Just a quick note to let you know that we will be out of the office for the next week, and the week after.
We are going on a ski trip to B.C and then to Vegas for work (stay tuned!!). We will be checking & returning emails, it may
just be a little bit slower then normal.
Much Love,
Radelle, Adam & Kari
When I think long & hard about my passion for photos & life in general; I can trace
a lot of my passion & feelings to when I lost my dad. I learned a hard lesson when I was young that
those you love & adore can be gone anytime. Even though you think tragedy could never happen
to you, it can. Recently I had a bride write me an email and tell me that she had suddenly lost her
grandmother (shortly after her wedding) and that the picture I took of the two of them together has
given her much joy & peace. It’s the moments that matter, and it warms my heart & is a huge honor
for me to think that I have a small part to play in preserving those memories, those moments for you.
I look back at Rockwell’s newborn photos of me & his dad grinning from ear to ear at him & I hardly
remember him so small–but when I look at those photos, I am instantly taken back to that place in time,
those feelings, those smells, those days. Memories are amazing things.
I was watching this photo of California photographer Dane Sanders (who is fabulous!!) and the video
just hit home with me. I can see that him and I’s passion comes from the same place–the soul & the heart.
We love what we do because we know how powerful memories are. Check it out.
p.s. This is me & my dad when I was about 5. He passed away a long time ago--this weekend. I will be
thinking of him & treasuring precious memories. (he looks like hes napping & I look cranky
Ok ladies, I am just going to warn you straight up.. There is some serious eye candy on this page.. *wink*
I wanted to make the point about how much I LOVE FUN Grooms/Groomsmen!!
I love it when they bring it all to the table! I love it when they relax in front of the camera and have fun with it…
Because I want you to have pictures of him that you will ooggle at and have in a frame on your nightstand!
So remind your groom that pictures are a BLAST!!! And to have FUN during them!!
Don’t worry, I like to think I am pretty funny… So I always have a few jokes stashed in my back pocket…
just to make sure I get his Real Smile!!
(Goodness Gracious Great Balls Of Fire!! I just realized I used alot of ‘!!!!’ , sorry, I am just hyped up on Red Bull, gotta love it.)
Rock On!
Kari
Oh, and Holla at Canada during the Olympics!!!
I think that as you contact photographers for your wedding, that you look to see a “full” wedding & not
just the best 10 shots.
The slideshow featured here is only 105 slides long, (whereas they got 1200 rockin’ images), but
it at least gives you a better idea of wedding day coverage & what to expect…versus just seeing 10 images
that we’ve spent hours upon hours touching up to woo you.
Enjoy your sneak peek at a real wedding!
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I have been putting together a family journal for Matt and I. It includes pictures (year to year) and text.
As the months continue on, I keep adding pages…
It includes all of our memories.Every funny thing that was ever said, any struggle that we have ever crossed.
Lately, I have been working on our wedding section of it…
Typing out all the speeches that were made… all the things I remember about that fabulous day.
I am so lucky to have them ’save’ their speeches, so that I can go back and re-read their words of advice, their funny stories…
After the wedding is all said and done, it is easy to forget what had been said.
As I was typing out my moms speech..
I couldn’t help but tear up.
It was so beautifully written but even more beautifully said.
One part of it that stuck out to me was,
” Always love and respect each other.
Remember that a Bride and Groom are indeed best friends,
these come not with time, but with trust!
May your life be filled with Happiness and Joy!”
I honestly cannot picture anything more beautiful than growing old together on one pillow,
With my one true love.
My BEST friend.
My support.
My Husband.
—
Dear Matt,
I love it when you make sure that I am warm during the wee hours in the morning,
and lift our covers to my chin and then slightly rub my back.
I love that you hold my hand before I drift off.
I love it that you let me hog the bed. And let me starfish.
I love how you still tell me I am beautiful when I crawl into bed with
no make-up, wearing your sweatpants, and your hoody.
You know I don’t like to be cold…
I love the person you are. I love the way you treat me like gold. I love how you put me first.
I just hope that in 40 years we are just like we are today.
Sharing the same pillow.
Love Eternally,
Kari
**Lovely photos by Radelle & Adam**
See more here
I lost my dad to cancer when I was 17 years old. I miss him dearly. With my whole soul. I loved him, adored him & wanted to grow
up and marry him. Thankfully I did, Adam is so much like my dad and I love it. As a little girl, my dad called me a special name.
Various family members would also call me this nickname from timetotime, but my dad almost ALWAYS called me this name.
It was rarely Radelle, and almost always “my name”.
He called me Dee-Doll. When he called me Dee-doll, I felt like we were pals, old friends; but at the same time that I was his princess.
Within that name, I was his buddy & his angel all in one. It made me special & unique to him. It made me feel loved.
When Adam & I were falling in love, he would call me Dee-Doll from time to time, knowing how special it was to me. I loved it.
It was like a big mushy verbal hug from both my dad and my sweetheart. When we got married, he suprised me and had Dee-Doll
engraved on my ring. When I saw it, I wept like a baby.
This Christmas, we did a gift exchange with my siblings. We draw names & bought gifts. Kari’s husband Matt (who joined the
family this past July when they were married) had my name. I was nervous. The talk on the streets was that I was getting a
automated -spaghetti twirling fork. It was my turn to open my gifts. Im always scared to open gifts in front of people because
apparently my face tells it all. Even if my mouth is saying “I LOVE IT” my face may be saying
“what-the-heck-is-this-thing-no-serious-what-is-it?”
I reached into the box & pulled out a pink hoodie. I was so impressed. I LOVE pink. I LOVE hoodies. If you picture me
at my office working on your wedding images, im not likely in a highwaisted skirt with a stylish top and stilletto heels
(although I would prefer for you to picture me like this), but im likely in flip flops, lulus and a pink hoodie. While I was
ooggling the hoodie, impressed that Matt could peg me so well (what, so he’s only seen me wearing one 90%of the time???),
I spotted some personalization. On the waistband off to the side was embroidered “Dee-Doll”. There are very few times in
my life when I have been instantly moved to tears (okay, a lot but still), but I literally burst into tears in front of everyone.
I was so overwhelmed by the meaning of the gesture. Especially in a month when I was really missing my dad. Tears were
literally dripping off my chin & I couldnt stay on top of wiping them off. As I looked around the living room, there wasnt a dry eye.
My emotions & the gesture from my new brother-in-law had affected everyone. The Love was reflecting around the living room.
It was like a moment out of a movie. The best movie ive ever seen.
I am so glad that Matt got me that hoodie. But I am even more greatful that he decided against embroidering “Hot Mama” on it
and instead put “Dee-Doll”.
It was beautiful, pink, with hints of red…
My favorite.
A beautiful single rose.
He woke up rather early in the morning to
put out the ‘Valentines spread’.
ALOT of chocolate… with a beautiful card
and a single rose.
He knows what I like.
The Rose had a plastic case on the bottom of the stem to
give it the water it needed.
And I just assumed that a rose wouldn’t need much..
The amount of water that was in the ‘case’ would be enough.
I went on to enjoy the perfect day..
eating chocolate, staring at the rose..
Monday morning- I woke up,
Happy that we each get to take the day off for Family Day…
I go to the kitchen to make breakfast… and
by making breakfast I obviously mean putting bread in the toaster.
And thats when I saw it..
GASP!
Hunched over.
Limp.
The petals were already starting to dry up.
How could THIS be?? It has ONLY been one day??
I checked the plastic case on the stem…
Yup,
It was bone dry. BONE DRY!
I guess I was wrong thinking that it would be enough water.
Really wrong.
I can’t bare to throw it away… It has only lived a short life.
So there it stays.
On my counter.
I can barely stand to look at it now, I just feel bad.
But I will not throw it away… until I can feel like I have ‘appreciated it’ as much as it should have been…
Internet, Matt doesn’t understand how I could kill a flower in 24 hours.
He thought it was impossible to do.
Ha! fool.
* this is what my rose could have looked like if it had lived… and reproduced… sigh*
Just a little something sweet to make you smile.
Eternal Reflections Photography is an International Award winning studio providing glamorous
wedding photography for Fabulous People. With Roots in Edmonton, Alberta, Eternal Reflections
photographs Edmonton (& area) Weddings & is an leader in International Wedding Photography.
Eternal Reflections Photography also provides consulting and workshops for photographers wishing
to grow their business & learn luxury wedding photography.www.eternalreflectionsphoto.com
(Radelle’s son Rockwell)
There I was. Feeling all special & proper & business”y”. I had a meeting in a few minutes
with some fabulous 
Edmonton wedding planners, but had taken a second to stop by southgate mall and grab a lens that I had repaired from Mcbain camera. I was walking out of the mall like a woman on a mission. I had a meeting to get to ya’know.
Walking like a woman who gets things done, I was full steam ahead. Until my faithful Boot got caught on the carpet (between the outside & inside doors) and I FLEW (no exaggeration) thru the air, and landed no less then 12 feet from where I had started flying. On my knees & wrist. With my skirt over my face. With my under-britches showing.
It was such an impressive & scary fall that 2 teenages came running over (trying not to look at my exposed under-britches) and yelled “oh my gosh are you okay”??
I screeched “NOOOO!!!!!!!!” I really wasn’t. I’m still not okay. I ache. My knees are skinned. My wrists are bent back and my cheeks are tear stained.
I could hardly breath and they kept asking over & over if I was okay. All I could do was repeat a curse word. Not the really bad curse word, but the medium bad curse word.
I was embarrassed. I was hurt. I was worried that i’d just re-broke the lens I had repaired….about 3 minutes before.
After a few minutes (like 10) I could stand the pain enough to get up and hobble outside & go to my meeting.
So happy weekend to all of you. I’m totally going to lay in bed with icepacks on my knees, wrists & pride and really really milk this. Im going to have Adam bringing me spaghetti in bed.
And lindors. I need it. My ego needs it.
I keep pumping the Ginger Spice tea into my system, hoping that, the ginger and the spice combined will create a
‘pick me up’ effect.
Still waiting.
4 cups later.
I am wearing mismatched socks.
Matts sweater.
… I am not even wearing my hair extensions…
(proof to you, that it is that bad)
I can feel my lymph nodes… I think there are bigger than normal.
I like to think that I have a phenominal immune system..
But even the best soldier doesnt stand a chance against a massive army.
Thats right internet,
I am sick.
The winter sickness that every one seems to get,
well it got me.
I would like to give a round of applause to the world, to those who are sneezing, coughing, sniffing…
Because you brought down a strong strong immune system.
You won.
Not even the multi vitamins that I take, could hold you back.
In all seriousness, Well done!
But next year, be on your guard… because I am bringing it to a whole new level!
Wheat grass pills, Multi vitamins, An apple a day… oh and there is so much more!
Be prepared. Be prepared.
————
In other news, something that really cheered me up today……
(drumm rollll)
Christine and Derek had their wedding in Lethbridge and spared no detail!
They are beautiful people, inside and out. And now they have canvases to match!
Whoot Whoot!!!
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Is anyone else tired of winter? I sure am.
Enjoy a post featuring an Engagement Session in warmer days.
Can’t wait for spring/summer/fall! Seriously can’t!
My father passed away in February 1999.
It has been eleven years since then.
Some days I can’t believe that it has already been eleven years, and other days, I can’t believe that it has only been eleven years.
When I was planning my wedding, I did not want him to be forgotten among the celebration.
So as I planned for the big day, I added many little details to our wedding day, like, having the same type of flowers in my bouquet(roses)
my mother had in hers when she married my father.
But the one that I loved the most was having my brother read excerpts from my fathers journal that he had written about me.
I could really feel the love of my father on my wedding day, and I know for a fact that he was there in spirit.
When I see moments when the bride and her father are walking down the aisle, or when they are having a father/daughter dance…
my eyes will water, and sometimes will fall down my face.
They are not necesarily ’sad’ tears, but they are ‘memory tears’.
Thoughts of him play in my mind like an old black and white movie.
I am so grateful for those moments. Because he is remembered.
I am so glad that time has not severed the cord between my heart and my memories of him.
_________________
To all of our brides, when you have those moments with your father on your wedding day.
Cherish them. Love them. Remember them.
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I know im not the only woman who feels this way. Some days are just made to kick you in the butt. The food boils over, the computer
acts like it doesnt know how to open google, you run out of sticky notes, your child’s nose never stops running, just when you
are going to savor your spaghetti you find out your parm cheese is all gone. These type of things. Are these Haiti scale issues?
Heavens no. Not even close. Not even.
But its funny how, on a day when your feeling sensitive or cranky, or tired, how they can literally make you want to cry.
I had such a day recently. I felt that my tears were at “spill level” (as I call it) all day. I was nervous as I interacted with
people, that if someone said the wrong word I would burst into embarassing, unexplainable silly tears.
Ever felt this way?
I took Adam aside and said, “listen. I need a good cry. I don’t know why, I just do”
He said randomly “Oh poor little scamper. Wasnt that so sad when you were 10 and he had to be put down?”
This was my childhood DOG!!!
He had to be put down because he bit children that were not in our family. Not a good or safe trait. But I loved him.
The day he was put down, I sat on my swing all day & sobbed & sang “wind beneath my wings”.
I still cannot listen to that song without getting teary. It was that emotional for me.
So Adam, in his wisdom & cruelty, mentioned Poor Ol’ Scamper to get me to cry.
It worked. And I felt much better.
Sometimes its weird how well someone knows & loves you.
And yet, comforting.
(p.s. I LOVED this Bride & her pizzaz & style!!!)
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Eternal Reflections Photography is an International Award winning studio providing glamorous
wedding photography for Fabulous People. With Roots in Edmonton, Alberta, Eternal Reflections
photographs Edmonton (& area) Weddings & is an leader in International Wedding Photography.
Eternal Reflections Photography also provides consulting and workshops for photographers wishing
to grow their business & learn luxury wedding photography.www.eternalreflectionsphoto.com
I love it when I am all cozied up in bed. Sleeping.
Dreaming.
Sleeping.
And Dreaming.
Its fantastic.
Wanna know what I love even more???
I love it when Matthews phone alarm goes off…
I hear it.
Every morning.
And then another one at 6 o’clock.
I finally asked him the other day…
Why? Why must you set two alarms? Two hours apart?
Well I love the feeling of when the first alarm goes off, because I know that I have another two hours to sleep.
It feels great knowing that I get an ‘EXTRA’ two hours!
But you dont get an extra two hours? You already had those two hours….
Why would you want to be disturbed from your sleep to find out you get another two hours you already
had.
I dunno, I just like to. It makes me wake up happy knowing I got an extra two hours of sleep.
You didnt get two extra hours…they were already yours….!
But internet, it isn’t happening today… no alarms were needed.
We both get the day off…
I get packages all the time. For clients. OK fine and my online shopping parcels. But never suprises.
Im fine with it, im mature about it. I mean I dont need presents throughout the year. Right? RIGHT?
But one time, I ordered a potty training book (for my son obviously) and it literally took months to arrive.
So much so, that I had forgotten about it. When it arrived I was so suprised I practically phoned everyone I knew. I was
THAT excited. A suprise parcel (that I had, ahem, ordered and paid for…..)
So, you can imagine my suprise when I got a HUGE brown bubble envelope in the mail. Addressed to me.
and me alone.
I ripped that puppy open and inside was ribbon that I had been searching high & low for (for packaging my clients products).
You see, I had told my girlfriend (also a photographer) about a week before that I was desperate to find a certain type of ribbon
to go with my Branding. Wouldnt you know, she had seen some and bought every roll. And not only that, but she included
the most warm, fuzzy, feel good, HANDMADE card.
It was a great day. Some People are so kind.
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Have you ever felt like you just can’t keep up with the world? Like everything around you is a whirlwind?
I feel like that. Alot.
I feel like I am in an Archie Comic with a huge question mark over my head.
Everybody is so busy to get things done.
Get groceries. Go to work. Pick up the kids from school. Do laundy. Make supper. Check email- and by email I mean Facebook- of course LOL
I feel like many opportunities pass us by when we get all caught up in the day to day things.
Opportunities to help others. To notice the beauty of the world. To realize that there are more important things.
I feel like if we could all take a moment to make our lives a little more simple, we wouldn’t be missing those moments.
One of my favorite sayings, that I feel I made up is- Living Simply.Simply Live.
Turn off the TV. Put away the Xbox. Turn Off the Computer.
Spend time together with your loved ones. Cherish those moments. Prioritize.
Take a moment to show everyone you know that you love them.
Everything else can wait. It can just simmer on the back burner.
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I like to think that I am somewhat green. you know, as in all environmental and what not. And no, not because its trendy.
Ok fine, totally because its trendy.
This dream house that we are building (I drew up my dream plans & we hired an architect to turn them
into real plans & im LOVING the plans!), is so environmentally
friendly you wouldn’t believe it. Its off the grid. As in solar panels & wind power baby. Yes you read right,
im forward thinking.
So sometimes I pat myself on the back with my hippie ways.
Yesterday early evening I had a million errands to run. Well fine, not quite a million, but darn close.
Anyways, as I was leaving our house and just one road over, I noticed in the middle of the road, what looked like
rockwell’s insulated (and fairly pricey–at least in the world of sippy cups) sippy cup lying in the middle of the road.
Our vehicle had straddled it. I eerched to a stop (whilst looking in my rearview mirror for safety of course…err right…)
turned around (picture inching forward, then back, then forward, then back until I had maneuvered the full 180 degrees
like a 14 year old student drive) and drove back.
It was a used Tim Hortons cup. I just growled. I wanted to save the day. Be super mom. Find my son’s random cup
in the middle of a random street using my keen mother intuition. I was nothing more then a scavenger.
I put that puppy in reverse (then forward, then reverse, then forward) until I had inched my way back around
180 degrees and I sped off.
Not a single thought of the little that I left behind. Not a single thought. Did not even cross my mind to pick it up.
I may as well crank my furnace, put all my light bulbs back to the bad kind, find the biggest SUV I can find & do 40 loads of laundry.
I am so ashamed.
