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Ok, so this one was pretty special.

Paul and Tyra are both from Cornwall. Paul’s a good friend of mine and also an incredible wedding photographer so pressure was on from the go! When Paul asked me if I would shoot his wedding to Tyra I was over the moon. And then when he told me it was going to be in Canada!! Well, my bag was already packed. Yes mate! I’m in!

I have been lucky enough to photograph a few destination weddings now, but this one was always going to be awesome. The thing is, as well as being the photographer for the day, I was pretty much the only guest, and also the witness! Apart from the registrar and the helicopter pilot (I’ll get to that bit shortly!) it was just me. As you can imagine, I felt just a little added pressure there, but I have to say, it was a real privilege.

Anyway enough about the pressure, this wedding was epic. Fair play to Paul and Tyra, who made it their day from start to finish, no compromising. The wedding was very much all about them, and I can tell you now, it was bloody awesome!

So, the exact location was in Banff National Park in Alberta, Canada. I travelled out a few days before the wedding day to explore the location and see a bit of Banff myself. Needless to say, I was overwhelmed with the place. The drive from Calgary airport to Banff was an epic start – windows down, Eddie Vedder on the radio, the long highway into the Rocky Mountains. This is definitely my kinda place!

The day before the wedding I spent some time with Paul and Tyra discovering more of Banff and its beautiful National park. We explored many of the amazing landmarks, including Lake Victoria and Sulphur Mountain. I knew Tyra was a little concerned about having her picture taken – which is a common feeling, and not a problem, so to help things along I took few snaps of the two of them throughout the day. Not only did this help Tyra but it also gave Paul a little bit of time on the other side of the lens. We took some epic shots on that day, and I will share these in a separate blog post soon.

On the day of wedding, Tyra booked herself into the local spa in Canmore for a luxurious morning of relaxation and pampering, while Paul decided he wanted to get out and about for the morning. He booked to go kayaking in Banff and I tagged along to take a few extra snaps for the album. What a great start to the day!

Afterwards, both Paul and Tyra got ready at their apartment in Canmore, and from here on I stood back, my camera ready, and my wedding photographer head firmly on.

Paul and Tyra planned some really lovely moments into their day, including an exchange of wedding gifts with each other in the morning, and then Paul’s first look at Tyra in her beautiful wedding dress! I think the photos tell the story here.

The wedding ceremony took place on a mountain top on the border between Alberta and British Columbia. We took a helicopter ride to his point, and were joined by Rick Kunelius, the registrar. The incredible scenery on the flight there and at the wedding location itself was simply mind blowing.

As we were high up in the mountains, the weather was a little mixed, but I found this created some epic light for the photographs, both of the marriage ceremony and also for the portraits. After the couple were pronounced husband and wife, it did begin to rain a little, but this didn’t dampen anyone’s spirits at all. Paul and Tyra were away in their own special moment, loving every part of it.

After the ceremony, we headed back down to Canmore in the helicopter, and after a quick beer with the newlyweds, I left them to go off and celebrate together at a local restaurant in the town.

Paul and Tyra, thank you so much for entrusting me to document your wedding. It was simply epic, and I feel very privileged to have been part of your day. See you both soon.

Check out Tyra & Pauls wedding day highlights below

Banff, Alberta Wedding - Stewart Girvan Photography

WEDDINGS

Tyra & Paul

Here is their story……

 

Tell me a little bit about yourselves, for example, where did you meet?

We met and knew each other through work for a few years before we got together. It was only when we went to a crazy event called 2.8 Hours Later that we really found each other. It was a huge city-wide zombie apocalypse event in Bristol, where you had hundreds of zombies chasing you through the streets, malls, and subways at night, and you tried to survive and find your way to the ‘safe house’, where there was a big after party. We survived and love blossomed!

Can you tell me about the proposal?

I proposed to Tyra on a mini holiday in North Devon, a little village called Lynton, right on the coast. We stayed in a lush boutique BnB, and took walks around the coast, rivers and forests, and ate amazing food. The actual proposal revolved around a photo-book that I made for Tyra, which had a picture of me proposing on the last page. Lots of tears, lots of joy!

Can you tell me about your venues and why you chose them?

After a long time trying to decide what would be right for us, we eventually decided that we just wanted to elope to somewhere beautiful, be married outside, and be together just the two of us. Canada wasn’t somewhere that either of us had visited before, but it was everything we hoped and more. Mind blowing scenery, amazing walks, great people, and amazing food – just perfect.

Were you going for a certain style or theme for your wedding?

Relaxed. We didn’t even book a restaurant until the day before the wedding!

What is your most memorable moment from the day?

For me, it’s either the first time I saw Tyra in her dress (might have had something in my eye at that point), or when we landed up on the mountaintop and realised just how insanely beautiful it was and how perfect it was for our ceremony.

Why did you choose Stewart Girvan Photography?

I wanted a photographer that I could trust to do an amazing job with the images, fit in with the relaxed, informal feel of our day, and, as he was essentially our only wedding guest, be cool to hang out with.

How did you feel about having your photos taken and were you pleased with the final images?

As a photographer myself, it was strange being on the other side of the lens, but I really enjoyed it. During the ceremony, it was so emotional, that I genuinely didn’t notice his presence. Going through the final images was incredible. Totally emotional experience and we couldn’t have been happier with the images.

Can you tell me about any other suppliers that contributed and played an important part to your wedding? For example, florist, makeup artist, transport, entertainment.

Only a few to mention really. Rick Kunelius, our registrar, was so warm and fun and welcoming. Alpine Helicopters in Canmore, and in particular Pilot Pete, did an amazing job. The fly in was mind-blowing! The food at Crazyweed in Canmore was just phenomenal, and even though we didn’t even tell them beforehand that we were getting married, when we walked through the door in our outfits they immediately upgraded us to the best table and brought out some champagne. Stellar restaurant.

  • Alpine Helicopters
  • Crazyweed

Do you have any advice for future couples planning their wedding?

Be individual and have the wedding day you want, not what you feel pressured into.

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