Canmore Wedding Photographer

Cody & Irina’s Cornerstone Wedding

Red Bloom Photography

How did I get so lucky to not only photograph the most amazing couples but also in the most

beautiful places so close to home!  Documenting weddings in the mountains forever feels so

amazing and fresh to me and same with photographing at Cornerstone Weddings. This wedding

is my third of five there this year and I just love every single one of them. 

When I look back on this day, I just feel so so so much joy and love and laughter! These two really

know how to laugh hard and love hard together! They are so adorable together which just makes

my job so so easy. And you can tell that their friends are just like them cause their wedding party

was so connected and so full of laughter.  It really makes my day fly by when I am laughing all

day with my couples! There is so many special parts about this day that I just love and if you keep

reading below you will hear about them from the couple.  I absolutely adore their first look and

how Cody reacted. He put his hand to his mouth and I noticed this is something he does when

he gets emotional as he did it during the vows as well. After tears and cuddles they immediately

were laughing together and dancing in the park! After their private first look we headed to their

ceremony where they shared their emotional and candid vows that really spoke to who they

are as a couple!  And when Cody dipped Irina for the first kiss it was just epic and she let out

the cutest little yelp of surprise! After we were finished shooting the family photos and wedding party,

I had some time just the two of them. And this little tiny bird just followed us around everywhere.

I have seen this happen on wedding days with a bunny or a deer and I mentioned to them how some

of my couples feel it is a loved one with them on their day.  They have a few words about this below where

they share about their day. And on that point, here are some words from the newlyweds.

How did you guys meet?
Cody – One night in July 2014, my friend Michael Hauer invited his high school friend Irina, who

had just moved back to Calgary from Halifax, to come have some drinks at Craft. I knew she was

going to be special by the way Hauer looked at me when he described her. He was giving me the “don’t

even think about it” look. My suspicions were confirmed. She was as fun and personable as she was beautiful.

I proceeded to tease her about her bright orange battery charger (Irina’s phone is nearly

always on low battery). The playground technique must have worked, as I managed

to get her number. I laid in bed texting her that night with butterflies in my stomach.  

I knew it wouldn’t be the last time I saw her.

Due to my prior reputation, Irina wouldn’t quite give me a chance. Around 8 months later,

Hauer (and our love for his delicious guacamole) brought us together again. Hauer had invited

us both for drinks at his condo. I didn’t give her as much attention this time around.

As many of you know, Irina is quite charming. By the end of the night we were two-stepping in his kitchen.  

It took three months of traveling back and forth from Cold Lake, countless brunch dates, and plenty of

Cody Anderson character references (thank you to all of the supporters),

for Irina and I to become an official item.

Please share the proposal story with us?
Irina – Last year, Cody and I were going on vacation around the Maritimes! Because

I went to Uni in Halifax, I took on the planning for this trip to show him around my old stomping grounds.

In Halifax, we’d met up with my bestie (and bridesmaid) Meaghan and her man, Kevin.

We drove to Cape Breton to explore the Cabot trail and watched Cody eat his way around the Maritimes,

one (more like three) lobster rolls at a time. In the town of Inverness, we’d already had the

best day walking, beaching, eating fresh mussels, and going to the Cabot Links golf course. (Cody’s real love story here.)

I’d booked us a room at the Dusky Diamond hotel (how amazing is that!?!?!), overlooking the ocean.

That evening we were going for dinner at the Clubhouse with Meg and Kevin. Cody was

taking forever to get out of the room (because he couldn’t grab the ring while I was

hovering around him, aw). Meg subtly came in and asked me to come out and take

photos by the ocean. Being a basic girl, it didn’t seem weird at all – had to do it for the ‘gram.

Leading up to this, I didn’t suspect anything or know that all three of them were in on the

proposal plan! So we finished up dinner and had decided to watch the sun set at the beach.

We pay, but Meg & Kevin aren’t ready, and suddenly there’s this huge sense of urgency to get. to. the. beach.

We literally leave Meg & Kev behind and Cody starts jogging (me in tow) to the boardwalk.

I look back while we’re running and Meg & Kev are also running several feet behind us. Shouldn’t we just wait?

Cody: “nope. Can’t”

As we near the boardwalk and beach, the sun is setting. It looks spectacular. Cody turns

to me with the biggest smile on his face, gets down on one knee, and asks me to marry him.

I was immediately overwhelmed and teary eyed and I think I said “no way!?” and then “I mean YES!”

Meg & Kev were purposely hanging behind so that they could have their phones ready to capture

the moment! Turns out Cody had told Meg before we arrived that he wanted to propose.

I am still so touched he planned this months in advance and had it captured in this

beautiful place, in a region he knew meant so much to me!

 ~ Vendor Love ~

Red Bloom Photography

Intimate Photography for Adventurous Couples