Lethbridge Weddings & Portrait Photography by Tanya Plonka

Kaylene and James held a Norland Estate 1920s themed wedding on the most memorable date of 2020 – the leap year! The girls rocked the vintage look the best of all with beautiful head piece jewellery and lots of fringe. Kaylene added a stunning beaded piece to her open backed wedding dress to tie everything together. They even loaded up on discount Halloween items the year before to supply their reception with themed props for their guests to wear!

We started the day at James’ parents’ acreage, then headed to the Norland where the girls were getting ready. I love that the Norland has such beautiful space to use for photos inside the house so we could protect everyone’s hair from the wind as much as possible. (If you were wondering why this winter wedding looks a lot like spring, the usual wind is to blame!)

Their couple’s portraits took place just as twilight was setting in and the pretty stringed lights around the Norland property had just turned on (which is so amazing for photos). Once away from the distraction of their guests, the sweetness of James and Kaylene’s relationship had a chance to shine. All of their silly faces at each other started to come out!

To maximize the number of guests who could party with them, Kaylene and James reserved the dinner time exclusively for their extended families and had the rest of their friends show up later in the night. Instead of staying for the big crowd, we planned a private fake first dance while they had the Norland’s reception room all to themselves! It’s pretty exciting being able to tell a couple directions as they are dancing ;)

Congratulations, Kaylene and James!

I did a little jump for joy when Kendal and Mike first contacted me and let me know they were having a Harry Potter themed wedding in Waterton this summer. I was excited to see what they came up with, and they did not disappoint with their attention to detail. On the surface everything had a classic, romantic look with Harry Potterisms sprinkled throughout. Each bridesmaid had a bouquet in her own house colours. Their reception decorations were beautifully detailed, and the official soundtrack from the movies filled the room during dinner. We even worked a little magic casting into their wedding portraits. ;)

It came as no surprise then that Kendal, Mike, and their friends were going to be a fun group of people to hang out with! They have such a supportive group of people around them, lightening the mood whenever emotions became too overwhelming and being silly at all the right times (are there many wrong times for that, though?).

Kendal and Mike chose a wedding date of great importance to them. It was the anniversary of their first date as well as when Mike proposed. This meant having their wedding on a weekday for a much less busy Waterton! It gave them a little added privacy to get lost in each other.

Congratulations, Kendal & Mike!

Lindsay and Terry planned a beautiful summer wedding at the Norland Historic Estate. Their wedding date happened to take place on one of the most gorgeous days of the summer and their guests spent so much time laughing and socializing on the patio.

As we went through the day, it was apparent how valued the couple are to their friends and family. Their wedding party kept them laughing all day and were so thrilled about the love they have found in each other. Each bridesmaid gave a speech explaining how much Lindsay had touched their lives while the best man recounted his favorite adventures with Terry and the other groomsmen.

Lindsay and Terry’s ceremony was equally full of emotion and laughter. Grandparents were crying before anyone had even walked down the aisle, and Terry managed to hold it together better than one of the groomsmen (but just barely). Lindsay made the classic slip up of “my awfully wedded husband” which sent everyone into hysterical laughter.

However, the best was yet to come! As Lindsay walked down the aisle, she realized that she forgot Terry’s wedding ring in the Norland house. She played it cool through the whole ceremony until it was time for the ring exchange. Thinking on the spot, she quickly removed her engagement ring and placed it halfway down Terry’s pinky finger (the only finger where it would sort of fit). Their marriage commissioner, Carol, said it was the gesture that was the most important! Terry wore the engagement ring with pride until Lindsay was able to sneak away from their receiving line and grab the proper wedding band.

This was our first time back at the Norland Historic Estate since their massive renovation and ballroom expansion, and they’ve done an amazing job! The gazebo has been relocated to a much more photo friendly location (no more grooms in the blazing sun!), the ballroom can fit so many more guests, and the cozy patio area lets the party spill outdoors to take in the beautiful yard. Lindsay and Terry had perfect timing booking their wedding when they did to take advantage of all of the changes.

Congratulations, Lindsay and Terry!

Catherine and Douglas planned their event from across the country and returned to Douglas’s home town for their Springbreak Flower Farm summer wedding. With family members traveling from near and far, it was like a mini destination wedding!

Catherine swore she would never marry a military man, but then Douglas came along! The two are so compatible, including their mutual love of taking their cats on backpack adventures. What stood out the most in their personalities was how happy and positive they are. Despite some significant setbacks, from skin burns to a tray of cupcakes falling to the floor to botched dress alterations (Catherine’s mom ended up having to sew her into the dress that day), their positivity never faltered. They were just so happy to be marrying the love of their life! Douglas could not stop looking at his beautiful bride all day.

Catherine was a natural at wedding planning. She is a French language teacher and used to doing lots of planning! (She even laughed about how she had highlighted Douglas’s parts in their speech.) This attention to detail meant the day ran so smoothly, they had plenty of time to relax in between parts of the day (even if that contributed to a few extra tummy butterflies!).

Congratulations, Catherine and Douglas!

When I found out where Michelle and Pieter were getting married, I was so excited to return to one of my favorite venues! They planned a Gladstone Mountain Ranch summer wedding as a bit of a destination wedding while still staying in the province. The ranch, tucked between Pincher Creek and Castle Mountain Resort, is such a hidden gem in Southern Alberta!

Michelle and Pieter combined classy with low key, mixing elegant gowns and sweeping ceremony vistas with accents of wild flowers, a BBQ dinner, and a s’mores roast at the end of the evening. Their ceremony was followed by a cookie bar and lawn games to keep their guests busy while they explored the ranch with me for photos.

The couple are such naturals in front of the camera, despite telling me otherwise. I had forgotten they warned me they aren’t used to having their photo taken until, at the end of portraits, they brought up how comfortable they ended up feeling! (Hopefully this experience will convince them photos can be fun, haha.) Their wedding party and family definitely added to the fun too. When the groomsmen weren’t lifting Pieter in the air, the girls could usually be found striking poses for each other.

We had an amazing time with them, and it’s not often we can say the bride was hunted by a house cat! (You’ll have to check out the photos below!)

Congratulations, Michelle and Pieter!

Cassie and Christian returned to their hometown for their Paradise Canyon fall wedding. They chose a plum colour theme with autumn accents such as pumpkins and orange flowers to match the season. Despite being met with a surprise snowfall the night before the wedding, we still managed to pull out the fall colours from the Lethbridge landscape!

Their ceremony was filled with lots of happiness and laughter, especially when Christian’s nephew tried his best to steal the show. We made use of the beautiful coulees behind the golf course for photos, then headed over to Nicholas Sheran Lake to focus on Cassie and Christian. It’s no wonder Christian couldn’t stop smiling at his beautiful bride! A warm, fuzzy blanket kept Cassie going through photos, and she bravely whipped it off each time. Luckily Christian’s embrace was a warm alternative.

Congratulations, Cassie & Christian!

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