Banff National Park Elopement Photography in April

April is the perfect time for those that want to get away from the crowds for their Banff National Park elopement. There’s still snow in the mountains, but shoulder season means you can get views like Peyto Lake all to yourself… even in the afternoon!

Avoiding Tourist Crowds for Your Banff National Park Elopement

Ren and Val live in Ottawa, Ontario, but they knew they wanted to have a Banff National Park elopement in the Canadian Rockies. They wanted to keep their elopement plans simple, but wanted to embrace the epic mountain views Banff has to offer without the tourist crowds!

They got ready together in Banff, helping each other with their outfits and enjoying the morning. That afternoon, we headed to Peyto Lake before their ceremony to photograph the iconic viewpoint for their Banff National Park elopement. As Banff elopement photographers we know a ton of great locations and hidden gems, but Peyto Lake in April is one of our favourites because people rarely visit it this time of year and you can get the views all to yourself! Normally in the summer this place is like straight-up Disneyland!

Wedding Photos at Lake Minnewanka in April

Having your Banff elopement in April means unpredictable weather, and this wedding day was no exception. Storm clouds and snow brewed in the distance, but above us was sunny skies! This kind of weather is tricky to edit for Banff elopement photographers, but the contrast makes for dramatic wedding photos!

After Peyto Lake, we went to Lake Minnewanka for the ceremony. Lake Minnewanka is usually still frozen in April (depending on how cold our winter and spring gets), but you’re guaranteed privacy for your elopement! As photographers we always recommend prioritizing privacy when helping couples choose the best places to elope in Banff for their ceremony.

Including Family in your Banff National Park Elopement

Ren and Val’s ceremony was heartfelt and sincere. Robin White is one of our favourite marriage officiants in Banff and always adds a touch of humour to his ceremonies. Ren and Val tied the knot along the shores of Lake Minnewanka in April, with the epic Canadian Rockies as a backdrop.

Just because you’re eloping doesn’t mean you can’t include family in your Banff National Park elopement! Even though they chose to elope on their own, Ren incorporated her parents by having them on video call for the ceremony.

Finishing Their Elopement with Stargazing

Afterwards Ren and Val celebrated and enjoyed sunset over Lake Minnewanka and the Canadian Rockies. Their Banff National Park elopement wasn’t finished quite yet though! We met again in the early hours of the morning (4:00am!) to stargaze and capture astrophotography wedding photos. Clouds had rolled in and covered most of the night sky, but we were still able to grab pockets of stars! Plus, the moonlight and city lights of Banff reflected off the clouds and naturally illuminated Ren and Val for their starry night Banff National Park elopement photos.

Capturing a couple that is up for experimenting with stargazing for their wedding photos is always a treat, and we are so glad to have met these two! Ren and Val’s elopement was truly an adventure of a lifetime.