Lethbridge Weddings & Portrait Photography by Tanya Plonka

2019 was a busy one for us with Cam and I travelling all over the province! We got to take photos in some fun new places this year, including Heritage Acres and Boulder Run in Pincher Creek, the town of De Winton, and the rooftop patio of the Helen Schuler Nature Centre. Waterton was a very popular destination this year and we spent so much time there, I considered setting up a tent!

The winter weddings started in September with our first huge snowfall of the season, giving their Brazilian guests a real taste of Canada.

Animals stole the show many times this year. One couple was stalked by a cat, another bride included her pet cow in photos, and so many dogs got to witness their people get married.

From a red wedding dress to Harry Potter magic to alleyway beer shotgunning, 2019 was an unforgettable year.

I hope you enjoy looking through our best wedding photos of 2019 as much as I liked choosing them!

Cassie and Chelsea travelled south for their intimate Waterton wedding ceremony at the Bayshore Inn. As a child, Cassie would go to Waterton with her grandparents every summer. Choosing to get married there meant that now Chelsea could bring her grandpa back to the park! They could not have picked a more special location :)

Only their immediate family and a handful of friends were present and their wedding took place in Waterton’s off season. It made it feel like they had most of the park to themselves! (Other than us running into a random tour bus full of people at Cameron Falls!)

Their ceremony was instantly adorable as Chelsea started giggling uncontrollably as she came down the aisle. She only stopped giggling to cry at a handful of emotional moments during their vows. Meanwhile, their dogs Rufus and Winston tried to steal attention away by crawling under the guest’s chairs and excitedly jumping on anyone who came too close to say hello. By the end of the ceremony, they were so excited that they could finally get hugs from their moms!

Chelsea and Cassie were so great to work with, happily braving crazy wind and hiking over rocky beaches in their dresses. They rarely quit breaking into laughter and stealing kisses, and we may have caught a few butt grabs when they thought no one was looking.

Congratulations, Cassie & Chelsea!

When Andrea and Jason planned their Bayshore Inn wedding elopement, it was important that their families be the main focus. Both were bringing their amazing daughters into this new family and they played an important part in the ceremony. Andrea and Jason each read special vows to their new daughters, and the girls then did a necklace ceremony for each other as a joining of new sisters. There was not a dry eye through the ceremony, with Jason’s parents and sister hugging the girls for comfort in this overwhelmingly happy event.

Rain did not damper anyone spirits, and the staff at the Bayshore graciously let us use their indoor space while we waited for the downpour to end. Everything cleared just in time for the outdoor wedding ceremony, with kisses of sunlight right as Andrea and Jason shared their first married kiss! Everyone shared a toast on the Bayshore Chophouse’s patio before we headed over for a few last photos at Cameron Falls.

Congratulations, Andrea and Jason!

I knew when Deandra excitedly started her early wedding planning that not a detail would be missed. Her and Phil’s elegant Bayshore Inn wedding did not disappoint! The beautiful touches of soft pink throughout the decor and wardrobe created a luxurious feel while the natural elements like pine cones and baby’s breath tied everything back into the mountain scenery.

Phil knew right from the start that Deandra was the woman he wanted to marry. It showed every time he looked at her and a smile instantly came across his face. Deandra took Phil’s breath away as her brothers walked her down the aisle. Deandra had the biggest smile come over her as she peeked around the corner of the aisle to catch her first glimpse of Phil.

Their dog Meeka was quite the show stealer throughout the day, joyfully rolling in the grass and getting pets from anyone who crossed paths with her. When Deandra and her bridesmaids first saw Meeka out with the groomsmen at the Bayshore, the room quickly turned into a chorus of, “Aww, Meeka!” from everyone there. Meeka was so chill about the event and probably thought the day was just for her.

Congratulations, Deandra and Phil!

I did a little jump for joy when Kendal and Mike first contacted me and let me know they were having a Harry Potter themed wedding in Waterton this summer. I was excited to see what they came up with, and they did not disappoint with their attention to detail. On the surface everything had a classic, romantic look with Harry Potterisms sprinkled throughout. Each bridesmaid had a bouquet in her own house colours. Their reception decorations were beautifully detailed, and the official soundtrack from the movies filled the room during dinner. We even worked a little magic casting into their wedding portraits. ;)

It came as no surprise then that Kendal, Mike, and their friends were going to be a fun group of people to hang out with! They have such a supportive group of people around them, lightening the mood whenever emotions became too overwhelming and being silly at all the right times (are there many wrong times for that, though?).

Kendal and Mike chose a wedding date of great importance to them. It was the anniversary of their first date as well as when Mike proposed. This meant having their wedding on a weekday for a much less busy Waterton! It gave them a little added privacy to get lost in each other.

Congratulations, Kendal & Mike!

Our summer of smoky skies hit its peak for Kyle and Julia’s wedding. The day before their Bayshore Inn outdoor wedding ceremony, the town of Waterton was put under evacuation alert due to a new nearby fire! Luckily the conditions held and everything went ahead as planned. (The happy ending is the next day saw a huge downpour that helped to lift the alert!)

Julia and Kyle have a love at first sight story and continue to look at each other with that intensity. Both of them were so emotional at the ceremony, quickly shifting from happy tears to giant smiles.

Their wedding party kept them laughing all day and made the best use of their half day in Waterton by exploring the landscape. From going barefoot in the water to using downed trees as balance beams, they made use of all the nature around them! Kyle and Julia have such special relationships with their family that their siblings are also considered friends to each of them and were an obvious choice to have in their party.

Once we completed photos in Waterton, we drove out to Cardston for their tent reception at Kyle’s dad’s ranch where they were free to party all night.

Congratulations, Julia and Kyle!

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