This King Edward Hotel wedding creative we did in the heart of downtown Toronto was a perfect change of pace I really needed. I wanted to do a creative shoot for a long time, but it always stayed in the back burner as I was busy with the wedding season. Hands down, taking wedding photos is probably one of the most rewarding things in the world. I mean what’s there not to love? Watching two people tie the knot surrounded by all their loved ones. However, with the rush of a wedding day, it’s easy to feel burned out and creatively exhausted sometimes. That is why I like to slow down from time to time, collaborate with other creatives and remind myself why I fell in love with photography in the first place. Slow-paced creative shoots give you the freedom to experiment and express your artistic voice. I’m excited to tell you about the process and inspiration behind this King Edward Hotel wedding inspiration shoot today!
Now, if you’ve ever been to the King Edward you’ll know it’s a grand, historic hotel filled with luxurious details like intricate crown molding, crystal chandeliers, and a beautiful colonnaded mezzanine. A real, Toronto landmark. Imagine placing a lush, untamed garden right in the middle of one of its ethereal ballrooms! Sounds like a daunting task, doesn’t it? But our friends at RDT Events made it happen and the results were breathtaking! It’s amazing what you can achieve with a great team of vendors and some creativity!
Inspired by ancient Greek mythology, this King Edward Hotel wedding creative features overgrown greenery and rustic furniture paired with the opulent design of the hotel. Looking back, I think there is a lot to be learned from creative shoots that can help with wedding photography. If you’re planning a King Edward Hotel wedding, or a wedding at any other historic site, here are a few tips to consider:
- Keep in mind the architectural style of the venue
Always consider the structural makeup of your venue when choosing your theme! You want to make sure the decor complements and enhances the architecture rather than distracting or clashing with it. That does not mean you can’t mix-and-match though! In this shoot, for example, we juxtaposed garden nymph elements like lush florals and small wooden tables with the Edwardian-Baroque style of the hotel to create something truly unique. The ceilings are high so we made sure to include both low and tall plants to really accentuate the scale of the room. We kept our wide frames a little wider than the floral set-up to make sure to give context to the room and not miss out on any of that incredible, ornate moulding detail on the walls in the background. The King Edward Hotel is so unique, so romantic, it’s an escape from the busy city. We LOVE the huge windows and will talk more about those below.
- Pay attention to lighting
I love working with natural light– it creates the most flattering images but it does come with its challenges, too. So there’s natural and artificial light, and that’s it, right? Nope! There are so many different forms of lights to consider: masculine, feminine, harsh, muted, to name just a few. Although natural light is the best overall, smaller windows of light make will make for dramatic and masculine photos, while large windows will give you that ethereal glow! Older buildings usually have smaller windows so make sure you ask what is available to you and choose a room based on the mood you want for your photos. During this shoot, we worked in some lower lighting conditions so made sure to position our models close to the large light sources to make sure we were able to capture the cleanest, most flattering light for any beauty shots.
- Make informed decisions
If you want your wedding photos to look magazine-worthy, consider doing some research before choosing a wedding theme. You want all the elements to tie together seamlessly to achieve flawless photographs. Everything from props to food should relate to the image you are trying to convey. These details should speak about you, your personality and who you are as a couple. In this shoot, for example, you will see floral details in the food, the place cards, and even the bridal headpieces. This made sure the garden nymph theme was carried throughout the shoot and every image felt like it was part of a larger story. That is how you create wedding magic.
This shoot was a nice change of pace to really express my creativity and collaborate with other like-minded individuals. Creatives shoots like this one not only help us strengthen our relationships with other vendors, but also have fun along the ride! It’s great to see my fellow wedding industry professionals inspired by different things. This opens your mind to new ideas and also helps inspire others in your own turn. I cannot be happier with the results of this creative shoot, and I can honestly say that I’m ready to capture all the magic of your wedding! If you want to see how these tips translate into real life photographs, check out some shots of the King Edward Hotel wedding creative below! Get Inspired!
