Daliya and Matteo’s love story began in 2012 when they found themselves on opposite sides of a lecture hall in their first-year university biology course. Daliya noticed Matteo across the room and thought he seemed kind, but it took a full month and a Billy Talent t-shirt to finally give her the courage to start a conversation. They became inseparable, and just under two years later they started dating, realizing they had both carried a crush on the other since literally day one. When it came time to plan their wedding, the date was never a question: it had to fall on the 10-year anniversary of their first date, and with that locked in 2.5 years in advance, every other beautiful detail could fall into place.
Sunrise to Sunset in the Mountains: An Elopement Day Built for Adventure
The couple planned an elopement day that moved through the Canadian Rockies like a love letter to the outdoors: a sunrise ceremony at Peyto Lake, portraits at Bow Lake, lunch at Takkakaw Falls (the second tallest waterfall in Canada!), an afternoon rest, and a sunset session at Emerald Lake Lodge. When thick fog rolled in and blocked the mountain views at Peyto Lake, their photographer Tara suggested a nearby alternative lake, and the pivot turned out to be perfect. A small bird joined them on the beach during their vows, Daliya’s best friend Vida officiated the ceremony, and the natural beauty of the Rockies, so unlike anything back home in Ontario, made every moment feel otherworldly. By the time Tara returned for the sunset session, the couple was running on pure exhaustion from their 2:45am wake-up call, but they pushed through and it remains one of the highlights of the entire day.
Simple, Personal, and Handmade: The Details That Made It Theirs
Daliya and Matteo wanted their elopement to feel natural and unfussy, letting the stunning landscapes speak for themselves. Daliya handmade her own bouquet, knowing that DIY flowers would hold up far better than fresh florals through a full day of mountain hiking and travel. There were no official wedding colors, though Matteo wore a blue tie and blue socks to complement Daliya’s wedding dress, and the couple later changed into a bold, bright pink second look that they are completely obsessed with. Every choice, from the officiant being a best friend to the lack of fussy decor, reflected exactly who they are as a couple: laid-back, adventurous, and deeply intentional.
A Message for Plus Size Brides: Find the Photographer Who Cheers You On
The hike into Peyto Lake was one of the most challenging things Daliya had ever done, especially after gaining weight following a long COVID diagnosis, and it took more than twice as long as expected. But Tara never rushed her, never made her feel behind, and cheered her on every step of the way. That support transformed a difficult moment into one Daliya now feels genuinely proud of. For Daliya and Matteo, working with a photographer who is enthusiastically intersectional in her approach, someone who celebrates couples of all ethnicities, body sizes, abilities, and gender expressions, was not a nice-to-have but a must. They want other plus size and marginalized brides to know that photographers like that exist, and that finding one can make all the difference in how you feel on the most important day of your life.
