Saskatoon Farm Wedding near Calgary

"Love isn't something you find. Love is something that finds you." I put that line at the top of this gallery because the Saskatoon Farm always feels like a place where good things find you.

First, a little secret: the farm isn't in Saskatoon at all. It's named after the saskatoon berry, a plant native to Alberta, and it's tucked into Foothills County about 20 minutes south of Calgary, just east of Okotoks off Highway 2. Paul and Karen have run it as a family farm since 1987, and you can feel that care everywhere. Paul planted the trees that line the farm lane, and that half-kilometre canopy is one of the prettiest entrances to any venue I've photographed in 20 years.

For a photographer, the farm is a playground. It has three outdoor ceremony spots, each with its own backdrop. There are greenhouses full of greenery and blooms for the reception, red barns, rock gardens, and a lookout over the prairie and the Highwood River valley. You can move a couple 50 steps and get a completely different look, which keeps the portrait time relaxed and fun instead of rushed.

My advice for a Saskatoon Farm wedding is to plan your portraits for the last couple of hours before sunset. The prairie light out there is golden and soft, and the open sky to the east glows beautifully as the evening goes on. The greenhouse reception gives you a lovely backup if the weather turns, too.

I've been photographing weddings since 2007, and venues with this much heart are rare. If you love the idea of a rustic, garden-filled day and you're looking for a Calgary wedding photographer who loves the outdoors, have a look at my Calgary wedding photography page. Follow along on Instagram @tkshotz for more.