A Classic Wedding on Lake Louise

In March of 2015, David Pfeiffer boarded an airplane and made friends with the woman sitting next to him. “That woman was a friend of mine, and a few months later, she told me that she had the perfect man to set me up with,” says Sheenah Rogers. “We went out on a blind date, and the rest is history!” A year later, David took Sheenah to France, stopping to spend a few nights at a chateau near Nice. After having a drink at the bar one night, David told Sheenah he needed to go back up to their room before leaving for dinner. “When I opened the door, there were rose petals, a violinist, champagne—and David on one knee on the veranda!” Sheenah remembers.

And a year after that, on May 27, 2017, the couple invited 100 guests to join them at the Post Hotel & Spa in Lake Louise, Alberta. “We’ve spent so many milestone moments there, including my first Mother’s Day after our child was born, so it’s very close to our hearts,” says Sheenah. “We focused more on the experience than the aesthetics, letting the cozy location (and the best wine cellar in North America!) speak for itself.”

This classic wedding was all about the couple's family and friends, and Chelsea Kindrachuk Photography captured it perfectly.

The couple's venue, Post Hotel & Spa, features epic views of snow-capped mountains that made for beyond beautiful photos.

Sheenah has a five-year-old son from her first marriage, and she and David have a son together as well. “Having our sons made us realize what was really important, which is why we stripped away so many of the wedding traditions,” says Sheenah.

The bride wore a silk Ines di Santo gown with long sleeves and a scoop neck, inspired by Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy, while David wore a classic Tom Ford tuxedo. “I saw my dress online, and called the only boutique in Canada that carries Ines di Santo. They didn’t have the dress, but called me 48 hours before a trunk show to let me know it would be there," she remembers. "I hopped on a plane from Calgary to Vancouver in the morning, bought the dress, and flew back in the afternoon!” It was a whirlwind day she’ll never forget—especially because she left her phone in the cab. “I didn’t notice until I was standing in the salon in my dress, and couldn’t call anyone to tell them about it!”

The couple married in front of a stone fireplace decorated with pillar candles—and beneath an appropriately-Canadian moose head. “My five-year-old son walked me down the aisle," recalls the bride. "He was so nervous, but he did great!”

The bride and groom wrote their own vows, customizing them to make them special and truly personal.

After they said “I do,” guests raised glasses of champagne in a toast to the newlyweds.

The couple’s 100 guests headed outside to the hotel lawn for cocktail hour, then moved back inside the cozy cabin-style space for the reception. Tables were topped with white linens, candles, and low arrangements of white flowers. The menu focused on local ingredients and featured David’s favorite meal: tuna tartare!

The couple selected their first dance song as a nod to their second date, on which they flew to New York City just for dinner! “We ate at a restaurant in the East Village that only played ’80s hair band music, and laughed as we sang every word of ‘Keep on Loving You’ by REO Speedwagon together,” she remembers. "It became our song!"

Looking back on wedding planning, the bride does have a piece of advice for other brides-to-be. “Relax and do your best to simplify things,” she says. “It’s about the two of you and the things you value most in life—nothing more!”