“We first met working at a bar in Banff and were friends for a few years before anything more. Our shared love for snowboarding and many spring days spent on the hill followed by après ski brought us closer in 2019. Patrick grew up in Northern Ireland, so on a trip home to visit family in 2022, we took a five-day road trip around Ireland. After carrying the ring the whole trip, the perfect spot came along at the perfect time. He proposed while hiking on top of Torc Mountain in Killarney National Park. It was so scenic and peaceful, with no one else on the trail, making it feel like it was just for us. Patrick is always taking photos, so I didn’t suspect a thing when he set up the camera timer to capture the moment. Sam McElwee When it came time to plan the wedding, it only felt right to get married in Banff. We’ve both called it home for ten years and wanted to show our friends and families why this place means so much to us and has been such a big part of our story. Guests came from British Columbia, Ontario, Nova Scotia, England, Ireland, Australia, and New Zealand. It felt like a true reunion, especially seeing old Banff friends who had moved away return to celebrate with us. With so many out-of-town guests mixed in with our Banff crew, the wedding turned into a week of celebrations. We hosted a welcome night at Banff Ave Brewing Co. with a round of shot skis to kick things off and give everyone a taste of mountain life in Banff. On our wedding day we kept the décor really simple and let the scenery speak for itself. The lodge at Mt. Norquay was exactly the vibe we wanted. It felt special having the ski runs outside the window behind our head table, the same runs we had snowboarded just months before. During cocktail hour we added a fun personal touch by creating a crossword puzzle with different questions about us individually and as a couple. Though we were off taking portraits during this time, we were told it was filled out within five minutes. It included questions like ‘What was Patrick’s childhood nickname?’ It was a small detail but gave some of our visiting guests, who maybe had never met one half of us, a chance to get to know us a little better. Doing a first look that morning was one of the best decisions we made. It meant we got to spend more of the day together. The weather gave us a bit of everything, from light snow and clouds to full blue skies. A funny moment of the day came during the speeches. Patrick is known for always being behind the camera and rarely in the photos. When the Best Man asked him to take a group photo of everyone on his own wedding day, it had the whole room laughing, including Patrick. The day honestly couldn’t have gone better, and we were so lucky to have such amazing people help bring it all together.”
– Samantha + Patrick, the newly weds
Previous Post
