WE ARE SO HAPPY YOU'RE HERE
PLEASE VIEW
ON A DESKTOP
xoxo the laings
& we can hardly wait to celebrate our marriage with you!
while camping together in Kananaskis, AB on August 20, 2022.
OKAY SO! We can't think of a better way to celebrate this next stage of our lives together, and everything that we love, than to invite you to spend the weekend with us and the rest of our closest friends & family out camping in a place that means so much to us. The Kananaskis area, Lower Lakes in specific, is where we had our first outdoor picnic date, have spent countless days out wandering & adventuring, and our engagement photos taken just this past October at the opposite end of the lake from where we'll be saying our I do's.
We have booked the Lower Lakes Group Campground from the August 18-21, 2022 and would love for you to bring out your campers/tents to join us for as much or as little of the weekend as you would like! The ceremony itself will take place August 20, 2022. So, if you're splitting your time that weekend, just know that is going to be the day we celebrate for years to come! We will be heading out on Thursday August 18 in time for our 4:00pm check in. We welcome you to join us whenever best works for you!
**Throughout this website, please explore the yellow font/links just like this for further information**
A FEW THINGS WE WANT YOU TO KNOW BEFORE YOU COME!
One of the biggest and most important things we want you to know is that ultimately we hope this weekend won't feel like your traditional wedding; the ones you're used to attending where you hardly get to visit with the couple.
Part of the reason we don't just want one day to visit with everyone we adore, is that it simply isn't enough for us. We want to help you set up your camp, cook some meals together, pour you some drinks, maybe do some light hiking or exploring together to show you how thankful we are for you and the support you've given our relationship over the years (and all the support in years going forward.) We want to simply just have a really good time doing what we love with people we love- that's you! In the spirit of having a really good time together, drinks for cocktail hour and into the reception are on us. BYOB into the evening!
A loose timeline of events looks something like this-
Thursday
4pm check in at the campsite, spend the evening relaxing & setting up.
Think sunshine, bonfire, smores and djinks!!
Friday
If you've never been out to Kananaskis we really hope that you'll take some time to check out the sights! There are so many great little spots to fish, hike/walk & check out. See more about that below! We'd also love to gather together in preparation for tomorrow!!!
10:00
Saturday
/Brunch, coffee, mimosas
/Set up & hang out
3:00
Getting ready together and enjoying all the appys!
6:30
Collectively walk to the ceremony location!
7:00
Let's fricken goooo!
/Taco Dinner, drinks, toasts, dance!
Sunday
For lack of a better term- lick our wounds haha
/2pm check out
/If the weather cooperates, we will likely spend the day out in the mountains after packing up doing some sort of hike and would love for you to join!
We know this might not be the typical wedding weekend, & really we don't want it to be, but what we do want is for it to be intimate/fun, and ultimately really really relaxed.
One of the few things we are doing differently than most is not having a bridal party. Typically the people closest to the couple stand up alongside them; but every single one of you is close to us and important to having our day be just as we imagine. Each of you are our bridal party and by sharing this Pinterest board with you, we just want to share our theme with you so that all members of this huge a** bridal party look as good as it'll feel!
That being said, we also know how difficult it can be to sometimes figure out what to wear to weddings, let alone a wedding that isn't going to be a traditional one--- so we ask that you take a look at the Pinterest board to see our "dress code/color scheme" that hopefully you'll feel comfortable abiding by to give you some direction with what to wear!
At the end of the day, wear something comfortable and something that you feel good in. If you feel like you already own an item that would work, please wear that rather than buying a new piece since this doesn't need to be a wasteful event in that regard! We just want you there even if it's in a summer dress you didn't get to wear in 2020. If you're really struggling to find something check the online shops above.
The majority of the entire wedding day will take place in the campground on gravel/grass. There will be some light walking to reach the ceremony space on the 20th, so leave your sky high heels for the next wedding. Barefoot, birks, sanuks- whatever feels good to you feels good for us.
A FEW MORE THINGS WE WANT YOU TO KNOW BEFORE YOU COME!
Directions
Head west of Calgary on HWY 1, 60km west of Stoney Trail, exit on the right to go south (left) at exit 118 at the Stoney Nakoda Casino. Drive on HWY 40 for 50km then turn right onto Kananaskis Lakes Trail. You’ll see a sign that says Welcome to Peter lougheed Provincial Park. Enjoy the drive, continue straight on Kananaskis Lakes Trail for approximately 10km. Turn right after signage for Lower Lakes Group Campground/Day Use and continue for .7km before hanging a right into the group camping. View & download a simplified map here.
Conservation Pass
Your party/trailer/vehicle will be required to buy a Kananaskis Conservation Pass. Unlike the commonly known Banff National Park Pass that is a physical card to be kept in the windshield of your vehicle, this pass is bought and registered online using your license plate number. Each annual pass allows 2 vehicles to be registered on it; the most cost effective way to be sure you have a pass for the weekend is to privately split the cost of an annual pass between two parties and register each of your own vehicles. Doing this is cheaper for each party than paying for 4 individual days! A good time to mention camping is on us for your trip out to celebrate us!
Gasoline
Gas can be purchased 20 minutes from the site at Fortress Junction/Centex on HWY 40- ice can be purchased here, and limited alcohol. Or an hour away at the Stoney Nakoda gas station where you turn off of HWY 1. Expect that prices will be relatively higher, but still available. If you have means to transport your gas we recommend doing this.
Amenities
There are no hookups at the campground and no electricity on site so if you’ve got a generator we ask that you please bring it! There is also no phone service. Showers can be found at Elkwood campground up the road, or use the singular on site water tap to fill your own tanks at the campground.
Haven't ever been out to Kananaskis?
Having no phone service within 30 minutes of the campground, with the closest spot being Wedge Pond, we don't want you getting lost or failing to access this web page for directions so click below to view and download some simplified maps of everything relevant to the weekend.
Aside from not having any service, there are some stunning, very mild and short hikes to check out in the area if you're interested. There is also fishing at Lower Lake, and canoes/kayaks to be rented just up the lake. Bring your paddleboards, and other water toys to cool down in the glacier water! Tarps optional.
Since we are thick in bear country we recommend bringing bear spray if you've got it, and leaving your animals at home for their safety from wildlife and sizzling temperatures.
When we say we can hardly wait, we mean we are counting the days.
Counting the days until we see your faces coming to meet and celebrate us and this life we love together so much.
One of the other things we are opting to forego for our celebration is the idea of a registry. If you are wanting or thinking of a gift for us, we ask if you'd please consider contributing to our honeymoon to make that even more sweeter. Our home has been made with love and care, and is full of all the things we could require, and so a holiday away is what we most desire. Then while we are relaxing somewhere far from home, we'll sit back again and know that this too is truly thanks to you.
In lieu of any physical gift, and in another way our wedding will have an untraditional element, we are asking and requesting that due to the nature of the event, refrigeration and storage in general for food over the weekend, that each party RSVP with an appetizer/snacky dish to bring!
THE LAST THING WE ASK OF YOU AFTER MAKING IT THIS FAR, IS TO-
We love you, we are so excited, and can hardly wait for tacos and music and campfires and laughs and drinks and memories and celebrating us with you!
