Featured Wedding:Heather & Sean's Ski Elopement at Banff Sunshine Village
April 5, 2025 · Sunshine Mountain Lodge, Banff National Park, Alberta Photography by Film and Forest Photo
"Rather than building their wedding around tradition, Heather and Sean built it around experience — something that truly reflected their relationship."
Their Story
Some couples plan their wedding around a venue. Heather and Sean planned theirs around a chairlift.
The two have always been most themselves in the mountains — skiing together, exploring together, feeling the kind of freedom that only wide-open alpine terrain can offer. So when it came time to get married, the question wasn't where to find a beautiful room. It was how to spend the day doing exactly what they love, with everyone they love beside them.
The answer was Banff Sunshine Village — one of Canada's most iconic ski resorts, perched high in the Canadian Rockies inside Banff National Park. On the morning of April 5th, 2025, Heather and Sean laced up their ski boots, layered their wedding attire beneath their gear, and headed to the slopes.
The Wedding Day
The day began at Sunshine Mountain Lodge — the resort's mountaintop hotel, and the only ski-in/ski-out lodge in Banff National Park. Heather and Sean got ready separately, each surrounded by their closest friends and family, the excitement of the morning building against a backdrop of panoramic Rocky Mountain views.
Then came the moment that set this day apart from any other wedding: instead of a quick photo stop on the hill, the couple spent the entire morning skiing together. Wedding attire tucked under jackets, they rode lifts, carved turns, and took in the mountain they love — side by side, on their wedding day. It wasn't a stunt. It was simply who they are.
After the morning on the slopes, the wedding party gathered near the resort for the ceremony. The setting was as natural as the couple themselves: clean mountain air, sweeping alpine views, and the kind of quiet grandeur that Banff does better than anywhere else on earth.
Guests made their way up to Sunshine Mountain Lodge for the reception, toasting the newlyweds in a venue that felt less like a wedding hall and more like a celebration of everything that brought Heather and Sean together in the first place. The Rockies stretched out in every direction. The afternoon light turned the snow golden. It was, by every measure, a perfect day.
The Locations
Sunshine Mountain Lodge sits at the top of Banff Sunshine Village — a mountaintop hotel unlike any other in the national park. As the only ski-in/ski-out lodge in Banff, it offers an experience that's both exclusive and deeply connected to the landscape. For Heather and Sean, hosting their ceremony and reception here meant guests could share not just in the celebration, but in the alpine world the couple calls home.
Wedding photos were captured both on the ski slopes of Banff Sunshine Village and around the lodge itself — a fitting canvas for a couple who live for the mountains.
Words of Wisdom
For couples dreaming of their own adventure elopement, Heather and Sean keep it simple: focus on what you love, leave extra time for the experience, and choose a place that allows you to fully enjoy the things that bring you together. That's exactly what they did — and the result was a wedding day that felt less like a production and more like the best version of themselves.
The Wedding Team
Photographer | Film and Forest Photo | filmandforestphoto.com | @filmandforest
Florals | Willow Flower Company | willowflowercompany.ca | @willowflowerco
Hair & Makeup | Botega Hair & Gallery | botegahair.com | @botega.salon.gallery
Shoes | Badgley Mischka | badgleymischka.com | @badgleymischka
Jewelry & Rings | Attic Gold | atticgold.com | @atticgold
Venue | Sunshine Village | skibanff.com | @sunshinevillage
About The Photographer
Based in the heart of Canmore, Film and Forest blends cinematic artistry with the raw beauty of the Canadian Rockies. Recognized among the Top 30 Canadian Wedding Photographers of 2024 — and home to one of the Top 10 Wedding Photos of the year — this studio is known for emotionally rich, visually striking storytelling.
Their work is deeply rooted in nature, adventure, and authenticity, often capturing couples in sweeping alpine landscapes or intimate woodland moments. Whether documenting mountaintop elopements or elegant celebrations, Film and Forest delivers imagery that feels timeless and immersive.
With a reputation for artistic excellence across Alberta and British Columbia, their photographs resonate with couples who crave connection, emotion, and a sense of place.