An epic snowboarding wedding in the Dolomites in Italy
Fresh snow. Blue skies. Empty slopes. And two snowboarders carving their way down a mountain in wedding clothes.
Avgi and Darren hadn’t come to the Dolomites simply to get married with a mountain view. Snowboarding was part of their wedding day.
They chose Col Pradat in Alta Badia, close to Corvara, for a ceremony high in the Italian Dolomites, followed by something rather less conventional: heading straight onto the slopes with their wedding party.
For the skiers and snowboarders, that meant clipping in and setting off down the mountain. For everyone else, it meant staying at altitude and taking in the views.
And for me? It meant taking my cameras onto the mountain and going with them.
This is what I mean when I talk about a ski or adventure wedding. The adventure isn’t a photoshoot added onto the day. It’s part of the wedding itself.
As well as easy access right after the ceremony for the skiers in the wedding party, the non-skiing guests could also enjoy the beautiful views from the venue of Via Alton.
Why the Dolomites for a Ski Wedding?
The Dolomites have a completely different character to the Swiss and Austrian Alps. The dramatic peaks and distinctive landscape of this part of northern Italy make it an incredible setting for a winter wedding.
Even the drive to Alta Badia is an experience. I found myself stopping several times on the way simply to photograph the scenery on my iPhone.
Avgi and Darren now live in Cyprus with their beloved dog Loki. They met though in Milton Keynes in the UK.
“I’ve always wanted to learn how to skydive. When I was quite young we travelled to the UK and my dad knowing my love for extreme sports , since I was too young for a real skydive took me to try indoor skydiving at Airkix (now IFLY) in Milton Keynes and that’s where I met Darren – he was my instructor” Avgi told me.
In the past few years Avgi has suffered with serious health conditions but this has not stopped her from Skydiving or Snowboarding. Extreme sports is still “her thing”.
From the moment I met this couple I knew I would love telling their story. I hope you enjoy watching it.
From the moment I met Avgi and Darren, I knew I was going to love telling their story. And a wedding that involved snowboards, chairlifts and heading straight onto the slopes after the ceremony was always going to be one I’d remember.
If you’re planning a ski or adventure wedding of your own, you can explore my Ski & Adventure Wedding Films, or take a look at more ski weddings and elopements across the Alps, including recent weddings here in Wengen, Switzerland.
And for another Austrian adventure, you can watch Irene and Koen’s ski wedding in Fiss.
Videography: Story Of Your Day
Photography: Wild Connections Photography
