An outdoor summer wedding at Buttercup Café — open-air timber pavilion ceremony, a glass greenhouse reception, and then the kind of golden hour that only happens on the prairies. Erin and Jayden had the whole package, and the sky delivered in the final hour like it knew exactly what was at stake.
The morning started quietly, with the kinds of details that set the tone for everything that follows. Erin's bouquet — blush peonies, dusty orange wildflowers, ivory ranunculus — sat beside her invitation card and white sandals on a surface of soft tulle. It was already a photograph before I lifted the camera. Jayden's rings — a matte black band next to a diamond solitaire and eternity band — rested on a fold of veil, simple and deliberate.
Erin spent part of the morning alone at a desk, veil hanging beside her in an antique mirror, writing. I don't know exactly what she was putting on paper — vows, a letter to Jayden, something just for herself — but that quiet, the weight of it, told the whole story before the day had barely started. It's one of my favourite frames from the entire wedding.
Jayden's morning had a different energy entirely. Brown leather shoes, a silver paisley tie, a black band sitting on top of it all. By the time he was doing up his cufflinks in front of the mirror, the focus on his face made it clear he understood exactly what the day was. His father came in, straightened his jacket, and said something quiet. Neither of them said much after that. They didn't need to.
The groomsmen started their morning the way groomsmen do — toasting with canned drinks under the trees and generally making a lot of noise about very little. By the time the navy suits went on and they lined up outside the greenhouse, they'd settled into something sharper. The building behind them, white with dark timber trim, already looked like a wedding.
Erin had a first look with her father before the ceremony. I've photographed a lot of them, and they never stop being one of the most honest moments in the entire wedding day. By the fountain in the garden, he turned around and stood there for a second just taking her in. Then he held on. That's the photo. Nothing staged, nothing planned — just a father who wasn't quite ready for how beautiful his daughter looked.
The bridesmaids were in blush and dusty rose, and when Erin came out to see them for the first time, a little girl — flower girl — ran straight into her arms and wouldn't let go. Erin just held her right back. That's what this wedding was made of: people who genuinely love each other, and moments that didn't need any prompting.
The ceremony was held in Buttercup Café's open-air timber pavilion — wooden pews, hanging lanterns, and a hexagonal arch framed with lush greenery and blush florals behind the couple. Beyond the arch, poplar trees stretched up against the sky. The pavilion seats every guest close to the action, and the wide view from behind the congregation shows exactly why couples choose this venue: it is simply one of the most beautiful ceremony spaces in Manitoba.
Erin walked down the aisle flanked by both of her parents under a wide Manitoba sky. The clouds were building in the background — dramatic, unpredictable — and the whole scene looked like something out of a film. When she reached Jayden, he exhaled. Just once, quietly. And then they were both smiling so wide that neither of them could get their vows out on the first try.
The first kiss. Then Jayden dipped her — not planned, just instinct — and the whole pavilion erupted. They came back up laughing. The recessional was pure joy: hands raised, every single person on their feet.
"The sky was enormous. The flowers were perfect. And they couldn't stop laughing when they tried to say their vows."
The groomsmen in their navy suits leaned against the poplars like they'd been standing there all summer. The bridesmaids carried their white parasols into the afternoon light. And then we brought everyone together in front of the white Tudor building — navy, blush, ivory — for the full group. It's the kind of frame that will live on a wall for thirty years.
After the wedding party we carved out time just for Erin and Jayden. The garden fountain, the quiet side of the property, and then back into the pavilion — sitting in the wooden pews like the ceremony had never ended. When we draped the veil over them both and they pulled close, the whole world went still. That's when I get the frames that look like paintings.
The reception was held in the glass greenhouse conservatory — and before the guests arrived, it was worth a moment on its own. Long wooden tables, cross-back chairs, pendant lanterns hanging from the timber framework, and a stone fireplace wall anchoring the back of the room with the Lockheeds sign above the mantle. Floor-to-ceiling windows let in the last of the summer light. It's one of the warmest reception spaces I've photographed, and it shifts beautifully as the evening moves from golden afternoon to deep candlelit night.
The speeches were everything you hope for — long on love, short on formality. By the time the dinner plates were cleared and the dancing started, the energy in that greenhouse was something else entirely.
Here's the thing about Buttercup Café that separates it from every other wedding venue in Manitoba: the fields. Step past the property line and you're in open prairie — crops running to the horizon, a dirt road cutting through the middle, and a sky that goes on forever. When the light drops in the last forty minutes before sunset, it turns everything gold. I've shot in a lot of places and I have never seen light quite like a Manitoba prairie at dusk.
We had about an hour. Erin had packed a clear bubble umbrella — which I didn't know until we were out in the field and the sky started doing what prairie skies do: dark clouds rolling in from the west, pink breaking through behind them. The umbrella went up. Jayden pulled her close. They raised their hands showing their rings to the camera — laughing, unselfconscious, completely in it. The sky went full colour. That wide frame — the two of them kissing under the umbrella with the whole prairie horizon behind them — is one of the best I've ever taken.
We finished on the dirt road. Jayden spun her, the train of her dress lifting in the last of the light. The road stretched behind them into the distance, telephone poles marking the distance to the edge of the frame. They didn't need any direction at that point. They were already dancing.
After everything — the ceremony, the speeches, the field, the dirt road — we went back to the pavilion. It was late. The guests were still inside, the music still going. But out here, the lights strung through the timber frame turned the whole structure into something else. Stars above the treeline. The two of them, alone in the middle of the pavilion, lit from below. Erin rested her head on his shoulder. He held her like it was the most natural thing in the world.
Which it was.
The fields surrounding Buttercup Café are one of the most underused assets of the venue. Most couples focus on the pavilion and the gardens — which are stunning — but the open prairie 60 seconds from the property offers a completely different scale and mood. I recommend building a 45–60 minute block specifically for prairie portraits in the timeline. Leave earlier from the reception than feels comfortable. It's always worth it.
Clear skies make for beautiful light but flat photographs. Dramatic prairie clouds — the kind that build in summer afternoons — add scale and contrast to outdoor portraits that no amount of editing can replicate. If there's weather on the horizon on your wedding day, don't panic. Lean into it. Some of the best frames from Erin and Jayden's day came from the exact moment the sky looked most threatening.
Erin's bubble umbrella was the detail that tied the prairie portraits together. It wasn't planned as a photography prop — but it created a frame and a sense of intimacy in a wide, open landscape. Think about what objects feel natural to you as a couple. A blanket, a jacket, a bottle of something. Objects give people something to do with their hands and something to interact with, and the resulting photos always feel more genuine.
Most couples don't realize how special the pavilion is after dark. Once the ceremony is over and the reception is running, the lit timber structure against the night sky is one of the most dramatic backdrops on the property. I always keep one slot in the evening for a return trip — just ten minutes, just the two of them. You've seen what comes from it.
Erin and Jayden — thank you for a day that felt exactly like the two of you. The pavilion, the greenhouse, the field, the road, the stars. I'll be pulling these out for years. Congratulations.
What is Buttercup Café and can you have a wedding there?
Buttercup Café is a boutique wedding and event venue in rural Manitoba. The property features a beautifully designed open-air timber pavilion for outdoor ceremonies, a glass greenhouse conservatory for receptions, manicured gardens with a fountain, and expansive prairie fields ideal for golden-hour portraits. It is one of the most scenic outdoor wedding venues in Manitoba. Contact Buttercup Café directly to inquire about availability and packages.
How much does a wedding photographer in Winnipeg cost?
Wedding photography in Winnipeg typically ranges from $2,500 to $6,000+ depending on experience, coverage hours, and deliverables. At Ngo Photography, wedding packages start at $3,800 and include full-day coverage and a professionally edited digital gallery. View the full investment guide for details.
What makes Buttercup Café a great venue for wedding photography?
Buttercup Café offers extraordinary variety for wedding photography — the open-air timber pavilion frames couples beautifully against the surrounding trees, the white Tudor-style building creates a timeless backdrop for wedding party photos, and the surrounding prairie fields are unmatched for golden-hour portraits. The venue's combination of manicured gardens and open countryside means every part of the wedding day photographs differently.
How many hours of wedding photography coverage do I need?
For a full wedding day, most couples book 8–10 hours of coverage. This comfortably covers getting ready, the ceremony, portraits, cocktail hour, and 2–3 hours of reception. At Ngo Photography, all packages are customizable. For venues like Buttercup Café where golden-hour portraits in the fields are a highlight, I recommend building at least 45–60 minutes into the timeline for sunset portraits.
Does Chris Ngo shoot weddings outside of Winnipeg?
Yes — Chris Ngo is based in Winnipeg, Manitoba and photographs weddings across Canada and internationally. Rural Manitoba venues are a specialty. Travel fees apply for weddings outside of Winnipeg. Reach out to discuss your wedding.
What other outdoor wedding venues in Manitoba does Ngo Photography work at?
Ngo Photography photographs weddings at outdoor venues across Manitoba, including Buttercup Café, Assiniboine Park in Winnipeg, private estate properties, and various rural venues throughout the province. Browse the full portfolio to see a range of outdoor and indoor wedding styles.
Weddings from $3,800 · Available worldwide
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