Wow, am I lucking out with these early season weddings. I generally only take on bookings during May-October because I hate the cold in Toronto. Most of my Destination Weddings usually take place in the off season, which is how I like it. But the first 3 weddings of my 2009 season have fallen on pretty much the warmest and nicest days of these last 2 months ! And I definitely have no regrets with my ‘off season’ bookings. They were all too awesome to refer off to my other colleagues.
Yesterday, Eva and Carlo got married in a very intimate celebration with really close family and friends. I remember when we first started talking about plans for their wedding. They wanted something really simple…classy…intimate. Family – Friends – Food is what mattered to them. I’d say there were about 40-50 guests. Just beautiful.
My day started off with a long drive into downtown Toronto, which took me twice as long as normal since the main highway leading into the downtown core was closed for spring maintenance. Luckily, it was a beautiful day (at that time). Sandy and I cruised in with the top down, so I welcomed the long drive. We met up with Eva and her mom at Holt Renfrew, where they were having their make-up applied. They had just come from Toni & Guy, down the street, with their hair in pretty good shape. Seriously, it was like a wind storm in certain parts of downtown and let’s just say that my hair did not fair well after I parked the car.
Eva gave me the keys to the room so I can take some photos of her dress and other details since we didn’t have much time before the ceremony. They were still getting their make-up applied, so we headed back to the hotel first. The Hyatt Regency on King St. use to be this old run-down Holiday Inn. Now it’s totally renovated and looks amazing inside. I love when bride’s get ready at a nice hotel. For the most part, the rooms are clean and free of clutter (hint hint). They got the room upgrade soon after they dropped the “We’re getting married!” card. Their suite was SWEET !
Anyways, let’s get to the stuff that makes girls (and some photographers) giddy
The Dress: Eva went with a vintage 30′s style Jenny Packham dress, which she picked up at White Toronto. It was the most delicate dress I’ve ever seen. It was not your typical wedding dress…but it definitely suited her. It was just stunning !
The Shoes: What girl doesn’t recognize the infamous red soles of a pair of Louboutin’s. It was funny because I emailed her the other day, jokingly, hinting that I’d love to photograph some Louboutin’s. Unbeknownst to me, she really did buy a pair. I couldn’t wait to see them. Her reply was, “You are really good ! Not a lot of straight guys would know of that brand…”. Uhh…yahh…didn’t really know what to say to that
The Bouquet: a beautiful bouquet from Quince Flowers made of Peonies. Eva has loved peonies ever since her mom use to grow them in their backyard when they were kids. It was only fitting that she had her bouquet made entirely of poenies.
Gerrting ready to see her man…
Eva’s friend Nikki couldn’t let Carlo off that easy without any ‘games’ to earn the love of her dear friend Eva. So, she put him through his paces that included some juggling and singing.
After a quick ceremony…
…we headed out for some relaxed photos nearby…
Within 10 minutes, it seemed as if God turned out the lights. It got real dark in a hurry ! The wind was picking up and I could see the storm rolling in.
Experience told me it was time to get the hell outta there. We decided to head back to the cars and head to the venue to enjoy the rest of the day. I knew it was important for Eva and Carlo to enjoy their wedding day. Having a massive storm right smack in the middle of their wedding day did not phase them at all. They did what every couple should do in these situations — let it roll off their backs !!! It’s beyond everyone’s control.
Some might wonder if I was able to get the shots I wanted in those 10 minutes. Well, everyone who knows me knows that I photograph fast….like real fast ! Utilizing only natural light. And in those 10 minutes, the family photos were done and we had some beautiful images of Eva and Carlo. My particular style doesn’t requires hours of photographing to capture the love and emotion that took place that day. These two frames alone show that:
The reception was held in the private room at Bymark. It’s one of the many restaurants in town that is owned by Toronto celebrity chef and restaurateur Mark McEwan. The name derives from “By” “Mark” — Bymark….get it ? Anyways, the food was to die for ! I’m still thinking of the amazing Beef Short Ribs that I had. It melted in my mouth like butta’ !
What an amazing day. Eva and Carlo really invested their money in the right places for their wedding: beautiful dress, swanky shoes, sharp suit, nice hotel, great food and of course — photography.
It was just a huge joy to be there to document their wedding…lots of love that day…
Congratulations to Eva + Carlo. Enjoy that honeymoon in Costa Rica ! Oh, how I wish you would pack me (and my family) in your luggage
-Joee
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Vendors:
Hotel: Hyatt Regency
Florist: Quince Flowers
Dress: Jenny Packham
Shoes: Christian Louboutin
Reception: Bymark Restaurant
Give-away’s: Soma Chocolates — YUMMY !
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