Wandering Pines Weddings

16/11/2019

Alright folks, it’s been a while coming but I can FINALLY tell you my BIG news! I am no longer going to be doing wedding videography, and Wandering Pines Weddings will no longer be in business. I know, it’s a HUGE announcement, and I don’t take announcing it lightly (hence why I haven’t posted on here in over 6 months). I was waiting for the right time to post it, and it’s finally that time.

Wedding videography started out as something super fun for me. When I first started, I could easily see myself making this my long term career and never getting tired of it. But it’s come time that I’ve realized it’s not for me anymore. Now don’t get me wrong, I have loved every minute of getting to know all of my amazing couples and hanging out with them, capturing their stories. But it’s the editing, the back end stuff of the business, that I have fallen out of love with. My brain thinks in a very analytical way, and sees things as “black and white”. If you’re in the creative industry or are a creative person in general, you know that things are very “grey” with creativity. Essentially my brain has been forced to think in a way it doesn’t thrive, and it has become unhealthy for me to keep doing this.

This has been the toughest decision ever, because I love shooting weddings and getting to know people, and it was super hard to envision myself letting go of that part that I love so much. But I’m ready to pull the trigger on something new, even if I don’t know what that is yet.

I want to say a HUGE thank you to everyone for their support throughout this journey - it has meant the world to me!

24/04/2019

Kris & Taylor's Story

You guys. Kris and Taylor. Where do I even begin?! They are two of the best people, and just from watching their film, it's so obvious how good they are together. They're all sorts of goofy when they're with each other, and it's my favourite thing about them!

https://vimeo.com/wanderingpinesweddings/kris-and-taylor

Kris & Taylor are all sorts of goofy when they're together, and it's my absolute favourite thing about them!! They're two peas in a pod, and you'll…

06/03/2019

Kayla & Brendan's Story

To give you an idea of just how much fun Kayla and Brendan’s wedding was: they passed a bottle of Fireball around on the dance floor while the DJ blasted “Fireball” by Pitbull. And they taped a GoPro onto the bottle. And then they gave me some of that footage. And it DEFINITELY made it into the highlight film. 💁🏽‍♀️😂

Give it a watch, it's a gooder!

https://vimeo.com/wanderingpinesweddings/kayla-and-brendan

I don't know if I've ever had as much fun filming people dancing as I did at Kayla and Brendan's wedding! During the song "Fireball" by…

26/02/2019

Daylynn & Teagan’s Story

I’m not crying, you’re crying. 😭 Daylynn Drever and Teagan Drever’s highlight film is here, and it’s one of my favourites to date! In the speeches, it was said that they go together like PB and J. And I couldn’t agree more! See for yourself 😘

https://vimeo.com/wanderingpinesweddings/daylynn-and-teagan

Daylynn and Teagan’s Highlight Film

13/02/2019

The Office

I'm honestly not sure if I’ve met a bigger fan of The Office than Daylynn Drever 🙌🏼 Before her wedding, she tagged me in this meme that said "When I get married I want my wedding to be filmed like it's an episode of The Office. I want camera zooms, eye contact, side commentary ALL OF IT." Originally, I was planning on surprising her by not only giving them their highlight film, but also a second little video that was put together like an episode of The Office. BUT I couldn’t keep the secret, and was waaaaaaay too excited about it and ended up telling them. So randomly throughout the day, there were awkward camera stares and moments like this that happened. And I’m not mad about it. 😂😂😂🙌🏼🙌🏼🙌🏼 How perfect is this clip for an Office themed wedding video?

29/01/2019

Kayla and Brendan had a “shots” receiving line heading into their reception, and it was freaking awesome! Their wedding party poured out shots for all of the guests to shoot back after they said “hey” to Kayla and Brendan. Kayla’s grandma got right in there, and it was the cutest thing! Is it not the best thing watching her scooter out of the line after, holding her shot glass?! She’s for when I get older 🙌🏼👌🏼

11/01/2019

Flying Across The Dancefloor

It’s about to get REAL up in here. Here’s what’s up. I’m tired of being scared of two apps on my phone. Two little colourful icons on my phone screen: Instagram and Facebook. Saying “I don’t have a great relationship with social media” isn’t even doing justice to how I’ve been feeling. And it’s honestly been like that since I’ve started this little business of mine.

Social media has always seemed like it’s something I need to do to compete with other people in the industry. Compete for the most likes and the most comments on my posts, and compete for “best looking Instagram feed.” But lately it’s gotten to the point where I don’t even want to post on here anymore for fear that what I post won’t be liked. Won’t get as many likes as someone else’s stuff, or won’t get any comments or engagement at all. I’ve gotten sucked into the dangerous comparison game, where no one wins. And it’s been rough. Which is why I’ve been so incredibly MIA on here. I’ve created these huge, ridiculous expectations for myself, for things I don’t even believe in.

What I WANT to be putting out in the world isn’t necessarily pretty, and it’s not always aesthetically pleasing. It’s not always in focus. It’s not perfectly lit sometimes, and it has some awful camera movement part way through. But it’s REAL, and it's what I want to share more of. The little, unscripted moments are what make my heart do a full on, obnoxious happy dance, and I'm tired of being scared to post them because they aren't "perfect" all the time. So today I’m posting this shot of Kayla being lifted across the dance floor by her friends and family - out of focus parts, camera movement, and all - because it makes me so frickin’ happy. It is by no means perfect, and it’s honestly terrifying posting something that shows the “raw” footage, but Kayla flying across the dance floor is exactly how I want to feel like when I post on here. And not because of how many likes, or how much “engagement” my post gets, but because I’m so frickin' proud of my work and the moments I capture.

So here’s to keepin’ it a hell of a lot more real over here, and sharing things solely because I frickin' love them. 🎉

04/01/2019

Lauren & Matt's Story

Lauren Brittany and Matthew Seitz's highlight film is here!! There were so many giggles throughout the day that it's hard to watch without a smile on your face!

Were you smiling from ear to ear by the end of their film?!

https://vimeo.com/wanderingpinesweddings/lauren-and-matt

Lauren and Matt's wedding in Elkwater, AB was filled with endless giggles! They are best friends, and it really shows! Their big day was so much fun, and I…

23/12/2018

Lauren and her girls

I hope you guys have the best time hanging out with your favourite people this holiday season!! And if you’re traveling, get to where you’re going safely!
I’m heading to SK bright and early tomorrow to hang out with my family for the next little bit and I'm pretty pumped! Ask me how excited I am for the 8 hour drive though 🙄😭👎🏼

21/11/2018

Wanna know why every time I hear Luke Bryan’s “Country Girl (Shake It For Me)” I think of my boyfriend, Kale?! 😂 Well I’m telling you anyways. 💁🏽 One of the questions I always ask my couples is “how did you guys meet?!” so I figure it’s probably time I share how Kale and I met! 👇🏼👇🏼👇🏼
I actually don’t remember the first time meeting Kale, I just remember we started hanging out in the same friend group about 5 years ago. The first time I remember actually talking to him was when I locked myself out of my college residence while I was decorating outside for Halloween. 😂🎃 I had to find the RA to unlock the door for me, and the closest residence/house with an RA in it turned out to be the one Kale lived in. I walked over to the house, in my socks and no shoes (because apparently I liked to decorate like that 🤷🏽‍♀️), and could see Kale dancing while cooking, utensil in hand and waving his arms around while singing. I rang the doorbell and when he opened the door I could hear Luke Bryan’s “Country Girl (Shake It For Me)” blasting in the background. 😂 That’s the first time I remember actually talking to him, and I’ve had a pretty freaking big crush on him ever since. I had to essentially convince him to date me after being friends for a year, but we’ve been together for just over 4 years now so I don’t feel thaaaaaaat bad about my peer pressuring. 💁🏽😂
Every time I hear that song I instantly think of him dancing away to it in his kitchen. 😂 I’m a sucker for stories, so tell me how you met your babe!

17/11/2018

I love this promise Kodi made to Jared in her vows! 😅 They have the best senses of humour and were laughing with (and definitely AT) each other throughout their wedding day 🙌🏼

I’m heading to Red Deer today for Kale’s Dad’s 60th birthday (🎉🎉🎉) and stopping in Lacombe on the way there to catch up with Kodi over something delicious at Sweet Capone’s! 🍰

How freaking cool is it that my job lets me meet awesome people like Kodi?! 🙌🏼 And that I get to eat dessert with them?! 😭❤️ I mean, I’m not sure if she’s getting dessert but I know I am 😂

15/11/2018

With it being World Diabetes Day today, I figured “what better time than now to start talking about my type 1 diabetes.” 💁🏽And hear me out. I am not coming on here to complain or to get sympathy from you. I am also not coming on here to make you feel like your struggles aren’t as big as mine. A struggle is a struggle, no matter the size. I’m coming on here and writing this because I feel like we don’t talk about our struggles as much as we should on social media, or in life in general, for fear of being vulnerable and fear of getting judged because we aren’t “perfect”. But let’s get real, sometimes things just SUCK. But they suck a whole lot less when you know you’re not the only one struggling with something, regardless of how big or small the struggle is. So I’m going to be sharing some of my story on here today, and in the future, in hopes of encouraging you to share some of your story and struggles, too. And to let you know that YOU ARE NOT ALONE, and that we’re all in this together (cue Zac Efron singing🎶). So here goes.

I was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes when I was 4. I honestly don’t remember life without it - it’s all I’ve ever known. Even though it’s all I’ve ever known, it’s definitely not easy. I’ve spent every day since my diagnosis having to poke my finger 10+ times a day, and giving myself a needle 4+ times a day. Before I can even think of putting something in my mouth, I need to test my blood, count the carbs in the food, and do insulin for it. Food isn’t just “food” to me. It’s what can either make my blood sugar skyrocket and make me feel nauseous from a high blood sugar, or it’s what can fix feeling shaky and out of it from a low blood sugar. I’m essentially manually doing my pancreases job, because it decided to quit on me, and it’s exhausting sometimes. My disease is constantly on my mind because it has to be. I NEED to carry a purse or bag everywhere I go, because I NEED to tote around glucose tabs, an insulin pen, pen syringes, test strips, alcohol swabs, and my blood glucose meter.

Taking care of my diabetes is just one of my struggles. Everyone’s got ‘em. So let’s start TALKING about our struggles instead of HIDING them. 🙋🏽❤️

08/11/2018

Kodi & Jared

Even though I’ve seen this section of Kodi Guilbault and Jared Guilbault’s highlight film 100+ times, it still doesn’t stop me from getting hella emotional (😭😭😭) by the time it gets to Jared reaching in his pocket for a Kleenex mid sentence during his vows. This section just gets me. EVERY. DAMN. TIME. 😭

If you’ve seen Kodi and Jared’s full highlight film, which part made you feel alllllll the feels?! I wanna know 👇🏼👇🏼👇🏼

And if you haven’t seen it, get your butt over to the pinned post on my page, or click the link in the first comment on this post, and be prepared to 😭 and 😂.

08/11/2018

Kodi & Jared’s Story

Kodi Guilbault and Jared Guilbault's highlight film is finally here! 🙌🏼🙌🏼🙌🏼 Grab your tissues, folks! You're gonna need them for this one! 😭

https://vimeo.com/wanderingpinesweddings/kodi-and-jared

Kodi and Jared's vows were so heartfelt and emotional, and they tell their story so well! I dare you to try to watch this without tearing up!

07/11/2018

Butt Smack

Grandmas are the best. 🙌🏼 Especially when they give you a thumbs up and then a butt smack on your way out of your ceremony. 😂🙌🏼🙌🏼🙌🏼

I’m sending Kodi Guilbault and Jared Guilbault's highlight film to them tomorrow and I’m SO FREAKING EXCITED FOR THEM TO SEE IT. I’m also a little nervous, because I changed things up a bit from what I normally do. Making changes is always hard, but I feel like I really really pushed myself to make this the highlight film that they deserve. And I can't wait to show you all!

05/11/2018

Is a thing? Even if it’s not, it’s happening anyways.👇🏼

When Kodi told me that her and Jared were getting married on a “wedding island,” I literally couldn’t picture what that would look like. Like, at all. 🙈 So when I showed up for her and Jared’s ceremony rehearsal at Wolf’s Botanical, I was pretty excited to see that this is what she meant! Literally a small island with a tiny lake around it. There was green EVERYWHERE 🌿🍃 and it was the cutest freaking place. I took this photo standing on the cute little bridge that led to the island, the one that Kodi and her dad walked across to get to the aisle on her wedding day.

I’m just finishing up Kodi and Jared’s highlight film and YOU GUYS. I’ve been 😭😭😭 a lot while editing it. It’ll be coming out later this week!

02/11/2018

Kodi and her mom's sweet moment

These are the moments I live for, the ones that you just can’t fake even if you try. 🙌🏼

I’m pretty sure I wasn’t the only one that was tearing up watching Kodi and her mom have the sweetest moment after Kodi got into her dress. 😭❤️ Like, COME ON. 😭😭😭

31/10/2018

Just a dork in a donut costume holding Halloween donuts from Tim Hortons 🙋🏽🍩 Can you tell by the way I’m looking at the spider donut in the second pic that I ate it approx. 30 seconds after taking these? 😂😂😂 Can you also tell that HALLOWEEN IS MY FAVOURITE DAY OF THE YEAR?! 🎃👻

What are you guys doing for Halloween?! Kale and I are going to go on a Ghost Tour in Old Strathcona tonight and I’m going to force him to dress in the banana costume that I just have casually in our closet 😂🍌

29/10/2018

You know those inspirational and slightly cheesy quote pics you see on Instagram all the time? Well I’m making my own version of them and using some of my favourite things said during wedding speeches for them. 😎 Because let’s get real, I love speeches so much. Like, they’re up there for being my favourite part of a wedding day. If you look over at me during them, 9 times out of 10 you’ll find me wiping tears from my eyes while filming so I can see my camera screen. 😭😭😭 I’m THAT person and I’ve got . 💁🏽

Kirsten’s dad called Joel a “gem” multiple times in his “Welcome to the Family” speech, and it was the sweetest freaking thing. So part of his speech is kicking off this new thang that I’m doing!

Aaaaaaaaaand if you haven’t seen Kirsten and Joel’s highlight film yet, check out the post before this!

20/10/2018

Kirsten & Joel's Story

KIRSTEN AND JOEL’S HIGHLIGHT FILM IS LIVE! 🎉 I want to ramble on and on and on about how freaking good these two are together, but I’ll let the film do all the talking. Trust me, it’s worth hitting the play button for 😭❤️ Kirsten Ostrosky

www.vimeo.com/wanderingpinesweddings/kirstenandjoel

Kirsten and Joel got married in the cutest 102 year old church and celebrated all night on their acreage with their friends and family!

20/10/2018

"No frickin way"

“No frickin way” is Joel’s reaction to Kirsten’s gift to him on their wedding morning - find out why tomorrow morning at 9AM when their highlight film goes LIVE 🙌🏼

I couldn’t help but post a sneak peek because I’M SO FREAKING EXCITED YOU GUYS.

19/10/2018

Mom's are the best!

Moms are the freaking best, aren’t they?! Especially when they’re killing it on the dance floor with you. Speaking of Moms, it’s my mama bears 50th birthday today, and I could not be more grateful for having her in my life. ❤️ One of my favourite things about her is that when she finds something really funny, SHE CAN’T STOP LAUGHING. To the point that people start to look. Any when they look, they’re looking at both of us because I inherited that from her, and when the two of us get going it turns into a full blown, out of control situation. 😂 It happens a lot in movie theatres. Take my mom to a comedy, like “The House” with Amy Poehler and Will Ferrell in it, and you’ll guaranteed have a moment like this with her. You’ll look over and see her eyes squinting and hear hardly any sound coming out of her mouth because she’s laughing so hard. Once she starts laughing like that, I start laughing at her and then eventually with her and it gets ridiculous. I have the same stupid sense of humour as her, and it’s one of my favourite things about us. Shannon Schwartz ❤️🙋🏽
What’s something you love about your relationship with your mom?! I wanna hear it 👇🏼

17/10/2018

It’s 24 degrees outside right now. And 25.5 degrees inside our apartment. So that’s a thing. 😅 Anyone else confused AF about the weather this week in Edmonton?! My first fall in Edmonton and I have no idea what’s going on 😂

17/10/2018

"Show me your best dance moves!"

Y’all are probably celebrating the legalization of ma*****na happening tomorrow and I’m just over here celebrating that I can finally go get my flu shot. 😂😂😂 My immune system peaced out when my pancreas did because type 1 diabetes is a bitch. 💁🏽 And if you’re not into me talking about my diabetes every now and then, this isn’t the place for you to be 👋🏼

Also, this is what happens when you yell “Show me your best dance moves” obnoxiously while filming 😂

15/10/2018

Is it concerning that the first thing that popped into my head when I was like “I need to introduce myself on here” is Snoop Dogg’s intro in California Girls? You know the one. The slightly creepy one. “Greetings, loved ones. Let’s take a journey.” So there’s my intro 😂 I’m Courtney, the face behind Wandering Pines Weddings. 🙋🏽 Things are going to start getting waaaaaaaay more personal around here. I’ll be posting more personal content instead of JUST weddings like I have been. I have also sucked at posting regularly on social media (like.. ever since I started this thang), so this is going to be a huge change for me. But I’m doing it. And it’s starting with a random story about me and what I always think of when I hear “California Girls.” When I was in high school, my family went to Hawaii and we rented a Jeep. My brother and I thought we were the s**t riding around in the back of that thing with the top down. That song was extremely popular then, and we wanted it to play on the radio so bad when we were in the Jeep so that we could belt out “We freak in my Jeep, Snoop Doggy Dogg on the stereo, oh-oh,” at the top of our lungs. We went the entire trip without hearing the song, until it finally played on the last day we were there and we LOST OUR FREAKING MINDS and it was THE BEST🙌🏼😂 Every time I hear that Katy Perry and Snoop Dogg song it brings me right back to that trip.

Is there a song that takes you back to an awesome memory as soon as you hear it?!

12/10/2018

Daylynn & Teagan

These two are the goofiest when they’re together and it’s THE FREAKING BEST. They’re also huuuuuuuuge fans of The Office, so obviously we get along great 💁🏽

07/10/2018

ABC 7 News - WJLA

We’ve got so much to be thankful for this weekend, and every day. Don’t take your loved ones for granted. ❤️

TEARJERKER ALERT: During the father/daughter dance portion of this bride's wedding, all five of her brothers took turns dancing with her to the song "Fathers & Daughters," which had clips of her dad's voice from home movies edited into it. Their father passed away suddenly in 2015.

READ MORE: https://bit.ly/2E1Ruhr

03/10/2018

“On Wednesday’s we wear pink.” And laugh at inappropriate jokes. 😂

Anyone who knows me knows that I have to watch a movie approximately 10 times to be able to quote something from it. Mean Girls is the only movie I can confidently quote because I’ve seen it way too many times. Like, too many to count. 😂 Please tell me I’m not the only one!?!! How many times have you watched it?!

27/09/2018

Kirsten loves succulents, so it was only natural for her to have them in her bouquet. And what a bouquet 😍 She mentioned to me she was thinking of planting them after her wedding day, and I thought that was the freaking coolest idea 🌵Any other awesome ideas on what to do with your bouquet after your wedding day?! I wanna hear them in the comments!👇🏼

06/09/2018

This is the magic that happens when you tell Taylor Mae Johnson and Kristofer Donald to take a moment and talk about how their wedding day has been so far. 😍🙌🏼 I’m so so SO honoured that they let me be their paparazzi last weekend for their big day! ❤️

04/09/2018

Wandering Pines

Incase you haven’t yet, go check out the new site!

www.wanderingpines.com

Edmonton Wedding Videographer. Unfiltered Stories Celebrating The Wholeheartedly In Love.

31/08/2018

What Wandering Pines Is All About

This is what Wandering Pines is all about! Dancing obnoxiously, double-chin laughter, happy tears, and all of the moments that happen in between.

Check out my new website to see what else Wandering Pines is centred around! And obviously let me know what you think! 🙋🏽

www.wanderingpines.com

31/08/2018

I feel like tearing it up on the dance floor like Daylynn Drever did last weekend because MY WEBSITE IS GOING LIVE TOMORROW! 🎉🙌🏼

29/08/2018

Those moments right after you’re officially pronounced Mr. and Mrs. 🎉🙌🏼

I have basically the same excitement level as these two now that I’m finally back in Edmonton (after being in SK most of August) and can finally start editing my butt off 🙋🏽

18/08/2018

Lauren and Matt giggled their way though their entire day in Elkwater! My cheeks hurt by the end of the day from laughing so much with them! 🙌🏼 These are the best kind of moments!