Lethbridge Weddings & Portrait Photography by Tanya Plonka

Nicole and Brandon’s Italian Canadian Centre autumn wedding was well worth the wait! Their wedding planning started pre-COVID and they were finally able to have the wedding they wanted with all of their family and friends there.

Back in high school, they had made a bet with a staff member that if they got married, she would come to the wedding. That bet came to fruition, and they had her perform the marriage ceremony! Their vows were full of laughter and happy tears, especially when they first saw each other in the aisle. All of Brandon’s tension melted away when he had his first look at Nicole, and she was overcome with very teary smiles.

They booked a fantastic car to get around for their photos, a classic Lincoln from 94 Cabs, which made for amazing photos. This was the very first wedding the car has been used for since it was restored, so it was quite an honour to try it out. We had such a great time out for photos with them, especially thanks to their hilarious friends who had no shortage of great poses and jokes to make the couple laugh.

Congratulations, Nicole and Brandon!

p.s. A huge thank you to Matthew from Aspire Photography who helped me out when Cam wasn’t feeling well!

Rebecca and Colin planned their Trinity Reformed Church autumn wedding with splashes of yellow, which worked out perfectly with the fall colours in Pavan Park that day! We were originally going to do portraits at Henderson Lake, but after a windy week I’m so glad we made the decision to switch spots.

I first met Rebecca at her sister’s wedding a few years ago, so it was amazing to see her again so in love. Her and Colin are a perfect match, constantly making each other laugh. I think there were a few times they got so caught up in the moment with each other that they forgot their wedding party was even there!

We did all of their portraits with their wedding party before their ceremony, which was a perfect way to spend the warm afternoon. Their families then met us at Trinity Reformed Church for their ceremony. The church’s long aisle and steps to the alter were perfect for showing off Rebecca’s beautiful long lace train on her wedding dress.

Congratulations, Rebecca and Colin!

When Emily and Cody’s plans for a destination wedding in 2020 didn’t pan out, they kept the idea of a destination but made it a little more local! Their families joined them for an outdoor Waterton autumn wedding at the Waterton Lakes Lodge Resort. With perfect weather, they were able to have their ceremony outside on the resort’s green space. Emily’s dad performed the ceremony, making it extra special. It was such a joyful day for everyone involved. The couple weren’t the only ones smiling and laughing non-stop!

Their wedding was incredibly timed with the fall colours this year! Waterton was covered in rich yellows, reds, and oranges with still a bit of green left, and all of the new growth is so vibrant as it bounces back from the Kenow Fire. We took them to the entrance of the Bertha Lake hike to take full advantage of the colour. Emily and Cody were totally down for a small hike! They even received a few bonus congratulations from the last hikers of the season.

Congratulations, Emily and Cody!

Ami-Marie and Devin’s Readymade autumn wedding was full of laughter and happy tears… many, many happy tears. Ami-Marie spent a good chunk of the day reassuring people through her sobbing that she was very happy despite all the crying!

The couple met while working at the University of Lethbridge so we started the day there. For their first look, we picked the amazing staircase in the building where they first met. (With lots of tears, of course.) We later learned Ami-Marie would make special trips to visit Devin. They truly have a story of love at first sight!

They chose the Readymade Community Centre as both their ceremony and reception venue in large part because of its proximity to Ami’s family’s farm where she grew up. Their reception program highlighted parent speeches that felt more like comedy routines than a proper welcome to the family. It was quickly obvious where Ami-Marie and Devin get their senses of humour from!

It’s been ten years since I first met Ami-Marie at her friend’s wedding and I’m so happy to see her at this point in her life so in love with Devin!

Congratulations, Ami-Marie and Devin!

Erin and Taylor chose the most beautiful day to have their Lethbridge City Hall spring wedding. This was the first day of spring where it truly felt like summer was on its way and the air was filled with the sweet smell of tree blossoms everywhere we went.

We arrived in time for Erin to have her “assembly line” of first looks in her parents’ back yard. Her father got to have the first first look, followed by Taylor once he arrived with his groomsmen. Erin’s dad won the award for most crying during the first look :)

After portraits at Aperture Park, they headed to City Hall for their ceremony. Edgar the Barnowl presenting their wedding rings offered a unique touch to the day! He was very well behaved during the entire ceremony.

The day had already been filled with tons of laughter, but once the reception rolled around and everyone had time to relax and visit with each other, the laughter was non-stop! We had trouble prying ourselves away from all the happy dancers even after our photo coverage was over :)

Congratulations, Erin and Taylor!

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Koralee and Colin looked gorgeous for their summer wedding! We met up with them and their family at Henderson Lake, just after their ceremony and lunch, and were greeted with a beautiful sunny day.

The highlight of their day were their Diamond City cattle ranch wedding photos, kindly coordinated by one of the groomsmen and his connections. The location had everything Koralee was looking for: sprawling fields, groves of trees, coulee cliffs, and some local residents (of the cow variety plus one protective horse) to add some character to the background. We went off-roading with their driver from California Dream Limo to get there and had so many great spots to work with!

Their wedding party were hilarious and kept them giggling all day. The guys were great sports coming up with poses for holding the bouquets and the girls pulled all their strength together to lift up Colin. Every once in a while we’d send them off into the shade so Kora and Colin could have a few private moments together without teasing ;)

Congratulations, Koralee and Colin!

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