Studio Bon Soleil Wedding

Most wedding & elopements that I get to photograph can often be summarized by a handful of words that round up the iconic things that burn into my memory from the entire experience. I can summarize Chengchen and Karen’s elopement with a few simple ones; fashion, culture, beauty and grunge.

This was an extremely intimate experience, the kind of intimate where I’m signing as one of the witnesses intimate (I got the privilege to ink my name of the documents after winning a hard fought battle of rock-paper-scissors against Ryanne).  I tend to get nervous before all the shoot I do, big or small, casual or not, but with wedding there was something that felt immediately comfortable and inspiring.  Maybe it’s because Karen and Chengchen have a ‘real wedding” planned for a later date that includes their friends and family, and I don’t have the normal “pressure” of standard wedding day, but it wasn’t that at all. The couple’s energy was subtle but impactful, I subconsciously mirrored their aura and went about documenting their presence as if it was the natural thing to do. It didn’t hurt that their entire wedding was shot on analog film which put me in my natural element and paved the way for me to push forward creatively and create images that were uninhibited by roadblocks in my minds and thoughts of nit-picking perfection. Throw in the Studio Bon Soleil and you have yourself a wedding that checks off all the boxes aesthetically, especially once you take into account the bride and groom’s style and fashion.

I stopped in my tracks when I saw Karen arrive in her first bridal look; a combination of contemporary fashion and traditional cultural elements. She was truly a vision and awe-inspiring, a legitimate bridal fashion icon, not once but twice in one day. It was difficult not to want to create images that highlighted her look and how she seemed like she jumped out of the pages of an editorial magazine. Chengchen’s first look was the perfect compliment, mixing a low-key fashion groom style with flair, something I honestly would wear myself and an iconic look that serves as a reminder that grooms can be fashionable and contemporary on their wedding days too. The bride wanted the first part of the day to be casual and fun, they wanted to spend time creating images of themselves that were different and alternative to what traditional wedding photos can become. They wanted to be fashion-forward and collaborate with me to create something that elevated beyond wedding photos all while maintaining traces of themselves and their love for one another. 

After we explored the grungy alleyways around king street and queen street, the bride and groom made their up to the studio Bon Soleil in downtown Toronto to swap into their “normal” bride and groom looks, (which were also pieces of fashion forward art) and they prepared to share in an intimate ceremony to officially become husband and wife. There was literally 4 of us baring witness to Karen and Chengchen’s love and commitment, Ryanne, myself and the lovely team at Fleur Weddings, that’s it. It was without a doubt one of the most intimate weddings I’ve gotten to photograph and it was also without a doubt one of the most beautiful exchange of vows I’ve seen as a wedding photographer.  Chengchen and Karen have this youthful gaze with one another that is so sincere that no other word can describe it other than cute, and that’s not a word I throw around often. There was just something so cute about how they engaged with one another, a bit of shyness that was quickly overcome with passion, and just a softness that was really captivating. They were absolutely invested into the entire experience of the elopement and let their guards down when sharing quiet moments together.

Several rolls of film later and we’re simply left with the memories of the wedding day alongside a few negatives. I got to create some of my favourite images of the year at this wedding and all I did was let the bride and groom shine through in every moment, whether they intended it or not. Rarely to I get to blend my love for cinematic imagery with my love fashion and editorial photography (at least at weddings) but this elopement brought all those elements out naturally without my own influence. This seems to be a constant reoccurrence for me in 2021 and I couldn’t be more grateful for that reality. It was never my intention to be known as an analog wedding photographer, I want my images to speak for themselves regardless of the medium they’re created with, but I would be lying if I said film wasn’t an important tool for me to showcase my identity as a photographer. I couldn’t be more grateful to be working with couple’s who understand that side of me and my process, brides and grooms who actively encourage me to be creative and utilize analog film because they also appreciate the nuances and nostalgia that come hand in hand with the process.

Song of the day  -  S.W.I.M by Midwife

VENDORS

Venue: Studio Bon Soleil

Coordinators: May Ma of Fleur Weddings

Second Photographer: Ryanne Hollies

Preto Loft Elopement Toronto

Over the last few years the idea of what a wedding or elopement “looks like” has drastically changed. There aren’t any rules and many couples have opted to create an intimate experience that focuses solely on them instead of creating a larger event that (sometimes) creates a lack of intimacy. For Jesse & Tom it was a no brainer; elope in Toronto and create an honest and intimate wedding experience that allowed them to enjoy the quiet moments with an absolutely zero stress environment to bring it all together.

This elopement started off as a blank slate but after chatting with Jesse & Tom a few times things slowly started to unfold and we collaborated on creating the perfect adventure elopement timeline that felt natural and relaxed.  Adventure elopements aren’t only reserved for hikers looking for the ultimate mountain landscape for a picture perfect background. You can absolutely approach a city elopement with a sense of adventure but what makes them a little more fun, at least to me, is that cities have a lot of different things to offer, there’s a misconception that large cities are hackneyed or unimaginative, which couldn't be further from the truth. Jesse & Tom love where they live and for all intents and purpose Toronto wasn’t just a location for a wedding, it was an active member of the elopement experience and Jesse & Tom very much saw the city and their lives within it as major factors for their wedding.

Another very important element for these two was to have the entire wedding captured on analog film. The tangibility and slow pace of the analog photography workflow just felt right to them and ultimately they wanted that indescribable nostalgic factor that they felt would represent the apogee of emotions that become blurry and imperfect within our memories. Selfishly I’ll admit that I very much prefer to shoot film and I truly believe that it’s the ultimate medium for me to channel my creative visions and mindsets, but over the years I’ve become lucky enough to work with creatives or creatively inclined couples who see analog film as a standard, a must-have to receive the sort of imagery they expect from me as a photographer.  For Jesse & Tom to express these values meant that I was going to be working with people who would let me do my thing and genuinely allow me to be apart of the overall experience in an artless way.

The day started off at the Cherry Beach dog park where Jesse & Tom got to spend the sunny morning doing something they love doing together, walking the dog and spending a low-key morning by the water. I know it’s consider “untraditional” to do this sort of thing on your wedding day, but I’ve been seeing this more and more and I really believe it created an amazingly comfortable atmosphere to kick off the day, I mean, why not see each other in the morning and spend as much time together on the day? Jesse & Tom got to legitimately spend quality time together soaking in the anticipation of what was to come with the rest of the day and it helped set the mood going forward.

A low-key adventure at the dog park flowed into a casual lunch at their home where they got to spend a few quiet moments together in their bedroom before starting to get ready for the ceremony.  The perfect playlist of alternative rock and shoe gaze set the tone as it subtly played in the background as things became serene. I realized that music was important to these two as per the Radiohead concert posted framed in their living room, which I only noticed since Tom was scribbling down his vows in the corner while Jesse prepped her makeup in the neighbouring bedroom. Their proximity created this sort exciting tension, an ambiance the was unintentionally cinematic but somehow utterly beautiful. Very few words were exchanged as they both got ready, but what wasn’t said out loud was somehow speaking volumes through their body language which was beguiling and captivating.

Once their wedding day styles were finalized Jesse & Tom made their way through the west end of Toronto making a few pit stops along to way to take in a few meaningful views from, in what they described to me as, their every-day-life locations, places in their life that would seem mundane to anyone who didn’t understand or appreciate the personal and deeper meaning these places had, making a popular Toronto location suddenly sequestered. The power of memory and lived experience with another individual is what can transform any run of the mill place into something worth going back to time and time again. Watching Jesse & Tom make a few trips down memory lane was endearing, a kind reminder that their arrival in this moment was paved by a path and journey together, so why not take a few moments to appreciate the ride while you’re still on it?

Preto Loft in the Junction was the setting for their intimate wedding ceremony, witnessed solely by their parents. Their vows were grounded in honesty and sincerity, a deeply beautiful exchange of words that had an abundance of nuance and written with elegance that was poetic, poignant and delicate in its message. Not bad for a pair of doctors you’d probably think, but really it would be a testament to any individual who considers themselves a wordsmith. 

Through watered eyes and profound gazes, they were pronounced married. A small celebration and toast capped things off before heading to their final destination for an intimate dinner at Richmond Station in downtown Toronto. A large studio, seemingly empty in comparison, was filled with a sudden love and joy unbelievably created by only a handful of people.

Jesse & Tom’s beautiful city elopement encompassed all the values and important elements that should reflect a wedding day; love, memories and experience. Besides being beyond cool, Jesse & Tom created moments to appreciate one another and the experience they were having. Ultimately when they look back on their wedding day they’ll remember every small detail, every smile and laugh, they’ll remember what their embrace felt like or how they felt staring into one another’s eyes. There’s a stack of negatives leftover to serve as a reminder, but they’ll never be as powerful as their own blurry, imperfect memories of it all.

Song of the day  -  Love Fade by Tamaryn

VENDORS

Venue: Preto Loft

Second Photographer: Ryanne Hollies

Humber Bay Park Hiking Elopement

Toronto Elopement’s can look like 1 out of 1000 ways, for Lisa & William, passionate outdoors people and hikers, their original elopement plan was to hike and camp through Algonquin Park, finding a beautiful location at sunset to exchange their vows and enjoy the beautiful outdoors that has meant so much to them and their relationship.

As the story goes throughout the COVID-19 pandemic and weddings, these two had no choice but to shift their elopement plans, but that didn’t stop them from creating a beautiful adventure elopement that evoked the original essence and sentiment that their wedding day was meant to have all along.

Toronto being such a diverse landscape, blending the urban city with the natural elements, it wasn’t too hard for the bride and groom to end up selecting Humber Bay Park as their wedding backdrop. Having taken many walks and hikes through the various trails (both accessible and inaccessible) throughout their time together, Lisa & William mapped out a “mini hike” to arrive to their final elopement location overlooking the Toronto skyline before privately exchanging vows in a hidden section of Humber Bay Park as the sun set and the full moon bloomed behind them during a dramatic cotton candy sky. Sure, it might not have been Algonquin Park, but the intimacy and dramatic scenery of the moment was arguably unlike any other scenario they could’ve drawn up in their minds. It was the perfect reward for the couple who had to suffer through trials and tribulations during their elopement planning process.

This elopement was low-key and unforgettable. William & Lisa grabbed their hiking gear , I grabbed my camera and a couple rolls of 35mm film and off we went, exploring the ins and outs of Humber Bay Park together, taking in the beautiful sights and creating an beautiful adventure elopement experience that was true to who they are and what their love represented to one another. They traveled through various unbeaten paths not unlike they would’ve done at Algonquin Park, backpacks slung over their shoulders, high heels in hand for barefoot exploration, it was quintessential adventure elopement vibes that rectified the couple’s initial lost wedding plans.

Once we arrived at the final location for their vow exchange we were met with a surrealist dream, a beautiful moment during blue hour as the moon shined brighter than I had ever seen, the sky was a pastel toned blend of purple & pink hues that ultimately enhanced the emotional exchange of words between the bride and groom.  As the sun set completely and the moonlight took over during blue hour, Lisa & William made their way back to the urban forest of buildings that seems to define Toronto as a city, but for a small moment we were lost in a different place altogether, lost in a moment in time, fully immersed in the experience.

Subtle, minimal and authentic, a perfect blend to any elopement in Toronto, especially a hiking elopement. Lisa & William proved that you don’t always need to overthink your wedding or elopement plans, sometimes it’s enough to just be flexible and remember that at the core of it all, it’s about the love, bond and commitment between two individuals. THAT is what makes elopement truly worth the experience.

Several rolls of film later, we’re left with these images that encompass the mood and feeling of a fleeting moment in time.

Song of the Day - Pyro - Ruby Haunt

VENDORS
Location : Humber Bay Park Toronto

Analog Film : Kodak Portra 400 - Kodak Portra 800

Drake Hotel Elopement

I finished off the 2020 wedding season with an emotional and extremely intimate elopement at the Drake Hotel on infamous Queen Street West in downtown Toronto. Sahar and Christophe had to deal with a bunch of last minute restriction changes due to the pandemic but one thing was for certain, they were going to get married and a few hiccups in the planning process wasn’t going to deter them from this monumental occasion in their lives.

The Drake Hotel is an iconic wedding venue here in Toronto but what made this elopement particularly special was how the usually extremely busy boutique hotel was unusually quiet, a rare sight for one of Toronto’s major hot spot destinations for good food and an top tier experience. A silver lining from having their fall elopement during the pandemic was that the basically had the entire Drake Hotel to themselves. Another perk of doing their elopement at the Drake Hotel was that the bride and groom had access to the new Artist Loft that’s attached to the hotel, a funky loft apartment with an equal amount of character and quirks that are synonymous with the Drake Hotel. 

Their ceremony was intimate and held in a private area of the hotel, a handful of friends were in attendance to witness and participate in what ended being a ceremony chalked full of deeply rooted and genuine emotion. Something I personally loved about this elopement was that Sahar and Christophe have French backgrounds (the groom being from France and the bride from Montreal) so I got to brush up on my French, something I rarely get the opportunity to do since moving to Toronto.  The vow exchange was really beautiful and personally struck a chord with me. I’m not sure if it’s because the French language evokes a natural beauty but watching the groom tearfully express his love for his bride had me chocked up and like many of their friends in attendance, I too had a tear or two streaming down the side of my face. It’s wild how watching such genuine emotion can have an impact and Sahar and Christophe’s vows were beautiful and truly a highlight of the wedding day.

Like most 2020 weddings the bride and groom had to get creative to ensure their friends and family from far and wide could participate and be present in their wedding. Setting up a livestream via someone’s iPhone, the elopement was broadcast to the bride and groom’s extended family and circle of friends all over the world, including Lebanon, France and various parts of Europe. It’s been incredible to see couples over the past year getting married during this pandemic still making their wedding day accessible to their loved ones who couldn’t be there and it proves that being connected to a special occasion transcends physical presence. 

As the ceremony wrapped up the bride and groom enjoyed a toast with their guests and cut their cake before escaping and enjoying the sights and sounds of the golden hour sunset peaking through the alleyways and bustling downtown of Queen Street West.  It was such a calming and fun experience to walk the streets with Christophe and Sahar, getting to know them and their personal love story. It’s funny how small things can bring back big memories and the groom felt some serious nostalgia when we stopped at at yellow brick wall to take a few wedding photos, telling us how it reminded him of an exact location in Italy where he’s taken photos of Sahar during one of their travel adventures together. As we strolled through the alleyways an idea spurred into my head and I felt like it was my duty to create a situation for the bride and groom to share in a quiet and traditional moment together, so I brought us back to the now empty Artist Loft and played some music on a speaker and let the bride and groom enjoy an intimate moment together and share in a first dance. There was something really special about watching the bride and groom be carefree and share in some laughs and hugs, it was obvious in that moment that they were in their own world together, embracing the moment and really appreciating their elopement experience.

I sincerely couldn’t of ask for a better pair (and group) of people to spend my final moments of 2020 with and I sincerely mean that. 2020 has been weird and special all at the same time. Sahar and Christophe’s elopement at the Drake Hotel was epitome of intimate and truly proved to me that weddings or elopement don’t have to look a certain way at all but what does matter in the end is being with the one you love, making a commitment to one another and sharing in a mutual experience that sets the path for your lifelong bond. I can’t wait for more of these elopement experiences in 2021.

Song of the Day

VENDORS
Venue: The Drake Hotel
Second Photographer: Ryanne Hollies

Distillery District Elopement

Leanna and Dan’s intimate fall elopement just outside the Distillery District is one I’ve been looking forward to for well over a year now. One major reason is because the fall is the best time of year for wedding photos and its personally the time of year where my creativity blooms. The other major reason is that both Leanna and Dan are one of my favourite couples that I’ve ever gotten to work with in my career as a wedding photographer. About a year ago we had the opportunity to explore their then neighbourhood of Leslieville and Riverdale for their low-key engagement photos that I got to shoot on analog film. I really got to know them in that time and there was something about their energy that rung true with me, the really understood my mission and goal as a photographer and were able to really reveal themselves to me in the best way possible, pushing me to create some of my favourite images ever and giving me a beautiful experience in the process. Now, with their extremely intimate elopement I can confidently echo those sentiments ten fold.

Originally the bride and groom had planned for a very beautiful and very Toronto wedding at the Ocho Hotel on Queen Street West, but as the story goes for 2020 weddings, they had no choice but to postpone their plans. As the year progressed it became very clear to the couple that uncertainty lied ahead with the pandemic, but one thing that was certain in their minds was that they wanted to marry their best friend in life and figured there was no use in putting it off any longer. This realization pushed them to create a unique and intimate elopement experience for the two of them, to share their wedding day together and without being constrained to a timeline or obligations.

Now, I know the term “intimate wedding” is tossed around a lot in the wedding industry, but for the first time maybe ever, I can sincerely say this wedding and elopement experience was utterly intimate and beautifully lived. Undoubtably a tough decision to initially make, Leanna and Dan decided to do their own thing, just them, no family, no friends, no guests at all. Instead of creating disappointing compromise and risk to their circle, they opted to record their ceremony to share at a later date with those who matter most in their lives. The result was that both Ryanne and I were privileged to sign as witnesses to their love and commitment, something that humbled us and really for the first time in our careers immersed us and intertwined us in their wedding story in the most authentic way.

The calming nature of such intimate elopement experiences is that the bride and groom really get to live and experience every moment of the day without it getting by them unnoticed. Leanna got ready at the Broadview Hotel in a peaceful suite overlooking Queen Street East while Dan enjoyed some pints at the Aviary Brewery in the Canary District. They eventually met up half way at Corktown Commons Park where they had an endearing moment during their first look followed by an emotionally impactful ceremony. As both Leanna and Dad fought through tears during their wedding vows that were rich in nostalgia and appreciation for one another, every word, every breath, every pulse of their heartbeat resonated loudly as we all felt alone in the world for a fleeting second. Words can be powerful, they can create visual reminders that transport us beyond a moment and both Leanna and Dan made the most of the intimate setting and really allowed themselves to take in the experience for all that it was.

The elopement progress as they both explored the beauty of Corktown Commons Park amidst breathtaking fall colours and the setting October sun, providing a fiery and ethereal light for the bride and groom to enjoy a few quiet moments as newlyweds. We then made our way back to the Broadview Hotel and enjoyed the Blood Orange sunset, perfectly matching Leanna’s red hair and creating the perfect mood to end our time together before they ran off for a private dinner.

Ryanne and I are major advocates of the urban elopement experience as we’ve helped numerous couples create a beautiful and fulfilling elopement experience right here in Toronto but no other was quite like Leanna and Dan’s. It’s hard to live in Toronto and not have a bias or attachment to various parts of the city, it was obvious that the bride and groom felt right at home hanging around Queen Street East and its neighbouring areas. Ultimately the experience of eloping is meant to create an ideal environment for dynamic emotion as two people share their love for one another in a major way. Leanna and Dan did that and more, they heightened their experience by being somewhere they love, with the person they love, experiencing an unforgettable and beautiful moment to look back on together for years to come.

VENDORS
Location: Corktown Commons, near the Distillery District
Getting Ready Location: Broadview Hotel + The Aviary