Oh winter in Nova Scotia, you are unpredictable.  It’s something you need to be prepared for when planning a winter wedding.  Within less than a week of Amanda and Alex’s wedding we had weather varying from a snow storm which brought 40cm of snow in some areas (including my driveway), to rain and temperatures of 12 degrees.  Right in the middle of that, on Valentine’s Day, Amanda  and Alex’s wedding day, we had clear skies and a windchill of -23.

When I got together with Amanda and Alex for their engagement photos in the fall, it was a fairly chilly day and we even had a couple flurries.  I remember mentioning at the time that while it sure felt cold then, it was probably going to feel balmy compared to the wedding day.  But what really felt balmy was Amanda’s mom’s house where the girls were getting ready.  When I got there it felt like they were mentally trying to trick themselves into believing it was warmer outside than it was.  The girls all seemed nice and relaxed, so I guess it was working, at least until we went outside for a photo and reality set in.

When I met up with the guys, they were just as relaxed as the girls, though I think they were looking forward to the part of the day where drinks were involved.  They wouldn’t have to wait long.  The ceremony was short and sweet and then we took all 14 members of the wedding party outside where I was cold in my winter coat, so I can imagine how the girls felt in their dresses.  As a saving grace, Amanda had gotten them all white scarves for the day and they definitely got use out of them.  I did my best to limit the time spent outside with the wedding party before releasing them in the direction of the bar.  I couldn’t let Amanda and Alex off the hook so easily though.

Before the wedding I did some location scouting and found a couple of locations nearby which I felt would work with the weather we had, snow on the ground and the cold temperatures.  When it came time to head out, I kept my car running and we did mini sessions outside before warming back up in the car and repeating the process.  I think we managed to get some great photos with limited time and we all went back to the reception happy.

We saw some really good speeches at the reception, some were more emotional, some were funny, some had excellent puns (I love a good pun, so bonus points there), but the best part was just seeing how Amanda and Alex looked at each other.  These are 2 people who are clearly in love and I think if you’re getting married on Valentine’s Day, you’ve got something to live up to, but after seeing these two together, I think we’ve all got something to live up to.

Congratulations Amanda and Alex!

Enjoy!!!

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