I’m sure you noticed that there hasn’t been a blog post here since late 2019. It wasn’t from lack of caring on my part, I just didn’t know what to say. I didn’t know how to weigh in on all of the plans and hopes and dreams of the couples and children and adults whose lives were thrown off course by the COVID-19 pandemic and the restrictions it brought with. Those carefully made plans with every single detail considered that have been postponed again and again. I have one couple who booked me at the very end of 2018 for their 2020 summer wedding who bumped to 2021 and then again to 2022 before the vaccines became widely available. You don’t need me to tell you how four years feels to a young couple in love who just want to have everyone they hold dear in attendance when they say their vows. I just didn’t know what to say.
So I sat through 2020 in a holding pattern, like everyone else. Waiting, and watching, and thinking about my family and yours, wondering how life would be going forward. Would everyone we love be with us when we take off our masks and gather? Would I be healthy enough to work again if I caught it? 2020 was a year of reflection and evaluation in what we want and what we value in this life, of that there is no doubt. I decided that family is most important to me so I hired some help sorting photos for editing (that part is still done by me, don’t worry but things will move much faster now with Judy sorting the keepers for me) so I could spend more time with my kids while they’re little. We only get 18 summers with them if we’re lucky, and those are half gone already over here. They’ve stood by while we worked through the hot vacation months – one of us gone every weekend and most evenings – their whole lives, but when the world shut down we gave them the best summer ever. Vegetable and flower gardens with a little splash pool in the yard, movie nights with snacks and laughter, and family bike rides along the Speedy Creek. It was magical, friends! Best. Summer. Ever.
We took the fear and uncertainty and made our own magic. We hardly worked and money was scarce – it was a good thing we were staying home, haha! and we missed our families, our clients, and our friends, but we learned a lot and saw our kids smile every day. I know that the couples who had plans destroyed and big life changes will be working through much harder times, but hopefully those of us who came through 2020 stronger can step up and help. 2021 will be another slow year for me since most couples opted to move their weddings to next year which means I have plenty of time to answer questions, track down contacts and information, and anything else you need while you plan! You can also check out my new project in collaboration with Kirstin Patzer of Three Strands Wedding Design and Jessica Williams, Author of All Write Here Publishing – it’s a brand new wedding magazine based right here in Saskatchewan and focusing on couples and vendors that we all know and love! You can follow along on our FB & IG, or find more information on our website, OR you can even check out our latest issue right now 🙂 Whichever you choose, there will be another blog post coming up soon all about it, so check in often and say hello! – C
Bumble & Vine Photography Swift Current, Saskatchewan wedding photographer
You may know me (Candace) as the face of Bumble & Vine Photography’s every day sessions, but I want to take a few minutes to introduce my co-shooter Matt. By day he is the driving force behind EmJay Reno & Repair here in Swift, but on weekends he lends his skill and talent as the other half of the Bumble & Vine wedding team.
The main benefit to having a second photographer at your wedding is the obvious advantage in having additional angles throughout the day. One of us is setting flowers and rings up for details while the other is quietly capturing your family and friends while they visit and relax getting ready for the day. There are complimentary images of the kiss, the first dance, and so many more moments from start to finish. I love the way they come together in the final gallery so much that I don’t take on weddings without bringing an additional shooter!
If you are on the fence about hiring a team vs. a lone photographer for your wedding take a few moments to meet with them and ask questions about why they shoot the way they do – I’m sure they would love to tell you all about how they work and why. I encourage all couples to ask their wedding vendors questions about every aspect of their service. You are paying for their skill and product as well as their knowledge of the industry – use that to its full advantage!
**this post is an update and continues upon my previous one, so if you haven’t read that through, a reference or two may be lost. Happy reading!**
Today I’m writing from a happy place, mentally speaking. I’m nested at my desk, hot tea at my side, and a full project schedule on the go for the week. My last post was written from the lowest point I’ve experienced in my short life, but it’s still raw and fresh in my memory. I have muddled through loss and pain in the past but never before have I felt betrayed by my own thoughts and feelings and been so scared of my own mind.
When I reached the point where I couldn’t take it anymore, we made some decisions to tackle what we were able to control. We made big changes in our lives and in my work, and so far (five weeks later) it’s been life changing. I say that without the expectation that it will remain that way, but with a cautious hope that it may. Our lives have been brightened and made more simple by clearing away the clutter and focusing on our exercise and time together. The kids are learning to skate, and we’re getting back into the freedom and fun of playing/watching hockey – did I mention we had the opportunity to photograph the Stanley Cup with our good friends at The Landing Studio?! It’s been a much better start to our year than I could have hoped!
With the personal life changes made, we decided that the business needs the same care and attention to it as well. I now have a bit of help with client communication, invoicing, and culling/editing gallery images. This won’t change the final product of my photos, those final edits will still be my own, but it will improve the general flow and turnaround of in the office. With the personal changes we’ve made, I have found a renewed excitement for the “business” aspects of photography & graphic design. I don’t have a lot to update you with as of yet, but there will be so many exciting things this year. The busy season is gearing up in March and I cannot wait to see what it will bring!
Before I go, I want to add that I’m here to talk if you are interested. My story isn’t exciting or impressive, but I think it’s more common than I realized. It took years of drowning to sink to that low, and looking back I can see warning signs that I didn’t understand the importance of at the time. I can’t say that I am able to help, but I am here to listen and will try to understand.
Watching the sun set this evening brought a smile to my face. Two weeks ago, Kaitlyn from Life in Action Weddings and I picked up her friend (and our model-to-be), a stunning gown from Unforgettable You, a beautiful bouquet from Wildflower Florist, and headed out on the road looking for inspiration. We had a bit of a vision and a lot of heart going into the shoot, and while we all walked down the beach together laughing and trying new techniques in the setting sun, I remembered why I love photography. Why it’s so raw and powerful and moves my very soul. Watching Sarah in the sunlight and sand while we danced and splashed was the highlight of my year so far. There is something very special about doing something you love without the pressure of product delivery. I can take chances and push the limit of what myself and my equipment are comfortable with. While it doesn’t have the small intimate moments and love that a wedding day has, it was enough fun for us to start planning the next adventure before we had the pictures uploaded back home!
This edit style is authentic and it’s one that I’ve been in love with for a long time now, but haven’t had enough images to play around with. It’s a style I would love to work with more in my wedding deliveries, and comes straight from the heart. If I’ve learned anything as an artist, it’s that following your heart will take you to places and adventures that you could never imagine. I feel like this is exactly the place I am meant to be, and who could ask for more?
