A Kananaskis Ridgeline Elopement - Canadian Rockies Wedding Photographer
The day was cloudy but calm when we met them in the parking lot, the red Dodge Caravan they’d built into a camper to drive all the way from Quebec City to the Rockies. That van is part of their love story, so it felt right that the day started there, the four of us packing our bags in the parking lot waiting to see what the Kananaskis mountains held for us.
They’d already signed the legal paperwork and stood with their families the day before. This was the other half of it, no guests, no schedule, just the two of them, us, and the mountains that spoke to them.
That first stretch is almost straight up… two kilometres of it and there wasn’t much said as we climbed. We were each fighting our own quiet battle up the mountain, heads down, breathing hard, legs burning. It was the calm before the big moments. Then the ridge opened, and we all just stopped to take in the enormity of it. Peaks running off in every direction like the Italian Dolomites, light speckling the rock wherever it broke through the cloud.
With a few menacing rain clouds rolling our way, we dropped our gear and C & G started to get ready. G was quick into his navy suit and matching bow tie. We hung C’s lace dress in a tree with the mountains behind it while she pinned her hair, the whole valley falling away beneath her. A few getting-ready frames, some portraits, and then it was time.
Their vows were written just for this, away from family, away from everyone, and in French, so not even we understood a word of it. We hung back and let them have it, let them soak the whole thing in. Afterward we worked our way back down the ridge, catching some motion blur of the two of them against the Kananaskis valley. G pulled out his Fujifilm Instax, we shot a few and then sat down for some much-needed food and water before the hike down.
This was such a private moment for them to be in their element and we are so grateful to share this with our couples.
Why we love Kananaskis for an adventure elopement
Kananaskis Country is the quieter side of the Canadian Rockies, southwest of Calgary, right up against Banff National Park, but without the tour buses and the crowds! For an elopement, we’ll take a quiet ridge over Lake Louise or Moraine almost every time. Up high, the only people in the frame are the two getting married, and the effort to get there is the whole point. If you want to see another version of a day like this, our Ha Ling Peak elopement in Canmore is just down the road!
Planning a Kananaskis hiking elopement
Split the day if you want family there. Sign the legal paperwork and gather everyone for a ceremony down low, then hike up for private vows so you get both!
Carry your clothes, change at the top. Hike up in boots and layers with the wedding outfit in a pack. The dress stays clean and the climb stops being something to dread in a suit and tie.
Aim for mid-June through late September. June can be really hit or miss in the Canadian Rockies, snow is still present at higher elevations and rain is still likely. July and August are the most reliable, late September brings golden larches. Leave a little room for late-summer wildfire smoke though.
Don’t wait for a bluebird sky. A cloudy, moody day like theirs can hand you the best light on the mountain, soft and even, with real drama when it breaks!
Dreaming about your own Canadian Rockies elopement?
If you’re picturing vows somewhere that takes a little effort to reach, we’d love to hear about it, pitch us your wildest idea! See what an elopement with us looks like, browse more mountain elopements on the blog, then tell us your plan.
