THE 2023-24 MONTREAL ELOPEMENT PHOTOGRAPHY PLANNING GUIDE
A helpful guide for couples who want to get married no matter what and have decided to elope in Montreal.
In this guide you’ll find tips to think about your timeline; various ways to have a simpler ceremony; a condensed list of elopement & small wedding venues that can navigate the fluctuating regulations of the pandemic better; my favorite Montreal wedding vendors; tips on how to find the right photographer for you and more!
HOW TO HAVE A WONDERFUL WEDDING DAY NO MATTER WHAT
THINK ABOUT WHAT IS IMPORTANT TO YOU
So much of what were standard must-haves in wedding planning have completely flown out the window. At first I was a little devastated for my couples, however after going through a year of weddings what I realized was just how liberating this all was for the couples that decided to completely revamp the way they thought they would get married.
See how these 2020 couples decided to change from 100, 250+ wedding guest lists to something simpler and more intimate.
want to plan something from home? Check out Katia & Adam’s beautiful Summer Garden Wedding in Ottawa; blessed with perfect weather and pared back restrictions, this wedding was so charming and elegant and fun.
or how Grace & Toni managed to pivot under "orange alert" within 72 hours in late September, truly a gorgeous fall day into evening filled with color and parties chiming in from all over the world, including India & Nigeria
and you will get inspired by this wedding in La Malbaie which was voted one of 2020’s Most Inspiring Micro-Weddings by Wedding Bells Magazine
rain and venue changes couldn’t stop Jade & Adrian from getting married in the church that they met in, with a nod toward Adrian’s love for all things Lord of the Rings when they celebrated their union at La Maison Verte
These weddings inspire on how you can go big when you go small; how you can re-interpret wedding tropes and infuse them with your own ideas & creativity; how you can make it really meaningful to you based on your interests, values and personalities.
CONSIDER HIRING A WEDDING PLANNER
A word before we venture into my expertise & experience: consider hiring a wedding planner. They are the bomb when it comes to thinking outside the box and knowing all the right vendors to accommodate you. It is my one regret on my own wedding day and if I were to do it again, it would be the only thing I would change (oh wait! I would get a veil and uber fancy shoes — I would have added more drama to my wedding look).
I have a list of recommended planners below, so scroll down to see them!
TIMELINE PLANNING FOR AN ELOPEMENT
TIMELINE TIPS
Plan your timeline around your ceremony. Start with your ceremony time as the anchor to work back and forwards from, this will give you a good idea of when you’ll need your vendors and how much coverage you’ll want from your photographer.
Plan your ceremony around anticipated light. Later light is generally the best light for ceremony photographs. However, later is definitely contextual on the season. Later light in November is 2 p.m. while in July it’s 5 p.m.
To first look or Not to first look? The first look is when the bride and groom see each other before their ceremony, for elopements this can be an option especially when you are thinking of a City Hall Wedding here in Montreal. The ceremony of seeing each other for the first time will feel more intentional if set up vs. walking into an office together.
The Magic Hours. A lot of photographers, including myself, like to get a ten minute window with the couple during “Golden Hour” and/or “Blue Hour”. These photographs are often when the couple is more relaxed, the largest portions of their responsibilities of the day are behind them. Typically Golden Hour is 45 minutes before sunset and creates these magical golden hues that are universally flattering. Blue Hour is right after Golden Hour and starts offering up cooler bluer tones that can be as equally romantic as the golden ones. Perhaps one will make more sense than the other when you elope. The first place to start? Check your sunset time.
How you’re celebrating. This is the most exciting component of your elopement plan — how will you celebrate? No normal rules of a reception hall apply here, you can organize a small intimate dinner together; have brunch together back at your hotel; you can head out for a hike and toast yourselves at a lookout; you can jump off the dock at the cottage and cozy up by the firepit. There are so many ways to think about what you can do to mark your elopement with special activities, food and the people you surround yourself with.
HOW TO HAVE SIMPLER CEREMONIES IN MONTREAL
Ceremony tips
For couples looking to get married in a simple civil ceremony in Montreal here are a few ways you can do this
Courthouse weddings:
You can choose to get married by a court clerk or by an officiant
The Montreal, Laval & Longueuil courthouses are not the prettiest of spaces (meaning there is not a lot of natural light and looks very much like an office building) and so consider opting for a wedding at a Notary’s office, like the Sarah & Beau did last winter at Mona Salehi Notaire in downtown Montreal. These notary offices in particular have created cute little spots in their office for couples opting for a simpler wedding ceremony.
The pro and con of getting married in a courthouse is that it’s short - no lingering allowed. For Sarah & Beau’s wedding there were ten minutes after the ceremony to take a few group photographs, but given the wedding schedule in office, there was not a lot of flexibility with time.
The alternate option is to have your officiant come to you — whether that be your home, your backyard, or your reception venue. Here are a few ideas:
Mariage a Bras Ouverts has a full list of officiants that have a breadth of experience
To have your friend/family do this (and they have no intent of becoming an officiant as a profession) consult this link for more How To information
Other places to get ordained!
Please note I have only done a cursory search, so please be sure to read through these links thoroughly!
ELOPEMENT VENUE IDEAS IN MONTREAL
I have an expansive list of smaller/micro-wedding friendly spots in Ontario & Quebec which you can visit here;
for something more destination and yet within our boundaries, visit my Canadian Wedding Bucket List.
Here is a summary of some highlights from those lists:
MONTREAL
Marcus Terrace at the Four Seasons Hotel
OUTSIDE MONTREAL
RECOMMENDED MONTREAL ELOPEMENT VENDORS
Planners: Events By Cece || Elyna Kudish || KA Mariage || Foudamour MTL || Le Coeur Boheme
Florals: Fleuriste Astilbe || Atelier Carmel || Marc Sardi || Oursin Fleurs || Prune Les Fleurs
Dress Shop: White || Dream it Yourself || Ma Cherie Bleue
Suiting: Suit Supply || Tiger of Sweden || Suitablee || Maison Leporem
Hair & Make-up: Sixhaut || Joel Gagne Coiffeur || Chelsea Dawn LockstoLashes || Sarah Peterson
Paper: Maison Note || We Go Moo || Deux Amoureux
Video: Fabula Films
Officiants: Mariage a Bras Ouverts
Wedding Cakes: Bayard Gateaux || Cupkate & Co. || Little Leah’s Kitchen
SOME OF MY FAVORITE ENGAGEMENT LOCATIONS
Engagement sessions should not be overlooked, think of them as a really unique and fun date with your partner, as well as a great way to get to know your photographer and feel a little more comfortable in front of the camera. Click here to learn more about my engagement sessions.
Montreal has a lot of great spots to have these sessions, however I am always seeking out spaces where there is a combination of privacy, personality, and light. In 2020, some added challenges came into play, like keeping social distancing measures in place and prioritizing the outdoors. However, parks became a much more popular spot for people to hang out, so navigating for quieter spaces was important (most couples don’t want to attract attention to themselves).
Assuming that these conditions will remain the same for a while, here are a few of my favorite spots for Engagement Photography Sessions in Montreal.
Ruelles Vertes || Your Backyard || Private Rooftops
BOOKING AN ELOPEMENT PHOTOGRAPHER IN MONTREAL
Booking a photographer in Montreal can be a difficult decision to make - there are so many good ones to choose from! How do you know you have found the right one?
TIPS ON CHOOSING A PHOTOGRAPHER
First & foremost, connect with the photographs. You should feel something when you look at them.
Look for variety in their photographs & storytelling: can they take great photos in harsh light, low light, overcast, artificial light, dancefloors? It’s more than ok for you to request to see a full gallery
Talk to them. Set up a call, within minutes you should know if you feel comfortable enough with them to follow you for a good portion of the day.
A minimum hourly rate for a professional photographer starts around $250-$350 for a minimum set of hours (normally 4 hours for elopements) and if you’re looking for budget photographers assess how comfortable you are in taking risks.
Credentials like Awards, Publications, Testimonials & Reviews can also be explored!
HOW TO BOOK MY ELOPEMENT PHOTOGRAPHY SERVICES
Click the button below and I’ll follow up with a few questions over email. Then we’ll set up a call so we can get to know each other, discuss your elopement plans and figure out the right kind of coverage for you.
If you’d like to get some questions answered beforehand, you can go ahead and download my Elopement Packages & Pricing Information and read through my FAQ.
At my end, I am going to be curious about your story - like how you both met!
Looking forward to hearing from you :)