A Beautiful County Wedding for Colleen & Stephen | Strathcona County Wedding Photographer

09/12/2026 | Redtree Photography | Associate Photographer Kristina, Kristina

There is something so special about photographing weddings close to home, especially when the couple chooses to incorporate the beautiful countryside of Strathcona County into their wedding day. On Saturday, Kristina photographed the wedding of Colleen & Stephen, and their day was filled with so many of the things we love about County weddings: a charming historic church, a relaxed community-centre reception, beautiful Alberta scenery, and plenty of personal touches.

We were so honoured that Colleen & Stephen included us in their wedding day!

A St. Margaret’s Church Wedding Near Hastings Lake

Colleen & Stephen began their wedding day with their ceremony at St. Margaret’s Church, a beautiful historic church located in the rural Strathcona County area near Hastings Lake. The church dates back to 1912 and has a wonderful old-fashioned Alberta character that makes it such a meaningful setting for a wedding ceremony.

There is something particularly beautiful about photographing weddings in these little rural churches. They have so much history and character, and they feel completely different from a large traditional wedding venue.

After the ceremony, the celebration continued at Hastings Lake Community Hall, located just down the road in the Hastings Lake area. The community hall is a great example of the kind of local Alberta venue that can make a wedding feel comfortable, personal and completely your own. The hall includes a kitchen, stage, dance floor and space for up to 100 guests.

For couples planning a wedding around Hastings Lake, Sherwood Park or rural Strathcona County, this area offers so many opportunities for beautiful wedding photography.

Wedding Formals at the Acreage

One of our favourite parts of Colleen & Stephen’s day was getting to bring their formal portraits back to Kristina’s acreage.

As photographers who live and work in the County, we absolutely love having access to the rural landscape around us. Acreage wedding portraits can have such a beautiful, relaxed feeling — tall grasses, open fields, trees, country roads and all those little details that make Alberta’s countryside feel like home.

And Saturday was starting to give us a little hint that fall is on its way.

The grass is beginning to pick up those beautiful golden-yellow tones, and you can just feel the season starting to change. We’re not quite into full fall colour yet, but that first little touch of yellow is there. Can you feel it too?

It was the perfect backdrop for Colleen & Stephen’s wedding portraits.

Personal Details That Made Their Wedding Their Own

Colleen & Stephen kept so much of their wedding personal and meaningful, with many of the details being done themselves.

Her beautiful Stella York wedding dress was purchased through a small consignment store that has since closed, making it a particularly special find. Her bridesmaids wore dresses purchased from David’s Bridal.

For her wedding-day beauty, Kristina from Salon Sareptacious took care of her hair. Located in New Sarepta, Salon Sareptacious is just southeast of Edmonton and offers bridal hair and makeup services.

And when it came time to feed everyone, The Cookshack BBQ catered the celebration. Based in Nisku, The Cookshack specializes in slow-smoked BBQ, including brisket, ribs, pork, chicken and sausage, and offers catering for events.

Their officiant was Pat Steffes, who helped make their ceremony part of such a meaningful day.

A Strathcona County Wedding Full of Heart

One of the things we love most about photographing weddings is that no two wedding days look exactly the same. Colleen & Stephen’s day wasn’t about following a particular formula — it was about creating a celebration that felt like them.

From their ceremony at a historic rural church, to portraits at an acreage, to a community-centre reception with food from a local BBQ caterer, their wedding felt wonderfully connected to the place they call home.

And as Edmonton wedding photographers and Strathcona County wedding photographers, those are some of our favourite weddings to photograph.

There is something pretty magical about a wedding day that lets you slow down, take in the scenery and enjoy the people around you.

Colleen & Stephen, thank you so much for trusting us to photograph your wedding. We loved being part of your day and capturing these memories for you. Congratulations to you both!

Wedding Vendors

Photography: RedTree Photography — Kristina
Ceremony: St. Margaret’s Church
Reception: Hastings Lake Community Hall
Hair: Salon Sareptacious
Catering: The Cookshack BBQ
Wedding Dress: Stella York
Bridesmaid Dresses: David’s Bridal
Officiant: Pat Steffes
Nails: Get Naild by Lisa
Other Details: DIY by the couple