The North Park Films  Blog

Top 5 Outdoor Ottawa Wedding Venues

Your wedding venue is the foundation of your wedding event. While many people opt to have a wedding at a ballroom or indoor setting there’s something very scenic and unique about an outdoor wedding. After filming in Ottawa for 2 years here are my Top 5 Outdoor Ottawa Wedding Venues you should check out.

Adelina Barn, Gatineau, Quebec

Our first venue is one of my favorites. Adelina Barn is a house plus property turned into a rustic and intimate wedding venue. You have many options for an outdoor wedding whether it be on the grass in the sun or under a canpoy in case of rain. The wedding I had was under a canopy however if I could make a suggestion I would opt for having it on the grass as you have more space. Having the extra light will give you better wedding photos and a better wedding video. Aside from the ceremony part the rest of the venue is awesome as well.

The bridal sweet is a little apartment in the back of the house with some nice light coming in. It also has a little kitchen where you can get some snacks and drinks ready for the morning. This room also sits on a little hill that overlooks a massive field of greenery (definitely get some bomb mimosa shots there). Speaking of the field this is also a great spot for a first look if you’re interested in that. Another great first look spot as seen in the video above is the long path that leads into the venue or even just in the trees. This area during the fall has some beautiful colors that I would highly recommend taking advantage of if you can.

Other parts of the year its great as well but the fall just hits differently. The reception part of the venue is a wooden barn house with nice intimate tungsten lighting with warm vibes that scream rustic cottage life. Although this venue may seem small at first glance the amount of spots for creativity is endless. I found myself getting shots by the barn, on the field and near the path the most but in the summer I could see many other opportunities for couples to make the most of this venue. if you need some Inspiration or insight into what a wedding at the Adelina Barn is like watch the video above.

Stonefields Estate, Carleton Place, Ontario

My next favorite venue has to be Stonefields Estate. Stonefields is a 25min from the Ottawa core but definitely worth the drive. This venue has so many amazing spots to capture great footage of your wedding day. Whether you have a modern wedding or something more rustic there are many little spots to get some great coverage. The get ready locations are these little homes with very unique characteristics to them with a lot of nice lighting. The groom get ready location is a little darker than the bridal sweet as seen in this video but it wasn’t too bad and kind of fits the vibe. If you plan to do a first look the green fields and various buildings with nice architecture are great places for this. The ceremony area is a white barn house that really fits any wedding style.

I would recommend getting some nice pictures in front of it with nobody around, really loved the shots I got in front of it. The Reception hall is big, has a nice amount of space for guest to move around without feeling like they’re bumping into each other. The venues food is also awesome if that’s a big focus for you, I don’t remember what I ate but I just remember it being better than most. If you have the opportunity, hire a videographer who has a drone for some epic shots of your venue and the two of you running threw the vast area of greenery. Check out the video above to see what I was able to do with this venue.

Le Belvedere, Wakefield, Quebec

Le Belvedere is a little bit of a drive from Ottawa (40mins) but its honestly one of my favorite and very scenic. You are essentially on a mountain overlooking green grassy hills as you say your vows. This venue can work for a modern luxury style wedding or a rustic wedding as well. The get ready houses that are a 2min drive from the venue are awesome. You essentially get ready in full blown houses with big windows, kitchens and bedrooms. This works out great if you have a wedding party because it gives you space not only to get ready but to also enjoy it. Each house is complete with multiple bedrooms, a full kitchen and a deck to sit outside if its a nice morning.

If you plan to do a first look there is a nice red bridge not too far way from the venue that is a nice little spot for bridal party photos as well. The ceremony takes place outdoors under a massive wooden arch outdoors. Your guest will sit on some nice seating that adds to the esthetic of the venue with a great view of the mountains and you two as you say your vows. If your wedding happens to get rainfall there is a great indoor option that has massive windows so that you still get the beautiful outdoor view with the mountains. In regards to photo sessions there are a lot of places to get some great shots. The reception area is indoors and has a lot of big windows, the wedding above was a fall wedding so the sun set earlier but in the spring and summer the sun beaming into the venue would look amazing. If you are looking for a venue with an amazing view then I would definitely check out this venue.

Aquatopia, Arnprior, Ontario

Aquatopia is one of Ottawa’s most unique wedding venues. What it lacks in options with the exterior makes up for it in its amazing interiors. Aquatopia is a green house turned into a wedding venue and it is breathtaking. The ceremony area is filled with plenty of greenery and sits in an area where the sun is always peaking threw giving you this dream like vibe on your wedding day no matter the time of year.

The reception area is where I think the venue really shines. The venues DJ and light technicians are awesome and really turn your reception into a party that people actually want to be at. The music has transitions to it that makes it feel like its a live mix and not a list of songs that you’ve heard at every other wedding. The drinks at this venue are made with love and the bartenders are chill enough that even I was able to spark up a conversation with them. The reception area also has great greenery and it looks great during a first dance when the lights are on.

There’s also a nice waterfall the drains into a nice little pond with fish in it. There’s a few downsides to this wedding venue. The first is the lack of a get ready area, the past two weddings I have shot have been an hour behind and a big reason that could be is because of the venues location. If you are thinking of having a wedding here accommodations of where you get ready will have to be at a hotel or a house. One other thing worth mentioning is the lack of photo session locations. Once your ceremony has ended and cocktail area begins you naturally want to get some photos with the family and bridal party.

There are 3 spots to do this the front of the venue, right side of the venue with a field of grass and to the left next to a little pond. To combat this I would try working in family photos or at least bridal party photos to be before the ceremony so that you can have the reception area for photos as you can get some nice scenic shots there. Outside of the two limitations I mentioned If you want a nice greenhouse style wedding then you need to have your wedding at Aquatopia.

Orchardview, Greely, Ontario

Orchardview is a wedding video tucked away in Greely. From a birds eye in the sky its surrounded by trees and is located in a beautiful suburb. My wedding at Orchardview this year wasn’t everything it could of been due to covid and not being able to access parts of the venue which is why I have it lower on my list but it was still great and I saw a lot of potential from what I did see. The outdoor area for the ceremony is a giant pergola with a little waterfall in the background. When it comes to first looks there are many places you could do one.

I recommend the area just in front of the pond because its still private away from everything and you have an awesome view in the background as well. The wedding I filmed didn’t have a bridal party but if you do there are a lot of nice spots including fields, near the pond and a bridge that would serve as a great spot for family and bridal party photos. The reception area has more of a ballroom vibe to it but has massive windows which are great for sunny days as it will keep the outdoor vibes of your wedding present when indoors.

Bonus Venue

Williamstown Fair, South Glensgarry, Ontario

This venue is a little bit of a drive from Ottawa but its a great venue if you’re looking to have an outdoor wedding or barn style wedding. Williamstown Fair is a venue surrounded by beautiful trees and is tucked away in a quiet town. The great part about this venue is the outdoor area surrounded by trees and how close it is to the barn which can also be used as a ceremony area. The barn is also where you would have your dinner and reception, complete with little lights hanging from the ceiling and wooden beams giving you a awesome rustic vibe. The wedding I shot above was on a very rainy day but you can still get a vibe of what’s possible with this venue. if you’re willing to make the drive then this is a great venue.

That’s it for my top 5 Ottawa Outdoor Wedding Venues. When it comes to outdoor weddings the best thing is to find a venue where there’s a lot of nice little spots to take pictures or videos throughout the day. Whether a field of green or architecture that speaks to you I highly recommend these venues for there awesome features.

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Watch a few more first looks that I had the chance to be apart of

https://northparkfilms.com/films

Read more of my many adventures at other weddings

https://northparkfilms.com/category/the-wedding-filmmakers-journal/

Check out our podcast for wedding planning tips

https://open.spotify.com/embed/episode/6dJrOIoxqacbBenWNhsmWU?si=3b7c046cb6dc4e04&utm_source=oembed