Anna Lengstrand & Keaton Carlson's epic Pemberton elopement

This piece originally appeared in the 2021 issue of Wishes, Whistler's wedding magazine.

As Anna Lengstrand and Keaton Carlson dreamed up what they wanted their wedding to look like, Anna knew she didn’t want a large ceremony.

With her family in Sweden and Keaton’s in Alberta, a tentative guest list included at least 150 people. At the time, the outlook for such a large gathering amid travel restrictions wasn’t looking good. Anna would joke that the two should slip away— and so they decided to pare down the celebration to the two people saying, “I do.”

Without a word to friends and family, Anna and Keaton decided to elope—in style. Along with the officiant, photographer and friend Logan Swayze, the filmmaking talent of Calling Mountains Productions, and the pilot of Blackcomb Helicopters, they climbed aboard a helicopter and were swept away to Ipsoot Mountain in Pemberton.

As they flew over, the crew picked out a seldom-seen side of the lake, alongside a giant glacier, where it is most likely no one has been married before.

Escaping into the mountains was important for the couple. Although they have their own farm in Pemberton, as Anna said, they’d been spending a lot of time at home and were ready to explore some new terrain. The couple ski tours and sleds, and wanted to go somewhere rugged and beautiful that they’d never seen before. The scene, she said, took their breath away.

“If you’re even thinking about eloping, just do it,” Anna recommended, adding that keeping the wedding between the bride and groom took away a lot of pressure and the stress of making sure guests were having a good time.

Ultimately, they could focus on each other. “We did this for us. We can still have a big party later for everyone, when COVID is over.”

One thing that stayed the same from their initial vision was the couple’s first look: Anna had always wanted to ride in on horseback, her bohemian gown (custom made by Reclamation) flowing behind her. The only rehearsal the betrothed would have was for that first look, with Anna— wrapped in a duvet to mimic her long gown—riding her horse Stella toward where Keaton had built an arch (that was covered by floral arrangements by Catherine Karpman of the Garden Shed).

Overlooking Mount Currie, the landscape was a natural backdrop, but Anna stole the show.

“I just felt so me and very special,” she said of the moment. “We get reminded every day when we walk back there, and it is so special to see the photos and know this is our home.”

Once they landed back at their farm, friend and chef Mike Crane had an elaborate spread for the newlyweds and those who helped their wedding come together. At a long outdoor table, big enough for social distancing, they raised a glass and enjoyed a rich meal complete with local salmon. Anna and Keaton splurged on a vegan cake from the Flour Pot and spent the next few days indulging.

The bride and groom made sure to capture their not-so-traditional nuptials for friends and family to see, even though they couldn’t be there in person.

“We made sure the whole day was photographed and filmed. That’s something I would recommend. If you elope, I think you should film and document everything,” she said, because it made sure their loved ones still felt like part of this lifetime event.

With the video, everyone can hear every word of the vows, see every close-up, share every smile.

“Sometimes I ask my husband, because he is more traditional, does he regret eloping? He says, ‘No. I would do it again, in a second.’”