Carolyn and Tom’s LIUNA Station wedding in Hamilton brought us back to a venue we were already excited to photograph again. The Grand Lobby, the warm lighting, the character of the rooms—there is a lot to work with here, especially when you love using architecture and light in your wedding photos.
Their fall wedding took place in 2020, and the pandemic meant changing their original plans, including cancelling the evening reception. They still had their ceremony, time with their guests over coffee and donuts, and a portrait session that took us from LIUNA Station’s interiors to Dundurn Castle at sunset.
There were vintage cars, an orchid bouquet, and enough Donut Monster to start a small obsession. More on that in a minute.
Getting Ready in Hamilton
Carolyn got ready with her bridesmaids at Homewood Suites by Hilton Hamilton. Pro Makeup by Natasha, with help from one of the bridesmaids, handled hair and makeup while everyone got ready for the day.
Carolyn wore a beaded sheath dress from David’s Bridal and carried an orchid bouquet by Flower Frenzy. The combination had a classic feel that later worked beautifully with the interiors at LIUNA Station. The beading gave us detail to photograph up close, while the shape of the dress kept the overall look simple and elegant.
Tom spent the morning at his brother’s home with his groomsmen. They started with breakfast and coffee on the back patio, then got dressed quickly enough to leave time for vintage cars, cigars, and cognac.
The cars were definitely the main attraction for photos. Once we got outside, the guys were happy to get into it. Give someone something they actually enjoy, and suddenly being photographed becomes a lot more fun. This group made that part very easy.
A Wedding Ceremony in LIUNA Station’s Grand Lobby
The Grand Lobby was where Carolyn and Tom held their ceremony, and it remains one of my favourite spaces to photograph at LIUNA Station.
We had photographed Jeanine and Reza’s wedding here before, so we knew how much presence the room had. Walking back in for Carolyn and Tom’s ceremony, it still made an impression. The architectural details, rich colours, and warm lighting gave the photographs a strong sense of place.
A room like this makes me want to step back and include the setting, but the ceremony still needs those closer photographs, too. The couple, the people around them, and the moments unfolding inside that big space are what make the gallery personal.
Carolyn and Tom’s ceremony gave us a chance to bring those two things together: the scale of the Grand Lobby and a wedding that felt close and meaningful.
Coffee, Donuts, and Time with Their Guests
After the ceremony, everyone headed outside for socially distanced coffee and donuts. This was part of their adapted 2020 celebration, and Donut Monster supplied plenty of flavour choices.
Liza and I tried a couple, and that was apparently all it took. The following weekend, on our way to another wedding, we stopped in Hamilton and bought a whole dozen for ourselves. Research. Very important research.
Alongside the ceremony and portraits, this part of the day deserves a place in the story. It was time for Carolyn and Tom to spend with their guests, share something they enjoyed, and celebrate after all the changes to their plans.
It is also the kind of detail you remember years later. In our case, possibly every time we drive through Hamilton.
Wedding Portraits Inside LIUNA Station
After coffee and donuts, we went back inside with Carolyn and Tom for portraits in the King George room. This was supposed to have been their reception space before the pandemic changed the day.
We still had the opportunity to use it for photographs, and the light fixtures were a big part of what drew me in. Their warmth helped give the portraits atmosphere, while the room itself brought a different sense of scale from the closer photographs.
That is something I enjoy about making LIUNA Station wedding photos: there are details within the spaces that can become part of the composition. The lighting and architecture give you ideas, and then you work out how to bring the couple into them comfortably.
We also photographed Carolyn and Tom in the bridal suite. Its vintage styling suited Carolyn’s dress beautifully and gave us another setting before heading outdoors.
Dundurn Castle Wedding Photos at Sunset
With no evening reception to return to, Carolyn and Tom had more time available for portraits than we usually get on a wedding day. After finishing at LIUNA Station, we headed to Dundurn Castle, which they had suggested.
Liza and I had not photographed there before, and we were immediately glad they introduced us to it. The building and grounds gave us a completely different backdrop from the warm interiors we had just left.
One of the spots that caught our attention was the small decorative building on the grounds, known as a folly. It had the look of a little chapel, and it became the setting for some of our final portraits.
The timing worked beautifully. As the sun went down, the sky turned pink and purple behind Carolyn and Tom. After a day spent photographing the details and interiors at LIUNA Station, having that colour in the sky gave the last photographs a different feel.
It was a lovely way to finish the portrait session, with enough time to notice the changing light and make something from it.
Wedding Vendors
Venue: LIUNA Station
Bride Getting Ready Location: Homewood Suites by Hilton Hamilton
Makeup & Hair: Pro Makeup by Natasha
Officiant: Rev. Robyn Elliott
Wedding Dress: David’s Bridal
Suit: Moore’s Clothing
Flowers: Flower Frenzy
Dessert: Donut Monster
Planning Your LIUNA Station Wedding Photography
Carolyn and Tom’s day shows how much variety you can get from indoor portraits at LIUNA Station and a separate outdoor location in Hamilton. If you are considering a similar plan, a few things are worth discussing early.
Confirm which rooms will be available for photographs. We used the Grand Lobby, King George room, and bridal suite during this wedding. Talk with the venue about access and timing for your own date so your photography plan fits your booking.
Leave room to work with the interiors. If the architecture is one of the reasons you chose LIUNA Station, give yourselves time for photographs that include it. We can mix wider compositions with closer portraits so the building and the people both have a place in the gallery.
Include travel in the portrait timeline. Adding Dundurn Castle means allowing time to leave the venue, travel, and get into position. For a fall wedding, plan backwards from sunset if those evening photographs matter to you.
Check arrangements for the second location. Confirm current photography permissions and access with Dundurn’s team before adding it to the schedule.
Keep time with your guests in the plan. Carolyn and Tom had an unusually long portrait window because their reception plans changed. Your timeline may look very different. We can work out a balance between creative wedding photos, candid moments, and being present with the people you invited.
For another look at the venue in a different season, explore Jeanine and Reza’s spring wedding at LIUNA Station.
Carolyn and Tom, thank you for having us there and for introducing us to both Dundurn Castle and Donut Monster. Your wedding gave us beautiful spaces to photograph, plenty of personal details, and a sunset worth staying out for.
Planning a wedding at LIUNA Station in Hamilton? Take a look through my wedding photography gallery, then get in touch and tell me about your plans.
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