Royal Botanical Gardens | Sam Lawrence Park | Hamilton, ON Wedding

This is your sign that you need to do a ‘day after’ shoot! What a great way to squeeze in more wedding photo time in some new (super rad) locations! Who says you need to take all your wedding photos on your actual wedding day? Nobody lol! And that’s exactly what J+J did! The day after their wedding we drove up to the Royal Botanical Gardens in Hamilton and then finished off the shoot overlooking the city from the beautiful Sam Lawrence Park . We stayed until the sun went down and the result was pretty awesome!👇

A day-after session at the Royal Botanical Gardens

J and J’s day-after session gave us time to explore two of my favourite places in Hamilton without any wedding-day rush. With the big day behind them, they could relax, enjoy each other and play a little, and it shows in every photo.

Roses, fountains and a greenhouse

We started in the gardens, where a long pergola was covered in climbing roses and the beds were bursting with red blooms. The bride wore her fitted gown and long veil, and the groom his classic black suit and tie. We found a quiet stone staircase by a fountain for a few portraits, then stepped into the greenhouse, where tall cacti and soft light through the glass made a totally different backdrop.

Sunset over the city at Sam Lawrence Park

For the second half, we drove up to Sam Lawrence Park on the edge of the escarpment. The whole city stretches out below, with the downtown towers and the lake in the distance. The groom took off his jacket, the sky turned pink, and we stayed until the city lights started to sparkle. One of my favourite frames is just their hands, with her ring against the glowing lights below.

Why a day-after session?

1. More time. No schedule to keep, so you can take your time and explore.
2. New locations. Gardens, lookouts or the city can be too far to fit into the wedding day itself.
3. One more chance to wear the dress. Most couples love having a reason to put it on again.

Planning a Hamilton wedding? See more of my favourite spots as a Hamilton wedding photographer, or K and S’s engagement session at Dundas Peak.