Lethbridge Weddings & Portrait Photography by Tanya Plonka

I was so excited when Joshua contacted me that he wanted to do a Winter Light Festival proposal for his girlfriend Makayla. Our original plan was for me to creep in the bushes, but once Makayla started dropping hints that she’d love professional photos for Christmas, Joshua and I had a much easier plan to work with!

I met up with them just outside of Nikka Yuko Japanese Garden so we could do the proposal in the lit entrance way and then head inside for the rest of their engagement photos. We almost hit a snag with how super busy the garden was that night. Not only would privacy be impossible, but there was barely room to even pose in the spot we had planned! Somehow, just as it was time, the crowd disappeared and everything went perfectly. According to Makayla, the proposal was not a surprise at all ;)

We had the most perfect night that had snow on the ground, was warm enough, and not at all windy. Makayla and Joshua were constantly congratulated by the other guests, and everyone was so awesome for making sure we had uninterrupted space for photos. They were so much fun and had me laughing all night! Even one of the staff members commented on how much he loved their vibe!

Kendra and DJ already have a family together, but their Norland Estate winter wedding was a party to make it official! They invited their closest family and friends and themed the event around the Christmas holidays. Kendra hoped for snow but in true Lethbridge fashion we got a wind warning instead. In the end this worked to our advantage because it gave us the most beautiful golden hour!

Despite the wind, everyone was great about taking photos outside. There was even enough snow left for Kendra’s wintery wishes! Once twilight hit, we went back out for a few more photos. The gazebo is so beautifully lit at night and the Norland looks incredible decked out for Christmas.

Their daughter Addison had an absolute blast all day and didn’t even need a nap break! Kendra and DJ made sure a lot of the day focused on her. After she spent the afternoon getting ready with her parents, she was ready to greet all of their guests and then take part in photos. She didn’t mind the wind one bit! At dinner, she got to sit right between her mom and dad at the head table.

It was so great to spend another day with this sweet family (we also did Kendra’s brother’s wedding).

Congratulations, Kendra and DJ!

Just as I had been wanting to do witch-themed photos, I was serendipitously contacted by a group of friends who were planning a girls’ weekend away in Lethbridge in the coming summer. They wanted to dress up like a coven for a fun photoshoot during their trip. It was incredibly hard to wait the many months until their visit, but soooo worth the wait!

Chelsey, Joanne, and Trish absolutely killed it. They selected sexy black outfits all with unique personality and enlisted the talents of Katt Panic for their makeup.

I had so much fun with these women, and they were up for anything! I got everyone to levitate, they climbed on trees in their dresses and heels, and by the end they braved the cold to make use of some creative lighting after dark. The best part of the session was their energy and the positivity they gave to each other, encouraging each of their friends and telling them how sexy they were.

This was easily my favourite photos session this year and I’m so thankful you ladies found me!

Halloween is by far my favourite holiday, so you can imagine my excitement when Jessica and Dustin contacted me while planning their Halloween sunset wedding. Jessica adores Halloween and she was not about to let the rare Saturday it fell on go to waste!

They wanted their ceremony to take place outdoors to incorporate the setting sun and chose a friend’s farm just outside of Orton. We got lucky with a gorgeous Halloween evening, and the farm had such great curvy trees to go with the theme.

Jessica wore a beautiful black wedding dress with lace accents and a black veil, and had a friend build them a coffin for a very dramatic bridal entrance. This is definitely the first wedding coffin I’ve photographed!

Congratulations, Jessica and Dustin!

The quarantine meant I couldn’t photograph any real people for a while, so I grabbed all my Barbies when I was by my parents’ place and gave them a try at modelling. One of the biggest challenges was selecting outfits out of the strange collection I had (which totally will inspire a future photoshoot), though I was glad I had a diverse collection of doll types. Oh, there’s also the challenge of how none of the old Barbies had movable joints! I am amazed at some of the poses I balanced them in (plus a good chunk have Cam just out of frame holding feet).

I used this opportunity to play in the spring blossoms and try out a few experimental lighting techniques and multiple exposures. I’m so glad to have finally tried Barbie portraits!

(For behind the scenes videos of some of the more creative shots, you can check out my Instagram story highlights.)

Lisa and Skylar had a romantic and festive Lougheed House evening wedding in Calgary. The Christmas decor of the Lougheed House matched their red colour scheme and Lisa’s gorgeous red wedding dress. With the historic site already being decorated for the holidays, no extra decorating was needed for their wedding!

The wedding festivities began just after dusk with their ceremony. Their 14 year relationship in no way diminished their passion for each other, judging by their reactions! Skylar started loudly sobbing when he saw Lisa walk down the aisle, which resulted in her sobbing, and I almost joined them it was so intense! The crying soon turned to laughter as Lisa’s brother David performed the hilarious first part of the ceremony. Not only was it the funniest wedding ceremony I have ever attended, but it definitely hit a record for the most swearing during a ceremony!

After a quick toast to their guests, we explored the house with Lisa and Skylar for their photos. Luckily the weather was just warm enough to get a few photos with the beautiful exterior of the historic house.

We finished off the evening with their over the top family speeches which had everyone in tears of laughter, followed by some equally hilarious dance moves for the first dances. Lisa, Skylar, and their families fully embrace their humour and wackiness and it made for such a joyful wedding!

Congratulations, Lisa and Skylar!