Lodge on Queen Wedding - Christine and César
Wedding Vendors
Venue: Lodge on Queen
Wedding Dress: Angies Bridal
Makeup: Victoria DeSousa Makeup
Hair: Salon Scavo
Suit: Gotstyle
Limo: Liberty Party Bus
Church: Our Lady of Perpetual Help Parish
Flowers: Quince Flowers
Cake: Cakeoholics
DJ: 2 Can Play
Photographers: Diego and Liza Photography
Lodge on Queen Wedding
Walking down the bustling and trendy Queen Street in downtown Toronto, past the tattoo parlours, boutique clothing stores, and dispensaries, it’s easy to get caught up in all the hustle and bustle of the city and never notice the hidden gem that is The Lodge On Queen. I used to live directly across the street from The Lodge and somehow never noticed it. I could never fathom that on the upper floors of such an old building in the heart of Toronto’s entertainment district could lay such a magnificent space.
The Lodge On Queen is a place like no other in Toronto. It was founded by the international gem hunters, Ron LeBlanc and Diane Robinson. They wanted to create a warm and inviting space in the heart of Toronto where they can escape to from the craziness of the city and be surrounded by all the treasures from their travels, all while celebrating life with friends. The décor inside reflects the quirky tastes of the gem hunters. The exposed brick walls are covered in fine art, crystal chandeliers give the space a warm glow, a stunning hand-painted pool table entices you to play, while bold coloured furnishings reminiscent of the precious gems Ron and Diane go in search of surround every inch of this unique wedding venue. And such a fun venue deserves an equally fun couple to celebrate their love in. Enter Christine and César.
Christine and César are the epitome of fun. They are bubbly and chatty, and full of energy, plus their sense of style is unmatched. After their amazing sunrise engagement shoot at Woodbine Beach, where they got into the water fully clothed with no hesitation, we had no doubt in our mind that their wedding was going to be epic!
Getting Ready
Christine and César both got ready with the help of their family. Christine’s sisters, who were there helping Christine and César with the wedding details every step of the way, were there now as well for Christine as she finalized her stunning look before heading off to church to say her I do’s to César. With a gorgeous veil draping down her back, Christine changed out of her white bridal robe, and into her stunning lace wedding dress. She looked absolutely breathtaking!! As Christine and her sisters finished getting ready, you could tell they could hardly contain their excitement.
César got ready at his family home with the help of his sister while his parents and closest relatives excitedly chatted away over some snacks in the kitchen. To say that César was nervous and exited is an understatement. I lost track of how many showers he had to take while getting ready, and how many times he had to take his outfit on and off again. But once he was finally fully dress and ready to go, he looked ever so dapper and stylish in his green suit and gold collar pin and chain.
Church Ceremony at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Parish
If the morning excitement and nerves were going to be any indication of how the church ceremony was going to go, we were in for a very emotional and spiritual wedding ceremony. From the moment César laid his eyes on Christine as she entered the church with her dad by her side and to the very end of the ceremony, tears flowed down César cheeks. It was beautiful to see their love and bond as they squeezed each others hand, exchanged vows and rings, and were then officially declared husband and wife. They exited the church with the biggest smiles on their faces!
Portraits
The days leading up to Christine and César’s wedding, Christine and I were nervously watching the weather forecast with fingers and toes crossed, praying that the heavy rain prediction would be wrong or would somehow change last minute to a beautiful sunny day. But of course, we woke up to rain, and a lot of it. That meant that our plan for outdoor portraits had to completely change. Most of the photos would now be done indoors at the Lodge on Queen. And while the Lodge on Queen is full of quirky elements and vibrant colours, which is perfect for portraits, Christine and César also really wanted to capture the urban vibe of the downtown Toronto streets.
Somehow, whether by luck or a miracle, the rain stopped just as the church ceremony concluded. Perfect timing! Scared that the rain is going to come back any minute, we took advantage of the gorgeous church façade to do family and wedding party portraits. We also did a few quick outdoor couple portraits but we noticed a few rain drops start to fall so off we went to the Lodge on Queen to continue their portrait session. Our luck continued as we arrived at the venue. The rain stopped and we had enough time to run out onto the street for those city shots. What a workout that was for all of us. We were all running back and forth, and back again, across the street with the changing of the traffic lights and passing traffic, trying to capture the perfect Toronto shot with the CN Tower in the back and the very recognizable bright red TTC street cars. The earlier rain even played in our favour as Diego got to play with the giant puddles that were reflecting the CN Tower. It was absolutely perfect, but now it was time to party!
Reception at The Lodge on Queen
When Christine and César returned from their portrait session on the streets of Toronto, many of their guests were already enjoying the amazing cocktail hour at the Lodge on Queen. The bar was crowded, the giant charcuterie station had a constant flow of guests snacking away, and the pool table was already seeing some friendly competition. As the guests assembled and the room started to get crowded, it was time to head upstairs for dinner, speeches, and some dances. If we thought the church ceremony was emotional, then the speeches and dances were next level. The speeches were so heartfelt, and the parent dances had everyone in tears, including us.
With everyone now full from the mouth-watering dinner and all the emotions, it was time to let loose on the dance floor. The party kicked off with a bongo drummer leading the guests into a party mode. All the guests were up on their feet, dancing to the beat of the drum, and occasionally even beating the drum. Guests were mingling around the bar, salsa dancing all around the dance floor, and competing in games of pool. And Christine and César, well, they were having the time of their life. And we are so grateful we were there to capture every one of those moments.
Christine and César, thank you thank you a million times for having us be a part of your special day. Your energy and kindness, and the warm welcome we received from your family and friends, made us feel right at home. These are the kind of days and weddings (and couple, of course) that make us fall in love with being wedding photographers over and over again. Thank you for being your awesome selves. We cannot wait to catch up with you over some drinks. ;)