New Website

Hello and thanks for checking out my blog. This will be the very last post at this address because after six months of many creative meetings and endless nit-picking I am happy to say that my new wedding photography website has just launched. All of the material found on this blog can be found on my new one. Please take a few minutes to check it out and let me know what you think!

I can also be found on Facebook – http://www.facebook.com/weddingsbyblair – and on Twitter @gablehead.

Cheers, Blair
Ottawa Wedding Photographer 

Robin + Brandon | Rockcliffe Park, Courtyard Restaurant, Standard Tavern wedding

I have been looking forward to photographing the wedding of Robin and Brandon since I first met them last August. Forget about tradition for traditions sake, these two wanted to have a wedding they would actually want to attend themselves! The bride wore a strapless, custom made wedding dress (then changed into a sexy, white, cocktail dress) and the boys wore three-piece linen suits. The girls got ready at Le Nordik Spa’s lodge and the morning ceremony took place at Rockcliffe Pavilion Park and was celebrated by Lynne form Exceptional Ceremonies (my personal favorites!). They had lunch at the Courtyard Restaurant in the Byward Market and moved the after-party over to the Standard Luxury Tavern on Elgin St. for some Steam Whistle beers, rye-and-ginger cocktails and jagermeister shots; we even went for Gelato at Pure Gelato down the street! They were a great couple and it was a great day.

Congratulations Robin and Brandon!

Cheers, Blair
Ottawa Wedding Photographer 

Sarah + Andrew | St. Joseph’s church, Sala San Marco wedding

Sarah and Andrew are now happily married and I was there; I saw it all happen. I saw them get ready, exchange rings, shed a few tears and kiss. I sweated through the ceremony at St. Joseph’s church, humoured family members through the group shots, laughed through portraits at Tabaret Hall and sang The Lonely Island tunes with the groom on the way to the reception at Sala San Marco. It wasn’t until dinner was over and the dancing started that things got a little out of control. I saw a few things I may never see again. I saw a man dance the YMCA and only be able to nail the ‘Y’ part of the dance. I saw a woman jig-battle the world irish dancing champion. I saw a woman do the tootsie-roll so hard that she fell right out of her shoes and off the dance floor. All-in-all it was a great day and night.

Congratulations Sarah and Andrew!

Cheers, Blair
Ottawa Wedding Photographer 

Museum of Civilization Wedding | Hannah + Mathieu

This was my first time photographing a wedding at the Canadian Museum of Civilization in Gatineau, Quebec. I have worked other events and popped over to do some portraits with a bride and groom before, but I had never shot the full monty there. It is obviously a great venue with many unique characteristics. Unfortunately the sheer number of tourists and the fact that it was a 30+ degree day made many of those characteristics non-options for us. That being said, I am completely happy with the images we made that day. It was a great wedding full of personal details and a room full of friends and family who were ready to eat, drink and party. It was also my first time working with Ottawa wedding officiant Alan Viau, who I would be pleased to work with on any occasion in the future. Bon Jovi rules!

Congratulations Hannah and Mathieu!

Cheers, Blair
weddings by blair .com 

Brooke + Chris | National Gallery of Canada Wedding

Brooke and Chris’ were married on the hottest weekend of 2011 and I had the honour of photographing it. It was, “I don’t care what I look like, I am wearing a sweatband” hot. The fantastic make-up artist Sarah Walsh assured the girls that their makeup would not melt in the heat! Despite the heat, I had a great day photographing my first ceremony at Rockcliffe Pavilion Park and the party at the National Gallery of Canada. Everyone was fed well thanks to the staff at Tulips and Maple Catering – their trio of cupcakes with ice cream for dessert was delicious! As the sun was going down we snuck away from their wedding guests at up to Nepean Point to shoot a few more photos and take in the sounds echoing across the city from Bluesfest.

Congratulations Brooke and Chris!

Cheers, Blair
weddings by blair .com

Lindsay + Justin .:. Crazy Newfie Party

Lindsay and Justin were married earlier this month and had their reception at the University of Waterloo’s Federation Hall. I am surprised that the building is still standing. The night before the wedding they threw a rager in their garage that the cops ended up shutting down around midnight. It was no surprise that once the Irish band hit the stage that the Newfoundland blood started to boil. It’s infectious. It makes me want to get a drink right now. Here are 10 of my favorite party images from that night!

I love getting right into the dance floor with everyone. It is the only way you can photograph the raw emotions that come out when ‘that’ song is played. I don’t feel I’ve done my job unless I have been repeatedly elbowed, spattered with sweat and had a rye and coke or two spilled on me. Enjoy!

Cheers, Blair
weddings by blair .com

Anna + Matt .:. National Arts Centre Wedding

Rain threatened once again as Anna and Matt were married at the First Baptist Church and partied at the National Arts Centre this past weekend. Despite a touch of light rain everything was just about perfect. Matt even surprised Anna with a horse and carriage to take her from the hotel to church. It was definitely an entertaining night as guests tried to find new ways to make the newlyweds kiss after donating to the couples charity of choice. When I left for the night Journey was playing and the dance floor was in chaos.

If the couple look familiar, you might remember them from their epic engagement session last month – check out the pics here. Congratulations Anna and Matt!

Cheers, Blair
weddings by blair .com 

Tulips and Maple .:. 20th Anniversary Party

Tulips and Maple, one of Ottawa finest catering companies, celebrated it’s 20th anniversary last week at the Museum of Nature in Ottawa. I have been lucky enough to work with the T&M staff a few times now and can tell you that they are among the most professional service providers I have ever worked with – it also helps that their food is delicious! Who else would hang hundreds of champaign flutes form the ceiling and have cirque stilt walkers cut them down for you?

Cheers, Blair
weddings by blair .com 

The Goods .:. WPJA 2011 Q1 Award

I just found out that I had a winning image in the ‘Kids Being Kids’ category of the Wedding Photojournalist Association‘s 2011 Q1 contest. It placed 16th overall in the category. The image was taken at my good friend and fellow photojournalist Brent Foster‘s wedding last fall of the flower girl showing her mommy how to curl her eyelashes.

 

Cheers, Blair
weddings by blair.com 

Lindsay + Justin .:. Kitchener-Waterloo Wedding

Lindsay and Justin had one crazy wedding. The girls were crazy-beautiful and the guys were crazy-drunk, so really it was the perfect combination! I was introduced to Lindsay by past clients Nicole and Jesse and after a brief conversation I knew that this was a wedding I wanted to be a part of. I one had last spot for a 2011 wedding and I was holding it for them. So this was my second wedding in Kitchener-Waterloo and I really wanted to make sure that it was visually unique since I don’t work in the region often. I contacted a few photogs I knew in the area for some inspiration and spent three hours location scouting different spots around town. This was gonna be good.

Even though Mother Nature was threatening thunderstorms all day, she didn’t dare spill a drop on this couple. This wedding was definitely one for the books (and obviously the blog). Epic.

Cheers, Blair
weddings by blair .com