Indoor wedding ceremony at Cambridge Mill with colorful floral arrangements and waterfront views

Cambridge Mill Summer Wedding

Finally. I was so excited to photograph my first wedding at Cambridge Mill—a venue I’ve heard so much about and had been dying to shoot at. This place has a vibe. Between the exposed stone, glass walls overlooking the Grand River, and that perfect mix of rustic and modern, it’s honestly one of those venues that just gets it right without trying too hard.

And the best part? I wasn’t flying solo. The full crew was in the house—Chelsey, Leo, and me—and we were ready to create. There are days when I show up and just feel it. Like something epic is going to unfold. And this was one of those days. Spoiler alert: it turned into one of my favourite weddings I’ve ever shot. Don’t take me wrong, I LOVE ALL ME WEDDINGS. But some are weddings that you will never forget.

Bridal Prep Vibes at The Laundry Rooms

We kicked off the day at The Laundry Rooms in Cambridge—okay, real talk, I had no idea what to expect based on the name alone. But walking in? Total game-changer. This place was so much more than I imagined: pink accent walls, playful wallpaper with monkeys (yes, monkeys 🐒), floor-to-ceiling windows pouring in natural light—it was a photographer’s dream.

Hair and makeup were already done when we arrived, and WOW. Yara was glowing. The glam team crushed it (still waiting on those makeup artist tags, Yara 😏). And then, the dress. Straight-up princess vibes from Lavande Bridal Boutique, inspired by one of Taylor Swift’s music videos—you could tell she was a true Swiftie the second she stepped into it. Think fairytale meets fierce.

Her friends were buzzing with energy, and you could feel the love. No fake smiles here—just full-on laughter, teary eyes, and champagne-level excitement. They hyped her up every step of the way, from zipping the dress to slipping on those heels (yes, even while she was horizontal on the couch lol).

And remember how Yara told me she was “shy” and nervous about being photographed? Within minutes, that nervous energy turned into something magical. Her smile was real. Her confidence? Through the roof. I always tell my couples—if we vibe, the camera disappears. And with Yara, that transformation happened so fast it gave me chills.

This moment—her beaming with joy, her girls hyping her up, the perfect light spilling across the floor—it felt like something straight out of a movie. I knew right then… we were about to make some magic that day.

Bride laughing while getting ready at The Laundry Room, putting on her wedding shoes in a modern white room with tropical artwork in the background.

A Taylor Swift Moment at The Laundry Rooms

Before the first look with Andrew, we had a little extra time with Yara for some bridal portraits around The Laundry Rooms. And let me tell you—this place is way more than just cool rooms. It’s got layers. Pockets of texture, light, history… and then we found the spot.

A stone wall, a shuttered window, a moment that felt pulled from a Taylor Swift music video (probably “Love Story” meets “Enchanted”—Swifties, back me up here). The window was high. Like, even I had to stretch to get up there. And Yara? In heels. In a full wedding dress. You think she hesitated?
Nope. “Let’s do it.”
That’s it. No drama. Just pure energy and trust.

She climbed up, sat in that window frame like she was born to be there, and suddenly we were in this cinematic moment where time slowed down. The contrast of her delicate lace dress against the old stone wall, the greenery at her feet, that wild wind-blown hair—it was everything.
And this was just the beginning. These shots turned out to be some of the craziest bridal portraits I’ve ever taken… and spoiler: there’s more coming. This wedding kept levelling up all day long.

First Look Feels & More Magic at That Wall

And the smiles? Oh yeah—they definitely didn’t stop after the bridal portraits. The second Andrew saw Yara, you could feel the joy radiating off both of them. His face lit up like a kid on Christmas morning. Pure happiness. Same energy, same vibe—it was like their connection just clicked even harder in that moment.

Right after their first look, I was dying to jump straight into their couple’s portraits. But before we headed anywhere, I knew we had to go back to that same stone wall—the one where Yara had her Taylor Swift moment. I mean, how could we not?

So I brought them over, lined them up, and OMG. The textures, the lighting, the way they leaned into each other—everything came together so perfectly, it felt like the wall was made for them. Like it had been sitting there for 100 years just waiting for this couple on this exact day.
We hadn’t even left The Laundry Rooms yet, and we already had a gallery full of fire 🔥

Groom waiting nervously during first look as bride approaches at the historic stone walls of Cambridge Mill.

Portraits, Sneakers, & “Let’s Not Stop” Vibes

After the bridal portraits at The Laundry Rooms, it was finally time to dive into the real couple portraits… or so we thought. Because honestly? Everything up until now already felt like a dream. But yeah—we were just getting started.

We headed over to Cambridge Sculpture Garden, parked the car, and that’s when Yara made the best move of the day—she swapped out her heels for sneakers. Instant freedom. Instant confidence boost. I always tell my brides: even if your heels are comfy, bring sneakers. Yara proved that with one outfit change, you can go from elegant bride to full-on joyful chaos in seconds. 😄

We started walking toward the Grand River Pedestrian Bridge, but we couldn’t even get there without stopping every few steps. Yara and Andrew just kept laughing, teasing each other, and being themselves. I didn’t stop clicking. These little moments? They’re the ones that show who a couple really is.
Once we reached the bridge, things just flowed. The architecture gave me so much to play with—lines, symmetry, depth—and by that point, they were completely comfortable in front of the camera. I was finally able to create some images I’ve been wanting to shoot for a long time. That bridge series? Instant favourites.
Meanwhile, Chelsey and Leo kept trying to keep me on track so we wouldn’t miss the ceremony. 😂 But when everything’s flowing like this? It’s hard to pull away. Still, we had one more spot to hit.

Before the wedding day, Chelsey and I had actually scoped out the area with our dog Bovie (yes, he’s part of the scouting team 🐾), and we found this little spot that looked kind of meh on the map: Trinity Park. But when we saw it in person—game changer. The greenery, the wide open space, and directly across the street, the Trinity Anglican Church with its bold red door.
You already know I had to use that.
I set up a two-layer shot—Yara in motion playing with her dress in the foreground, Andrew standing by the red door in the background. It was electric. And yes, I’m going to keep saying this: I was obsessed with every frame.

Then we crossed the street and found this lush, green wall that looked like it came straight out of a movie set. We did a few more portraits there while people passing by cheered, waved, and shouted “Congratulations!”—which only added to the energy. Seriously, this whole part of Cambridge feels like it was made for wedding portraits.

And just like that, it was time to make our way to Cambridge Mill for the main event.

Groom lifting bride with joyful laughter on rustic bridge at Cambridge Mill, playful wedding portrait.

A Ceremony Full of Light, Laughter, and a First-Place Moment

The time had finally come. We made it to the ceremony space at Cambridge Mill, and wow—it was everything. Tucked right by the water, with glass walls letting in that soft, natural light… it honestly felt like the whole scene was built for this moment. It was a dream come true for Yara and Andrew, and for me? Let’s just say I was buzzing. This was my first time shooting a wedding at Cambridge Mill, and I was all in.

I had a vision: I wanted to capture Yara and her dad walking from the reception side of the venue along the path that leads to the ceremony room. It’s a long, scenic walk with the river right beside you. As soon as I spotted her coming in the distance, I ran outside, fired off a few frames, sprinted back in, and caught Andrew’s reaction just in time. From that point on, it was nothing but smiles, laughter, and pure love.
And then—the ceremony itself. What a vibe. The entire room was so happy for them, and it showed. Yara and Andrew couldn’t hold their laughter. Every word, every look, every moment felt real. It had that same relaxed joy from the morning portraits, but this time wrapped in something even deeper.

And now… let’s talk about that photo.

Yes, that photo—the one that won first place in the ISPWP ‘Ceremony’ category.
I’ve entered before, but this was the first time I took home the top spot in this category. And the best part? It was with my signature shot—the under-the-hands ring exchange moment.

Here’s what made it special: usually I shoot ceremonies with a 35mm (plus something tighter for close-ups), but this time, I came prepared with my 16mm lens. The space was a bit tight, and I wanted to try something bold. I got right under their hands as they exchanged rings. The angle was wild. But the result? You see Yara’s laugh, Andrew’s face full of joy, the officiant perfectly framed above, and the ring mid-moment.
Everything lined up—emotion, composition, story—and that’s what makes an award-winning image. I’m honestly so proud of that shot, not just because it won, but because it captured exactly what that moment felt like.

And with that… the ceremony wrapped up, confetti flew, the guests cheered, and we were officially on to the next chapter of the day: the party. And I knew it was going to be a good one.

A Reception Bursting with Colour, Energy, and So Much Dancing

Just like that, we rolled into cocktail hour. The vibe was already electric—guests chatting, laughing, soaking in the views from Cambridge Mill. Everyone was glowing from the ceremony (me included).

As cocktail hour wrapped up, it was time to reveal the reception space… and holy sh*t, Cambridge Mill delivered again. The room was STUNNING. Long family-style tables, flickering candlelight, and the most playful, colourful floral arrangements everywhere. Bold? Yes. Joyful? Absolutely. But also just so them. Yara’s energy was all over that room.
What do you think—bold and colourful or more neutral and classic? Personally, I don’t have a preference. I think the best decor reflects the couple, and this was 100% Yara and Andrew: vibrant, happy, full of life.

Then came the first dance, and it wasn’t just a moment—it was a scene. They danced surrounded by their people, in this intimate circle of love and cheers. And then—without skipping a beat—they invited everyone onto the dance floor before dinner even started. That’s when I knew: this party was about to pop off.

Before things got too wild, we snuck in a few quick portraits with Yara and her girls—her ride-or-die crew. Some playful, some editorial, all of them iconic. We even stepped outside to Mill Race Park, which is right beside Cambridge Mill, for a few fun group shots. Most couples use that space for portraits, but since we’d already explored all over downtown Cambridge earlier, this was just the cherry on top.

We ended up capturing a few more sweet moments of Yara and Andrew walking back through the streets, just being themselves. That’s the thing—these two couldn’t take a bad photo if they tried.

Bride laughing with bridesmaids in colorful dresses at Cambridge Mill wedding, fun candid moment.

Sunset on the Balcony – The Perfect Ending to a Perfect Day

As the party started to settle into dinner, we stepped away for just a moment… because when you’re at Cambridge Mill, and the sun starts dipping behind the Grand River, you make time for that sunset.
We headed up to the terrace on the third floor, one of my favourite hidden gems at the venue. From up there, it’s like the whole city slows down. You can see the river glowing, the sky turning shades of fire, the bridge cutting across the horizon. It’s quiet. Still. Intimate. And after the wild, joy-filled day we’d had—this was the perfect pause.
Yara and Andrew held each other close, laughing, taking it all in. From a creative side, I was hyped. The reflection shots. The framing through the stonework. The movement in her dress against that soft pink light. But also—it was emotional. You could feel it. That “we did it” energy. The magic of the day had fully settled in.

And once again, Cambridge Mill delivered. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again—this venue is a photographer’s dream. But it’s more than the setting. It’s the people, and Yara and Andrew brought every bit of their love, joy, and playful chaos to the day.
This wedding wasn’t just beautiful—it was unforgettable. It was full of storytelling moments, wild energy, quiet reflection, and photos that I’ll be proud of forever.

ride and groom laughing on balcony at Cambridge Mill wedding during sunset overlooking river.

One Last Portrait… and Then We Raged 🎉

You already know we weren’t done yet.

Yara and Andrew are big fans of my night portraits, so of course we had to sneak out for one more epic shot before things got too wild. And honestly? There’s no such thing as too many portraits—especially when the couple looks this good, the location is this magical, and the light is just right.
We headed to the main entrance of Cambridge Mill, where there’s this majestic staircase lit with lanterns that gives off full medieval romance vibes. It’s bold. It’s dramatic. It’s got that cinematic glow that makes my creative brain go 💥.
We went all in. A little long exposure, a little off-camera flash magic, and a whole lot of trust from Yara and Andrew. And the result? I’ll let the photos speak for themselves… but let’s just say, we ended on a HIGH.

Bride and groom sharing a kiss at night in front of glowing stone steps at Cambridge Mill wedding.

Now, let’s talk about the party 🔥

This is the part a lot of photographers shy away from—low light, fast movement, chaos on the dance floor. But for me? It’s my playground. I LIVE for that challenge. You just have to know how to shape light in a dark room and be ready to chase the energy wherever it goes. And this crew brought it.

From Yara switching into a sleek white party dress to guests waving foam lights and absolutely tearing up the dance floor—it was wild. And I didn’t stop shooting once. Every moment was better than the last.

We ended the night sweaty, exhausted, overwhelmed with joy—and honestly, I wouldn’t want it any other way.

This was one for the books.

Bride dancing joyfully with guests during the wedding reception party at Cambridge Mill.

Grateful for Days Like This

Some wedding days stick with you—not just because of the photos, but because of the people. Yara and Andrew, thank you for bringing your whole selves to the day. Your joy, your trust, your energy—it was everything.
From the moment we arrived at The Laundry Rooms to dancing our way through Cambridge and ending with a sunset over the Grand River… I could feel how much this day meant to you, and I’m just grateful I got to be a part of it.

To every couple who’s nervous about being in front of the camera—just look at these two. They showed up, embraced the moment, and we created something beautiful together.

If you’re planning your own wedding at Cambridge Mill or dreaming up something that feels uniquely you, I’d love to help tell your story.

📸 See the full gallery here