You either love or hate the cold, and as someone who gets hot easily, the words winter wedding are music to my ears. When I met Megan and Rob at a wedding show, I was struck by the natural beauty of her yellow diamond ring. As a photographer, I see a large number of rings, so when she called me up and said she was the yellow diamond ringed lady, I knew exactly who it was! I was excited when they announced they were having a winter Queen’s Landing wedding as I knew the huge potential.

Niagara-on-the-lake is picturesque year-round, with its horse drawn carriages and quaint and quirky streets. You feel as if you’ve stepped back in time as you pass pillared buildings and historic architecture. The Queen’s Landing is part of the Vintage Hotels collection and features Georgian opulence and old-time charm with modern luxuries.

We started our day with the two of them getting ready in their own rooms at the hotel. I didn’t want to dwell on Megan too much during the preparation process so focused more on the details and Rob. Megan had sadly lost her mother to cancer a couple of months prior to her wedding so I knew emotions would be running high and didn’t want to highlight the fact she wasn’t there to help her get ready.

This wonderful winter Queen’s Landing wedding will melt the coldest of hearts

One of the main considerations we have to bear in mind for winter weddings is the limited daylight hours. For this reason I suggest doing the majority of the photos prior to the ceremony for this time of year. We started our session with their first look on the grand staircase. The hotel has such a rich and historic feel to it, that there’s a feeling of grandeur in every backdrop. As we gathered the wedding party into the library, I recreated portraits that were reminiscent of the royal family. The result were some very regal looking portraits which contrasted nicely to the relaxed and candid images in the hallways.

We ventured outside into the crisp air where the weather cooperated with blue skies and sun. I positioned my wedding party between the huge pillars outside the hotel and the clean lines made a bold statement. As Megan and Rob headed back towards the entrance, a soft snow flurry started to fall. The timing couldn’t have been better as the flakes swirled around them delicately, adding to the magical moment.

I covered the ceremony in a journalistic style approach to allow a sense of being there in that moment and the stress of being photographed was gone.

Once done, I whisked them outside to capture the beauty of downtown and you could already see the light fading. To warm up, we popped into a handmade soap shop and then headed to the iconic Prince of Wales hotel. One of my favourite shots was of the two of them silhouetted in the door frame in the dark of the night. I loved the balance of the simplicity of them compared to the snapshot of the busy bar next door.

I captured a mouse on top of their cake at this winter Queen’s Landing wedding!!

We wrapped up their Queen’s Landing wedding by joining their guests for the reception. The first dance and speeches were emotional and heartfelt and the level of support for Megan was beautiful to witness. I always make sure to capture all of the hard work and details that can often be forgotten in the moment. Part of the fun of capturing their flower bouquets, rings and cake topper was presenting them in creative ways.

The night would not be complete without sneaking my couple outside for some of my signature nighttime portraits. The hotel had lit up the pillars for the evening so the result was a very dramatic set of images.

My one piece of advice to clients is to consider this underutilized season for weddings. There can be just as much beauty in snow laden branches or gentle flurries, twinkling in the air. Not having to worry about sweat marks, reapplying make-up or frizzy hair and not to mention discounted rates, makes a winter wedding a serious contender.