Winter wedding at Pavillon de la Jamaïque
A winter wedding in Montreal, Canada
Planning to get married outdoors in the dead of a Canadian winter is already adventurous enough! But when the weather suddenly dropped overnight, it took lots of courage for this wedding couple to stick to their plan and get married outdoors at 25 below freezing!
Karine and Alexandre were married at the Pavillon de la Jamaique, a modern wedding venue with large windows on 3 sides of the room to let in scenes of the surrounding nature at Jean-Drapeau park.
![La cérémonie sur la terrasse du Pavillon de la Jamaïque sur l’Île Notre-Dame](https://www.esthergibbons.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/Mariage-Hiver-Pavillon-Jamaique-186.jpg)
![Cérémonie dehors à -25 celcius](https://www.esthergibbons.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/Mariage-Hiver-Pavillon-Jamaique-231.jpg)
![Portraits des mariés parmi les épinettes du Jardin des Floralies](https://www.esthergibbons.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/Mariage-Hiver-Pavillon-Jamaique-031.jpg)
Wedding portraits among the pines
Before the ceremony, the wedding couple joined me outside for an oh-s0-brief photo session among the pine trees of the Jardin des Floralies.
![Winter portrait among pine trees](https://www.esthergibbons.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/Mariage-Hiver-Pavillon-Jamaique-025.jpg)
![Winter wedding portraits with blanket outdoors](https://www.esthergibbons.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/Mariage-Hiver-Pavillon-Jamaique-017.jpg)
Outdoors wedding ceremony in the midst of winter
When it came time to begin the wedding ceremony, all the guests headed out to the terrace. There, they kept warm with mulled wine, blankets and hand-warmers. There were also some portable outdoor heaters set up with beautiful flames.
![Vin chaud servi à la cérémonie de mariage dehors en hiver](https://www.esthergibbons.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/Mariage-Hiver-Pavillon-Jamaique-135.jpg)
![Survival blankets and wraps for outdoors wedding ceremony](https://www.esthergibbons.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/Mariage-Hiver-Pavillon-Jamaique-130.jpg)
![Grandpapa qui attend l'arrivée de la mariée](https://www.esthergibbons.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/Mariage-Hiver-Pavillon-Jamaique-162.jpg)
![Le marié qui regarde l'arrivée de la mariée](https://www.esthergibbons.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/Mariage-Hiver-Pavillon-Jamaique-163.jpg)
Laurent, a friend of the wedding couple, officiated their wedding ceremony. He was the one who originally played cupid and introduced the two.
![Family watching the bride arrive](https://www.esthergibbons.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/Mariage-Hiver-Pavillon-Jamaique-172.jpg)
![L'entrée de la mariée avec son père en hiver](https://www.esthergibbons.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/Mariage-Hiver-Pavillon-Jamaique-168.jpg)
![Bride hugging her father as her fiancé watches](https://www.esthergibbons.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/Mariage-Hiver-Pavillon-Jamaique-176.jpg)
![Invités qui regardent la cérémonie à l'extérieur](https://www.esthergibbons.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/Mariage-Hiver-Pavillon-Jamaique-190.jpg)
![Mère du marié qui applaudit dehors à la cérémonie en hiver](https://www.esthergibbons.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/Mariage-Hiver-Pavillon-Jamaique-196.jpg)
![Deux grand-mamans qui placotent au mariage en hiver](https://www.esthergibbons.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/Mariage-Hiver-Pavillon-Jamaique-204.jpg)
Karine and Alex read their vows, exchanged rings and had their first kiss as newlyweds surrounded by their loved ones!
![Les voeux de mariage à l'extérieur en hiver](https://www.esthergibbons.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/Mariage-Hiver-Pavillon-Jamaique-214.jpg)
![La mariée qui écoute les voeux toute emmitouflée en hiver](https://www.esthergibbons.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/Mariage-Hiver-Pavillon-Jamaique-238.jpg)
![La cérémonie de mariage sur la terrasse du Pavillon de la Jamaique avec des chauffe-terrasses](https://www.esthergibbons.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/Mariage-Hiver-Pavillon-Jamaique-227.jpg)
![Invités qui regardent le mariage tout emmitouflés](https://www.esthergibbons.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/Mariage-Hiver-Pavillon-Jamaique-246.jpg)
![Invités qui regardent le mariage avec des sourires](https://www.esthergibbons.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/Mariage-Hiver-Pavillon-Jamaique-249.jpg)
![Image gros plan de la mariée qui met l'anneau sur le doigt de son mari](https://www.esthergibbons.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/Mariage-Hiver-Pavillon-Jamaique-251.jpg)
![Le premier baiser des mariés à l'extérieur en hiver](https://www.esthergibbons.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/Mariage-Hiver-Pavillon-Jamaique-258.jpg)
![Cérémonie de mariage en hiver au Parc Jean-Drapeau](https://www.esthergibbons.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/Mariage-Hiver-Pavillon-Jamaique-268.jpg)
After the ceremony, everyone hurried indoors to warm up and celebrate together.
![Grandmère excitée qui tient la main de la mariée](https://www.esthergibbons.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/Mariage-Hiver-Pavillon-Jamaique-312.jpg)
![Mariée qui regarde sa soeur avec émotion](https://www.esthergibbons.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/Mariage-Hiver-Pavillon-Jamaique-357.jpg)
Wedding reception at the Pavillon de la Jamaique
For their wedding dinner, Karine and Alex chose a creative and no frills option: Pas d’cochon dans mon salon. Pas d’cochon is a street food truck and caterer that specializes in BBQ. The down-home vibe of family-style dining gave the wedding dinner a cozy and relaxed ambiance. An amazing team from Forand Évènements served the food and kept everything running smoothly.
![Place setting at winter wedding](https://www.esthergibbons.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/Mariage-Hiver-Pavillon-Jamaique-099.jpg)
![Bouteilles de vins avec noms des invités écrit dessus](https://www.esthergibbons.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/Mariage-Hiver-Pavillon-Jamaique-287.jpg)
![Chandelles et décorations sur les tables de mariage](https://www.esthergibbons.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/Mariage-Hiver-Pavillon-Jamaique-371.jpg)
![Verre de vin avec noms des mariés](https://www.esthergibbons.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/Mariage-Hiver-Pavillon-Jamaique-374.jpg)
![Pomme de pin couvert de peinture dorée avec le nom d'un invité](https://www.esthergibbons.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/Mariage-Hiver-Pavillon-Jamaique-375.jpg)
![Gros plan de quelqu'un qui laisse un message dans un livre d'invité](https://www.esthergibbons.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/Mariage-Hiver-Pavillon-Jamaique-378.jpg)
![Woman reading a special message at wedding reception](https://www.esthergibbons.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/Mariage-Hiver-Pavillon-Jamaique-392.jpg)
![Guests laughing together at wedding reception](https://www.esthergibbons.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/Mariage-Hiver-Pavillon-Jamaique-403.jpg)
![Wedding guests chatting together in winter wedding reception](https://www.esthergibbons.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/Mariage-Hiver-Pavillon-Jamaique-406.jpg)
![Woman raising champagne glass](https://www.esthergibbons.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/Mariage-Hiver-Pavillon-Jamaique-447.jpg)
![Les invités qui trinquent au souper de mariage](https://www.esthergibbons.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/Mariage-Hiver-Pavillon-Jamaique-455.jpg)
![Invité qui tape sur un verre avec sa fourchette](https://www.esthergibbons.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/Mariage-Hiver-Pavillon-Jamaique-456.jpg)
![Réception de mariage la nuit au Pavillon de la Jamaique](https://www.esthergibbons.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/Mariage-Hiver-Pavillon-Jamaique-458.jpg)
During the evening, parents shared emotional speeches and friends toasted the couple.
![Mère du marié qui fait un discours](https://www.esthergibbons.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/Mariage-Hiver-Pavillon-Jamaique-477.jpg)
![Mariés qui rient durant les discours](https://www.esthergibbons.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/Mariage-Hiver-Pavillon-Jamaique-493.jpg)
![Père de la mariée qui fait un discours](https://www.esthergibbons.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/Mariage-Hiver-Pavillon-Jamaique-492.jpg)
![Danse des parents avec les mariés](https://www.esthergibbons.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/Mariage-Hiver-Pavillon-Jamaique-501.jpg)
![Portrait des mariés par la fenêtre ronde d'une porte](https://www.esthergibbons.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/Mariage-Hiver-Pavillon-Jamaique-528.jpg)
![Marié qui parle avec une invitée](https://www.esthergibbons.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/Mariage-Hiver-Pavillon-Jamaique-557.jpg)
![Invité qui crie pendant la soirée](https://www.esthergibbons.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/Mariage-Hiver-Pavillon-Jamaique-580.jpg)
The wedding couple improvised a lovely first dance.
![Les mariés qui font leur première danse ensemble 01](https://www.esthergibbons.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/Mariage-Hiver-Pavillon-Jamaique-604.jpg)
![Les mariés qui font leur première danse ensemble 02](https://www.esthergibbons.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/Mariage-Hiver-Pavillon-Jamaique-610.jpg)
![Invités qui dansent à la soirée de mariage](https://www.esthergibbons.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/Mariage-Hiver-Pavillon-Jamaique-626.jpg)
And, with a custom playlist of all their favourite songs, the wedding couple danced the night away with their guests.
![Mariée avec bouquet et micro](https://www.esthergibbons.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/Mariage-Hiver-Pavillon-Jamaique-642.jpg)
![Invités de mariage excités la nuit](https://www.esthergibbons.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/Mariage-Hiver-Pavillon-Jamaique-644.jpg)
Photographing a wedding in below freezing weather
For photos outside in the winter, I was ready with extra batteries for my cameras (batteries die faster in the cold). For winter weddings, it’s also smart to leave a camera inside to use when moving from outdoors to inside. Cameras will get foggy right after moving from the cold air outside to the warmer indoors temperatures. Since it’s important to be ready to shoot at any moment as a wedding photographer, you want to avoid having to wait 15 minutes for condensation to go away.
more resources on winter photography and outdoor weddings:
Outdoor Photographer: Cold Weather Photo Tips
The New York Times: Outdoor Winter Wedding Hacks