Lethbridge Weddings & Portrait Photography by Tanya Plonka

Christine and Joe didn’t quite have the engagement session we were expecting! We had booked their photos many weeks in advance to take place over the February long weekend. Our plan was to drive out to the Crowsnest Pass, and we hoped there would still be some snow left. The last two Februarys have been a little dry here, so we didn’t want to get our hopes up too much! As their photography date approached, we heard tales of daily highway closures. Then it came: yet another heavy snowfall warning on our travel day! In the end, they had a very snowy west Lethbridge engagement session just as the huge snowfall began its descent.

As a substitute “forest,” we met at Aperture Park on the west side and hiked through snow that ranged from one inch to two feet deep. Christine and Joe were such amazing sports about it! Christine feels the same way about winter as I do (which is not favourably), yet they perfectly acted like everything was warm and fine. Even while being pelted by snow, they were so lost in each other. Joe couldn’t resist nuzzling into her and making them both break out in huge grins.

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Kristen was the lucky winner of a gift certificate in support of the YMCA and used the opportunity to get outdoor Lethbridge winter family photos with her boys for Christmas. In keeping with the Christmas theme, it was perfect that there was so much fresh snow and that it had finally warmed up enough that they didn’t have to be bundled up for our harsh Canadian weather.

Her boys were hilarious, having no problems making silly faces on command and racing each other through the snow. It’s also obvious how much they love their mom and loved taking breaks from playing together to snuggle with her.

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A few months before their due date, I travelled down to Jena and Daniel’s mountain home for their Crowsnest Pass winter maternity photos. It’s so exciting to see them starting their family! Rufus, who has grown a lot bigger since their wedding, also got to be included in a bunch of photos. While he waited his turn, he got to excitedly zoom around in the snow outside.

Once we finished all the warm indoor photos, Jena got brave and headed outside in just a dress! She had a gorgeous flower crown to match the red, which looked so striking against the snow. Her and Daniel snuggled close to stay warm in the freezing temperatures and we loved the big fluffy snowflakes that fell around us.

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Louis and Valerie’s granddaughter was visiting Lethbridge for Christmas, which was the perfect time to bring her great grandma, uncles, and aunty along and get some four generation family photos! Since the last time the kids had their photos taken, they tragically lost their brother. For these new photos, they brought along a treasured framed picture of him from that last session so he could still be included. It was a beautiful way to honour his memory and show that he’s still an important part of their lives.

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I always joke that I only take photos with people (or animals!) in them, but I’m always jealous of all the amazing photos landscape photographers take by getting up before sunrise. I did not get up before sunrise, but I did get up early enough on one of our recent foggy days to actually catch the hoarfrost and fog! I set off bundled up to take some frosty Lethbridge landscape photography.

Quickly I learned that it was only foggy for several blocks around my house and everywhere else was bathed in winter sunlight. Luckily the frost still clung to the trees so I wasn’t left cursing being out in the cold for nothing!

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Terri and Craig got away from the city for the weekend for their Waterton winter elopement. It was a beautiful private event with just them, myself, and the marriage commissioner… very few guests were even in the park that day! It was so romantic to keep things so intimate. Their day will be so memorable not just for the intimacy, but for the weather. I think that was the craziest wind any of us have ever experienced! We managed to find enough shelter for photos and Terri’s shawl kept her mostly warm :) There was also the memorable fact of Terri having some wardrobe malfunctions with her dress, but luckily her shawl was there to save the day!

To get a break from the wind, they booked a room at the Waterton Lakes Lodge to have their wedding ceremony. They still got to have their mountain views through the window even if they couldn’t have an outdoor ceremony!

Congratulations, Terry and Craig!

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