Wedding Vendors
Wedding Dress: Labl Couture
Groom Suit: Sydney's
Hair & Makeup: Glam&Glow
Horse and Carriage: Sentineal Carriages
Niagara-on-the-Lake Wedding
Bride Preparation and Reception: The Charles HotelThe intimate Niagara-on-the-Lake wedding of Novina and Jason was a sweet and picturesque celebration of love! We absolutely adore the Niagara-on-the-Lake region, and all the gorgeous spots it offers for stunning wedding photos - we just couldn't wait to be back there to capture their wedding!
We arrived at the wedding venue, The Charles Hotel, in the early afternoon. Novina, her mom, and her bridesmaids had just arrived as well and were settling into their room. The Charles Hotel, an 1832 manor house turned inn, is an absolutely stunning wedding venue, and their rooms are perfect for a bride getting ready! Novina's room even featured a private terrace overlooking the gorgeous gardens of the hotel!
As Novina was getting her hair and make-up done, it was super sweet and touching to capture her mom sitting close by, watching her daughter in quiet admiration. It was very clear how proud she was of her daughter, and how excited she was to watch her walk down the aisle.
Not too far from The Charles Hotel, at an Airbnb in the Niagara region, Jason and his family were also getting ready. When we arrived, they were almost ready to go to the ceremony site - there were just a few minor details left, like putting on the ties. Putting on ties always prove to be a challenge for grooms and their groomsmen, but Jason's groomsmen had fun with it. We love it when the bridal party gets a little silly while getting ready!
As Jason and Novina each finished getting ready, they took a quiet moment right before leaving for the ceremony to read the letters they had written for each other. It was touching and sweet, and from seeing their reactions while reading their letters, we knew that there will be tears and overflowing emotions at the ceremony as well. We couldn’t wait to see them say their I do’s at The Gazebo.
The Gazebo, located at the Queen’s Royal Park, is a picturesque gazebo and ceremony site overlooking Lake Ontario/Niagara River. Jason arrived at The Gazebo a little early to help set up the chairs for the guests, meet the musicians, and add a little bit of décor. Novina, on the other hand, travelled in the only way fitting a bride getting married in Niagara-on-the-Lake, by a horse-drawn carriage. Accompanied by her father, Novina made a grand entrance and drew a crowd of tourists, who gathered to watch her arrive in the bridal carriage and walk down the aisle.
As Novina walked down the path towards Jason, Jason’s eyes welled up with tears. In fact, tears gleamed in his eyes throughout the whole ceremony as they stood holding hands and said their vows with the warm sun beaming down on them.
After the ceremony, Jason and Novina took a celebratory “Just Married” ride in the horse-drawn carriage. As they rode down the main street of Niagra-on-the-Lake, well-wishers waved and shouted their congratulations to Jason and Novina. Once they returned to the Queen’s Royal Park, we whisked them off for their couple portraits at Fort Mississauga, a fort built during the War of 1812 on the shore of Lake Ontario, right at the mouth of Niagara River. While not much remains of the fort, the single red brick tower and tunnel leading to the lake was really neat for photos, and contrasted beautifully with the lush and green surroundings.
As we returned from the couple portraits at Fort Mississauga, the cocktail hour was well on its way. Jason and Novina joined their guests for some wine and a couple of photos before running off to change for their first dance. Their first dance was unlike any other we have ever witnessed. They prepared a tango performance, which everyone was very eager to see as not many of the guests have seen them dance the tango before. Novina was stunning in her red dress as they glided together on the back porch of The Charles Inn. Everyone was truly in awe!
To cap-off their night, Jason and Novina prepared sparklers for their guests for their send-off pictures. And while they weren’t quite ready to leave their wedding party just yet, everyone happily stepped outside for beautiful and light-filled group sparkler photos! Jason and Novina, what a beautiful wedding! Thank you so much for having us capture your special day!!