My Top Five Ottawa Elopement Ideas

For An Easygoing Ottawa Elopement

We’ve all lusted over the photos we see of couples eloping in these truly amazing, epic locations. And don’t get me wrong, I’m not at all trying to say not to do that. But for those who like the idea of eloping but are looking for something a little more simple, a little less grand, and closer to home in Ottawa, I’ve compiled a few ideas for a local Ottawa elopement.

All of these ideas can be done purely with just the couple, or include a small circle of their most important people. As for the ceremony, you could arrange to include an officiant at your location for a legal ceremony, or do the legal part before or after your elopement day at a city hall.

Downtown Ottawa Elopements

Downtown Ottawa has amazing architecture mixed with beautiful parks, and makes for a great spot to spend your elopement day. You could book a hotel downtown (think Fairmont Laurier, Lord Elgin Hotel, or Andaz Hotel to name a few) to stay in for the weekend. The morning of your elopement, you get ready together in your beautiful hotel room, and have room service deliver brunch. Once you’re ready, you head to City Hall. We start with portraits in City Hall (and on the way there!) before proceeding to your 20 minute civil ceremony. After you say your “I do’s”, you spend the rest of your day visiting some of your favourite spots around the city. This could include museums like the National Gallery, your favourite coffee spot, record stores, etc. You stop for drinks at a bar downtown before going for a beautiful dinner in the Market at restaurants like Sidedoor, Buvette Dauphnee, or pizza at Guilia. To end the day, you have a bottle of champagne and desserts back at your hotel room. An easy, relaxed, day full of fun activities tailored just for the two of you.

Camping Elopement at Ontario Parks

Why not do an elopement in nature by crafting a camping elopement! If you and your partner love to camp, this could be the perfect getaway and unique elopement idea that you’ve been looking for. Whether you want to car camp or do a canoe trip in Algonquin Park, I think a camping elopement would be such an amazing experience. You could get ready at your campsite together in the morning, while having coffee and cooking breakfast over the campfire. Then, you could hike, canoe, walk or drive to a special spot within the park; maybe a spot by the lake, a lookout point, gentle water fall, etc. You share your vows in an intimate ceremony in nature, with only the sounds of leaves rustling, wind, and water trickling. Then, you could spend the day doing your favourite activities together: hiking, birding, canoeing, kayaking etc. To wind down the day, you cook dinner over a campfire, share a mug of your favourite drinks to celebrate, and roast some marshmallows together while getting cozy with a blanket around the fire.

Check out some of the amazing locations that Ontario Parks has to offer; some parks even offer cabins!

Gatineau Hills Elopement in Chelsea/Wakefield Region

If you’d like to do an elopement in nature, but aren’t sold on the idea of camping, this one is for you! The Gatineau Hills offers beautiful towns like Wakefield and Chelsea which have amazing restaurants, shops, and accommodations, but also endless outdoor activities and opportunities nearby. You could stay at one of the hotels or AirBnb’s in the region (check out Lofts du Village or Wakefield Mill). You get ready together in the morning, have breakfast, and head to your vow sharing location; this could be at a lookout point in Gatineau Park, Meech Beach, or anywhere else that interests you in the region. Have a picnic lunch at a park or Meech Creek Valley, or at one of the many restaurants in the region. Go for a hike, a swim, a paddle on Meech Lake, or peruse the shops in Chelsea or Wakefield. Book a lovely, cozy dinner at one of the amazing restaurants like the Chelsea Pub, Cafe le Hibou, or music and dinner at the Blacksheep Inn. The next day, you could relax and continue the celebrations at the Nordik Spa. Sounds like the perfect weekend to me!

Ottawa Valley Brewery Elopement

If you’re anything like me, you might just love hitting up different breweries in the Ottawa Valley region, so why not incorporate that into your Ottawa elopement day? You could have your vow reading at either a brewery, or really any location you choose. I’d recommend hiring a private car service for the day; that way you can be taken from location to location without having to worry about any of the driving or logistics. Some of my favourite breweries in the region include Bicycle Craft Brewery, Beyond the Pale Brewing Company, Dominion City Brewing, Tooth and Nail Brewing Company, and Gather Brewery and Glassworks (a little farther afield). Many breweries have patios and food too, so it would easy to spend most of the day visiting different spots. And some even allow dogs, if you wanted to include your furry friend in your elopement day!

Prince Edward County Elopement

Okay, I know this one isn’t technically in Ottawa, but it’s not far and it’s a good one! Along the same lines of the brewery elopement above, another area you could do a similar thing like that in is Prince Edward County. I photographed an elopement there last summer that involved a legal ceremony at an Airbnb, and then proceeded to spend the day touring (in a private car service) wineries, cideries and breweries, ending at Outlet Beach in Sandbanks Provincial Park. It was a super fun, relaxed day of enjoyment for the couple and their two witnesses.

The Best Part About Eloping in Ottawa

The best part about eloping is that your day can look like you. Ottawa may not be the largest city in Canada, or even the most exotic looking one, but Ottawa has a lot to offer to couples looking to elope. Whether you want something in nature and more remote, or a city to explore, Ottawa has so many options to choose from. You don’t need a helicopter ride, a 200-person guest list, or big production for your wedding day to feel special; a simple elopement day doing things you enjoy with your partner can be the most special day ever. Read more about eloping in Ottawa in my blog post here.

Your wedding day can be whatever you want it to be. So do something that’s unique to you, that you enjoy doing together as a couple. And of course, I’d love to come along for the ride, help you plan and photograph the whole amazing day for you 😛 

Growing up in the Ottawa area, I have a lot of insight into the unique activities and locations that the Ottawa region has to offer. As you can see from my ideas above, I also have sooo many ideas for couples eloping in Ottawa. I absolutely LOVE helping couples figure out what kind of elopement they want to have, how to make it unique and “them”. If you’ve been thinking about eloping but aren’t sure what to do or where to start, reach out to me to book a totally free consultation call to brainstorm some great ideas together. I can’t wait to get started!