Hair Services: Renaldo

Makeup: Marie Claire McMahon

Floral: Priceless Petals

Dress: All that Glitters

Shoes: Christian Leboutin

Limousine Service: Byers

Ceremony: Saint Patrick’s Fallowfield

Reception: Tudor Hall

Cake: Sentiment Cakes

Entertainment: Matt Jaques

The post {Chelsea & Scott} A Celtic wedding at Tudor Hall appeared first on Creative Ottawa & Montreal Wedding Photographers | BH Photography.

We first had the opportunity to meet Heather a few months ago at a Starbucks in Ottawa for an initial consultation.  She had had a long day interviewing vendors for their wedding, but despite us being the one of the last meetings of the day, that “connection” we all hope for with clients was evident from the get-go.  She told us about her chance first meeting with her fiance Tom, and even while regaling us with the hilarious details, her genuine love and adoration for him shone through.

You see, when we met Heather, Tom was in Sweden for a year long research contract, and they had been planning their wedding over the Atlantic Ocean.  As we like to do, we asked for a little history on their relationship;  it takes a special couple to maintain a long distance relationship, but even more so when planning a long distance wedding celebration.

Tom, originally from England, had been at Queen’s University in Kingston doing post doctorate work (and playing rugby, of course!).   Heather was an undergrad student, working on a double major and towards teacher’s college.  She was invited to an end of year rugby golf tournament, where she met Tom when he was in need of a 7 iron…he asked her out and their first date was at a chic little cafe where they shared a slice of chocolate cake and the first of many, many good times…the rest, as they say, is history, but with an international flair to the story.

Although they no longer live in Kingston, we thought it would make for the perfect backdrop for their engagement session.  They took us on an epic tour of the historic city, and we even got to partake in the legendary chocolate cake that topped off their first date!

The post {Heather & Tom} The Engagement appeared first on Creative Ottawa & Montreal Wedding Photographers | BH Photography.

Last weekend was a big one in the BH Photography camp–firstly, we booked two fabulous weddings back to back (Friday evening and Saturday) and the latter was our first same sex ceremony. We were both nervous and excited, because if you were to meet Matt and Alex, they are two very savvy guys who were planning the party of the year! That being said, our “first time” nerves were quickly settled at our consultation over coffee when the guys eagerly gave us some amazing ideas for our own wedding in October. Matt & Alex chose the Britannia Yacht Club as their venue and the staff did an amazing job! Every last detail was taken care of, however there was a rumour of one tablecloth being upside down. It was only a rumour…

Whether you agree with it or not, everybody should have the equal right to be married. Luckily for Matt & Alex living in Canada gives them this right. All of the guests showed their support for equal marriage rights by wearing a simple white knot from WhiteKnot.org

Everyone should have the right to tie the knot.

Matt and his sister pulled off their trademark pose…

Wedding Photographed by Brian Hargreaves, second photographer / assistant Stephen Switzer

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Well, what a party! We had the honour of being Jamie & Matt’s official wedding photographers this past weekend in Carleton Place. Jamie has been Ivanette’s esthetician since we moved to Almonte and has become a great friend since. Matt and Jamie have been together for seven years, so when he proposed to Jamie last October she called us to make sure we were available for her wedding. Matt is a volunteer fireman with Carleton Place, and well, us firefighters can sure throw a party! I’m sure the good folks over at the Carleton Heritage Inn are going to need a break after two firefighter weddings in a row!

Here are some shots from Jamie & Matt’s wedding:

So it seems the boys had a little difficulty getting ready and had to rely on Jason’s expert knowledge to put them together!

We had a great day over at Riverside Park with lots of fun formals!

Once dinner was over, it was time to party, and Carleton Place’s Ocean Wave Fire Company sure knows how to get a party going!

The post {Jamie & Matt} Ottawa Wedding Photographer at The Carleton Heritage Inn appeared first on Creative Ottawa & Montreal Wedding Photographers | BH Photography.

We had the pleasure of capturing Karen and Duncan’s gorgeous wedding this Sunday. They are truly a match made in heaven! I can honestly say without a doubt that it would be impossible for anybody to be more in love than Karen and Duncan. They truly are life partners in every meaning of the word!

They had a gorgeous ceremony at the Holiday Inn Select in Kanata, then it was off to the Ottawa Experimental Farm gardens for a great photo session. It was a great dinner and reception back at the Holiday Inn Select!

Here’s a sneak peek to their photos:

The post {Karen & Duncan} Ottawa wedding Photographer at Holiday Inn Select appeared first on Creative Ottawa & Montreal Wedding Photographers | BH Photography.

So every once in a while as a photographer, I just have to get out there and shoot for fun, stress free.

One day last winter I came home to find three wedding dresses hanging in my kitchen, yes three! Just as I was wondering what was going on Ivanette walked around the corner and said “Look what I found on sale!”. Yes, the famous words women use to justify everything. Turns out “on sale” was actually because the boutique was liquidating the previous season’s samples, and she really did hit on a huge bargain!

Early in the summer I had found out that Jessica, a model we had worked with last year on a project, was back in Ottawa for the summer and wanted to do a shoot with her horses while she was home. We had gone over a few ideas and when she ended up sending me a photo of a woman on a horse in a white dress, it came to me that this would be a perfect opportunity to trash one of those dresses!

We had an amazing time making this shoot happen; hope you enjoy these shots and they inspire you to do something fun!

The post {Jessica} Ottawa Wedding Photographer – Trash the Dress! appeared first on Creative Ottawa & Montreal Wedding Photographers | BH Photography.

Recently we shot a great couple Karen and Duncan’s engagement photos. We will be capturing their wedding this September in the west end of Ottawa and are looking forward to it! We are so glad they chose us as their photographers!

Here is a preview!

 Karen and Duncan love fishing and came up with the great idea of having the “catch of the day”! We loved the idea!

The post {Karen & Duncan} Ottawa Wedding Photographer – Engagement photos at Kingsmere appeared first on Creative Ottawa & Montreal Wedding Photographers | BH Photography.

This Sunday we got together with an amazing couple Val and Marc. We will be capturing their wedding this October! We met them at the spring wedding show in Ottawa and had a good little chat with them, not too long after that we received an e-mail from “the fun couple” and we knew exactly who it was! We are definitely proud to be their photographers and are looking forward to their wedding just outside of Ottawa in Renfrew!

Here is a sneak peak at their engagement photos:

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While in Toronto I got in contact with Kelli, she is such an awesome woman and truly is fearless! Here is a glimpse of her Fearless Bridal session, taken in the Cheltenham Badlands. I had never heard of the badlands before, it seems to be somewhat of a guarded secret in Toronto! It’s a very small area, only about the size of two city blocks, if you blink you would miss it!

The post {Kelli} Toronto Wedding Photographer – Trash the Dress! appeared first on Creative Ottawa & Montreal Wedding Photographers | BH Photography.

Tips for Brides

Finding the right photographer for your wedding is one of the most important decisions you will have to make–you will have to spend the entire day with the person you hire, so you should like them and get to know their personality before the big day. We recognize that we are not the perfect photographer for every couple, but we want everybody to have great memories and fabulous photos.

Here are a few questions you should ask your photographer:

Q. Will you be taking the photos on my wedding day?

A. Some studios hire other photographers to cover weddings when they book more than one per day. At BH Photography, we only book one wedding per day and Brian shoots every one.

Q. What camera equipment do you have?

A. Photographers should have at minimum two cameras, and this is for one simple reason–equipment can break. We carry a main camera and a backup camera, four lenses, and multiple flashes. Everything in our camera bag has a backup. You can also get a feeling for how knowledgeable a photographer is by how much s/he knows about their equipment. Also it is good to know if they will be using film or digital. We primarily shoot all weddings in digital but are capable of adding images captured by film.

Q. Do you use an assistant? Is there an extra charge for an assistant?

A. Photographers who use an assistant are more efficient. Assistants are essential to organizing people for each shot and keeping the photography flow moving. All of our packages include Photographer and Assistant, and there is no extra charge for the assistant.

Q. What happens if you become sick?

A. We have created a strong network with local and international wedding photographers who we communicate with on a regular basis. In the case of extreme illness, there are multiple photographers that we can call on to capture your day, and of course, we would notify our bride and groom of the change. Thankfully, we have never had to find a replacement.

Q. Are other people allowed to take photos at the same time?

A. The answer to this question depends on your preferences. Most photographers, including ourselves do not allow other photographers when capturing the formal photos. The main reason for this is that other cameras create a distraction, and when there is more than one camera present, some members of the group will be looking at our camera and some will be looking at the other cameras.

Q. Are you full time or part time? Why did you choose to be a wedding photographer?

A. Most wedding photographers also have day jobs and choose to shoot weddings because they enjoy it. There is absolutely nothing wrong with this–it’s not a job to them, it’s a passion. When we started our company,  I was also working full time and shooting weddings on the weekends. I now have to opportunity to mainly work as a professional photographer and it’s what I enjoy the most. It’s not a job, it’s my career and yes, it truly is my passion.

Q. If my event runs longer than expected, will you stay? Do you charge for this?

A. Every photographer should be willing to stay if your event lasts longer than expected. We are more than happy to stay longer, and do not expect to be paid for the extra hours before we stay; this is your special day and we strive to help you make it the best possible.

Q. Do you take photos in colour or black and white?

A. We capture all of our digital images in colour and offer to convert to black and white, or other effects after the fact. If the images are captured in black and white, they cannot be converted to colour. When using film, our preference is to use true black and white film as it will create a different effect for the images–this is the main reason we will use a film camera for a portion of the day.

Q. Can I provide you with a list of must have photos?

A. We provide all of our brides with a ”shoot list” to be checked off and added to our files so that we can attempt to capture every photo you would like. Although my assistant uses the list to organize the time you have set aside for your portraits, a list can’t guarantee all the photos will be taken simply due to time delays and other events out of our control.

Q. What do you wear on the day of our wedding?

A. On the day of your wedding, we will dress to the theme of the occasion.  Brian usually wears a black suit with a black / dark shirt, and tie if required. Ivanette wears dark dress clothes. We dress in black / dark so that it is easier for us to blend in if you have a videographer or other photographers. We always wear proper dress clothes and never show up in jeans (unless that’s your dress code, of course!).

Q. How long will it take you to have our proofs ready?

A. We guarantee your proofs will be online within 3 weeks but it usually only takes 2 weeks.

Q. What products are offered?

A. We offer a wide range of products for albums and prints. Ask to see examples.

Q. Can I see a complete wedding?

A. This is one key question to ask to make sure that the photographer will create the images you deserve. For a full day wedding, a photographer can capture over 1000 images, so it’s not hard to have a couple “keepers” per wedding. Anybody can capture a great photo or two out of thousands. Always ask your photographer to show you a complete wedding. We have no problem showing a complete wedding to anybody who requests it.

Q. Will my photos be all over the Internet after our wedding?

A. It’s good to know what your photographer is going to do with your photos. Most of our brides and grooms have given us permission to use their photos as part of our portfolio and blog. Some however, for personal reasons prefer not to have their photos posted, and of course we have no problem respecting that.

Q. Do you have liability insurance?

A. Yet another important question. Every professional photographer should have insurance to protect themselves if they get injured or damage equipment during a wedding. Insurance is also required by any photographer who attends trade shows or workshops. We carry complete liability and damage insurance.

Q. Have you handled an event our size before?

A. Weddings are a joyous occasion, regardless of the size. That being said, your photographer should be able to capture all of those special moments, whether you have 20 guests or 250.  To date, we have worked at weddings with over 300 guests and have provided continuous coverage from 8am until 2am the following day.

Q. Do you charge for travel? What hidden costs are involved?

A. We do not charge for travel within 200kms of Ottawa. For regions outside of that area our travel charges are very reasonable and up front. There are no hidden costs with us; your investment is outlined completely, with taxes of course being added. When providing our package investment information, we provide all of our a la carte pricing as well. This way you know ahead of time what any extra prints or products will cost.

Q. What are your refund / cancellation terms?

A. Most photographers charge a deposit to reserve your date–ours is 25% of the package total. We have never been asked for a refund, however we would look at each request on a case by case basis  ie: If the groom is suddenly deployed out of country for the military, we would have no problem offering a refund or putting the funds towards a new date.

Q. Who do you use to print our photographs? Do you do it yourself?

A. There are a wide array of options available today to have photographs, especially digital processed, from 19 cent grocery store prints to professional labs. Home printers are also available. We only use a professional lab located in Ottawa who has been serving professional photographers for over 40 years. We pay a premium for our prints to ensure top quality. The prints are created using archival quality inks and papers and are guaranteed not to fade for 100 years, making it possible for your photos to become treasured family heirlooms.

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