OUR FAVOURITE EUROPEAN INSPIRED PHOTOGRAPHY LOCATIONS IN OTTAWA

Sometimes you just want to feel like your somewhere other than where you are. Transported to another time and place. Or at the very least have your wedding photos look and feel like Europe. At least I do. As a first generation Canadian, I’m always searching for a little bit of what oddly feels like home to me. Europe. So i’m sharing all my secret.

Ottawa is truly a hidden gem when it comes to its remarkable historical architecture, and if you carefully curate and thoughtfully plan your wedding day accordingly, here are the top sites I enthusiastically suggest to all of my clients who are seeking stunning European-inspired wedding photography in the beautiful city of Ottawa.

National Art Centre Rooftop Patio

The National Art Centre is iconic for its views of the Chateau Laurier, Historical Train Station now turned Senate, Parliament Hill etc. The upper balcony which used to have a tent for weddings is now a public access rooftop terrace. A perfect place to capture larger group photos such as bridal party photos and even family photos. The National Art Centre has plenty on-site parking for traveling bridal parties and a few cute nooks for pictures closer to the canal. No reservations needed and walkable from the Chateau Laurier and Lord Elgin.

Stephanie Mason Photography

Stephanie Mason Photography

Centre for pluralism

Located right beside National Art Gallery, the Centre for Pluralism is stunning in its European style architecture and with a gorgeous courtyard. Steps from the Notre Dame Basilica, this is my go to for family and bridal party photos as its quiet and has close to no foot traffic. The courtyard is also available to rent if you would like to host an outdoor ceremony or pitch a tent for your reception. I suggest you book transportation as there is no formal onsite parking and The Royal Canadian Mint next door is pretty strict with security.

Chateau Laurier

My second home. If you know me, you’ll know my affinity for the Chateau Laurier. There’s a catch 22. Access to the exterior of the building is available for all to take pictures. However the inside of the Chateau is reserved solely for couple who are getting married AT the Chateau. If you’re looking for a rain plan- this is not it. For lucky couples getting married at the Chateau, you wouldn’t need to leave the property to have a wide range of photography.

Lace & Luce

Amy Pinder Photography

Lace & Luce

Lace & Luce

NATIONAL ART GALLERY

The National Art Gallery is more modern in aesthetic and provides a beautiful blank canvas. Perfect for minimalistic photos with and abundance of negative space. It’s hot though- so bring water, hand held fans and a pair of walking shoes. If it’s raining many couple will opt for photos inside. There is a fee and places to take photos is limited. Most of the gallery is off limits due to publication rights of art work.

SUPREME COURT OF CANADA

Often overlooked is the Parliament Buildings, due to their construction, but also the Supreme Court. With little shade and with the sun high in the sky during key photography times, this property can seem challenging to some photographers. But I love this building. It’s quiet, easy for a limo to pull up and stand by as you run out for some gorgeous photos. This spot is a 10 on an overcast day!

Joel & Justyna Photography

Joel & Justyna Photography

SENATE BUILDING OF CANADA

A very long time ago I did an event in this building when it was The Government Conference Building. If you had written permission from a member of parliament and a lot of luck, it was possible to host the odd event in a blue moon. The charm of this building is found when it’s used in the background of beautiful wedding photos. Its limestone exterior is also quite gorgeous for closer photos, but because of its scale and grandeur the more prominent features of the building is missed.

CONNAUGHT BUILDING

Another stunning building across from Majors Hill and beside the Chateau Laurier perfect for bridal portraits, iconic in-motion promenade photos.

Notre DamE Basilica

I really love this spot. It’s easy to just walk by without a second glance. Just an entrance. But to a trained photographer- just look at the opportunities to do bridal party, family or even portraits! If you’re looking at the Notre Dame, this alcove would be on the right hand side of the building on St.Patricks Street.

Lace & Luce

Agatha Rowland Photography

Wellington Building

Paris in Ottawa. And if you were to ask me, November in downtown Ottawa in general feels like a rainy day Paris. The location of the Wellington Building with it’s sandstone exterior and rod-iron portico provides photographers a stunning backdrop to make your wedding photos feel like Europe. As you can see in these two pictures you could spend 30 mins alone shooting various angles and it could look like multiple various locations.

Agatha Rowland Photography

Agatha Rowland Photography

The Arboretum

Only in cherry blossom season would I suggest the Arboretum for your wedding photos. Plain and simple there are just too many tourists and better park like places that will give you the same effect without the crowed. But if you’re looking for blooming trees the window in May is short but glorious. In the picture on your left, our bride from California caught the last glimpse of a blooming tree June 11th. So don’t be deceived. Late April to Mid May is cherry blossom, crab apple, service berry, dogwood, magnolia season. Parking is slim. 100% book a limousine that can hover in the distance as you take your wedding photos. I know someone is going to ask me where we got this 1938 Ford antique car so here is a link to that wedding’s post for further pictures and the company we worked with is Antique Limo Services

Lace & Luce

Lace & Luce

ROCKCLIFFE PARK

The images below are from a wedding ceremony we hosted in the Rockcliffe Park. It takes a bit of exploring to find these abandoned columns and hidden cherub fountain. From the main parking- its hard to see. Down a winding path along a hillside you’ll find these ruins tucked away in a beautiful private nook. To have a ceremony onsite you will need a permit from NCC. They also have strict regulations on what they permit you to do onsite, but if you’re looking for a casual micro ceremony or for bridal portraits this is a really picturesque spot.

Joel & Justyna Photography

MAJORS HILL PARK

I’m wondering if Majors Hill Park will become more popular for photography now that AI is advanced enough to be able to take out unsightly signage, random pedestrians etc. This park is often an at sunset or after sunset “if we have time” last minute location since its always so busy with tourists. But as you can see. The view of the Fairmont Chateau Laurier is iconic and non-other. My client seen in the bottom right photo left dinner in order to get this photo. And I have to say, it was worth the stalling of catering ;)

Anita Peeples Photography

Stephanie Mason Photography

Agatha Rowland

Mackenzie Avenue

How quaint as bride is it to walk with your bridal party from your presidential suite at the Chateau Laurier to the Notre Dame Cathedral to get married. Just the thought brings chills. The moments captured during that walk are priceless. Full of excitement and butterflies. I’ve walked this path with many brides and i’ve even searched for a scooter or two for my staff to zip back and forth from each location. Our bride Brittany is seen here on Mackenzie Avenue with her bridesmaids.

Lace & Luce

Lace & Luce

CONFEDERATION PARK

I’m just going to leave these images here and let them speak for themselves. Especially when your photographer is one of Vogues top photographers list.

Hanguyen Photo

Hanguyen Photo

Joel & Justyna

Joel & Justyna

Joel & Justyna

NATIONAL RESEARCH COUNCIL OF CANADA

If you don’t venture down Sussex often this building can be missed. I first noticed the building doing events for the British High Commission. We shared an entrance to Earnscliff, the official residence of the Ambassador. At the time I had never seen it used in any wedding photography before. So when the opportunity arose and with the clients explicit trust, we ventured over with Age of Indie. This might be #2 on my list of all-time favourite spots because it just isn’t used by photographers and desolate on the weekends with a massive empty parking lot. This would also be lovely for family photos.

Age of Indie

Age of Indie

CENTRAL POST OFFICE

Photos By Emma

Logan Scott Photography

SIR JOHN A MACDONALD BUILDING

TABARET HALL

Photo by Errol McGihon

MACKENZIE KING ESTATE

ROCKCLIFFE PAVILLION

Back when I first started doing weddings, the Rockcliffe Pavilion was the designated space to rent for an outdoor wedding ceremony and a rain plan all built into one. Mind you the parking isn’t great and the pavilion is very dark inside for photos. These days if you call NCC they will say that the structure is under renovation and not accepting bookings. However, if you were to swing by now you’ll see that it’s not entirely the case. once a year i’ll give them a call to see if it’s available, but I seem to strike every single time.

Vatican Embassy

This image is very misleading. The entrance to the Vatican’s Embassy is absolutely stunning. If you come at the right time you may see their decorated guards. My first experience at this Embassy was to host a birthday event in honour of the Pope. Driving through these gates left me feeling like I was back in Geneva Switzerland.

Rideau Hall

Rideau Hall has a lot of tourists so naturally most photographers would err on the side of caution and forgo these beautiful parklike grounds. But I often have a select few ambitious enough to tackle the obstacles and shoot here.

ST RAPHAEL’S

Outside of Ottawa. Closer to Cornwall is St Raph’s ruins. One day I will do a ceremony here.

canal locks

Shawn Kerr Photography

STRATHCONA PARK

Before & After: A Ottawa Wedding Transformation Like No Other

I first met with Samantha and Amin back in the summer of 2013 at small coffee shop in New Edinburg. Little did I know this potential client was about to give me carte blanche for what would be the most amazing concept to creation a planner could have ever dreamed of at a super exclusive venue. A space which will only ever see one wedding. Samantha & Amin’s.

When I first walked into the reclaimed church Amin & Samantha has chosen for their wedding venue I could immediately see the space transforming in front of my eyes. I've been asked about my creative process, and it's something I can't quite put into words. The best I can explain, it's like walking into a space- closing your eyes, and reopening them to see the space completely transformed by my creative vision. As I walk through spaces I can see them transforming almost as if I am in the future present wedding day.

The church itself had been gutted with no immediate plans for any renovations or improvements. Patchy paint, green stained parliamentary looking carpets, 60 scattered unhinged pews, no washrooms or running water. The church in day-light looked weathered. But at night it emanated character of an age gone by and an old world ambiance almost as if you were in transported to little Italy. 

The opportunities this church in shambles provided were endless and by the time we walked out of the space I knew exactly every design element and the vendors needed to make this an absolutely gorgeous wedding. The work in front of me was tremendous. It would take painters, carpet cleaners, movers and a dedicated team of vendors to transform this space. And the parents of the Bride and Groom were skeptical, and I was up to the challenge!

CURATED DESIGN PROFILE

Before I take you on the journey of this wedding transformation and we delve into the before and after pictures, we should begin with the vision. Our Design Profile we created for Samantha & Amin in 2014. This was great way to provide a glimpse into the future of how our initial style boards come translate to "the day of". 

I do have a very specific process of how we plan and design a wedding. The very first thing we do is establish concept and priorities, solidify venue, then move into design, choose a photographer who will document the wedding according to the clients overall design and style, and lastly secure reputable vendors to ensure a strong cohesive look and feel based on intention and fore-thought can be brought to life. For this we need strong visuals to convey our thoughts. And that's just the beginning. Below is a small snippet of what our Design Profile looked like in 2013. As you can imagine- things are very different 10 years later in 2023.

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About our design

CHURCH PEWS

Since the "church" was now desacralized everything was fair game. This meant we could use the space however we wanted. During our meeting Samantha said something that really resonated with me which unintentionally became the driving force behind our design. She said, her grandmother always wanted her to have a church wedding, but that she herself did not want a traditional "churchy" wedding. It was almost like a light bulb when off inside my mind.......no nuptials inside the church.....we're going to bring all the pews outside on the lawn and we’ll mary on the steps leadings up to the church. She loved the idea! Little did I know the groom was a New Yorker and didn’t enjoy the outdoors and more specifically bugs.... good thing I'm a great convincer!

BANNERS

I tend to pride myself in incorporating a unique design element which I like to call the "Piece de Resistance" that will leave a lasting impression with guests. Something slightly extravagant and unlike anything else you've seen at a generic wedding. on the furthest right picture below you will see unsightly purple banners. I turned these into suspended waterfall florals with hanging candles. An ethereal floating element that would not only enhance the space but capture the guests attention in the evening with its glowing candlelight.

SUBTLE GRAND ENTRANCE

As our official altar and entrance to the venue was a bit baren. I didn’t want an extravagant floral arch as we too commonly see. So we created an asymmetrical climbing vine to soften and accentuate the doorway. It was so perfectly designed, guests thought it was part of the landscape and had been growing there for years.

LAST MINUTE SURPRISE 

Two weeks before the wedding the groom spontaneously requested some sort of entertainment.. “like maybe some fire dancers."

My reaction.... "Ummm what?!. lol let me ponder on that for a bit!". 

My thought process thereafter: fire + old church divided by insurance = what better options may we be able to incorporate… interpretive dancers in glow in the dark costumes- was that even a thing? Aerial Silks.

But this generated a new problem; space was tight and I needed to find a creative way to incorporate a 20ft structure into the venue without it looking like an eye-soar. It also had to be dismantled before the night was over with guests still milling about and I personally hate moving things while guests are using the same space as it’s disruptive. This structure was a couple hundred pounds and took 45 mins to set up and would equally take as long to be taken down. If you look closely in the picture to your right, you will see that I situated the acro structure at the back of the venue right in front of the main doors. I took a huge risk in its ultimate placement but I also felt like a genius when every guest walked into the space underneath this structure but only noticed it's presence when it was show time.

Below you can see more of the the space before and after our transformation.

FUTURE RECEPTION AREA

ALTER BEFORE DANCE FLOOR TRANSFORMATION

RECEPTION AREA WITH PEWS REMOVED

ALTER WE REMOVED FOR DANCE FLOOR

Fast forward to the wedding day, dinner is coming to a close and the skeptical parents I mentioned before presented themself at our vendor table graciously imploring our efforts as they could not believe their eyes and how we had transformed the space. They thanked us for making them feel as though they had taken a flight and were celebrating their children’s wedding in Europe.

Full gallery captured by Joel & Justyna below

THEIR STORY UNFOLDS

WEDDING PLANNER: Toast Events, Elise Schmitz, Madison Kelly, Victoria Denofrio, Allie Darwin

CONCEPT & DESIGN: Elise Schmitz Toast Events 

DECORATOR & FLORIST: Wedecor

PHOTOGRAPHER: Joel Bedford Photography

CATERER: Tulips & Maple

OFFICIANT: Exceptional Ceremonies

LIMOUSINE: East Coast Limos

INVITATION: Minted

TABLE STATIONARY: Wedecor

CAKE: Thimbles Cakes

MAKEUP: Natalie Peachy

DJ: Marco Ferri Entertainment

AERIAL SILKS: Quality Entertainment (Montreal Acrobats)

PRIVATE ROCKLIFF ESTATE WEDDING

In the middle of a Pandemic and we had huge plans. Plans for a unique botanical take of The Great Gatsby. Ceiling of greenery and twinkle lights, oversized chandeliers, and a midnight champagne tower…. but as we all say now, the world had other plans. Quickly we pivoted and pitched the idea of hosting Emilie & Simon’s private wedding at their family home in Rockliff with their reception still to be hosted for the date of their one year anniversary. As their petite wedding drew near, we were in official lockdown- yet again. Gatherings of 10 only. And thankfully their bubble was just that.

I have to say- a small wedding is almost- in my eyes, a styled shoot. We have time to capture every little detail of the day to truly string in the story line through photography. I can narrow my vision into the tiniest details on a scale I could never do for a 150 person wedding. I was even able to set and style the dinner table myself. One of my favourite things to do. Needless to say, I really hope the trend of smaller weddings continue.

Before their backyard wedding, we hopped in the car and drove a few streets over to the Rockcliffe Park lake for a first look and pictures with my dear friends and photographers Joel & Justyna.

Dinner for the evening required chopsticks and enough Chinese food for an army. Emilie & Simon ordered every single item from the take-out menu of their favourite restaurant and had custom bamboo chopsticks designed for the occasion.

And all you need to know is that at the end of the day, I left with egg rolls. The rest is history.

A Modern Wedding at The Adelina Barn #teambull

When I first met Natascha & James I knew we were a match made in heaven when they said that they wanted their wedding to be as if the were in a modern industrial warehouse in Berlin. Both Tasch & James work at Shopify so you can just imagine the creativity and design precision on demand. Secretly I knew then and there I had found my creative soulmates. The conversations alone on design techniques, subliminal visuals as we created their ultimate celebratory environment and the couples attention to the smallest details had me weak at the knees. It’s a real honor to work with clients that just get what you’re all about.

Although we worked tirelessly to provide Natascha & James visuals to convey our design intentions, they really put their trust in me to deliver an aesthetic that completely shocked them on their wedding day. It’s one thing to dream it, and another to see it, feel it, touch it and immerse yourself in it.

From the very beginning we chose The Adelina for its intimate setting, urban barn and its potential to transform into a chic modern tropical paradise. The acrylic details, custom geometric candle holders, thousands of blooms and Eiffel chairs transformed the space like no other.

As i’m typing this now- damn I get teary eyed! Because it was just so beautiful and I am so lucky to have met two of the nicest human beings i’ve had the privilege of working with. Natascha and James. If you’re reading this, I wish you were in my life everyday! Our year long planning just wasn’t enough!! Thank you for giving me the opportunity to plan and design something truly beautiful for you.

101 ON WEDDING CATERING CONTRACTS

There are so many things to consider when signing on that dotted line. But if you've never thrown an event before how are you supposed to know what to looks for or even understand what this contract is actually saying. To help put things into perspective I'm answering my top 6 most asked questions.

 

MINIMUM GUARANTEED DINNER GUESTS 

When you request a catering quote likely you'll provide a potential number of expected dinner, let's say 130 dinner guests. In your contract you may see a statement like " Minimum guaranteed dinner guests of 120." This means that your responsible in paying for that number of guests regardless of what your ultimate number is. Keep in mind that also means 120 adults and does not include children!!! Ultimately if your end up having 115 guests you're still paying for 130ppl. What I like to do is calculate what the cost difference is between 120 and 130 guests and ask if you can use that dollar amount in upgrading your meal or adding a course- that way you're not "loosing" money!

 

RESERVES THE RIGHT TO DETERMINE WHAT (IF ANY) FOOD IS SUITABLE FOR TAKE HOME

This is a health issue. Once food is out in the open and in an unregulated temperature food can spoil quicker then you expect. Most venues and caterers wont allow you to bring ANY food home. But if they add a clause like this- you're very lucky! 

GraTUITY POST EVENT

This means there is not gratuity included in your current bill. If you don't consider this while your comparing notes on various quotes, in the end it can end up in thousands of extra dollars you didn't factor in. Typically %15 grat is standard- for restaurants only. For caterers you're looking at %18 and for luxury hotels it can be upwards of %20+. 

 

CALCULATING COSTS

If you're trying to do your own math here is the formula you should use. Subtotal all the food and beverage. Now add your grat onto that. Subtotal again and then add your taxes. That's right! You read that right, your grat is taxed. Another sneaky way if your numbers don't add up when you get a real revised quote from a caterer.

 

PLANNING & COORDINATION FEE

But you might already have a wedding planner- so why should you pay for a coordination fee to a caterer? Well, it's because there's so much paperwork and time required to ensure your food & beverage team are prepared and ready to perform for your wedding. This includes the following:

• In person appointments
• Multiple emails throughout a 1- 2 year period
• Meetings with culinary team to map out custom menues
• Research for specialty requests
• Tasting
• Food & Beverage timeline prepration for behind the scenes
• Organizing staffing
• Inventory & renatls lists 
• Food requisitions
• Ordering food & beverage 
• Working with your planner on the elements of the day 

And this is just the tip of the iceberg, because a good catering company does so much more! 

 

FOOD & BEVERAGE COST INCREASES

We never really know what the economic climate will be like in the next year or two. For example there could be a Beef shortage and so the price in 2019 vs. 2018 has risen. Typically you can ask your caterer to lock in a max increase of %10. On a side note- this happened in the floral world a few years ago when there was a volcano erupt in Asia. This stopped air traffic and importers were unable to bring in orchid varieties for 2 weeks. So crazy right! This is also a huge reason why you should hire a planner. So we can impart this type of information onto our clients. They type of information that just isn't out there to find for yourself! A great planner will make it their business to know the inner workings of all these things you might never in your life think to consider!

And there you have it. Some of the most sneak hidden costs that can seriously break your budget! 

xox

Elise

H+S WEDDING AT HORTICULTURE BUILDING W/ KYMBERLIE DOZOIS

ieHOLLY + SHAWN

What a dream client to work with. Holly's cool and chill vibe lasted from planning right through to her wedding day. Unlike any other venue in Ottawa, The Horticulture Buildings' unique industrial look and feel is always an opportunity to design something out-of-the-box that truly reflected Holly and Shawn on their wedding day. Simple, unfussy details with just the right amount of intrigue. There was an understated elegance about the day that Kymberlie Dozois captured so beautifully.

WEDDING DETAILS YOUR GUESTS WILL NOTICE

I always say it's all in the details, but there are those who decorate like a fabric bomb literally exploded in the reception room. Don't shake your head like you don't know what I'm talking about. It's almost like they have a mathematical equation that goes something like this:

Chair covers + Chair Bands + Crystal Broach + Satin linen + Sheer Lace Overlay + Satin Table Runner. And that's just the basic foundation. Then they add.... Gold Charger Plate, Bow-tie Napkin with a Crystal Napkin Ring +  Personal Table Menue + Place Card + Bonbonierre + a bedazzled mirror with a cylinder vase with glue gunned crystals........ and in that vase there are water beads and a tinny little florescent light glowing from within............ Then the ceiling swag fairy came and went to town.....

Layers upon layers of decor which will overwhelm your guest into a blur. The biggest and most costly mistake you can make is definitely within your decor budget, because it can start to look tacky reeeaaallllll fast.

My number one piece of advice, "Don't waste your money on trying to have everything while cheaping out along the way. Sacrifice, re-evaluate your priorities and shift the dollars you would have spent on mediocrity towards a larger element that will leave your guests with a lasting impression." 

I'll give you a few examples, and if your a client reading this, you might have already heard this story. Back in the day when ghost chairs were only coming out of Toronto with a  price tag of $20 per chair, I had a client who just simply had to have them, but couldn't make it work within her budget. So I said "No problem, we'll trick them!". We ordered 1/3 ghost chairs and 2/3 white flip chairs. We used the ghost chairs at square tables and the flips at round tables and strategically laid out our floor plan accordingly. A few months later I heard back from my newlyweds and they said every single guest thought that they were sitting on ghost chairs... they raved about it endlessly. Keep in mind we're talking 2010 when the thought of mixing table types weren't even a design thought in anyone's mind. - I'm actually pretty proud that I hit that before the curve :) 

That's just one example of how I design to be budget conscious with intention. In case your curious, here is where we think you should spend your money.

OUR 5 PICKS

Linen-less tables and chairs

Personal dinner menus 

Over-sized organic bouquets

Embellished wedding dresses

Handwritten calligraphy invites