A winter wedding in one of Liberty Village’s best restaurants / bars? Yup.
Mike and Amanda’s wedding at the Craft Brasserie & Grille was one of my absolute favourite winter weddings to date. It was very cool to be a part of the first wedding ever hosted at the Craft. The Toronto neighbourhood of Liberty Village offers so much variety for photographs and wedding options that I was beyond excited to have this wedding on the books so early on in the year.
I was fortune enough to cross paths with the bride and groom after I photographed Caitlin and Jon’s wedding (insert link to their blog post, and within a few months of their February wedding in Liberty Village, we met up at the Craft to have a variety of craft beers and check out the space before it was transformed for their winter wedding.
There was so much to love about the entire wedding day, including the weather. Although we’ve been treated with a cold winter this year, Mike and Amanda got one of their milder days which gave us so much flexibility for the photos.
Liberty Village has that old Toronto charm in various alleys and back streets, so naturally we took advantage of the vintage aesthetic for their first look, the bridal party photos and their portraits. The beautiful red bricks of the old buildings really contrasted with the white and grey that the winter provided.
The first look was set in the middle of Liberty Village and it felt like we had the entire area to ourselves and we sort if did. I vividly remember their first look and how excited Amanda was and how she was unable to contain her happiness and curiosity, peeking around the corner to see her soon to be husband standing in the middle of the street. It was a cute, genuine and inspiring moment where their love revealed itself in a subtle form.
Amanda looked incredible in her minimal and subtle modern bridal look, sheer elegance with a bit of flair thanks to a beautiful shawl. The entire aesthetic and vibe of the wedding was 100% Mike and Amanda : low-key fun with a bit of quirkiness. I mean, if you’re getting married in a restaurant that serves with 120 craft beers on tap, you probably appreciate good times in a good atmosphere with your closest friends and family, and that’s exactly what this wedding was.
Of course, we took advantage of the beautiful space and MASSIVE keg room for some unique and off-the-cuff portraits, I actually think it was colder in the keg fridge than it was outside, but the bride and groom didn’t flinch, probably thanks to a few of those craft beers keeping the blood warm. I never expected to get a romantic vibe from a keg room / beer fridge, but Mike and Amanda took the time to get away from their friends and family to enjoy a second together, alone, and take in the quiet moment as they the feelings of their entire wedding day washed over them.
With the sun setting early, the mood quickly turned to a lively vibe where guests were mingling, dancing, and tasting all 120 craft beers available to them as they chowed down on some incredible BBQ dinner. The night was filled was laughs, and no bigger laugh came then the moment the bride attempted to pour a pint of beer for herself and her groom, only to quickly fill the glass with head and spilling the excess beer on her wedding dress! It was a hilarious moment that I’m sure none of us will forget.
It was a beautiful day, and although I hate the cold, it was without a doubt worth standing outside to witness the natural and candid moments unfold between these two incredibly genuine people on their wedding day.
A winter wedding in Liberty Village Toronto, done right.
Song of the Day
Sanctuary - Ruby Haunt
- 3B
