Winter Wedding Photography in Alberta
With experience shooting in cold weather and low light, we’ll help you feel comfortable and look incredible while making the most of Alberta’s winter scenery.
Why you should get married in the winter
Alberta’s winter months offer some of the best natural conditions for wedding photos. (Is there anything more beautiful than snow covered mountains or prairie fields?) The snow acts like a giant reflector, creating soft, flattering light on your skin and making colors pop! The shorter days mean golden hour light happens earlier (usually at the end of your portrait session) and you never need to worry about bugs! We’ve photographed in every type of winter weather, so we know how to work quickly, keep you comfortable, and deliver the stunning images we know you want.
Wait until you see the snow falling in this wedding ceremony!
Watch until the ceremony to see how Stephanie and Garrett got caught up in the most magical snowfall ever! Location: Silvertip Golf Resort in Canmore, Alberta
Our approach to winter wedding photography
Shooting winter weddings takes preparation and experience. We plan around daylight hours, scout locations in advance, and bring the right gear to handle snow, cold, and changing conditions. Our goal is to keep you relaxed and comfortable so you can actually enjoy your portraits, even if it’s -15°C.
We will encourage you to take frequent warm-up breaks to keep as much of the redness out of your skin as possible (and to keep your toes from freezing) and we’re as efficient as possible with the groups during the portrait session so that no one is standing around freezing while they’re not being photographed.
If we’re working with the girls, the guys can be in the limo (or trucks or building) staying warm!
Have a look at a sample timeline we’ve laid out below for an idea of how your winter wedding could flow throughout the day.
Coverage Options
-
Full Day Coverage
For couples who want it all, our full-day package captures your wedding story from the quiet morning moments through the dance floor at night. It’s designed so you never have to worry about missing anything — the laughter, the tears, and everything in between.
-
Half Day Coverage
Perfect for more intimate celebrations, elopements, or couples who only want the key moments covered. Our half-day option keeps things simple while still giving you the most meaningful highlights of your day and typically covers the ceremony, portraits and reception entrance (though you customize the coverage to fit your day however you would like!)
A traditional Winter Wedding Timeline
-
We typically like to arrive at your getting ready locations between 60 and 90 minutes before your ceremony. This ensures (For the women) that hair and makeup are mostly finished and gives us time to capture the final touches, your details, your wedding parties having a great time and also a few pre-ceremony portraits!
-
Most traditional wedding ceremony’s last between 10 and 25 minutes. If you’re choosing to have a religious service that might run longer, consider starting your ceremony slightly earlier to ensure you have enough time for portraits before dark.
-
To make things easy for your guests (especially elderly family members such as grandparents) we recommend having your family formal portraits done right after the ceremony in the same location. But, if you’re having an outdoor ceremony this isn’t always possible and so having an indoor location close by works well too!
-
Just you and your besties creating beautiful memories together! We’ll work with you ahead of time to find some locations that will suit the location and vibe of your wedding day. We’ll also make sure you get some warm up breaks and time to have some fun with your friends along the way. Because the sun sets so early, we will most likely finish with golden hour portraits before heading to the reception location to capture details!
-
Let your guests arrive at the reception location for cocktail hour while you’re still finishing your portrait session. They’ll enjoy a warm place to have a few drinks and visit and everyone will be ready for your grand entrance.
-
Enter into your reception to the applause of all your guests! (We have also seen a trend moving towards couples wanting to enjoy part of cocktail hour with their guests, if this is you, just plan to go right in once you’re done your portrait session).
-
Enjoy dinner at your reception.
-
Traditionally weddings usually feature speeches from the best man, maid of honor and both families, as well as the newlywed couple.
-
We’ve seen the trend move towards a cake cutting that happens informally while guests are free to get a drink and enjoy the party. For this reason, we suggest you cut the cake just after speeches. This will allow anyone who wants to be there to watch, while not making it feel too forced.
-
Enjoy your first dance as a couple and sometimes also a parent dance before the part starts. This is usually the last formal item of the day before the DJ or live band takes over for the night.
-
You’ve done it all and now it’s time to let lose on the dance floor and enjoy the night with your closest friends and family!
Adding a first look and private vows to your timeline?
If you want to add a first look (where the bride and groom take a moment see each other in private before the ceremony) as well as private vows to your wedding timeline, we suggest starting slightly earlier and giving yourself about 30 minutes for the first look before the ceremony. We can work with you to find a location that makes sense for the day and where your ceremony will be taking place! We love working with couples to tailor your day for exactly what you want.
Planning Tips for Winter Weddings in Alberta
Planning a winter wedding in Alberta takes a little extra strategy — here are a few practical tips to keep things running smoothly and your photos looking incredible.
-
Consider a heavier fabric for the men’s suits. Wool and tweed are very popular winter fabrics as their much warmer and often suit the winter vibe!
-
A small blanket scarf or dress shawl paired with some knitted mittens can compliment your dresses beautifully and also provide a little extra warmth during the portrait session. Yes, we will likely ask you to take them off for some pictures, but they do make a huge difference while your outside!
-
If your dress covers your legs and feet fully, then plan to wear a pair of slim leggings and warm boots underneath for the outdoor portion of your wedding. The extra layer will go a long way to keeping you warm and no one will ever see them in the photographs!
-
Let’s face it; men’s dress shoes have almost zero chance of keeping their feet warm. So we suggest getting the slim toe warmers for the men to put on over their socks before the portraits!
-
Cold and wind can be difficult and so we always suggest having a small touch-up kit for your hair and makeup.
-
If you have a favourite pub, brewery or coffee shop that’s close by, why not incorporate it into your portrait session! We always suggest you call ahead to let them know you’re coming, but it’s a great chance for everyone to warm up and have a drink while we capture some super fun indoor portraits!
-
snow and ice can slow down transportation between venues. So plan for a little extra time between locations just to be safe.
-
Work with your florist to choose hardy flowers that will tolerate the cold weather or consider silk/evergreen accents so that your florals look fresh all day.
Curious what your winter wedding in Alberta could look like?
Winter Wedding Frequently Asked Questions
How do you handle outdoor wedding portraits in Alberta's cold winters? We use a high-efficiency approach, taking frequent warm-up breaks and scouting locations in advance to minimize time spent in the cold. We also recommend practical tips like wearing leggings under dresses and using toe warmers to keep everyone comfortable.
What is the best time for a winter wedding ceremony in Alberta? Due to the early sunset in Alberta, we recommend starting winter ceremonies between 1:00 PM and 2:00 PM. This ensures you have enough daylight for golden hour portraits before the sun sets around 4:30 PM.
Can you still get great wedding photos if it's snowing? Absolutely! Snow acts as a natural reflector, creating soft, flattering light. We are experienced in shooting during active snowfall to create magical, atmospheric images and films.