This Buddhist wedding at The Burroughes Building was definitely one for the ages! From the bride and groom’s unique, traditional Thai wedding attire to the Buddhist prayers and songs, there were so many parts to this wedding that I experienced for the first time. And you know, that’s one of the things that I love about being a wedding photographer. We have been blessed to photograph many unique weddings that have involved different cultural ceremonies and traditions, and I keep learning something new everytime. No matter what cultural backgrounds our couples come from, I love that we are all celebrating the one thing that united us there in the first place, LOVE! Nancy and JJ’s wedding was full of laughter and happiness, and I loved the sense of unity that we all shared.
Nancy and JJ became good friends when they started working together at PAI restaurant when it opened back in 2014. At first they kept their relationship a secret from their colleagues, but eventually, the staff there became one big family and everyone was happy to find out about their romance. After two years of working together side-by-side, JJ popped the question one morning while still in bed. Does it get more romantic than that?
Buddhist ceremonies are colorful celebrations with lots of singing, drumming and fun traditions that I absolutely fell in love with! There was such a great rush of energy from the drums and rhythmic chanting, and you could spot me humming to the catchy beat. Some of the traditions involved giving presents to monks and receiving blessings in return. I especially loved the ring exchange as the couple sat down with a string tied in an infinity pattern to represent their eternal connection.
Photographing such a densely-packed celebration was not an easy task. There was something going on every minute of the day at every corner of the venue. The ever-changing pace of the traditional ceremony made the coverage a challenging, yet super fulfilling task. We were able to anticipate moments and switch on photojournalistic mode because we had prepared and knew what to expect. Staying in touch with the couple and the organizers is a major point, and so we knew exactly what was going to happen every minute of the day.
Nancy and JJ had a quick wardrobe change once the traditional part of the day was over.
Nancy opted for a pale blush gown for her second look that was perfect for the party ahead! I took them to The Burroughes Building rooftop for a quick creative session before we made our way back to the guests. The twinkling city lights gave a very sleek, modern look to their wedding photos, thus complementing the morning traditional photos in a harmonious way.
The Burroughes Building wedding reception was super relaxed with buffet style stations all around the venue to keep the dance floor open all night. Nancy and JJ wanted to make their wedding reception a party rather than a formal sit-down dinner, and guests had a blast dancing all night long. Nancy made all the wedding decor decisions herself, ordering everything from her homeland in Thailand. She covered the walls in delicate paper flowers that complimented the blush and gold, wooden decor details that you could spot throughout the venue. Each guest was welcome to take a little succulent home that had a personal note for everyone. The simple, yet fun details throughout the wedding really fit this couple’s fun loving personality and gave the night the party atmosphere they were dreaming of.
There were big smiles all around, and I couldn’t have been happier to be a part of Nancy and JJ’s intimate celebration. Nancy and JJ, thank you for inviting me to your special union. Here’s to many years of happy memories!
As seen in Toronto Life
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