I’ve always loved photographing weddings in summer - shooting candids during leisurely cocktail hours on the patio, portrait sessions with lush greens and flowers in the background, and light that stretches well into the evening. To make the most of this time of year in the national capital, I’ve pulled together some tips to help make your wedding go more smoothly.
Mid Day Light and Practical Considerations for Ottawa’s Summer Heat
A lot of couples look at their timeline and choose to do a first look, couple portraits and family portraits before the ceremony so that they can spend more time with their guests after the ceremony and enjoy their cocktail hour to the fullest. In the summer, this often means that photographers are working with mid day light which is direct, high contrast and well, hot.
This kind of light isn’t necessarily ideal, but it doesn’t mean you can’t have beautiful photos at this time of day. Finding shade, especially under trees, reduces the contrast in the lighting and makes portraits much softer and more flattering. It’ll also keep you out of the sun’s harsh rays and physically much more comfortable.
It’s very important, especially in July and August in Ottawa, to have access to cold drinks for yourself, your wedding party and your family during mid day portraits. This might look like bringing a cooler with wheels to the portrait location, having staff at your venue serving lemonade or water, or having cold drinks at the ready in your car or limo. Having something on hand with electrolytes is even better if temperatures reach above 40°C with the Humidex.
If you have access to air condidtioning, taking time to cool off before and after the portrait session will help you feel better in the heat. Even a small portable or paper fan can bring some relief to you and your wedding party if you can’t find an air conditioned space.
Golden Hour
Summer days are long in Ottawa, which means golden hour arrives later in the evening and typically during dinner time. The light at this time of day is warm and flattering. Even if you’ve already done couple portraits earlier in the day, taking five to ten minutes for more portraits during golden hour is absolutely worth doing. These photos may end up being your favourite portraits from the day because you’re feeling much more relaxed by the reception. You won’t need to interrupt your reception for very long at all - I recommend choosing a time between speeches or courses and keeping the venue coordinator and MC in the loop so they know what’s happening.
Keeping the Bugs Away
Outdoor cocktail hours, ceremonies and portraits are a great way to make the most of the summer weather during your wedding. Keeping Ottawa’s summer bugs from crashing the party takes a little planning but it will keep you and your guests much more comfortable.
Choose a bug spray with ingredients you feel comfortable using to keep gnats and mosquitoes at bay during portraits. While I frequently retouch them out of summer wedding images, you’ll be much more comfortable during the session using bug spray if you’re in a heavily treed area. Sessions in fields, cottages and more wild natural spaces may need bug spray to keep ticks at bay as well as they’ve unfortunately become more prevalent in Ottawa in recent years. Spending time on the trails next to the wild spaces and fields can also reduce the likelihood of encountering these little pests - you don’t need to go through tall grasses in your wedding day attire to get the shot if you put the field in the background and stay on the trail.
Photographing Florals in the Summer
Summer florals are likely to wilt in the heat so make sure your photographer grabs shots of the boutonnieres, wedding party bouquets and the bridal bouquet as early in the day as possible. Getting shots of the florals during the getting ready session is ideal and getting a nice photo of the bride holding the bouquet early on in any outdoor photo sessions is essential.
Once you get to the reception, you can revive and display your bouquets in vases full of water. A lot of couples will even use them as part of the decor on the head table or on the guest book or gift table.
Stop Your Cake from Melting
Heat and icing don’t play well together. When the temperature rises, the icing is going to melt which looks unappetizing both in photos and on your dessert plate. Try to keep any cake or cupcakes indoors and refrigerated as long as possible, bringing them out only when you need them. Using a more stable frosting like buttercream or ganache will fair better than cream cheese icing or whipped cream.
Summer Makeup and Hair Tips
On hot summer days, makeup tends to melt in the heat. Choosing waterproof products will help keep things in place longer when you begin to sweat. A setting spray can help your makeup have more staying powder. Bring blotting papers and some of your makeup with you for touch ups throughout the day. Don’t forget tissues or handkerchiefs for the groomsmen to wipe the sweat from their brow.
The humidity can also be hard to work with for bridal and wedding party hair styles. Styles that work with your natural texture, up-do’s, half-up do’s, and low pony tails are all more resilient on humid days. Choose products that manage frizz and flyaways like balms, oils and serums. Finish with a light spritz of hair spray to keep your style in place.
Staying Cool in Ottawa’s Summer Heat
With over two decades of experience working at summer weddings in Ottawa I’ve seen my fair share of weddings during a heatwave. The tips I’ve shared will help keep you cool and comfortable but don’t forgot to ask for more ideas from your wedding team - planners, coordinators, make-up artists, hair stylists, florists and bakers have experience you can tap into to make your summer wedding the best it can be.