****All of the amazing photos in this post are by our friend, Danielle Coons, and her hubs. Check out her site here. <3
OK. If you don’t know what an “emotional wedding” is, that’s okay. It’s literally a term we made up. We also had a “legal wedding” – which you can read about here. The idea was that we’d tie the knot legally and then exchange our own vows on our first Airstream adventure (a trip we’d been planning for quite a while).
In the morning, I took my notepad and headed to the picnic table outside where I could have some privacy to finish writing vows. Turns out it’s really difficult trying to sum up all of the feelings you have for another person and structure these thoughts into cohesive sentences…
Late morning, Jay dropped me off in Canmore for my hair/makeup appointment at The Loft. Danielle met me there – coffee in tow. (I told you she was amazing right?)
Afterward, we grabbed a bite to eat and headed back to the campground where we planned on doing a first look outside of our Airstream. Even though we were doing this tiny little private thing… the nerves still crept up on me!
There he stood, my handsome husband.
GAAAHH – amirite?
Next, we headed to Banff to grab flowers and we were on our way to Moraine Lake to exchange our vows.
During our scouting the day before, we found a quiet little trail that was away from the main touristy area. It was a really beautiful path that led to a brook surrounded by a tall forest of pines and moss. It was exactly what we wanted.
When we began exchanging vows – we laughed and cried and laughed some more. It was one of the most special moments of our lives. Uninterrupted, just us and Danielle of course. She was shooting from a distance – we barely noticed she was there.
Danielle asked for Jay’s phone afterward and recorded 30 seconds of audio from the spot we were standing. In the audio recording, you can hear the breeze, the brook. She called it our marriage soundtrack and encouraged us to listen to is whenever we’re having a tough time or want to remember this day.
The rest of the day was quite a blur. Danielle and hubby, Bill, were able to capture amazing shots as we hiked around Moraine Lake and Lake Louise. We literally couldn’t walk 5 ft before seeing another amazing vista.
By the end of the day, things started to get goofy… and we were all getting hungry. We stopped in Banff for dinner on the way back to Canmore. There were only a handful of restaurants still open so we decided Banff Avenue Brewing was just what we needed.
Nothing like some poutine, champagne, and free shots to end your emotional wedding day!
Photography: All of the amazing photos in this post are by our friend, Danielle Coons, and her hubs. Check out her site here. <3
Hair + Makeup: The Loft Hair Studio (in Canmore)
Florals: Forget me not flowers (in Banff)
Dress: Anna Campbell, Purchased in Portland Oregon at Brides for a Cause, Altered by Layne Dann at Gee June Bridal
Oh Jess and Jay! Such a beautiful day for two very lovely people! Our very best wishes for your continued happiness.
Donna and Denny Scheletsky
Donna + Denny – thank you so much! We hope to see you both soon <3 Here's to the next adventure!