It must have been one of Stephen Harper’s most unscripted moments.

And it was certainly a surprise for the bride.

On Saturday, Canada’s prime minister and his security detail stepped out of a trio of cars and mingled with a wedding party as they were taking photos off scenic Rockcliffe Parkway in Ottawa.

“It was kind of nice,” said wedding photographer Laura Kelly, who said Harper took the time to ask everyone in the party their name before shaking their hand.

The slightly sweaty PM, dressed in a blue windbreaker, even posed for photos. One shows him in the middle of the wedding party with bride Jocelyne Potvin and groom Patrick Sullivan, both 23, on either side.

Kelly says she thought, “You’ve got one chance at this,” as Harper’s security guards watched her take photos from either side. “I used the same care as I would have to take a photo of a first kiss at the church.”

PHOTOS FROM THE STEPHEN HARPER’S WEDDING VISIT

The drama began Saturday after Potvin and Sullivan were married at 1 p.m. Kelly says the couple, together with seven bridesmaids and an equal number of groomsmen, had pulled into a parking lot off Rockcliffe Parkway, which runs along the Ottawa River.

Three dark coloured cars were already in the lot.

Kelly says she was taking photos when the cars started to move and Harper rolled down his window to say congratulations to the bride.

But just as the PM and his security detail were about to pull out of the parking lot back onto the parkway, they stopped and everyone got out.

Kelly says the couple was “really excited.” One photo shows an unbelieving Potvin pointing at Harper.

Afterwards, the PM and his security detail drove away.

Kelly said that between the photo shoot and reception she put together a slide show of 20 to 40 photos in a digital frame that played on the cake table.

“The whole night guests were coming up and asking how come the prime minister was in the photos,” said Kelly. They asked, “Do you have the PM at all your weddings?”

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