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A Snowy Banff Wedding in September?!
Picture the most perfect snowy town: wind with a chill, not with a bite, and the smell of fir trees dancing around perfectly dreamy chalet style homes. This scene was the surprising atmosphere for Ilish and Nigel’s stunning September Banff wedding! When I met the couple for drinks a year before their wedding, what immediately struck me was their love for the outdoors – especially the mountains (which is totally up my alley!). I immediately started dreaming of fall colours and of the larch trees for a Banff wedding, and to top it off – the backdrop of one of the most beautiful mountain ranges in Canada. Fast forward to September, the day of the wedding and an untimely snowstorm! Having to deal with a snow storm on the day of your wedding would be enough to make even the chillest of couples cringe in fear. But not I+N. Throwing on a pair of Blunstones, Ilish did not bat a perfect eyelash at the snowy decor and the day went on without a hitch! What I will never forget Ilish’s eye for sweet, meaningful details. From their stationary to matching his cufflinks with her necklace (little silver twin peaks), her thoughtful efforts to personalize their big day totally shone through. Family and friends from all over the world flew to the mountains to celebrate and fill a perfect little wooden chapel in Canmore, Alberta with lots of love and support (and tears!). The couple chose to have their first look at the ceremony as Ilish walked down the aisle, and the smile on Nigels face brightened the candlelit interior. From their magical and emotional ceremony, the couple said their “I do’s” and boarded a bus with their friends and family to a park turned winter wonderland for a beautiful and snowy photo session. The reception took place at the Park Distillery in the city of Banff, providing the atmosphere of true Canadiana camp and warmth. Under beams of dark oak wood and the teary eyes of their adoring family and friends, the couple toasted to a life of love and happiness to bring to an end their magical mountain matrimony.Thank you Ilish and Nigel for the perfect day, for being the perfect couple, and creating the most perfect memories. I am so very grateful you both chose to share your day with me, and I will treasure these memories always!
Meet the couple
Fav moments of the day!
- Top moment had to be when we were shooting group photos at Quarry Lake and you ran back to the bus to get the next group of people for photos. We were alone together for the first time that day; two minutes of absolute silence, huddled together in the freezing cold. No words had to be exchanged because we both knew what we were feeling and no words would have been able to describe it anyways. When you came back you were able to capture that exact moment. Every time we look at that series of photos, we are reminded of those moments of togetherness. 2. Seeing each other for the first time …. ouf! That was emotional! We hadn’t seen each other since the day before and we decided not to go with a first look to keep things a surprise. So seeing each other’s reaction was absolutely priceless and very overwhelming. 3. We took a moment at the reception to step outside on the balcony to have a few seconds together. We were able to look through the window and see everyone having such a wonderful time: cozy fireplace, drinks & food everywhere, and everyone mingling. We put almost two years into planning the wedding and to be able to literally sit back and reflect on it was so fulfilling. We were so fortunate to be surrounded by so many loved ones that day and it was nice to see them finally all together.
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The mountains hold a huge place in our hearts. From the moment Nigel and I met, he hasn’t been able to shut me up about the mountains. We decided to take a trip in 2017 so he could finally understand why I was so infatuated with them; one look at Lake Louise and he understood why. Nigel proposed 3 days later on the top of Bow Summit overlooking Peyto Lake. When we came back home to Toronto and started planning the wedding, we couldn’t think of a better place to get married than Banff. We wanted to share with our family and friends the wonder and beauty that is the Alberta mountains. I think everyone understood that weekend why we wanted to get married in the mountains … even with the snow!
Ilish, on marrying in the mountains
Reception Venue – PARK DistilleryLodge – Basecamp Resorts
Florals – Amborella Floral
Makeup – The Pretty Haus
Lodge – Basecamp Resorts Cake – Pretty Sweet Bake Shop
Bridesmaids Dresses – David’s Bridal
Bride’s dress designer – Stella York from Sinder’s Bridal
Groom’s suit – Le Chateau
Groomsmen Suits – Freeman’s Formal
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