Lethbridge Weddings & Portrait Photography by Tanya Plonka

Here are the amazing recipients of this year’s Women of Distinction Awards from YWCA Lethbridge & District! This was a very special year for me to get to photograph as I am friends with two of these women, Cam had an amazing experience working with one of the others, and we are all so interconnected through our community ties. There was only one degree or less of separation between any two people in the room! These women are all so deserving of the award for making Lethbridge a better place.

After cocktail hour and mingling at the Sandman Signature Hotel, all of the women were introduced by the people who nominated them and received their award before giving speeches.

After a few guest list adjustments, Elsa and Larry were able to have very close to the wedding they had planned out! Our most important stop of the day was for Indian Battle Park wedding photos. Larry had proposed to Elsa in the river bottom so it was a very special place for them (we even visited it for their engagement photos!).

Like every other time I’ve worked with them, Elsa and Larry constantly made each other laugh. Even with others vying for their attention, they rarely left each other’s side or stopped holding hands, which I think is absolutely adorable. :)

It was also a very emotional day as the family paid tribute to Elsa’s mother, who passed away less than a year ago. Her mother had traditionally written a poem to each of her children on their wedding day and started Elsa’s early so that she could have one as well. Elsa’s father gave a poignant reading of the poem during the reception. The couple are starting their newly married lives well backed by the support of this tightly knit family.

Congratulations, Elsa and Larry!

Jannette and Adrian may be one of our most enthusiastic couples this year! They were both very excited about the photography planning from the very beginning and I loved Jannette’s level of involvement in all of her wedding details. Together we reached the decision of doing Nikka Yuko wedding photos for the majority of their portraits. As soon as they walked into the Japanese Gardens (the first time either of them had visited) and exclaimed, “Wow!” I knew we had chosen the perfect location!

The air was heavy with smoke that day but it didn’t get anyone’s spirits down. Everyone spent the day laughing and having fun, and the couple were so excited and willing to go along with every photo idea we had. This meant climbing over rocks in the water and spending a little extra time in a cathedral length veil that was struggling to survive the day!

We had a blast laughing with them all day and appreciated how much time they set aside for portraits, including an extra evening photography session around sunset.

Congratulations, Jannette and Adrian!

When Jordanna and Deiter booked their Galt Museum winter wedding, they had their fingers crossed for a white wedding. You never know when you’ll get spring in February in Lethbridge! Even though it was cold, they missed the worst of our winter cold snap and were treated to a beautiful fresh coat of snow on the ground.

Jordanna wore a gorgeous red cape to stay warm in her wedding dress in the snow. Her dress itself was stunning, and a very proud internet order success story!

You’d never know by their faces how cold they were. Everyone was full of huge laughter all day and were incredible at tolerating the cold to get outdoor photography. Jordanna and Deiter were even more cute together than at their engagement session. This was especially true during their ceremony where they quickly switched back and forth from tearing up to huge grins.

After our very chilly photos outside, they warmed up with drinks at Italian Table before their reception back at the Galt Museum.

Congratulations, Jordanna & Deiter!

Stacie and Gerrit planned a romantic Lethbridge Sandman Signature Hotel autumn wedding with dark grays with deep red accents, all of which looked striking with the fall colours. In mid-October, we’re never quite sure what weather we’re going to get. Stacie and Gerrit were treated to all of the weather! The temperatures climbed early in the day, along with quite a windstorm that drove us indoors for family portraits. We refused to hide from the weather all day and sought shelter in the Helen Schuler Nature Reserve.

While Stacie and Gerrit laughed and had a great time with their wedding party in the river bottom (along with a lot of getting lost in each other’s eyes), the sky became blacker and blacker until we started hearing thunder and seeing lightning! We finished their photos in a downpour before rushing back to the safety of the hotel.

Their reception was filled with so many sweet stories from their families. Wedding receptions usually turn into a bit of a roast, but theirs was mostly a celebration of how loved they are by everyone around them (with a healthy dose of roasting from their siblings).

They took a break from their reception at the Sandman Signature Hotel (formerly the Lethbridge Lodge) for night time photos. Luckily by then the rain had stopped, and the snow hadn’t quite started yet! Stacie and Gerrit embraced tightly on the edge of the coulees – partly to stay warm but mostly because it meant they finally had a moment alone together :)

Congratulations, Stacie and Gerrit!

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Kendi and Roy had an intimate Lethbridge Sandman Signature Hotel late autumn wedding. Their immediate families and best friends got to take part in their ceremony in the hotel’s courtyard. It was such a quiet day at the hotel that it felt like they had the place all to themselves! They were all smiles and quietly joked with each other through facial expressions during the ceremony.

They made Roy’s daughter Cora an important part of their day, having her stand with them as the only member of the wedding party and then bringing her along for portraits. She even had awesome shoes to match Kendi’s!

After the family was sent off to get an early start on the reception, we headed to the Helen Schuler Nature Reserve on this beautiful day for their portraits. Now that the colours outside have subdued for the season, their red wedding accents really popped! Kendi and Roy were so easy to photograph when they spent the whole time snuggling and giggling together.

Congratulations, Kendi and Roy!

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