How to Elope in Canmore/Kananaskis (permits and tips)
By Canmore local elopement photographer and planner Kalla Ramberg Photography. All images by Kalla Ramberg Photography.
I totally get it- eloping is supposed to be easy but it seems like there are so many hoops you have to jump through for permits to plan for your elopement. I’m here to make things as simple as possible because planning-induced headaches are no fun. I’m Kalla, a Canmore based elopement photographer and planner who helps my couples to have the most kickass and stress free elopement possible.
Choosing to elope in the Canmore area (Kananaskis, Spray Valley, Bow Valley provincial parks) is always a good idea. Now, I’m biased on that as a local elopement photographer but I can’t encourage couples enough when it comes to celebrating on their own terms and in such a beautiful location. However, it's important that couples take the legal steps necessary to make sure that you’re being a legal-beagle about it! In this blog post, we'll go over the legal requirements for getting married in any Alberta Provincial Park.
Step 1: Obtain a Marriage License
You'll need to obtain a marriage license as a first step. In Alberta, marriage licenses are issued by the Alberta government online or in person at any Registry Agent office in Alberta. The cost of a marriage license in Alberta is currently $40. This link goes over all of the information for how to apply:
Step 2: Find an Officiant
You have a few options here. You can get married by a religious, civil marriage commissioner, or you can go the route of having a friend/family member getting temporarily ordained. You can find a list of authorized marriage commissioners on the website linked below by putting in your postal code or the postal code of where you’re eloping.
Your other option is to have a friend or family member get a ‘temporary marriage commissioner’ licence. This is a great option if you’d like someone who is near-and-dear to you officiate your wedding since it makes the ceremony just that much more personal. There is no cost, and it should be processed in 2-4 weeks although I reccommend doing it earlier. This link goes more into detail about this process:
Established commissioners: Alberta: Find an officiant
Temporary commissioners: Temporary Marriage Commissioner
Once you've selected an officiant, you'll need to provide them with your marriage license and discuss the details of your ceremony.
Step 3: Choose a Location and acquire any necessary permits
Kananaskis Provincial Park and it’s surrounding areas have many beautiful locations to choose from for your elopement. However, it's important to note that you'll need to obtain a permit if you plan on getting married within provincial park boundaries. You can apply for a permit online through Alberta Parks' website, and the cost of the permit will vary depending on the location and size of your wedding party. For more information and to apply, use the link below and use the dropdown menu to select the provincial park you have in mind:
Alberta parks (location permits)
Step 4: Plan Your Ceremony
Once all of the legalities are taken care of you can start the fun stuff- planning the details of your ceremony! This is where the ‘choose your own adventure’ aspect of elopement planning comes in. I heavily reccommend that you check the link below, it’s a 15 step guide for How to Elope in Alberta that more extensively dives into how to begin planning your elopement and a million tips based on my years of experience planning and photographing elopements in Alberta:
How To Elope In Alberta (free 15 step guide!)
Step 5: Register Your Marriage
After your ceremony, your officiant will give you a marriage certificate. You'll need to register your marriage with the Alberta Government Vital Statistics office within two months of your wedding date. This can be done online or by mail for a small fee of $20. Here’s a link with more info:
Ordering marriage certificates
For my couples, I help them plan their entire adventurous elopement, whether that includes backpacking overnight or just strolling to a pretty place. Here’s what I do:
