Blair Gable http://ottawaweddingphotographerblairgable.com Ottawa Wedding Photographer Blair Gable Fri, 17 Feb 2012 01:32:01 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 Meagan + Dan | Chateau Cartier wedding http://ottawaweddingphotographerblairgable.com/meagan-dan-chateau-cartier-wedding/ http://ottawaweddingphotographerblairgable.com/meagan-dan-chateau-cartier-wedding/#comments Thu, 16 Feb 2012 20:41:11 +0000 Blair http://ottawaweddingphotographerblairgable.com/?p=1341 Continue reading →]]> The last wedding I shot at the Chateau Cartier was a gong-show and to say that I was excited to shoot Meagan and Dan’s wedding at the same venue would be an understatement. Over the last few months we have been doing some crazy engagement sessions together (dodgeball, hockey night, lost in the woods) and we have become fast-friends. I photographed Dan’s sister’s wedding a few years ago and once I saw his moves on the dance floor I knew that their wedding would be a great time. Meagan to me at the end of the night, “Blair I have four words for you, ‘You’re missing the poutine!’”

 Congratulations and have fun in Jamaica!

]]> http://ottawaweddingphotographerblairgable.com/meagan-dan-chateau-cartier-wedding/feed/ 0 PWPC Winter 2012 Awards http://ottawaweddingphotographerblairgable.com/pwpc-winter-2012-awards/ http://ottawaweddingphotographerblairgable.com/pwpc-winter-2012-awards/#comments Sat, 28 Jan 2012 14:30:42 +0000 Blair http://ottawaweddingphotographerblairgable.com/?p=1332 I had a few images place in the Professional Wedding Photographers of Canada Winter 2012 photo contest. Here are the goods.

BRIDE & GROOM PORTRAITS : 2nd Place
Lindsay and Justin under a bridge in Kitchener Waterloo
BRIDE & GROOM PORTRAITS : 3rd Place
Robin and Andrew have gelato on Elgin Street in Ottawa
GETTING READY : 8th Place
Emily goes to the washroom in her wedding dress in Wakefiled
]]> http://ottawaweddingphotographerblairgable.com/pwpc-winter-2012-awards/feed/ 3 Meagan + Dan | Lost in the Woods http://ottawaweddingphotographerblairgable.com/meagan-dan-woods/ http://ottawaweddingphotographerblairgable.com/meagan-dan-woods/#comments Sun, 22 Jan 2012 18:58:25 +0000 Blair http://ottawaweddingphotographerblairgable.com/?p=1327 Continue reading →]]> Here is the third and final shoot with Meagan and Dan in our engagement series. You may remember they first played a little dodgeball, then watched some hockey and now they are lost in the woods. You can’t tell, but we are all standing in snow up to our knees, hopefully they made it out in time to hit the Lululemon warehouse sale this weekend. There wedding is in three weeks, so don’t think you have seen the last of them!

Meagan + Dan's engagement shoot in the woods

]]> http://ottawaweddingphotographerblairgable.com/meagan-dan-woods/feed/ 0 Why I (heart) the Westin Ottawa http://ottawaweddingphotographerblairgable.com/i-heart-westin/ http://ottawaweddingphotographerblairgable.com/i-heart-westin/#comments Mon, 16 Jan 2012 15:58:23 +0000 Blair http://ottawaweddingphotographerblairgable.com/?p=1312 Continue reading →]]> UPDATE: Within 24 hours of this article being published Carita and Tim were contacted by the hotel in question and offered their sincerest apologies and a complimentary dinning experience at their restaurant. I have also been speaking with the director of sales and marketing over the last few days to discuss the customer services slip-ups and communication breakdowns. Instead of going on the defensive they have taken full responsibility for the incident. – Bg

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This past September I photographed the wedding of Carita and Tim and there was an incident that occurred that frustrated me so much that I took it upon myself to attempt to rectify even though it was far outside my mandate as their wedding photographer. Sometimes you actually care about your clients, weird eh?


Carita and the girls were getting ready at a certain ‘regal hotel on Elgin Street’ in Ottawa the morning of the wedding when a knock at the door produced a gift package from the hotel that included chocolates, Starbucks gift certificates, lube and a complimentary bottle of champagne. I thought this was perfect customer service and excellent relationship building. A bridesmaid called the front desk to request the bottle of champagne and was told that the package was sent to the wrong room – they could keep everything, but would not be getting the champagne.

A few minutes later there was a knock on the door and I thought that a manager had come to their senses and brought up a bottle of bubbly on-the-house. Nope, it was someone asking to see the gift package so they could remake it for the correct room. One of the girls asked if they could have a bottle of champagne brought up anyway and the hotel lackey stood their with her mouth open until the the girls said they would pay for it. Some time goes by and finally someone from the front desk calls up to ask what type of champagne they would like, a request is made, then another 15 minutes later the phone rings again telling them that they have run out of that particular kind of champagne and by this time they are almost ready to leave for the wedding ceremony. Everyone at this point is more than a little frustrated with the service at this particular ‘regal hotel on Elgin Street’.

That was just straight-up shitty customer service. Instead of owning the mistake and making the girls feel great, they made them feel like an unappreciated inconvenience. Now they probably get double middle-fingers from them when ever they drive by – or maybe I am the only one that would do that, I am spiteful after all.


I am a stickler for customer service and was fairly annoyed with the hotel in question, so I called my colleague Tia Ward, the Catering Sales Manager at Westin Ottawa, and proposed something that I probably had no right to ask of her and she had every right to refuse. I asked her if she would give me a bottle of champagne, compliments of the Westin Ottawa, to give to Carita and Tim when they came to my office to view their finished wedding photos (even though no part of their wedding was at the Westin Ottawa). Tia immediately obliged me, seeing the long-term benefits to going out of her way for potential clients and making them feel like they are genuinely wanted and appreciated – plus she is a just great person to be around.

Carita and Tim were surprised and delighted, to say the least, that someone was thinking about them and wanted to make up for another vendors blunder. This is why I love the Westin and am grateful that they have such a thoughtful and considerate Catering Sales Manager in Tia Ward.


I tweeted about the experience as it was happening and I was retweeted by a few coordinators that I know. The hotel in question actually replied to one of the coordinators asking for a chance to make things right and when the hotel was directed to me the conversation ended. I even contacted them myself to find out if they wanted to play nice and received no reply, now I advise my clients to avoid this particular ‘regal hotel on Elgin Street’.

FULL DISCLOSURE

I am not being paid, cajoled or pressured into writing this piece by the Westin nor have I received any kickbacks or honorariums. I simply appreciate the level of service that they provide to their clients and anyone else who walkthrough their doors. It is no surprise that I recommended this hotel to any of my clients who ask my opinion. The rooms are also big and bright which makes my job way easier. I also proposed to my wife at the Westin Harbour Castle in Toronto.

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]]> http://ottawaweddingphotographerblairgable.com/i-heart-westin/feed/ 2 Leeanna + Crwys | Anderson Links wedding http://ottawaweddingphotographerblairgable.com/leeanna-crwys-anderson-links-wedding/ http://ottawaweddingphotographerblairgable.com/leeanna-crwys-anderson-links-wedding/#comments Tue, 03 Jan 2012 20:36:34 +0000 Blair http://ottawaweddingphotographerblairgable.com/?p=1283 Continue reading →]]> I had the pleasure of photographing Leeanna and Crwy’s wedding at Anderson Links golf club south of Ottawa last month – they had a horse drawn carriage and a magician!

]]> http://ottawaweddingphotographerblairgable.com/leeanna-crwys-anderson-links-wedding/feed/ 4 Meagan + Dan | Love and the Ottawa Senators http://ottawaweddingphotographerblairgable.com/love-ottawa-senators/ http://ottawaweddingphotographerblairgable.com/love-ottawa-senators/#comments Tue, 20 Dec 2011 14:36:48 +0000 Blair http://ottawaweddingphotographerblairgable.com/?p=1269 Can a moderate Ottawa Senators fan (Meagan) and an extreme Ottawa Senators fan (Dan) live together peacefully?

Engagement session Ottawa Senators fans with Meagan and Dan

Engagement session Ottawa Senators fans with Meagan and Dan

Engagement session Ottawa Senators fans with Meagan and Dan

We will see.

]]> http://ottawaweddingphotographerblairgable.com/love-ottawa-senators/feed/ 1 Dan + Meagan | Dodgeball Love http://ottawaweddingphotographerblairgable.com/dan-meagan-dodgeball/ http://ottawaweddingphotographerblairgable.com/dan-meagan-dodgeball/#comments Wed, 30 Nov 2011 20:28:25 +0000 Blair http://ottawaweddingphotographerblairgable.com/?p=1255 Continue reading →]]> Meagan and Dan met playing dodgeball on a Ottawa Sport and Social Club team. So naturally….

I like my clients. This is just a teaser photo (wait until you see the rest) and is only the first part of a six part engagement series featuring these two and their weird love. Go balls deep! More to come.

]]> http://ottawaweddingphotographerblairgable.com/dan-meagan-dodgeball/feed/ 5 Vanessa + Romolo | Brampton & Oakville wedding http://ottawaweddingphotographerblairgable.com/brampton-oakville-wedding/ http://ottawaweddingphotographerblairgable.com/brampton-oakville-wedding/#comments Fri, 25 Nov 2011 18:54:37 +0000 Blair http://ottawaweddingphotographerblairgable.com/?p=1235 Continue reading →]]> This past weekend I had the pleasure of photographing the wedding of Vanessa and Romolo at a church in Brampton and Otello’s Italian restaurant in Oakville – with a few stops along the way for portraits.

]]> http://ottawaweddingphotographerblairgable.com/brampton-oakville-wedding/feed/ 6 Love and Poutine | Behind the Scenes http://ottawaweddingphotographerblairgable.com/poutine-engagement-video/ http://ottawaweddingphotographerblairgable.com/poutine-engagement-video/#comments Thu, 10 Nov 2011 18:27:46 +0000 Blair http://ottawaweddingphotographerblairgable.com/?p=1143 Continue reading →]]> You may have seen my post a few months ago featuring an engagement session I shot late one night at the Elgin Street Diner in Ottawa, well here is the behind the scenes video to go with it. Many thanks to James Park for shooting and editing. Enjoy!

Check out Kaitlin and Keith’s engagement session at the Elgin Street Diner here. Vote for your favorite!

 

Couple kindles romance over late night poutine

 

 

JESSICA SMITH
METRO OTTAWA NEWSPAPER
November 11, 2011

Falling in love doesn’t often happen in a photographer’s studio — unless, perhaps, you’re a photographer. So, Kaitlin Grant and Keith Charlebois kissed for their engagement photos where they kindled their romance—over late-night poutine at the Elgin Street Diner.

The couple’s photo caused a stir on Twitter in Ottawa yesterday, trending after photographer Blair Gable’s former colleagues mentioned it online.

The idea for the photos came from Gable, who hates the “cheesy, totally posed, totally contrived nonsense” typical of too many engagement photos, after he asked the couple about how they fell in love.

“I’ve had this shot in my head for a couple of years, and I’ve been waiting for a couple to say, ‘poutine,’” said Gable.

Grant loved the idea. “I wanted our photographer to capture and convey, rather than pose us for some fake photos,” she said.

Both Grant and Charlebois don’t normally like getting their photos taken, but the experience was fun, she said.

Guests at the wedding reception at Saunders Farm next year will have a chance at their own romance over cheese curds and gravy.

“We’re going to be having a poutine bar, kind of a late night snack at our wedding,” said Grant.

 

 

]]> http://ottawaweddingphotographerblairgable.com/poutine-engagement-video/feed/ 4 Lily + JF | Ottawa Engagement Session http://ottawaweddingphotographerblairgable.com/lily-jf-ottawa-engagement/ http://ottawaweddingphotographerblairgable.com/lily-jf-ottawa-engagement/#comments Tue, 18 Oct 2011 14:31:13 +0000 Blair http://ottawaweddingphotographerblairgable.com/?p=1139 Engagement session with Lily Fang and JF at Britannia Beach in Ottawa

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