Our Wedding Weekend
Posted by: Lydia in Canada, Travel, tags: Banff, Canada, Travel, weddingWhy elope to Canada?
With family and friends all over the globe, we thought an intimate ceremony was best. We chose Canada for its equitable and inclusive marriage laws, and Banff for its beautiful scenery.
We flew up to Banff on the Friday night and stayed in the beautiful Fairmont Springs, the fairy tale castle of the Canadian Rockies. On Saturday we went on a few wildlife trips around the Montane forests of Banff. The forests are mostly Lodgepole pine and Spruce, with a few groves of Aspen. It was really interesting to hear how the flora was shaped by the geography (the harsh weather and alkaline soils blocks the growth of most other trees) and fires (Lodgepole pine cones need the warmth from fires to germinate). The previous fire suppression tactics have caused a lot of problem by building up the fuel in the forest to the point where the fire burns too hot, killing the cones, so burnt areas are turning into meadows. The fire suppression has also given a large pine bark beetle problem. The extra meadows, however, are perfect habitat for many of the grazing animals of the Rockies. Trembling Aspen also have an interesting reproduction tactic – it is not know how new trees sexually reproduce, because all of the known Aspens grow from ancient colony root systems, springing up new trees as the grove expands. The colonies in Banff are 3000 years old, which makes them relatively young compared to Pando in Utah, which is an 80 000 year old Aspen colony of 47 000 stems.
We saw two white-tailed deer, an elk, a very close Bighorn sheep, a pair of nesting Loons (which can only live in large still lakes since their solid bones require a long smooth runway to take off), an Osprey and a bald eagle, a pika and a few very cute Colombian ground squirrels.
In the afternoon we also went in and signed for our wedding licence, affirming that we understand that marriage does not make the other person your property, and that every person has the right to a marriage free of violence.
On Sunday our wedding day was suddenly here. Lydia had been hiccuping all day Saturday, but woke up on Sunday thankfully spasm free. In our room in the Fairmont Banff Springs, we had a romantic breakfast of Froot Loops and Frosted Flakes. Lydia got dressed in her ivory halter-neck dress and Adrian in his black suit and ivory tie. We picked up our flowers, and walked hand-in-hand down the lobby of the hotel.
Other guests at the castle would smile, applause and congratulate us as we passed them. One little girl asked her mother why Lydia was dressed like that, and she told her it was because Lydia was a princess. Lydia felt very royal in a beautiful gown in her very own castle.
We met our celebrant, witness, and photographer in the lobby, and proceeded down to the Bow Falls at the base of the hotel. We found a very picturesque spot on the shore of the river, and our celebrant conducted the ceremony that we had written ourselves. Lydia was nervous and excited, while Adrian was simply happy and excited. As we exchanged vows, we fell into each others eyes with love and adoration. Adrian gently took Lydia’s hand, and slipped on her wedding ring, and then Lydia did the same for her groom. The celebrant pronounced us husband and wife, and we celebrated the moment with a kiss.
We signed the paperwork, and we were officially married as husband and wife. Our celebrant presented us with a bottle of sparkling apple juice, and the newlyweds were toasted to a long and happy marriage. We fare-welled our celebrant and witness with hugs, smiled, and thanks.
Next, our photographer took us to some of the most beautiful places in the rockies, where we could stand together to celebrate a love that was both grand and majestic. We had a fun and romantic time, clambering upon rocks and over bridges to find the perfect backdrop for a kiss. Adrian gently held Lydia as she braved the boulders and cliffs in her wedding dress and shoes.
After we had traipsed through the wilderness, it was time for the bride and groom to return to their castle. We explored the nooks and crannies of the historic building together, embracing on marble staircases and in antique elevators, and running through grand ballrooms hand-in-hand.
Then, sadly, Lydia had to swap her long gown for a short white dress for their afternoon adventures, while Adrian exchanged his suit for jeans and a shirt. After a quick and delicious lunch, we caught our wildlife tour to Lake Louise and Lake Moraine. It was a magical afternoon, walking along aqua and sapphire lakes, watching golden mantled ground squirrels, chipmunks, Clarks nutcrackers, bald eagles, and ospreys.
On the trip back we even were lucky enough to see a mother black bear with three very cute baby cubs. We watched the tiny bears clamber up the meadows, though the wildflowers and over the logs. Lydia wanted to give them a big hug, but she wasn’t permitted out of the bus.
We were both filled with love and delight at being able to announce our love to the world. We returned to our hotel so that Lydia could dress up in her gown again, accompanied by her sharply dressed groom. We promenaded down to the Bow Valley restaurant and enjoyed a delicious dinner courtesy of some delightful old friends from Sydney.
We toasted to the next chapter in our life with some Canadian chardonnay, and finished up with a selection of cakes and some dessert wine sent to us by a generous couple from Louisiana we had met that day. We left the restaurant to the applause of the other patrons, and finished off our perfect weekend with a gentle stroll along Bow River.
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