Michelle + Jordan {Banff Wedding} {Bow Falls Wedding} {The Maple Leaf Wedding}

Jordan Shell: a friend I’ve known since way back in our pre-pubescent days and a guy Lisa later came to know in our strapping young lad days. We’ve come a long way from riding BMX, playing in a band together, throwing molotov cocktails in my parent’s backyard, and spending our Friday and Saturday nights driving around small towns in my Plymouth Acclaim. Since day one though, Jordan has been a best friend to us both.

I’m happy to report that despite our actions from our past and quirks, we are both happily married! Jordan met his match and asked Lisa and I and the girls to attend their small wedding ceremony in Banff. We were honored, excited, and insistent on shooting their special day.

The morning was the most unusual that we’ve seen on the day of the wedding. Jordan and Michelle both hit the gym at separate times which made it seem like this day was just like any other; but when everyone started getting dressed in their best attire, the typical scenery of a wedding day started to come together. Lisa and I exchanged Lyric and Harlow back and forth a few times while we each shot the ladies and gents getting ready. We joked later on that people don’t say it’s never a good idea to have a family friend as a vendor at your wedding because of any business logistics; it’s because they’re a good family friend and their kids are going to be there as well making it harder on THEM to get the job done…haha! We also laughed with the newlyweds at the end of the day that regardless of how many people attend your wedding, the day is just as chaotic and flies by in the blissful wink of an eye.

The ceremony was calm and quiet on the bend of the Bow River against a steep wall of rocks that made a rather stunning backdrop for what was more than just the unity of a man and wife; this was a marriage of a family. For our friend, his bride, an intelligent, kind, and loving nine-year old little girl that waited a long time for a man to walk into their lives that was just as much made up of her dreams as he was her mom’s. We gained a niece and our girls gained a fun and outgoing cousin to grow up alongside and we are so happy to welcome Paiyton to our family as well!

The vows between each of them were raw and meaningful and there wasn’t a dry eye in sight. Coffee and hot chocolate were served and we took care of all the family photos before getting to spend some time capturing the overwhelming love and excitement between Jordan and Michelle. Later on, we all gathered in a private room at The Maple Leaf downtown for a decadent four course meal followed by impromptu speeches and constant laughter. Before calling it a night, Jordan and Michelle had their first dance in private outside which was a very special memorable moment.

We’ve told Jordan this many times since Michelle and Paiyton came along, but we have never seen him this happy and fulfilled in all the years we’ve caused mayhem together. We were honored to get to spend those few days with them celebrating their wedding but we’re even more anxious to get to raise our families together, and probably still (hopefully) get into a little bit of trouble now and then.

Davin G Photography,DavinGPhoto,Jordan,Michelle,Shell,Wedding,banff,