RF Wedding of the Week: A Snowy Whistler, BC, Ceremony (with Hot Toddies!) by Liz Banfield

December 31, 2014

By Laura Brauer

Having just returned from a Vermont Christmas vacation and still yearning for the brisk air, snowy mountaintops and steaming mugs of hot cocoa, this “winter elegance”-themed wedding of couple Alden and Steve, captured by Liz Banfield at the Four Seasons in Whistler, British Columbia, took me right back to the magic of a winter wonderland.

All Photos © Liz Banfield

All Photos © Liz Banfield

Black Rock Racing; Lestor Prairie, MN

Says Banfield of the nuptials: “One of my favorite things about the wedding was that it was a destination wedding for all the guests. Everyone was in for a fun weekend of skiing and merriment which contributed to the festive energy throughout the entire time.”

Black Rock Racing; Lestor Prairie, MNBlack Rock Racing; Lestor Prairie, MN

Black Rock Racing; Lestor Prairie, MNBlack Rock Racing; Lestor Prairie, MN

“My favorite details were the table settings with sweet little pinecone napkin rings,” Banfield says. “Also, the ‘hot toddy bar’ created by [event planner] Isabella Sikaffy. And I loved the string of lights that served as a ‘curtain’ between the dining area and dance floor/lounge. It was practical but also beautiful in the photos.”

Black Rock Racing; Lestor Prairie, MN

Black Rock Racing; Lestor Prairie, MN

Black Rock Racing; Lestor Prairie, MNBlack Rock Racing; Lestor Prairie, MNBlack Rock Racing; Lestor Prairie, MNBlack Rock Racing; Lestor Prairie, MNBlack Rock Racing; Lestor Prairie, MN

Banfield continues, “We had worked with the couple on the schedule of the day to create some fun photo opportunities. After the ceremony all the women changed into boots and they walked to a fire pit at the Four Seasons where the couple had some celebratory time with their wedding party roasting marshmallows. Also the ceremony itself was timed so that the candles would stand in relief against the blue dusky sky after sunset.”

Black Rock Racing; Lestor Prairie, MN

Black Rock Racing; Lestor Prairie, MNBlack Rock Racing; Lestor Prairie, MN

Black Rock Racing; Lestor Prairie, MNBlack Rock Racing; Lestor Prairie, MN

The Minneapolis-based photographer says she shot this wedding entirely in film with a mix of a Contax 645 with 80mm lens and Nikon F100 with 50mm lens. “I’m a big believer in prime lenses and use them whenever possible,” she says. “And when it makes sense, I also fire up my tripod to take detail shots on a long exposure.”

Black Rock Racing; Lestor Prairie, MN

Black Rock Racing; Lestor Prairie, MNBlack Rock Racing; Lestor Prairie, MN

Black Rock Racing; Lestor Prairie, MN

To see more of Banfield’s wedding portfolios, visit her website.

To submit a Wedding of the Week, email Jessica Gordon.