Bree + Cody’s Epic Mountain Engagement Session in Coleman, Alberta

It was seriously one of the most incredible adventures I’ve had. We (Cal, Lila, and I) set out from Brooks in the morning, driving through a drizzle of rain for quite some time before finally hitting sunshine toward the Rocky Mountains of southwest Alberta.

For days leading up to Bree + Cody’s epic engagement session, we worried that we’d have to cancel as the weather began to look quite disagreeable. But after going back and forth with each other per day, flip-flopping between going and not, we decided to risk it.

And I’m SO glad we did, for when we got to the Crowsnest Pass, though the sky was partially cloudy, the roads were bare, and the snow that had fallen threatened to melt away. For Bree + Cody’s epic mountain engagement session in Coleman, Alberta, we all breathed a sigh of relief.

It took us just about 3 ½ hours to get to Coleman, including a brief stop in Pincher Creek because we forgot extra, just-in-case clothes for Lila. The drive was uneventful otherwise, and the varying landscapes held my breath captive as we transitioned from oilfield-dominated grasslands to wind-turbine-dappled hills. When we reached the mountains, making our way through the Frank Slide for the first time, my chest tightened with awe. I never realized how colossal the huge rockslide had been.

We arrived in the Coleman area not long after that, the “fuzzy” tree-covered mountains (yes, I called them fuzzy) bewildering to see compared to the sparser peaks of Canmore and Banff. 

Pulling into the driveway of Bree’s family cabin was unnerving, having never seen Bree or Cody in person before. Cody was messing around with his bow and arrows as we reached the bottom of the drive, and after a brief introduction, we were in the right place.

Bree had finished her makeup trial for their wedding right before we arrived, so was curling her gorgeous long hair when I headed inside to say hi. We chatted for a bit, and Cody took this time to take a snowmobile up to their family’s lease land, checking how much snow was around, and if it was dirtbike accessible. (Spoiler alert, it was not.) 

When Bree was ready, we began their session around the cabin. With pine trees all around, and open areas with views of the snow-dressed mountain peaks, it was the perfect place to get them comfortable in front of my camera.

They were naturals; once we got going, I hardly had to direct them, simply telling them where I wanted them to stand and how they should interact with one another. The rest was all them. With life having been crazy and exhausting, it was the best excuse to breathe, and soak up some time together without the stress of wedding planning.

Tika and Sheena, their two dogs (whom I have no idea how to spell their names), ran around us the entire session, taking part in their own pupper way. Both were friendly and excited with all the action going on. And when we got ready to head out on the sleds, they came right along with us. I rode with Cody, and nearly fell off a couple times, but having been my first time on a snowmobile – and definitely not the last!! – I think the ride went fairly well overall.

The view at the top of the mountain, where their lease land was located, was phenomenal. You could see right up the valley to the east, with mountains surrounding on all sides. Behind where we were shooting was a much taller mountain peak, dwarfing everything around us. At one point, as Bree + Cody danced together in the snow, a helicopter flew overhead, and we joked that they were spying on us.

With little time left, we returned on the snowmobiles. Bree had gone on ahead with Tika as we had paused with Sheena 2/3’s the way back. Being an older pupper, she needed occasional breaks… which resulted in a good roll in the snow for the old girl. When she was good to go, we headed off again. As we made our way to catch up with Bree, Cody shared some of their history with me, making their relationship story so much more meaningful than I had known before.

Cal and Lila were parked in the driveway when we returned, and with a bit of time left, we grabbed the dirt bikes for a few last photos in the field. It was the best way to end the session, giving Bree + Cody some playful moments at the end.

The entire drive home all I did was reminisce on the entire session, feeling so grateful for the experience they shared with me.

Bree + Cody, thank you again for letting me take your engagement photos for you. I really enjoyed getting to know both of you, and am so ecstatic that you’ve chosen me to photograph your wedding for you two. I can’t wait!!