I was the second shooter at this couples wedding in the fall of 2020. This was the first wedding I had the pleasure of attending during COVID and after my masters, which made it really special, and so you can imagine how freaking excited I was to be asked to do their Edmonton maternity photos.
Not only are they such a beautiful couple, but Helen while pregnant? A literal GODDESS. ✨✨
I don’t know if it’s just the halo-esque sun flare around her face in the one photo that has me feeling this way (she looks like an angel) – but it’s definitely also just a fact.
And do you know what’s another fact? Well… a fun fact about me anyway.
I have been obsessed with “baby names” since I was a pre-teen. I have made infinite lists, always enjoy looking at which names are becoming more popular each year, and am always immedietely curious as to what expectant mamas are thinking about naming their babies (I was so dang antsy to know what this gorgeous mama names her baby boy).
I think part of this is because my name is quite unusual – Kassia pronounced Ka-sha (there are in fact three seperate pronounciations that I accept – with different groups of people in my life each calling me a different one). A traditional eastern European name gifted to me through my eastern European family. A name spoken differently in my two familial tongues – the German sounding so soothing and perfect to my ears. And so perhaps names are something so much bigger to me.
Names signify ancestry. They can represent heritage and resilience and survival. They show the love of family and the embodiment of our roots. Names can absolutely be products of trends and popular media and society. But they can be symbols of honour and family and ethnicity too. They’re magical that way, and are unique as me or anyone of you.
I absolutely adore doing Edmonton maternity photos, as they spend me down this spiral thinking about heritage and generations and names and how incredibly important all those things are. And I get to see the continuation of it all, matched with the joy and hope that the parents are pouring into this little loved one. It’s just so special.
