Thinking back on Emma and Patrick’s winter Chateau Montebello wedding – even now, as they just marked their first anniversary on Sunday (happy anniversary, guys!) – still makes me chuckle. This wedding was, without question, the most playful and laughter-filled celebration we’ve had the pleasure of being invited to document.
When I met with Emma, she explained that she essentially wanted the anti-wedding photos; she and Patrick aren’t formal people and they don’t tend to go with tradition for the sake of it. She had planned to wear a black dress (that planned changed later), didn’t want to spend a second extra beyond what was absolutely necessary on portraits, and wanted to take advantage of the location through quirky photo ops. Almost-check; check; check (bride walking past kids in the pool? Definitely check).
From the outset, their wedding was going to be outdoors. They realised that this might mean -35 degree temperatures, but they were prepared to brave the cold if needed. Turns out, they needn’t have worried: it was a gloriously sunny day and the mercury hovered around 6 degrees (which allowed me to leave the snowpants behind and shoot in a cardigan – whoop!). Their guests dressed to the nines in their wintry finest, including an attention-grabbing bearskin coat for Emma’s grandfather. This same grandfather arranged to have a sleigh belonging to the family brought on-site for the afternoon so that the couple and their guests could enjoy sleigh rides around the Fairmont Chateau Montebello‘s beautiful property.
Capturing laughter at this wedding wasn’t much of a challenge. There were friends who forgot to remove the plastic on the fake tattoos, rap lyrics in the ceremony, an officiant who stood a full foot shorter than the previous speaker at the microphone, a bearskin coat-wearing groom (thanks, Grandpa ;) ), a mom who got shoved into a snowbank, a photobombing cross-country skier, a t-shirt gifted to the bride from her father that featured her with her childhood barnyard pets, a reception bathroom trip that led to me discovering Emma getting out of her dress rather than trying to be in the stall while in the dress, and people who just really loved to dance.
I loved that Pat and Emma managed to throw a beautiful wedding (stunning decor courtesy of Stacey at The Design Co, by the way) that de-emphasised the formal parts of the day. By keeping everything so relaxed, they offered an invitation to each guest to join them for the day in a way that felt so genuine – much like the two of them.
Rather than showing all parts of the wedding day because that’s what I’m “supposed” to do, here’s a little look into the laughter and playfulness that made up Pat and Emma’s winter Chateau Montebello wedding day:
I’m Ang. I’m a Cornwall, Ontario-based photographer offering wedding and documentary family coverage locally and worldwide. Visual storytelling is what I do best. I’m an avid traveler, my passport is always up-to-date, and I’m ALWAYS ready for an adventure. Laughter is important in my life and in my work, meaning that I love working with couples who are emotionally present on their wedding day and who love spending time laughing with loved ones. Traditional wedding photos not your thing? No problem. Want photos of your own snowy winter Chateau Montebello wedding? Let’s talk about how we might make it happen. If you’re looking for an at-home newborn session, coverage for an intimate Montreal wedding, or photos that document your time with family, please explore more of Moment.us Photography‘s site to see more of my wedding and family photography.
