Banff Gondola & Sky Bistro Wedding

Mountaintop wedding in Banff National Park

Having met R & J for their engagement photos earlier in Summer we were super excited to see them again for their wedding in Banff! As always in the mountains, the weather is a wild card towards the end of September. Somehow these two parted the snow clouds lingering around that week and enjoyed a beautiful sunny day in the mountains with their closest family and friends.

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Getting ready wedding photos at the Elk & Avenue Hotel

We started the day with R & J at the Elk & Avenue Hotel and spent some time with the ladies and gents whilst they prepped for their special day. It was great seeing these two kick back in good company and be able to relax through the morning. We didn’t expect anything less from these two, with the ladies looking like they were setting up for a spa day and the gents sharing some stories over a beer. These are the times on wedding days that we love as it’s when the spontaneous, unexpected and fleeting moments come together. Their day was no different with J’s Mum and Dad stopping by for a sneaky look at her all dressed up before she left for her first look with her groom-to-be. Meanwhile, R was getting ready and heading out to their chosen first look location.

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Wedding first look at Cascade Ponds in Banff

With the plans in place, the wedding party toured in the limo to the first look location where we had Rob all ready to go. We could feel the anticipation starting to build and were really excited for these two to share their moment in the mountains. It was important for them to be able to share their moments together, and with their wedding party before their ceremony at the top of the gondola for some variety in their wedding photos. R & J shared their first look together before we brought over their wedding party to continue the celebrations!

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Wedding party photos at Lake Minnewanka

After some photos together at Cascade Ponds, we continued the tour stopping at Lake Minnewanka for a few more wedding party photos. With some shared moments under the sun on the shoreline, the wedding party departed in the limo and R & J stayed with us a little longer to get some more couples portraits in this amazing location. We love Lake Minnewanka as it provides a lot of options photographically and even with other visitors in the Parks, it never feels crazy busy like some other iconic locations in Banff National Park. Before long it was time to make our way to the Banff Gondola but on the way we couldn’t resist a final few photos with some amazing light in the meadows.

Outdoors Wedding Ceremony at the top of the Banff Gondola

We all hopped in the Gondola and enjoyed the short ride to the summit. With guests making their way to the rooftop terrace, the excitement was building. It really was amazing to see everyone enjoying the views and atmosphere of being out in the elements before the procession began. It wasn’t long before J was walking the aisle and the ceremony was underway. Afterwards, the guests shared laughs and stories over charcuterie and drinks in the cool afternoon breeze before moving downstairs to the Sky Bistro for the evening reception.

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Mountain top reception at Sky Bistro in Banff

Having spent an amazing day so far together in the mountains, it was time to slow things down and spend some quality time with family and friends over dinner in arguably the most picturesque dining room in Banff. The evening flowed beautifully with R & J sharing their first dance as husband and wife atop Sulphur Mountain, enjoying a fine dining experience and some incredibly heartfelt speeches. This really was a dream day in Banff National Park and we couldn’t be happier for these two…congratulations!