much he must have written, he teased that his own only seemed long because they were printed in large font. Overall, the heartfelt ceremony meant there were few dry eyes in the house.

Their Creative Formals on the Valley Ridge Golf Course

Right after the ceremony, we moved into family photos. Stephen has a large family, so we started with groupings of them before moving over to Anna’s crew.

While we were shooting, the catering team brought out some bites for the party, which included chocolate covered strawberries, salmon sushi cones, and Szechuan chicken. The catering team knocked it out of the park for Anna and Stephen, making sure everyone was well fed and watered throughout the day. Once finished the family portion, we moved on to the creative formals.

Before the wedding, we spent some time with the couple on the property, looking for unique shooting locations. We came across a concrete retaining wall near the townhomes, and it fit the bill. We began the formal photos with the entire wedding party at the wall, which had a few different tiers we could play around on. Next, we came across a fellow with a Lamborghini Diablo, who kindly let us use the car in the photos, much to Stephen’s excitement.

We said goodbye to the wedding party and the Lambo and headed to a row of birch trees behind the townhomes. Birch trees hold a special place in their lives because last year Stephen discovered a hidden talent of pallet knife painting when he created an oil painting of birch trees for Anna. It was his first attempt at this style of art, and the results were impressive!

To add a bit of contrast, we used edgier lighting under the birch trees, and the results were excellent. We then walked around the pathways of the golf course, stopping to photograph the newlyweds at key locations, such as the signature fountain in front of the clubhouse. We wrapped up the shoot by another birch tree; it’s dangling branches backlit by the brilliant sun.

The Corner-Anstey Reception in Valley Hall

The reception took place in the Valley Hall, with vaulted ceilings and floor-to-ceiling windows setting the stage. The evening began with a beautiful buffet dinner, created by the talented culinary team at the Valley Ridge Golf Club. The meal featured succulent salmon, a plethora of salads, and even Nanaimo bars for dessert.

Speeches carried on throughout dinner, with few hilarious stories to accompany the meal. Stephen’s brother told the story of their youth (the boys were ten months apart) when they shared a room. He describes a young Stephen as ‘less-than-tidy.’ However, Stephen’s standards were still above his brother’s, and after months of arguing, the boys drew a line in masking tape across the carpet, splitting the bedroom in two. His brother’s side had the door, and Stephen’s had the phone jack, leading to further hijinks.

Stephen’s mom also shares the boys’ sense of humour, and even though she decided not to roast her son on his wedding day, got a few good jabs in.

Anna’s friends describe her as being always up for adventures, unexpected or otherwise, which explains the amount of travelling Stephen and Anna have done. She is also a person who wears her heart on her sleeve, so tears always accompanied farewells.

One of her lifelong friends recounted Anna’s university dream of dancing on Electric Circus, the live dance program on MuchMusic. So, we slipped the info to DJ SWAV. Later, when the dance floor was in full swing, he played the song from the show. Anna was overjoyed!

Her dad wrapped up with a beautiful poem he’d written for them, adding the final touch of emotion to the speeches.

Next, we played our same day slideshow for the couple, and then it was time for the first dance. Throughout the night, it was evident that DJ SWAV loves his craft. He curated an excellent dance party for Stephen and Anna… a party that continued into the night!

We had a great time at Anna and Stephen’s wedding, and hope they love their images as much as we enjoyed taking 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 Cordner-Anstey 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 Anna and Stephen

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 © 2018

The Cordner-Anstey’s Wedding Credits

Date | 6.2.18
Officiant – Jane Paterson with JP Weddings
Ceremony Location – Valley Ridge Golf Club
Reception Venue – Valley Ridge Golf Club
Makeup Artist – Something Borrowed Beauty
Hair Stylist – Jessica Ayres @Jessicaayresdesign_ with Salon Fli
Hair Stylist – Sydni Buffalo @SydniMariebeauty with Salon Fli
Decor – Shannon Collins with Chair Flair
Florist – Monica Petryk with Dahlia Floral Design
DJ SWAV – Josue Hernandez with PEZ Productions
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.