6 Couples Marry in Style at Ottawa’s First Pop-Up Chapel

It has long been a dream of ours to bring the Chapel to other cities, and provide the opportunity to couples beyond Toronto to experience the magic. On November 20, 2020 that dream became a reality when we hit the road and hosted out first ever out-of-town Pop-Up Chapel at Umbrella Bar, in Ottawa. This hidden gem sits on Dow’s Lake, and with floor to ceiling windows that run the perimeter of the space, there is a stunning waterfront view. The space was recently renovated, and is bright and airy with lofty ceilings, polished concrete floors, and an eye-catching art-deco inspired bar back.

With such an incredible venue our job was easy - we wanted a design that highlighted the space and made it feel both chic and cozy. We decided on a neutral fall palette of sage, olive, sand, and beige, with gold accents throughout added for warmth. The in-house large white-brick fireplace with dark wood accents made the perfect ceremony backdrop. We filled the mouth of the fireplace with white pillar candles of varying sizes creating a soft glow that warmed the space and gave off all the cozy fall vibes! If you know us though, you know we didn’t just stop there - we used geometric shapes strung in monochromatic shades of green to create a picture perfect backdrop for the couples to say “I do”. Of course no design in complete without florals. The Gathering Event Co. truly outdid themselves on this front, and brought our vision of bold neutrals to life with the perfect mix of dried and live elements.

Post-ceremony, guests were ushered into cocktail hour where the couple sat at a sweetheart table with it’s own built in photo backdrop. Cocktail hour wouldn’t be complete without a toast to the newly-weds with their choice of wine from Fresh Wines, beer from Steam Whistle or cold brew coffee from Station Cold Brew. Guests were treated to individually packed boxes from Lone Star Texas Grill filled with warm tortilla chips, guac, salsa, and hot queso. If they were in the mood for something sweet, each table also featured a basket filled with delicious freshly baked cookies courtesy of Courage Cookies.

This Chapel raised $1,800 in support of Black Health Alliance, an organization whose vision is that diverse Black communities in Canada experience optimal health and well-being. They focus on the social determinants of health, health inequities, anti-black racism, and building connected communities. Thanks to our couples and vendors, we are proud to be leaving a positive footprint in the community and supporting important causes.

We have been very proactive in our approach to hosting our Chapels during the COVID-19 pandemic. Our layout and planning process have been modified to ensure that all health and safety regulations and standards are met. We are committed to making the day stress-free, safe, and beautiful for our couples and their guests. Our Chapel safety plan includes socially distanced spaces, sanitization stations set up in every room and hallway, carefully pre-packaged food and drinks and a dedicated staff member on site to disinfect surfaces between each couple. To read more on our COVID-19 policies, click here.

Our newly added 2021 dates in Toronto, Hamilton, Winnipeg and Vancouver are now OPEN for booking. ALSO, did you know?! We have a promotion going on where we are now offering all couples who book before February 14th, 2021, a FREE 6" cutting cake and 50% off our OPEN BAR (originally $45/per guest) add-on. This promo applies to all Chapel dates and locations available in Ottawa, Winnipeg, Hamilton, and Vancouver!

Book your spot at an upcoming Chapel now!