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Wedding, engagement photo session in the Mountains. Yes or no?

Weddings / Engagement

If you already love the mountains and you love to go there, then you don’t need to read this but if you still need few more reasons and explanations, to decide where to have your wedding or engagement photos done, then this is for you. 🙂

This year we were really fortunate to have quite a few wedding, engagement and bridal sessions in the Mountains. And each time we LOVED it! Why we love to photograph in the mountains or nature itself is very simple.

Breathtaking backdrop.

Yes it is true that for some of them you have to hike a little, but believe me it is totally worth it! And sometimes it is only 5-10 minutes walk. Living close to Canmore and Banff has its advantages. There are so many beautiful locations to go to, and take gorgeous photos. But there are few things you have to think about before having your photos done there.

The sun sets a little earlier.

While your weather app might call for a 7pm sunset on your wedding date, being surrounded by tall peaks means the sun could actually disappear an hour earlier, even if the sky stays pink for a little while. Keep this in mind when you’re scheduling photos to ensure you have the perfect lighting for your pictures. Every good and experienced mountain photographer will tell you this. And in case you are planning to elope to the mountains or have your engagement photos done there, don’t look surprised if you photographer asks you if you are willing to meet him at 5am during the summer months. Early hours and sunsets are the best light to take photos.

Sunscreen and sunglasses are a must.

The sun gets more intense at higher elevations, even if it’s cloudy outside. Make sure to wear sunscreen underneath your makeup, and have some available for your guests. And definitely have your sunglasses close to you. Ok very early in the morning you won’t need those, but after the sunrise, and if you wedding or photo session is in the winter days, sunglasses are a must. Trust me!

Hydration is key.

If you’re inviting guests to join you at a higher elevation than where they live, make sure everyone drinks more water than they usually would. It’s much dryer a few thousand feet above sea level, and staying hydrated is a great way to combat any altitude sickness. Consider putting reusable water bottles in welcome bags, and setting up stations serving flavored water at both your ceremony and reception. And remember, alcohol can affect you more quickly at altitude than at sea level, so encourage your guests to drink water and pace themselves as they celebrate. In my backpack I always have an extra water bottle and a kind bar, just in case we meet a bear. Just kidding! Kind bar is for me. 🙂

Cell service is unreliable at best.

While you’ll be easily connected if you’re closer to town, heading up into the mountains often means you won’t have any reception. But sometimes that is a good thing. It helps you relax and focus on just the two of you and enjoy in those moments.

To see more galleries from our photo sessions in the mountains click here:

SABI (Bridal Photo Session)

VANESSA & GARETT (Pre wedding) 

ALISHA & TOMAS (Wedding)

COURTNEY & COLBY (Anniversary)

VANESSA & GARETT (Wedding)

But remember, weather in the mountain can change rapidly, so be prepared to work more on planning your engagement session there, with possibility of cancellation and rescheduling your session, especially in winter time, when weather conditions are poor and mountains unaccessible. If you have any questions or comments you can write them here.

 

 

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