Wedding Vendors
Venue: The Factory Lounge
Getting Ready Location: Thompson Hotel
Ceremony: Toronto Wedding Chapel
Portraits Location: Alexander Muir Park
Caterer: Saucy Affairs Inc
Same Sex Wedding
Have you ever met a person to whom you were instantly drawn to with their energy? Well, that was the case when Diego and I first met Dominic and Michael. When they told us they want us to capture their same-sex wedding, we were so excited!!! Their love for each other was so evident that we just couldn’t wait to celebrate their big day and capture all their special moments. Plus we knew there would be lots of tears, and we LOVE happy tears! Dominic and Michael’s wedding just couldn’t come soon enough! Their engagement shoot, if you recall, was only a month before their wedding, and it was freaking adorable!!! Giant ying-yang balloons, personalized hats, and lots and lots of affection – what more could we ask for?! (Check-out their engagement shoot here.) The countdown to their wedding was on!!
Dominic and Michael’s day started at the chic and modern Thompson Hotel in downtown Toronto, where their groomsmen and groomsladies joined them in getting ready for their big day. The rooms in Thompson Hotel were absolutely perfect for capturing our grooms getting ready – they were bright with tons of natural light flooding in, lots of mirrors (and you know we love us some reflections), and cool and clean designs. From the moment we stepped into the rooms, we immediately started to create. I wonder if Dominic and Michael coached their groomsmen and groomsladies on what to expect from Diego and I, as no one ever blinked an eye when we would lay on the ground, go under their legs, or get really up-close and personal to get a cool shot, either way, they were phenomenal and it was so fun to capture them helping each other get dressed and just hanging out.
Dominic and Michael, who were already familiar with our sometimes crazy ways, were also completely comfortable in front of the camera and went about getting ready as though we were not even there. And while many grooms raise an eyebrow when we initially suggest we do a picture in the shower, Dominic immediately jumped on board of the idea trusting that we will create something badass. It’s always so fun seeing the grooms’ reactions when we show them the first shot. We can almost see their mind explode as they process that it’s them in the shot, and they look damn good! And boy did Dominic look HOT in his shower picture!
Thompson Hotel is famous for its rooftop patio with phenomenal views of downtown Toronto. When Dominic and Michael mentioned that they want to do first-look photos prior to the ceremony, there was no question that the first look will take place on the Thompson Hotel rooftop patio. As we got our two grooms into position, we could see their nerves kicking in as the excitement of seeing each other all suited up and looking dapper was building. And of course, as expected, neither Dominic nor Michael could contain themselves and tears were rolling down their cheeks as they admired one another, embraced, and told each other how much they love one another. These are the moments when it becomes challenging for Diego and I to shoot as we are also chocking back tears and have to do our best to keep our eyes dry to actually see what we are capturing, but we wouldn’t trade these moments for the world. Seeing, and being able to capture, these genuine and tender moments is what makes being a wedding photographer so special!
The ceremony itself took place at the Toronto Wedding Chapel at Yonge and Eglinton. Bright and beautifully decorated, this intimate space is absolute perfection for small ceremonies. As the ceremony time came close, the room quickly filled up with Dominic and Michael’s closest family and friends. It was so special to witness the smiles on everyone’s faces as Dominic and Michael exchanged their vows and said their I dos, and then Dominic doing a celebratory happy dance right before walking back up the aisle with Michael as a married couple.
Following the ceremony at the Toronto Wedding Chapel, we headed over to Alexander Muir Park to capture Dominic and Michael’s couple portraits and photos with their groomsmen and groomsladies. Everyone was already in party mode and flasks began to emerge. Everyone’s smiles were so big as they were laughing and joking around, and just all around enjoyed themselves and celebrated Dominic and Michael’s love while surrounded by the gorgeous greenery and flowers of Alexander Muir Park. It was picture perfect!
Having gotten to know Dominic and Michael a little bit prior to their wedding, we were not surprised at all when they told us that they have a special surprise for their guests for their grand entrance. The reception was held at The Factory Lounge, which features giant garage-style doors in the middle of the reception space. Sure enough, Dominic and Michael made their grand entrance by driving right up onto the dance floor in an Escalade with Dominic standing right out of the sunroof. This was a crazy awesome start to a phenomenal party, which featured the gorgeous and pop culture inspired décor of the Factory Lounge, stunning mood lighting, some of the best wedding food we’ve ever tried, catered by Saucy Affairs Inc, and absolutely hilarious wedding games that had guests jumping, and sometimes nearly falling, out of their seats to participate. The enthusiasm was contagious. It seemed that everyone, from the youngest to the oldest, was on the dance floor with Dominic and Michael. The party was still in full force as Diego and I packed up for the night, eager to start selecting moments from Dominic and Michael’s same-sex wedding. We knew we captured a ton of gems, and we just couldn’t wait for our lovely grooms to see their photos and relive their wedding year after year, or as is the case with Diego and I, on a weekly basis. Dominic and Michael, it’s pretty safe to say that we will continue reliving and talking about your wedding for many years to come. It was truly one of a kind, and we loved every single moment! Thank you for having us be a part of your big day!
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The charming Distillery District wedding of Tanya and Alex was a perfect combination of contemporary, vintage, rustic, and chic, a true reflection of this hip district found in the east-end of downtown Toronto. We always love shooting in the Distillery Distric, as the heritage buildings, combined with the modern art and sculptures that can be found all around the pedstrian-only streets and paths, make the perfect back-drop for wedding photography.
They got ready at Le Germain Hotel Toronto Maple Leaf Square in Downtown Toronto, a perfect place for photos. The hotel has an awesome shower that you could see through the balcony, lucky me, Adam and Geoff were down for some shower photos. With a cool couple and a perfect place, I did one of the sickest shower shots so far. (The top photo on this blog) :D
A little later in the morning, some of their friends joined at the hotel for some drinks and some help, more drinks than help lol. Once they were ready, we made our way to the streets of Downtown Toronto, right at the Maple Leaf Square, it was the perfect canvas for their couple portraits.