Lethbridge Weddings & Portrait Photography by Tanya Plonka

Weddings and events may have been postponed in 2020 due to COVID, but once restrictions eased up in the summer, everyone was grateful to spend time outdoors with their families! I was so thankful we have such beautiful, wide open outdoor spaces around Lethbridge so I could keep photographing all of these awesome families. I ended up hoarse on many occasions from yelling through my mask, but it was always worth it.

Two of the biggest trends I noticed this year were all of the babies who arrived (and these aren’t even the quarantine babies yet!) and all of the larger families who made an effort to celebrate important anniversaries and birthdays. I adapted quickly by bringing most of the newborns outdoors on warm days and talking their parents through poses. Everyone did so well!

Some highlights from 2020 include not one but TWO marriage proposals, a cat birthday, and a few more secret projects to come that I can’t share yet, including album art for local musicians and a children’s book. Each season was so amazing this year, from the long blossom season we had to the vibrant colours in the fall. Even the early snow was warm enough for outdoor photos!

Melinda’s secret plan to propose to her boyfriend Gage during their session turned into an even bigger surprise for her with double proposal engagement photos!

As far as Gage knew (or so we thought), he and Melinda were going to have a couples photoshoot in the river bottom…

When Meg wanted to ask her partner Shieghla to marry her, she decided it was going to be a group effort. After first asking Shieghla’s children for permission, she arranged a gift certificate with me. Their Waterton surprise proposal session was disguised as family photos for an anniversary gift. Meg then had oversized custom Scrabble tiles made by Nixynn Fine Wood Products – Scrabble is one of their favourite hobbies to do together – and came up with a plan for their family members to sneak the tiles into the session.

I met up with the family at Linnet Lake to start with regular portraits, and work through some of Meaghan’s nerves until she was ready to ask the question!

Finally it was time at the Prince of Wales! Meg and I had shared diagrams and code words before the proposal session. I asked the other family members to stand to the side while I took photos of the couple, giving them a chance to stealthily pull the Scrabble tiles out.

Shieghla was shocked and had never expected it! (Of course she said yes!) Her and Meg were so lost in the moment, they didn’t even hear the onlooking tourists clapping for them!

Congratulations, Meg and Shieghla!

Natasha followed the advice to find someone who makes you laugh in her relationship with Ernest. During their Japanese Garden engagement session, Ernest never went more than a few minutes without cracking a joke and making Natasha (and me) laugh!

I first met Natasha through her work. She is an amazing florist in Calgary who owns Flower Aura by Natasha, so it was fitting many of the flowers in the garden were still in bloom.

Nikka Yuko is currently offering photoshoots outside of regular garden hours to better accommodate social distancing. This meant we had a super private photoshoot and walking tour of the Japanese Garden with not a single person around! It was definitely worth the couple making the drive down for the day to take advantage of this gorgeous spot.

Elsa and Larry’s adorable interactions together stood out at a family member’s wedding last year when we first met them. I was so excited when they called me to photograph their own wedding. As I expected, they got even cuter when all the attention was on them! They were full of non-stop laughter during their Lethbridge winter engagement photos.

We chose the river bottom as their photo location because of the importance the area has to them. It’s been the location of their favourite dates and was where Larry popped the question. Elsa had a few spots in mind for their wedding photos later in the year, so we picked an alternative this time and ventured into the Helen Schuler Nature Reserve. It was such a gorgeous winter day, which was ironic since the wedding where I met them was much colder and snowier but in the autumn!

Nancy and Brett had their hearts set on the mountains for their session while still capturing rustic engagement photos. Coleman in the Crowsnest Pass had just the right feel for everything! After some woodsy vibes at the Miner’s Path, we went to the wide open valley that overlooks the mountains and then to downtown. They had one of their first dates in downtown Coleman near where we did the later portion of their photos. As soon as we arrived, they started smiling and reminiscing!

Despite having to get up early for the drive to the Crowsnest Pass, Nancy and Brett were so cheery and energetic. Their adoration for each other is almost contagious. Only a few minutes into our session, Nancy apologized: “Sorry if we’re kissing too much; we just can’t stop!”