Brie + Raf’s rustic autumn wedding at Stampede Park in Calgary, Alberta

During our engagement session with Brianne and Raf, we learned a lot about them and how much we have in common. We knew they were hilarious, a lot of fun, and extremely easy to talk to. Nothing could have prepared us for how much fun we had at their wedding. If you have never been to a Polish wedding, add it to your bucket list and make sure you make that happen!

Before we get to the details about why, let us paint you a picture of what their wedding day looked like. It was a perfect autumn day and was actually a great temperature. That’s saying a lot for Calgary considering it goes from summer to winter temperatures in the span of a day. Because they had the ceremony and reception at the Rotary House on the Stampede grounds, we were chauffeured around in a trolley for the photos. That alone was a fun experience. Their bridal party was a riot and were troopers with being in front of a camera for hours.

Once we got back for speeches and food, which, let's be honest, the food is one of the best things about going to weddings, we experienced the funniest best man speech of all time. We do not say that lightly. For some back story, Brianne didn’t speak Polish before she met Raf, and him being full-blown Polish and speaking it fluently, she felt she should learn. Every Saturday she attended Polish school and honestly, got really great at speaking it. The two best men wanted to make a game out of this and quiz her. They had a bag full of objects that they wanted to see if she knew the word in Polish for it. If she got it right, the groomsmen had to take a shot of Polish vodka. If she got it wrong, the bridesmaids did. Very high stakes. Not surprisingly, she passed with flying colours. The mystery remains where Raf’s briefs went after this game. After that, dancing at a Polish wedding is mandatory, especially after all the shots of vodka.

Brianne and Raf, we are so stoked that we met you both and made some friends out of simply doing our “job” as a photographer. Congratulations newlyweds!



Venue | Calgary Stampede Rotary House in Calgary, Alberta . Officiant | Urban Officiant in Calgary, Alberta . Catering | Calgary Stampede, in Calgary, Alberta . Hair and Makeup | Michelle Suffolk-Walsh in Calgary, Alberta . Dress | Durand Bridal in Calgary, Alberta . Suit | The Bridal Centre in Calgary, Alberta . Florals | Deer Valley Florist in Calgary, Alberta . Wedding Cake | The Handmade Cake Company in Calgary, Alberta . DJ | Lux Music Entertainment in Calgary, Alberta