Lethbridge Weddings & Portrait Photography by Tanya Plonka

Michelle & Oscar traveled all the way from Calgary for their Crowsnest Pass “winter” wedding. It may have taken place in the spring, but it sure looked like winter! Just days before, and even the next day, the grass had been turning green and there were no more hints of winter. Out of no where came a heavy snowfall warning for all of southern Alberta. We definitely lucked out as a few places had more of a rainy snow, but the Crowsnest Pass looked like something out of a fairy tale. Plus, by the time we headed outside, most of the heavy snowfall had stopped, leaving only gorgeous snow covered landscapes.

The Crowsnest Pass was a perfect fit for their wedding as it allowed them to get married in the mountains and still include family in a special way. Their ceremony was performed at the Holy Trinity Roman Catholic Church in Blairmore by Michelle’s uncle. It was an intimate ceremony with their closest friends and family. Their ceremony was so emotional and full of so many happy tears and laughter.

After the ceremony, we explored the Crowsnest Pass with Oscar and Michelle and their two friends. It was fun having another couple as their bridal party because I could get them to be all cute and intimate too (normally that would be a little awkward!). They were so much fun and I loved all of the excitement they expressed over the landscapes. I sometimes take it for granted having grown up there, but they reminded me just how beautiful it is!

Oscar and Michelle are so sweet together and I know they are going to have such a happy life.

Congratulations, Oscar & Michelle!

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It is always so amazing watching the people I grew up with move through such huge milestones in their lives. Erika and Josh’s wedding was a big one for me, and now they have had their first baby! I am so happy and excited for them and it was obvious they are feeling those same things; they were radiating so much positivity at their Crowsnest Pass mountain maternity session. Even as we walked between locations, they couldn’t help but discuss big plans for their little girl (like how she totally needs a tree house to play with her dolls)!

I’m so excited to get to meet little Molly very soon!

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I’m so excited to work with Kayla and Jeff for their Crowsnest Pass wedding next summer! I’ve already done a few photos with Kayla when she was a bridesmaid in her sister Erika’s wedding, so it will be fun for them to trade places this time. We headed out to the Pass for their winter engagement session to get some gorgeous snowy winter photos in the trees, and luckily our chilly week of -20C finally broke and we had warm weather and sun :)

We began the session on the Miner’s Path for some nature images and even with the warm weather, the snow still seems so untouched and fresh there. (We just had to be SUPER careful over the icy paths!). Afterwards, to get a better splash of color in the photos, we visited the old buildings of downtown Coleman and by then we were quite happy to be back in the sunlight!

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Sisters Gail, Val, Bev, Teresa, and Angie were all reunited for the first time in 8 long years for a special vacation just for the five of them. The odds were so against us as their trip and our session were scheduled over the same weekend of the catastrophic Alberta flooding, with many of the sisters flying in from Calgary and our session being in the Crowsnest Pass, but things somehow sorted themselves out! We even got to visit the Miner’s Path and avoided all flooded areas. The ladies were so much fun and so joyous around each other; it was clear they had missed each others’ company! (more…)

Alyssa and Drew love the mountains so much that even though their wedding will be held in Lethbridge, it was important to do most of their photos somewhere not so flat! We drove out to the Crowsnest Pass for the afternoon for their engagement session, and yes, this was also on the windy weekend of doom but we managed just fine! (Other than almost blowing over into the Frank Slide with one gust, of course.) They are so cute and I’m sad I have to wait a year for their wedding! (more…)

Alison and Sean are ALL about the mountains; their wedding this summer will be held in Waterton, and for engagement photos they were thrilled with the idea of taking a day trip to the Crowsnest Pass for some beautiful snowy images. Well, Alison was thrilled… Sean just had to pretend to be for her sake ;) I had so much fun with them and I’m so excited for their wedding later this year! (more…)