If an elegant Ottawa tented wedding is what you’re after for your wedding, take a look at Alice and Luke’s wedding day for inspiration.
About Alice & Luke’s Ottawa Tented Wedding
Alice and Luke considered different wedding venues in Ottawa, but none really hit the mark. They wanted a venue that would be a blend of their childhood roots and values. Alice wanted a certain level of tradition and refinement. Luke wanted to see Alice happy, but also wanted to things to be down-to-earth and homelike too. After exploring a variety of Ottawa venue options, a tented wedding at Alice’s childhood home made the most sense. They hired a trusted team of vendors well-hearsed in tented weddings (credits at the end) and enjoyed a wonderful day.
Getting Ready / Accommodations
To help with logistics and space, Alice got ready for her Ottawa tented wedding at Maple and Rose — a whole-home luxury accommodation in Merrickville — with her eight bridesmaids and family. There was ample room for hair and makeup, champagne and robes and formal portraits in the garden. The girls wanted for nothing as every detail is looked after at Maple and Rose, right down to handmade caramels at each bedside. Conversely, Luke got ready at his childhood home with his seven groomsmen, parents and brothers. Luke is a fan of farming and big machinery – so getting ready photos HAD to 100% include a rustic backdrop and a harvesting combine.
Ceremony Location
This is where Alice kept things traditional for her Ottawa tented wedding. She chose to have a traditional ceremony in the little church down the road from her family home. Alice thinks the church looks like a cute little snow-globe and had visions of being married there.
The Grounds and Photographic Opportunities when you host an Ottawa Tented Wedding
You never have to go too far for photos when you host a tented wedding. Properties tend to be gorgeous to begin with. And, couples and their families work hard to make the grounds look extra beautiful for wedding festivities. Either way, photography tends to happen on site when you have a tented wedding.
We used Alice’s traditional Georgian-inspired family home as the backdrop for wedding party photos and family formals. The property is vast and well-maintained. We explored the pond, fields and river for other creative options. So convenient! (And of course we had to include some heavy farm equipment for these photos too!)
Tented Wedding Reception
Luke and Alice hosted their friends and family under a golden sky and twinkling stars (and a very large, gorgeous tent!) for their wedding reception. Anyone who knows about tented weddings knows that they can be an extraordinary amount of work and require significant planning and coordination. You are literally transforming your backyard into a wedding venue. Lauren from Sinclair and Co made sure things went off without a hitch so that Luke and Alice could enjoy celebrating joyously with their family and friends. Alice and Luke are incredibly thankful they had her to rely on through planning and execution of their day.
Ottawa Tented Weddings
An Ottawa tented wedding isn’t for everyone. There are many considerations before you decide on this type of wedding. My recommendation is to not go it alone and to leave the planning and execution to the professionals. Hire a planner who is well hearsed in tented weddings – and backyard weddings overall. Alice and Luke had a wonderful wedding day experience because they leaned on the expertise of their vendors to make their Ottawa tented wedding a success.
If you’d like to see another elegant tented wedding, check out Jenny and Di’s day here: Ottawa Backyard Wedding Inspiration – Jenny & Di
And if you’re looking for a photographer who knows the inside outs of backyard and tented weddings, be sure to check out my wedding portfolio.
Alice and Luke’s Vendor Team:
Planning & Coordination: Sinclair and Co
Tent & Rentals: Valley Tent and Party Rentals
Hair: Richardson Hair Design
Makeup: 2BU Makeup Artistry
Accommodations: Maple and Rose Luxury Accommodations
