I recently had the privilege of photographing + filming Amy and Travis’ beautiful wedding day at Cambridge Mill, one of my favourite wedding venues to photograph in Kitchener-Waterloo Region.
While putting together this blog post, I thought it might be fun to centre it around some thoughts about winter wedding days and planning for them! As a candid and creative wedding photographer, I have had the pleasure of capturing some of the most stunning and intimate moments during winter weddings. In this blog post, I want to share with you some of my top tips and ideas for capturing the perfect winter wedding photographs.
Embrace the Season AND the Weather
Winter offers a beautiful and unique landscape for wedding photography. From snow-covered trees and buildings to frosty grass and icicles, the winter season offers plenty of opportunities to capture magical and unique photographs. As a photographer, I encourage my clients to embrace the season and use the winter scenery as a backdrop for their wedding photos. Sometimes in Ontario, this may even mean embracing wind and rain while capturing photos together - this is how some of my favourite wedding photos have been captured.
Plan for the Light and Consider a First Look
This is true all year! But in the Canadian winter it’s especially essential to plan for this when taking wedding photographs. With less daylight during the winter months, photographers need to be mindful of the time of day for the best light. I strongly encourage doing a “first look” for winter weddings in particular, as this will allow us to capture a dynamic range of photos together - some during the brightest part of the day, some during golden hour, and perhaps a couple night photos as well. Amy and Travis originally did not want to do a first look, but after talking it through with me, decided it would help their day to flow more efficiently and allow them more time to capture photographs together. On the day, they told me they were so thrilled with seeing each other before the ceremony and were so glad I recommended it.
Get Creative with the Wardrobe
Winter is a great time to get creative with your wardrobe. Incorporating winter accessories like scarves, gloves, and hats can add a unique and personal touch to your wedding photographs. As a photographer, I like to encourage my clients to be creative with their outfits, as this can help to create unique and memorable photographs.
Don't Forget About the Indoors
While winter weddings offer a unique and beautiful outdoor backdrop, it's essential not to forget about the indoors - which will also impact your decision on what wedding venue to choose! During the winter months, the indoors can offer warmth and intimacy, creating a cozy atmosphere for wedding photographs. As a creative photographer, I challenge myself to utilize each space (no matter how unassuming) to create awesome photographs. For example: while I’ve captured many weddings at Cambridge Mill, the light and moment aligned just right at Amy and Travis’ wedding to allow me to capture a creative photograph of them between the curtains in the dining room.
Enjoy this look at Amy and Travis’ day, it’s always a delight to photograph at Pearle Wedding Venues.
-Liam
Wedding Venue: Cambridge Mill (Pearle Weddings)
Wedding Dress: The Modern Bride
Wedding Suit: Paul Puncher
Bliss Creations - Bakery
Casey Diehl Beauty - Makeup Artist
Riverside Flowers - Florist
Something Blue Wedding DJs - DJ
