Lethbridge Weddings & Portrait Photography by Tanya Plonka

Matthew wanted to give his bride-to-be Sarah a proper tour of his home town area when they travelled here for their wedding. They hit the best of everything with a Bayshore Inn ceremony and Readymade wedding reception, with getting ready photos in Lethbridge. Arriving for their photos in Waterton was Sarah’s first ever visit to the national park! We all wished for less smoke so Sarah could see how amazing the mountains are, but could catch just enough of them fading into the horizon.

Sarah looked stunning with a classic, romantic look, and Matthew wore his military formal wear. They looked amazing together. Following us throughout the day was their daughter who had so much fun that she couldn’t stop shouting “Yay!”. It was contagious and made everyone around her also exclaim with joy! Sarah and Matthew could not stop grinning at each other and their daughter all day.

After a first look at Cameron Falls, portraits at the Prince of Wales, and an outdoor ceremony at the Bayshore Inn lawn, they and their guests headed closer to home. Their fun reception was held at the Readymade hall where we were joined by all of the guests who weren’t able to make it to Waterton but still wanted to help them celebrate.

Congratulations, Sarah and Matthew!

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Earlier this year I had another opportunity to second shoot for the lovely Photography by Andrea Hulst when she invited me to Henk and Melinda’s wedding. We started the morning in Picture Butte while the couple got ready at their family homes and then joined them at the Netherlands Reformed Congregation for their ceremony. We spent the rest of the afternoon doing their early spring Lethbridge wedding photography around the river bottom parks, hunting for the first signs of spring that were starting to appear.

Congratulations, Melinda and Henk!

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Mandy and Chris had an intimate Southminster United Church chapel wedding in the evening. They included so many unique touches in their ceremony. In place of a sand ceremony, they poured their favorite gummy candies together with their boys, and at the end served their guests champagne in custom flutes with a toast to their friends and family.

After the ceremony, we went out for photos with them and their boys. The boys had so much fun exploring the coulees that their clean suits didn’t stay that way for very long! All it did was add to the realism of what daily life is like ;)

Despite the smokey air, Mandy and Chris were in amazing spirits and so elated to be in each other’s company. Mandy was constantly bursting into happy laughter whenever Chris held or kissed her!

Congratulations, Mandy and Chris!

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Raylene and Mitchell chose an amazing location with their Flumerfelt Park outdoor wedding ceremony at the entrance to the Miner’s Path in Coleman. Surrounded by trees and their favorite people, they said their I do’s while constantly grinning at each other. When Raylene reached the top of the aisle, Mitchell took her hand, faced their guests, and gestured to her saying, “Wow! Am I right?”

Their ceremony location made it super easy to start photos after! We headed down the Miner’s Path with their hilarious wedding party who knew how to flawlessly switch between smiles and super serious intense model posing ;)

Next we took the couple over to Crowsnest Lake where they could have a little more romantic alone time. To finish off their day, they met back up with their friends and family for the reception at the Bamboo Bistro in Blairmore.

Congratulations, Raylene and Mitchell!

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Erik and Alena began planning their Mount Norquay Banff wedding well in advance. It was so exciting when the date finally arrived as this was our first time photographing a wedding in Banff!

The couple got ready in adjacent rooms at the Hidden Ridge Resort so we were able to easily bounce back and forth between them. While we were there they opened heart felt gifts from each other. They hadn’t even seen each other yet and the tears were starting!

Their ceremony took place outdoors at Norquay under the gorgeous mountain vistas. Everything was so beautiful there that we didn’t need to travel very far for their portraits! Wind blew smoke from the forest fires to line the mountain tops, but enough of the amazing view still peeked through the haze. The best spot to make use of this was when we rode the chairlift up to the Cliffhouse Bistro. Even with the smoke hugging the mountains, it was so scenic. While up there, Alena and Erik were serenaded by some tourists who gave their well wishes. :)

Alena and Erik are so perfect together. I loved watching the kind way they interact and the twinkling in their eyes when they look at each other. It was amazing for them to be surrounded by their dearest friends, especially since it’s all thanks to these friends that the two of them met in the first place!

Congratulations, Erik and Alena!

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After meeting in New Zealand, where Steven is originally from, he and Willianne chose Canada as the perfect place to have their wedding. The couple moved back to Alberta in the days leading up to the event and many of their friends and Steven’s family made the long trip to join them on this special day.

They began the morning with their Southminster United Church wedding ceremony. Since their wedding had hints of a country feel interspersed throughout the day, the church perfectly complemented it with its vintage wood detailing.

After a family lunch in Indian Battle Park, we set off for photos. We were lucky again to work with a couple who had such a romantic feel to their interactions and their entire day! Willianne and Steven radiate a peacefulness when they are in each other’s arms and were so sweet to watch.

Willianne chose her parents’ yard for their outdoor reception. What a gorgeous venue it made! Their beautifully landscaped yard in the country side was set up with a large decorated tent, different treat stations, and a BBQ dinner prepared on site. It was a perfect venue for mingling and laughter on such a nice summer evening.

Congratulations, Willianne and Steven!

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