Shooting Michelle and Cayden’s romantic York Mills Gallery wedding was like a breath of fresh air. They are both very easy-going, happy people that are very comfortable to be around and are naturals in front of the camera! It’s always so nice when the people you’re photographing just seem to know how to move and pose together. They were so stylish, poised and complemented every room they entered.
Michelle and Cayden got ready for their wedding together. I arrived at the Broadview Hotel where they were staying in the early morning and I have to say, I’m very glad that the Broadview Hotel is now open! Whoever designed those rooms should definitely be up for some sort of interior design award! The beautiful blue velvet chairs are perfect for portraits and the details of the room melt into the background so smoothly that there are virtually no distracting elements. The floral relief walls and framed pieces of art from local Toronto artists all gave it the feeling that you were somewhere important. That feeling stuck with me through the entire day as I entered each new place. One King West was our second location and again that soft Rembrandt lighting in a beautiful rich room kept the regal tone of the day going while really bringing out the romance-loving personalities of Michelle and Cayden.
I opted for a more moody approach when it came to photographing their portrait session by highlighting how majestic the couple and spaces were. I wanted to show off how gentle and luxurious they were so instead of making everything bright and airy I opted for a moodier approach and put them in the soft window light to let them get comfortable with each other. I knew that they would organically position themselves in a way that looked both natural and poised. I stayed on the look-out for interesting compositions and light, letting my inner artist really come out. I love the result! Images with softened edges by shooting through curtains, beautiful reflections, and perfectly placed silhouettes. When I think back on the couple and the day, choosing The Governor’s Ballroom at the King Edward Hotel was probably the best choice out of all of the downtown Toronto locations. It was great for photographing them in a more gentle and up-close intimate way but they could also be dynamic in it, creating lots of motion by dancing and being playful. Even when I was photographing their friends in group photos, the deep mahogany background really brought out the refined nature of everyone. It also offered the same type of light and mood as the Broadview Hotel from earlier in the day and was a beautiful transition to the ceremony.
Coming from Broadview Hotel and One King West, a York Mills Gallery wedding was an ideal venue for these two. It fit with their personalities and felt like such a natural progression for the day. The venue was decorated with a mixture of eloquent fine details with deep black accents. What a combination! Black cakes are a very rare treat indeed and in this instance, it was pulled off so well. Everything seemed to just be naturally framed. The couple themselves had frames behind them that were accented with vibrant floral arrangements and the dinnerware was framed with matching floral details and slate textured cloth. It was such a charming space to move around in. Photographing the reception was a joy, their friends and family were so expressive and playful. It all made a great recipe for heartwarming photos of a truly special day.
I walked away from the reception thinking it had to be one of my favorite York Mills Gallery weddings by far. I’ve gotta say, it really made me excited to shoot there again. Thank you Michelle and Cayden, for keeping me inspired by your love and light, I wish for a beautiful and vibrant life together.
