This sweet Kananaskis elopement was an absolute whirlwind, from a first look before the crack of dawn to a sunrise first dance and a romantic canoe on an alpine lake afterwards.
These two adventurous souls eloped with only the Canadian Rockies as their witness.
Adventurous Kananaskis Elopement Photography
As big outdoor enthusiasts and adventure lovers ourselves, we work hard to find the perfect ceremony locations for all couples who choose us as their elopement photographers. A few weeks before their Kanaskis elopement, we met up with Peter and Alex in Canmore and took them out to K-country to show them some of our favourite spots and hikes that matched their vision of a secluded mountain elopement. When we came to this quiet spot nestled in the heart of the Kananaskis backcountry, we knew it was the one!
Initially, Peter and Alex wanted their Kananaskis elopement to be about sharing those special moments together just the two of them. A couple weeks before their elopement though, that changed when they adopted a little aussie pup named Cooper!
When we asked Alex and Peter to hold their pup Coop for pictures, he had a different idea. While they smiled at the camera, Cooper very quietly and sneaky (like only a puppy can) went in for a bite of the boutinniere! We noticed in the nick of time and the boutinniere was saved, but we still get a chuckle at the pictures of Cooper in action. Our elopement photographer style focuses on candid moments, and this sums it up perfectly!
Can’t get enough of mountain sunrises? Neither can we!
Take a look at this sunrise engagement photography in Canmore
The night before their Kananaskis elopement, we all stayed the night at an AirBnB ranch near Cochrane. This is an awesome idea for couples planning an adventure elopement at sunrise because it gives you the opportunity for a first look before your ceremony! Don’t be limited just by hotels, either. Rustic mountain cabins and hidden bed & breakfast gems can make for beautiful getting ready and first look photos! For Peter and Alex’s elopement, we hung Edison lightbulbs from an old spruce tree at the ranch to illuminate them for their 3am first look. We finished the first look with fun sparklers, and headed out to Kananaskis Country.
It was frosty in Kananaskis, but these two kept each other warm as Jodi Hartung (an amazing marriage commissioner from Young Hip & Married) officiated. After the elopement ceremony, Alex and Peter enjoyed their first dance (played from our mini bluetooth speaker we bring to every elopement!) as the sun slowly warmed the meadows.
The best part about Kananaskis Country is that there is always a lake nearby, guaranteed. We hopped in our cars and headed to a lake for a peaceful morning canoe. Incorporating activities into your adventure elopement is an amazing way to do what you love on your special day, all while getting rad photos to boot 😉
Outdoorsy activities and sunrise hikes can be hard to squeeze into a full wedding day. If you want to do something like this but you’re not eloping, dressing up in your wedding clothes and doing an adventure session with us is a perfect chance to get rad photos doing what you love without the stress of a wedding day timeline!
As adventure elopement photographers, we are so honoured to get to capture these memories with outdoorsy couples in the wildest of places every day. This Kananaskis elopement was the perfect morning and we wouldn’t have it any other way; mountains, puppies, canoes, and an awesome couple in love.
