Rachel & Calvin starting their wedding day with a first look in front of the Three Sisters in Canmore, before heading to the Malcolm Hotel for their ceremony. One of the reasons we love first looks is because it helps ease the pre-ceremony jitters, and it really extends your time together. And Rachel & Calvin’s day was the perfect example of this, especially since they opted to start with the first look before continuing their coverage with some getting ready coverage before their ceremony.

It’s always great to keep in mind that your wedding day should be structured the way you want it to be. Whether that means a first look or not, or (like Rachel & Calvin) sharing the moments before your ceremony finalizing your vows next to each other. You can scroll to just before the ceremony for some of our favourite shots of this!

We are strong advocates for building your wedding day exactly how you envision it, and for Rachel & Calvin, this meant a first look followed by a small hangout in the hotel where they put the final touches on their vows and got ready for their ceremony.

If you’re hoping for your guests to keep their phones away during the ceremony — but you also understand they might want to grab a quick photo — having your officiant announce a moment for everyone to capture their own shot (before putting down their phone) is a great idea! They’ll get their photo, which will be a fun memory for you later, and then they’ll put their phones away and enjoy the rest of the unplugged ceremony.

Another fun addition to their day? An impromptu bouquet toss with their wedding party.

After photos with Rachel & Calvin and their party, we headed back to the Malcolm Hotel for their cocktail hour and reception.

We also snuck out for a few more photos during reception. We love moments like this, and we think that scheduling a bit of time for photos during dinner is a great way for you both to soak in the day together.