Lethbridge Weddings & Portrait Photography by Tanya Plonka

Isabelle and Andrew love the serene beauty of Waterton Lakes National Park and knew there was no other place they could have their wedding. They chose to have their Waterton Catholic wedding ceremony at the Church of Our Lady of Mount Carmel and then explore the park for portraits until their reception.

This time of year means lots of rain, but the rain didn’t slow us down at all! Their siblings tagged along during portraits and very graciously chased the couple with umbrellas in between photos. Isabelle chose a perfect hairstyle with a pretty fishtail braid which completely hid any effects of the rain on her hair. Luckily for us, the Prince of Wales Hotel had opened for the season the day before, so we were able to hide inside for portraits while the worst of the rain came down. And best of all, Isabelle and Andrew were carried through the day with so much intense joy that they hardly noticed the weather!

The most memorable part of their wedding day was how contagious their happiness was. Andrew’s nervous anticipation grins quickly turned to genuine smiles once he saw Isabelle walk into the church. I tried to get Isabelle to be straight-faced for a few photos and it was a struggle for her. She was just too happy! Even through their ceremony, they could not stop looking at each other and breaking out into giggles.

Congratulations, Isabelle and Andrew!

I first met Erin and Renzo for their Waterton wedding two years ago and I was excited when they contacted me again for their Waterton baptism photos. It’s always an honor to follow families as they grow, and even more so when they are traveling from so far away for this important moment in their new baby girl’s life!

Their little girl Heidi is absolutely adorable with her bright blue eyes and infectious smile. She was in a great mood all day, even in the wind, and loved all the attention she was getting! Erin and Renzo’s full immediate families came along on the trip, making it that much more special.

The baptism was performed at Our Lady of Mount Carmel in Waterton, which is the same church and priest from their wedding. :) Heidi was on her best behavior during the baptism and didn’t even cry once!

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This was a wedding I’ve been looking forward to for a long time! Erin and Renzo first contacted me early last year all the way from San Diego as they planned their gorgeous Waterton destination wedding. I was even more excited when I met them on their planning visit to Canada – they were so pumped about their wedding and wanted to do their photos before the ceremony so everyone would look their best, not to mention how gorgeous they both are!

The day could not have been more perfect. Waterton was less crowded than normal and the heatwave broke for a day (though the church was still pretty warm!). Their large bridal party was so much fun to work with and they had the sweetest, most helpful families. I’m so happy we got to steal Erin and Renzo away for some early evening photos, which are by far my favorite of the day. With the ceremony and dinner finished they finally had a chance to relax and were absolutely beaming at each other.

It was so great getting to spend their reception with them; it ended up being one of the most fun and energetic ones I’ve ever photographed! The dance floor was constantly full all night long and all of their guests were just so happy.

Congratulations, Erin and Renzo! (more…)