I am currently going through a plethora of images that were created this past weekend for Jessica and Vince’s wedding. I pretty much knew which one I wanted to share initially….but when a particular came on the playlist, I chose to add one other image.

It was late Saturday evening, the dinner was done, the desserts, served. The late night snack of wings and beer was just starting when Vincent came on the microphone and asked that his wife Jessica join him on the dance floor for a special musical presentation. He sat her down on a chair in the middle of the dance floor, he then proceeded to get everyone…and I mean everyone to crowd around when he began singing Drake’s Fancy to her, the guests erupted cheering and waving, it was like a club!!

Congrats again Jessica and Vincent!! Thank you for entrusting myself and my team to document your special day.

More to come soon! =)

So what happens when mother nature decides to show up to your wedding and gifts you a downpour of rain on your wedding day? (I ask rhetorically) For Carmen and Andrea they did not let it bother them as they planned ahead and had contingencies in place. Sounds boring, yes, but I tell all my couples to always have a backup plan when it comes to weather as it’s simply something you can’t control! Now for the record, I must stress that it was not a drizzle or sun shower that we had…this was full on rain and heavy winds….don’t believe me? Check out this YouTube video I took.

When Lucy and I arrived at Carmen’s suite at the Parque Central in Havana, the bridesmaids were putting on the finishing touches to Carmen’s hair and make up. The room was kept nice and tidy, the large windows allowed a beautiful stream of light to fill the room and enveloppe Carmen’s Vera Wang White dress hanging nearby. This was definitely the focal point of the room.

As I was documenting Carmen’s prep, I noticed that the sun would pop out for a couple of minutes and be overshadowed by rain clouds, this continued for a while but Carmen did not fret. Her and Andrea decided to get married inside the hotel instead of the outdoor rooftop which was originally planned. With that taken care of, everything else was easy. Here are some I created while Carmen was getting ready.

Downstairs, a few floors below, Andrea was also getting ready. He was excited about the day and could not wait for it to get started. As his best man and father helped him prep anticipation was building. Not afraid to say it everyone, but Andrea is a pretty good looking guy and he looked pretty dapper donned in his Versace suit; he joked around about being James Bond, less the gadgets of course. Robin, his best man was also looking pretty spiffy in his grey suit with canary yellow accents that Carmen picked out.

Maybe it’s just me, but when I commit to creating an image, I have an emotional attachment it the moment I release the shutter. There are some moments that make you laugh, smile or  just pretty to look at. The following images causes me to tear up a little (yeah..i said it!!) even as I am typing this. As a photographer, and a geek, I tend to focus on the technical aspects when looking at an image. However here, exposure, shutter speed, light and all that business fades away, there is nothing flashy about this image but the context tells it all. I recall focusing originally on Andrea’s mother congratulating Carmen, while in my peripheral, I saw Andrea’s father give his son a big hug with a big smile on his face. In a matter or seconds,  his smile changed, he started to purse his lips and his eyes closed tight while still hugging his son while trying hard to hold back his tears. I shot a few frames as to not interrupt the moment. Seeing parents this emotional just pulls at my heart strings. These are just some of the moments that I live for and recognize while documenting a wedding.

So…back to the rain…as you can see, it was pouring quite hard and we learned that the vintage car that was booked had a feature that was overlooked….windows! Yup, this car had the look, the character and charisma, just not the windows to shield us from the rain. Hehehe. At one point, I held the umbrella outside the car while sitting inside to avoid more rain from coming in. After driving around looking for possible locations for the portraits, we came across Morro Castle/Fort. The rain subsided so we started shooting outside. Literally 2 minutes after taking this image, the rain came back for more so we scrambled to find shelter from the rain. Luckily, we came across an interesting tunnel and created a few of my favorite images there.

Before we left, the fort, the rain was gone but the clouds were there to stay. We took advantage of the situation and created some images of Carmen and Andrea in the cool car  overlooking Havana.

When we arrived at the reception location, Lucy and I were shown our seats. At every seat, there was a small pocket notebook with our name on it. Curiously, I opened it up and it contained a very sweet and thoughtful hand written message from Carmen and Andrea. Thank you guys for having me experience and document your wedding.

I met Isa at school which seems like forever! We stayed in touch after school and tried to make time to meet up here and there. Although Isa can be serious, he is generally really goofy, so I was really interested in meeting Tuncay when they got engaged. Will she be goofier or more serious to keep him in check =P ? More importantly….How do I pronounce her name without the end result of me crawling into a hole of embarrassment??

When we met, I introduced myself first and she introduced herself in a soft voice. With all the ambient noise I barely heard her but decided to smile and nod along to avoid what I thought would be an awkward moment (if you know me, I am a facilitator of said moments). Over dinner I quickly found out Tuncay (pronounced Tun~Jah) was latter; being super goofy. They complimented each other so well and reacted the same way to the corny jokes I dispensed. I knew that their wedding was going to be nothing short of amazing.

On the day, I was lucky to have Lucy and Albert help me out . Thanks guys!!

Bride Prep….

Groom prep…..

Going through the images of the day, there were many little moments that made me laugh and I wanted to share this one with you. So, there was the traditional cake cutting ceremony where Tuncay did her happy dance showing her approval of her fondant covered wedding confection. It was hard to keep my camera still but I am glad I kept shooting , because it was at that point that they caught a glimpse of my surprise same day edit on one of the many projection screens.

Ceremony location: Paradise Banquet Hall
Hall location: Paradise Banquet Hall
DJ Contact: Good Vibrations

It’s been a while since I last blogged as getting over jet lag, reconnecting with family and long last friends as well as preparing to introduce some new and exciting things, have been keeping me busy. More on that later…

Now it’s been a long time coming but I wanted to blog about Liza and Rob’s fun wedding which I had the pleasure of helping Kevin Lam with in mid August.

I recall getting to Rob’s prep location in the morning, I was introduced to and welcomed into their home. All was pretty quiet as the guys have yet to arrive. Rob was still working on making last minute revisions to his vows and his speech. As I roamed the house looking for the best possible light, I discovered many photos around the house of Rob and his family, one particular photo was of a younger Rob in the room he was working in.

Shortly after the rest of the guys came arrived and the  mad prep began. The guys were in and out within 25 minutes, typical guy prep time. When they arrived at Liza’s prep location, the bridesmaids had a ton of creative challenges for them which either tested their closeness as groomsmen, or brought them closer. Either way, they had a blast and it they too came up with creative ways to overcome the challenges. One such challenge was what the bridesmaids called “eye candy” which is only best experienced when you see the image below. This, along with other challenges set the tone for the rest of the day, ridiculously fun and hilarious.

“I can’t wait for you guys to start a family, cause’ the world can definitely use more Minhs and Marks”

The above are just a couple of the many memorable quotes delivered by members of the wedding party the day Minh and Mark formed their union which I was super lucky to help Kevin Lam document.

The forecast called for rain, a lot of it, but when the day actually came, the sky was clear as can be. I began my coverage at Mark’s place where all the guys were getting put together. With the chatter and joking around, I could immediately tell that this was a really tight group of friends. After Mark and boys were ready to go, Mark received a surprise from Minh. It was a beautiful watch and the case it adorned was engraved the following:

7 years, 3 months, 17 days, 12 hours. You were worth every second

I gotta say, that was thoughtful of her. Here are some images of the day.

I think it’s safe to say that I have been to many weddings and although each one is unique in it’s own way, Sandy and Albert’s felt very different for me. Sure, Sandy and Albert are both friends, and yes, this was a destination wedding taking place in the beautiful outskirts of Vancouver, and yes, I was helping Joee out on this one, however, what trumps it all was how much I have emotional investment to the Sandy and Albert. I have assisted many photographers before but to know the couple like I know Sandy and Albert brought on a very different perspective and dimension to the way I documented. It is for this reason that for me the wedding started with the above image.

I have known Sandy and Albert for a couple of years now and we have had the opportunity to work with each other as well as travel together on multiple occasions. How I came to meet Sandy and Albert was through Joee, who mentored both Sandy and myself. If I am not mistaken, Sandy was Joee’s first protégée and when it was her time to tie the knot there was not a question that she commissioned him to document her wedding and I was asked to help out. By the time this image was made Joee and I have been documenting Sandy and Albert’s wedding celebration for a little over a day already. This was day 2 and as Sandy watched her dream backyard wedding unravel, from her prep room at The Cammidge House, Joee had just entered the room to joined her by the window. This could have been anyone, but it was very serendipitous to have not only a great photographer present, but a friend and mentor share in the moments to come. It is because I understood this connection that I was able to commit to the image before even pressing the shutter or fidgeting with the settings.

I think that this is something many brides overlook when they meet with potential photographers. Let’s face it, there are many photographers to chose from, many of whom are very talented and do great work, however, to find one whom you get along with and who is ready to emotionally invest in you is tough. It is then that you know you will get beautiful images of organic moments.

So….let’s talk more about the day now, let’s start with day 1 which was where Albert and his boys were put to the test with a series of challenges which were performed nicely. Albeit, the passing sea weed challenge was the hardest as it kept dropping due to the wind.

DAY 2

Throughout the day, there was a flurry of activity from set up to getting ready. Despite all that going on, I would see Sandy and Albert constantly finding places to write. At first, I thought that they were still writing their vows but I should have known better. Friends and family are very dear to Sandy and Albert and what they were actually doing was writing personalized notes to each and every guest, myself included!!! That’s so sweet guys, thank you for the note.
So throughout the day as Sandy was getting ready, Albert had a series of surprise gifts for her. One after another they came in boxes big and small. Each very well thought out and special. Here is one of the gifts Albert got Sandy.

Be sure to also check out Sandy and Albert’s wedding that was featured on Style me Pretty as well as Joee’s and Lucy’s take on the wedding!
Congrats guys!!!

Now, the sweetness did not stop there,  Stephanie and Chuck were super nice and sweet to to each other and everyone around. I remember when I first met them, I noticed that Chuck was a true gentleman and always opened the door for Stephanie. During our engagement session which was a little cold, they were very attentive about each other and made sure that I was ok too! Over our dim sum meet, they knew what each other wanted without even saying it and were kind enough to make sure I was well fed. They even invited myself, Lucy and Ron to stay for the reception even though our official coverage was over!! Steph, Chuck, thanks for being so thoughtful and kind.

The day of their wedding day came and when I arrived at Stephanie’s prep location everything was pretty calm. Contrary to what both Steph and Chuck talked to me about being stressed and really anxious, Stephanie was getting prepped by the talented Annie Kue while I had some time with her dress of other details, meanwhile, her bridesmaids were busy cooking something up for the guys. I recall that games were not something that was going to happen initially, but I guess Steph’s girl’s convinced her otherwise. Back at the guy’s place, Ron and Lucy were having a great time documenting the guys trying to put themselves together while battling to put some ice time via PS3.

Here are some images of the day.

Congrats Steph, Chuck!!!

More to come soon….

After what must have been one of the hottest days this summer I was glad to be mainly indoors for Nechelle and Jivan’s second day of celebration. The day started with Nechelle getting ready at her parent’s home. Although busy with last minute touches and little things to do, you could tell that every time Nechelle’s parents had a look at their daughter that they were happy and proud. Nechelle’s sisters were on hand and ready to help her with anything which is always nice.

As Nechelle was getting all done up, I went for taking some images of her sari and may I say that in itself was quite the challenge. It is super elegant and full of details yes, but what you don’t see in the images was how heavy this thing was!!! The intricately made sari was easily over 5 pounds, which is why I had Lucy close by just in case. Nechelle, how you wore that all day long and still managed to get through the day without rest is beyond me!! Regardless, the sari looked beautiful on it’s own but when Nechelle put it on, it was a different story. The light in the room started to glow and her helpful sisters were helping Nechelle with her jewelry as her mom stood by and could not help but cry, it was quite the moment.

Meanwhile, I had my friend and colleague Kevin Lam help me document Jivan’s prep where I was told there too was no shortage of tears. However, the tears came from Jivan!!! It’s not what you think though, apparently Jivan needed to get some eye make up done and although his sister was super careful and gentle, us guys are just not used to putting stuff near our eyes.

Shortly after all family, friends, bride and groom met at the Hindu Heritage Centre in Mississauga for their Hindu ceremony.

Enough from me…here are the images of the day. Congrats Nechelle, Jivan!!

Come the day of their Mehndi ceremony only a few weeks ago, they were not kidding. It may have been one of the hottest days of summer but Nechelle’s place was a flurry of activity. Family and close friends were everywhere either cooking or preparing for the ceremony while Nechelle’s sister’s helped Nechelle get ready for the ceremony inside in the nicely cooled AC controlled home.

If you know Nechelle, she can be quite quirky with her words. At one point during the ceremony, she said something to the effect of, “I feel like smurf hands are all over me”, which cracked everyone up.

Here are some photos of the day.

At Jivan’s place, a similar ceremony was taking place and it was no different. Surrounded by friends and family, the ceremony took place under hot conditions. Regardless, it was fun to be given the opportunity to document the ceremony.  More to come soon.

There is something nice about high school sweethearts who get married. For starters, the stories they tell of their past are always filled with fun memories, from dates sans car to keeping each other it a secret from suspecting parents, all the way to getting caught together. The stories are unique but familiar as we all generally experience something similar. Joanna and Terence are no exception.

Terence is a super cool, easy going guy, and Joanna super sweet with an infectious giggle/laugh. Although their wedding day was the first I have met them, we connected quickly and had a great time helping Joee out on this wedding. Here are some images of the day.
The games were quite unique and unusual….but the guys handled them like champs!!Terence preparing his speech at Liberty Grande

A couple of months ago, I had the opportunity to help out Margaret at one of her weddings. It is where I got to meet Nancy and Daryl who were just awesome to work with. The closeness of family and friends were apparent. Here are some of my favorites.

Flash forward to just a couple of weeks (yes, i used a camera reference in there…pretty clever if I do say so myself)…and it was just part one of their wedding celebration which included a Mehndi and Nikah as well as quick creative session. If there is one thing I walked away learning from this couple after spending time with their family and friends is that they love to party. Everyone danced and danced like no one’s business which was super fun to document and experience. Here are some photos from day one.

Thanks Joee and Lucy for helping me out with Neelofur and Faisal’s wedding!!!

Andrea and Edward got married on Saturday June 25, 2011 and what a ride it was!! Like all my couples, I met with Andrea and Edward a couple of weeks before the wedding to catch up and see how things were going. Everything was in place, it was just the little things here and there. No worries though as they were not only a super prepared and organized couple, they invested in a professional wedding planner so that they would enjoy their special day together.

I remember driving over to Andrea’s parent’s place the day of the wedding with a feeling of anticipation and excitement, the same if not similar type of feeling for a friend’s wedding. If it was not meeting for dim sum, or climbing down into an abyss (i kid, i kid..) in Toberymory, or showing them my latest attempt at making scrambled eggs (i swear i can make eggs..just not as good as Andrea). The culmination of gatherings and communications we have had throughout the year added up to one thing…A great friendship and trust. That’s the only way I can explain it, if I need to explain the feeling I had throughout their wedding day. This was no business transaction, this was a friend documenting another friend’s wedding. This is why I love what I do and why I am doing it.

Totally went off into a tangent there…so as I was saying. I arrived at Andrea’s parent’s place to document her preparations in the morning. Calm as she was, Andrea was sitting for Karen Chen Richardson, who is an amazing make up and hair specialist and all around nice person. They have been up since at least 5am and the house was quite calm. Breakfast was being served constantly as if it were a buffet, bridesmaids were preparing for the madness that was about to be unleashed upon the guys.

As Andrea’s make up session concluded, we heard the arrival of the limo with all the boys. The madness began and Andrea had a front row seat peering through the blinds of her window. I have to say, the girls were quite creative with the games. The little race in heels and other womens garments was new, the grapes and socks….a little gross…hope the guys wore clean socks =P.

I think I have said enough so I will let your eyes do the rest at filling in the day…i’ll chime in here and there. Enjoy…

absolutely love this next photo of Ed getting ready in his parent’s room with old photos on the mirror of his brother and himself.I know that the format of this next image is unorthodox of me, but, I saw no other way to best show off this amazing dress!!

If there was a theme to this wedding it would be “laughter”. Both Andrea and Edward have the most infectious smile and laugh. I love even more that they still make each other laugh.Andrea told me that her parents also got their wedding photos taken at Edward’s Gardens so she gave me this photo and wanted something similar. It appears the bridge has gone through some changes through the years so I wanted to show a “progression”  from her parent’s photo to theirs, so I placed them a little past where her parents were placed and create the image below.

Special thanks goes out to Ron and Lucy who helped me out on Andrea and Ed’s wedding. You guys were awesome!! Be sure to also check out Eugene from Cinematic Wedding’s Same Day Edit HERE

This is definitely and oldie but a goodie. With the interesting weather we’ve been getting here in Toronto, I found it almost fitting that I post a winter wedding documented earlier this year. Kelly and Yvan are a beautiful couple who’s personalities mesh so well together. They both met about 4 years ago on the set of Rock of Ages. At the time, Yvan just came from Quebec and his english needed some polish, the same went for Kelly who’s French was ok but needed some work. It was there that the attraction started. Going on dates and practicing each other’s language as well as performances that sparked a relationship that will last forever.

Fast forward 4 years later in late January. They find themselves at a church surrounded by family and friends alike, exchanging their wedding vows in the language  they were unfamiliar with just 4 years ago, Kelly in french, and Yvan in english. I think that is one of the sweetest things ever! Here are some of my favorites =)

Wawaweewa!!! I can’t believe it’s been nearly month since my last post!!! This one is long overdue. You must remember Jovie and Adrian from one of my more “recent” posts.

It all began at the end of January when I received an email from one of my favorite grooms, yes, I said it…Grooms (find out why here). Nelson sent me an email giving me the skinny on his friend Jovie’s event. Essentially, the event was a baby shower and surprise wedding. What?! yeah…a surprise wedding! Excited about the opportunity to document this unique event, I exchanged a couple of more emails with Jovie to discuss logistics. All this while we were taking turns going out of town.

Now, it was pretty easy going. I have worked with Jovie and Adrian before. Not only are they just really cool and kind individuals, they were well organized, they had to be, after all, they are wedding co-ordinators.

After a couple of weeks of planning, the day finally came. Tons of Jovie and Adrian’s close friends and family flowed into the Milliken Community Centre expecting good food, drinks and fun.  Everything from candy, balloons, to the unique games Jovie and Adrian set up were a hit. At the door, guests were given the option to place a bet on which date they think Jovie will give birth to baby Addison Melia Padua Cajindos, they were ushered into a beer rally with baby bottles and given some word puzzles which hinted at the surprise to come.

I have to say that it was quite an eventful evening. Getting a chance to see Angela and Nelson again was also nice. I would like to thank Ron and Lucy for helping me out, there was so much going on, it would have been hard to just have one photographer document it all.

Happy Wednesday everyone!!!  You have undoubtedly seen my initial Turks and Caicos posts (Part 1, Part 2) back in November.

The day was here, Jonathan and Michelle’s beautiful wedding in the beautiful Turks and Caicos! Contrary to what meteorologists were saying about being on alert for a hurricane, the sun was beaming and there was not a storm cloud in sight. Joee and I started our coverage in Michelle’s MASSIVE suite where we shot a mock episode of MTV cribs!

With some good tunes on the radio, Michelle was getting her hair and make up done. She joked that things were just so much easier for guys. I have to concur =).

On the other side of the resort, Jonathan was getting ready at the spa and yes, things were indeed easier. Jonathan was done in record breaking time and to that, we had some time for some portraits before the much anticipated reveal.

As Jonathan waited for Michelle at the lobby of the Regent Palms Resort, he was going through his giving his vows a last look while recounting his story to me about how they met and got together.

Shortly after, Michelle arrived looking as beautiful as can be. The way they were looking at each other was simply amazing, you could just tell they had a deep connection and were meant to be together.

Here are some of my favorites from the day.

Hope you guys enjoyed the photos. Thanks again Joee for inviting me to help you out on this amazing wedding.

So please welcome Lisa and Gerrard who would be celebrating their 4 month anniversary today!! Happy Anniversary guys!! I had the good fortune to be a part of their special day second shooting for Kevin Lam. This unconventional couple were amazing to work with and super relaxed all day long. They did not have a wedding party and they even helped each other get ready the day of. They are super sweet and just by looking at them, you could tell that they were really into each other. Here are some favorites of the day.

Nelson making some finishing touches to his speechThe boys grab some liquid courage breakfast before they leave for the church.

Any way you slice it, all weddings are different and unique. I always encourage all my couples to consider bringing in something that best represents themselves into the wedding. It is this element that shows the couple’s true selves and personalities to their guests. The feeling would be something along the lines of stumbling across something and immediate think “that is sooo them”. The thing is, that you would not be the only one to draw this conclusion, other friends and family would say the exact same thing. It is that element that makes the wedding so much more special and intimate, to just “know”. Well, Michelle and Stuart accomplished this perfectly, the moment people arrived at Michelle’s parent’s home, they were greeted with home made signage directing them everywhere from the ceremony, food stations, to the washrooms. Used glass jars and tea tins were vessels for beautiful flower arrangements that were scattered around the backyard. Everything felt so warm, thoughtfully laid and just sooo them! What’s more was that this wedding was planned in the ballpark of 6 months which is amazing!! Here are some of my favorites of the day.

Michelle and her bridesmaids had were video chatting with a close friend who unfortunately could not make it to the wedding.

Congrats to Michelle and Stuart, thanks Ron for having me work with you again on this amazing wedding.

Michelle, Jonathan, congratulations!!!!!

I got to meet some of the locals here. I am told that geckos here in Turks and Caicos are the equivalent to the  squirrels back at home.

While scouting, Joee and I ventured out of the resort and found a local restaurant where we had an awesome lunch. 

Michelle looking stunning in her tea ceremony dress.

Michelle’s mom raising the roof! Woot Woot!!

The big day is tomorrow and I can’t wait!!!
Bonne Nuit!!

So here I am in Turks and Caicos to assist Joee with Michelle and Jonathan’s wedding. I must preface by saying that although I have not experienced staying in many resorts, the Regent Palms is AMAZING! From the moment Joee and I checked in, we were greeted by warm and attentive staff as well as a beautiful property and beach, not to mention our pristine room.

After dropping off our baggage we stumbled upon Michelle and Jonathan who took us around the resort. While scouting, we stopped by the resort’s shop and  found that they sold Gatorade; Joee’s magical potion!

Here are some shots of the day. Be sure to check out Joee‘s take on the first day here

Goodnight!

Taking you back in time here to Katherine and David’s wedding that took place at the end of July. Although I have not seen them since last year when I tagged along with Ron for their engagement shoot it was easy catching up again!! Here are a couple of my favorites.

I have not blogged in a while and I know you are all here for the photos than to read my banter, here are some, a crap load of photos from the day.

In regards to Susan and Kevin knowing how to have fun. I really needed to tell you all about their speech. It was the easily the most creative and entertaining bride and groom speeches I have ever experienced. Their speech started out with thanking everyone from family to friends as well as some beautiful words to each other. They then proceeded to tell everyone the story of how they got together. So, if you ever had the pleasure of growing up watching Will Smith in his early years as the Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, you can play the show’s theme song in your head while reading the following. Those who have no clue what I am talking about, refer to this link.

Susan:

So this is a story all about howI got up here in a wedding gown.
So gimme just a minute, don’t lose your curls, I’ll tell you how I became Mrs. Squirrels.

In east Toronto born and raised I got into club downtown at Peter and Adelaide.
At Milwaukee’s where I spent most of my Fridays
We were chilling by the dance floor, acting like fools
When we saw a couple of dudes who were up to no good
We started moving closer to see if they were from the hood
I had one little drink and I started to think
Could this be the key to my missing link?

Kevin:

I whistled for this girl and when she came near
I got a little nervous so I bought another beer
If anything I could say that this girl was rare
She was Chinese and had pretty long hair
So here we are, rapping for you
The story of Kevin Malkamaki and Susan Trieu
I look at my future, I am finally here
Pour me a shot and lets get this party into gear!

In closing I wanted to bring up the importance of having a good team. I was truly blessed to have both Lucy and Spencer with me for Kevin and Susan’s wedding. I would not have been able the day would not have been as smooth and as nicely documented without them. In addition to them, I have to recognize all the other wedding providers as we all as worked together very well to make the day go by so smoothly. Provider list to follow. Susan, Kevin, thank you so much for having us share your special day with you. Congrats again and hope to re-connect soon.

Make up: Jacquie Jeffrey – Make-up Forever
Hairstylist: Sherry-Ann Welch and Mari
DJ/MC: Valentino Siriani and Alex (MC)
Decor/Florist: Julie Chan – Petals
Cinema: Eugene Lo- Cinematic Weddings
Ceremony/Reception Venue: Megan Rosart (very helpful) – The Country Club

I apologize for the lack of posts lately and for that I will provide you with less of mmy ramblings and more eye candy. I am happy to share this wedding with you guys where I got to help out Joee last month. Enjoy and I will be posting more soon!

A few weeks ago, I had the pleasure of assisting Margaret for Bobby and Phuong’s wedding. It was a hot day but we managed simply because they were so fun to work with. I had been to the Shangri La on many occasions before but this would be my first for a full wedding, ceremony and all. You would not have guessed it but this venue is quite surprising. The staff were great and the ceremony location was nicely decorated. As with many couples, I was curious as to how Bobby and Phuong actually met. All I know was that Phuong worked at a men’s clothing store. It was not until I saw a familiar face that I knew exactly where she worked and I couple piece together their story. The familiar face was a gentleman by the name of Tom from Tom’s Place! What was significant about this to me is that is where I bought my first suit. I have seen him here and there and other events I shoot but it was nice to see him at a wedding. In any case, here are some of my favorites.

I had a lot of fun documenting Angela and Ryan’s big day. When I arrived at Angela’s place the house was buzzing with activity, but not in a panic mode kind of way. There was just a lot to get done but in an organized fashion. Angela had a gorgeous dress with plenty of little details.  Here are more photos of the day.

Clair has got to be one of the cuttest flower girls ever!!! When I arrived at the church, all I saw was this cute flower girl waving her basket back and forth as she waited patiently for Angela. When Angela arrived, she jetted over into Angela’s arms and said, “you look very pretty”. The cuteness just kills me.

Now here is something you don’t see at every wedding. Before the ceremony started, there was a slide show running showcasing photos of the two of them and their travels. Most of which are self portraits. Well, right before they walked down the aisle as husband and wife, Ryan reaches into his pocket and takes out his point and shoot to take the first self portrait of himself and Angela together. The first photo of themselves as husband and wife.

I had a lot of fun helping Kevin Lam document Joyce and Bobby’s wedding earlier last month. When I arrived at Bobby’s getting ready location, I was greeted by his warm family and friends. Although excited for the day Bobby’s friends and family enjoyed laughs and stories of how they all got together with me. I love when couples open up to me and let me see and experience more their dynamic as it is always interesting and keeps things fresh. Here are some favorites of the day.

Guys are always so funny. Don’t get me wrong, I love documenting the bride getting ready on their wedding day, but on the occasions where I help another photographer out and I have the pleasure of photographing the guys, I am often entertained by the guys just joking around. It is a totally different pace and it’s safe to say that the guys have it easy. Last month I helped Joee out documenting Erin and Jame’s big day. I was assigned to cover James’ prep in the morning. Once I arrived at the location, I was greeted by the guys who were just chilling out with some beers and waiting for a pizza to arrive. With the TV playing a soccer match in the background the guys were joking around freely, recounting stories of their friendship. It was so nice to be there and listen to the plethora experiences these friends have had over the years; some good, some bad, mostly hilarious! I got to learn about their dynamic and it’s nice to be able to experience that level of trust/comfort.  Here are some of my favorites of the day.

James received a wedding gift from Erin which was nice. It was apparently sitting in their basement for quite some time and he managed to remain disciplined enough not o take a peak until the wedding day. As he tore away the wrapping paper he got the sign of approval from the guys. “she’s a keeper” one of them said. All this, before he even looked at what it was that Erin got him. He jokingly said that he felt bad for what he got Erin was no where near as thoughtful as the Yzerman jersey he had just received. I found the remark kind of cute.

Congrats guys!!

On a side note, it was so nice to bump into Sonya and Luc at the wedding! I love bumping into past couples, even if in this case, they were not my couple, you still get to develop a friendship which is awesome!

Happy monday!!

Not sure if I mentioned this but Margaret is a teacher with some amazing students. As a surprise, her students showed up to performed as the choir for her ceremony. At this point I was inside the church getting ready for her entrance while Lucy stayed with Margaret, so this next part is Lucy retelling the story to me to the best of her memory. When Margaret got out of the limo, she heard children singing to which she said something to the effect of “Who’s singing?! Are those my kids?! Oh my goodness.” She was completely surprised and overwhelmed with joy. That is when Lucy took the following photo of Margaret realizing it was her kids singing.

Margaret smiling at her choir kids.

For this next image, I wanted to write something about the importance of having a second photographer, who is able to see from a different perspective and make images that compliment ones of the primary photographer. I was lucky to have Lucy with me for Margaret and Tamer’s wedding and this is just one of the many instances where the images from two different people compliment each other. I created the image on the left wanting a more intimate image of the couple. Lucy on the other hand wanted to make use of the beautiful architecture behind the couple. These two images were taken nano seconds apart and yet give such a different feel.

Congrats Margaret and Tamer, have fun on your honeymoon!

Gotta be one of my favorite shots. Traditionally speaking, my favorite photo should be a shot of the couple in glorious light that speaks volumes, but I love the look on Elton’s face when his best man grabs him and is ready to pucker up in order to win the challenge. Just by looking at his face you can already conjure up what’s going on in his mind. Congrats again Carmen and Elton!!!

It was about 3 months since I last saw Rachell and Jim for their engagement shoot. I was excited for their wedding day which promised to be just as fun and exciting sans the cold. I began my day at Rachell’s hotel where she and her girls were getting ready. I snuck in some time to take some photos of her dress and shoes which looked fabulous. Check it out.

We then found ourselved at the quaint little church at  The Doctor’s House in Kelinberg for the cermony. The church was filled to capacity with Rachell and Jim’s family and friends.

Woohoo Mr and Ms Bui!!! After the quick ceremony, we took off for some portraits and I gotta tell you that we could not have asked for better weather and light. These are just some of my favorites.

Because I know Rachell and Jim were heading straight to their honeymoon the next day, I wanted to give them a sneak peak of their day which they enjoyed very much. I need to send a special thank you to Ron and Lucy who helped me out through the day. Could not have done it without you guys. Thanks. Rachell, Jim, thank you sooo much for sharing your special day with us! Congrats!

Wow, it’s been almost a year since I photographed Jessica and Eric’s engagement and now I am posting their wedding! I was honored and happy to have the opportunity to be a part of Jess’ wedding. There was quite a bit of shooting but a lot of hanging out and catching up here and there. Before I continue I have to thank Ron and Lucy for helping me out for this wedding, I really could not have done it without them, thanks!

I have known Jess since university and although she later changed schools, we managed to keep in touch and catch up from time to time which is always nice. Jess is a very creative individual who is down to earth and super nice. With that, here are some of my favorites of the day.

Jessica does not use make up on a daily basis, I remember joking with her on her wedding day saying that this was the first time I have seen her with make up and I was happy to see that she kept everything quite subtle and above all natural. Totally her.

Eric and his boys arrived shortly and were going to be given a hard time. Eric actually thought that he could bypass the games by sneaking through the garage as he knew the pin code but the bridesmaids were all over it that and had the place locked down!

simple but definitely one of my favorites of Jess.

Congrats Jessica and Eric!!!

more to come soon. in the meantime check out Joee’s sneak peak here

The ceremony was held at the Museum of Vancouver, which was a beautiful venue with nice light. I really wish we had better weather conditions but we managed to squeeze in a few creatives at the Vancouver Convention Centre, Stanley Park and Granville Island where the  reception was to be held.

Leon, Gigi, thanks for having me out to help you guys for Helen and Enoch’s wedding, I had a blast with them and hanging out with you guys.

Here are some of my favorites. Be sure to also check out Leon’s pics of the day.

The above is one of my favorites. I love the moment Helen had with her mum when she was being given away by her dad.

This is one of my favorites. Leon and I were getting ready for our next shot, we left Helen and Enoch for two seconds and when we looked up, they were both mesmerized by the rolling ball sculpture nearby. They were like children in a candy shop.

I really like this shot of Lydia’s mom watching while the bridesmaids help with the dress.

In comes Jamie who will be seeing his bride for the first time today.

I think it was safe to say that Jamie was speechless when he opened the door and saw Lydia in her wedding dress. If I remembered correctly, the first things that came out of his mouth was “You….You are beautiful!”

Gorgeous!

The ceremony was held at the Old Mill Chapel and although dark, I liked it a lot. The lighting was somewhat dramatic and I just liked the character of the space.

Going back in time a little here. Earlier this year, I had the chance to second shoot for Sandy Tam at Sonya and Luc’s wedding. Like many Italian weddings, the house was buzzing with activity and this was the groom’s house. Regardless, guys will be guys and amidst the craziness that is the morning of the wedding, Luc and his boys were cool, calm and relaxed. Especially since they had a few shots of some, we’ll call it, “juice” with everyone at the house. Here are some of my favorites.

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Here we go Greece part trois!! October 8, 2009 was the big day and the guys and girls went off for breakfast at their respective locations. The day started out like the rest, full of smiles, laughter and anticipation. Let’s start with the girls…

I know I said that I was going to start off with the girls but Vince had to be in the shot. He was after all the hairstylist! I remember Joee and I joking about how we never got to see Vince so serious until he was working his craft. Needless to say Michelle’s hair was beautiful!

When I reached Vince’s room, this is what I saw….he’s such a joker!!

What a breath taking view huh!?

Alright, so Parti numero deux for Greece (part one here)! This one’s a big one so bear with me. Like every morning while in Santorini, I got up early to do some exploring, this was the time to catch beautiful light, it was also the time where the tourists and locals alike were not out and about yet.

This island across from the one we were staying at was part of the landscape. More on this later though…

I later joined the boys for breakfast which is always good times. We later on attended the wedding rehearsal which was a good opportunity for Joee and I to scope out the area and the light as it was located in a different part of the island.

I loved observing Michelle and Vince. It was never a dull moment, they would always make each other smile and burst out in laughter, they are so goofy and cute together, as a result it was not hard to photograph them just being them.

Shortly after, we found ourselves on the Thalassa, which was a beautiful ship headed to explore the surrounding areas. What Joee and I did not know however was this…you remember the island that I photographed at the beginning of the post? Well, it turns out it was a volcano! The Thalassa docked at the base of the volcano. From there we were guided on what felt like a two hour uphill hike (i kid, 45min) on rugged terrain, and the sun beating down on us to the rim of the volcano’s crater. I must say, the view was worth it.

After scaling the volcano, the ship took the group to the hot springs where the group took turns jumping off the Thalassa into warm volcanic waters

Near the end of the cruise, we had a chance to enjoy the beautiful sun set. It was the perfect way to end the evening the day before Michelle and Vince’s big day.

to be continued…

It’s been nearly a month since I last blogged. YIKES!! Since my last entry, I have been spending a lot of time working as well as just spending more time with family and close friends. I trust all of your holidays were well and that everyone is back into the swing of things. Before I begin my foray back into the blogosphere, I wanted to talk about the importance of keeping in touch. You may jump to the photos below as this is one of those babbling on posts =P

Every year, I make a list like many do. I took a hard look at my list for 2009 and you know what? I did not make it out to the gym at least once a week, nor am I a White House photographer (not yet), but rather than focusing on where I came short, I found that I accomplish a lot. I exceeded some personal goals, I got things done around the house, I even created (now perfecting) my work flow. All this was great, but the one thing that I was most proud of was that I was able to make some time to re-connect with some old friends I have made along the way. It’s always way too easy/convenient to just live our lives, we seldom take the time to just chat and touch base. This is important to me because I value all my relationships with people. They help me do better, they help me be better and heck, it just fun to catch up. I do have a point to all of this, although it played out better in my mind. The re-connecting/staying in touch reminded me about my recent trip to Greece. I was there to help Joee out for Michelle and Vince’s wedding. I like Joee found myself packing like mad a day after Roselle and Stephen’s wedding.  I left on the Monday morning, armed with my Boda bag and Think Tank Airport Takeoff loaded with all my gear. Two layovers, a myriad of security checks and 3 planes later, I was greeted by amazingly warm weather in Santorini Greece! Here’s a photo break…

Joee and I spent the day getting the lay of the land and exploring the island. We were later invited to have dinner with Michelle, Vince and the rest of the gang. Over copious amounts of wine, beer and what seemed to be an endless supply of Ouzo I learned that everyone has known each other since high school and that they were all really close. They shared stories and had their own inside jokes, yet they were all very accommodating and made me feel like part of the group. I know how easy it is to have life get in the way of keeping in touch, they all gave me advice and stories about how they stick together and there is no way to articulate it other than it was nice. Enjoy the rest of the photos, there is definitely more to come.

Be sure to check out Joee‘s take on it here.

On October 3, 2009, I had another wonderful opportunity to document a wedding with Joee. I chose to process most of these in black in white as it changes the mood and the overall feel of the image, mind you, I did not convert everything to black and white, some things just look better in colour.

Had to show the colour version of this, i love the colours changing in the trees.

It was amazing how relaxed and comfortable Jacklyn and Kay were on their wedding day. All they did was laugh with friends and enjoyed each other. This made them a super easy couple to work with and gave me the opportunity to make the following images. Congrats guys.

This has got to be one of my favorite shoe shots of the year. Usually, people dismiss these little details here and there, however that these little details help tell the the story of the bride and groom’s special day. Besides, there was no way I would miss an opportunity to photograph a pair of amazingly unique Alexander McQueen shoes. My friends can attest to the fact that what I am about to say is not in my vocabulary, but these shoes were hot!!

Hmm….what to chose, a phantom black Audi R8 or the vibrant red Porsche 911 turbo?

The 911 it is!

Happy Monday! I wanted to start this post with an image that is not a ring shot this time around. Keren and Matt were an amazing couple to work with and I am so glad to have gotten the opportunity to meet them when I was helping Ron document their special day. These two were just soooo into each other, they looked great, their laugh was infectious and they just acted as though the camera was not around. This combined with glorious light did not make it hard to take good photos. Here are just some of my favorites from the wedding.

Look at the rock on this thing!!!!  On August 29, 2009, I had the pleasure to document Linda and Raja’s special day with Claudia Hung. This fusion wedding was comprised of multiple dates and ceremonies, that Joee and Claudia collaborated, however, Joee was booked for the Saturday coverage so I was on team Claudia for the day which was an awesome experience. I love working with other photographers as it gives me a chance to be exposed to different styles.

The day began with the couple getting ready at Le Méridien King Edward Hotel in downtown Toronto. This is also where a quick tea ceremony took place. We then took advantage of the amazing weather we had outside for some creatives. followed by a beautiful reception at the Markham Event Centre. Here are some photos of the day.

Ok, so…funny story about the image above as I usually do not photograph grooms adjusting their pants. Raja was getting dressed in the traditional chinese outfit for the tea ceremony. The outfit was essentially a one piece “robe” with a vest on top. What Raja did not know was that the “robe” can be worn on top of regular clothing. With his legs semi-exposed, everyone had a good laugh to which he responded by putting on some pants.

Before going into the hall, Joee told me that his good friend Sylvia did a great job with the decor and centerpieces. Boy was he right, the details and centerpiece was awesome!!

Hey all, this wedding is coming to you a little on the late side and I apologize profusely. I had the pleasure to tag along with Joee to shoot Nadia and Zane’s beautiful Greek wedding which took place on August 23, 2009. I am so glad I had the opportunity to be a part of this wedding as it was interesting being exposed to different cultures and traditions, from the ceremony’s Isaiah dance and Crowns to the Kaslamantiano dance at the reception, congrats again guys! Here are just a couple of my favorites of the day.

Hello World!!! I am back to blogging after a little hiatus…Well, not really, work has been quite busy and I have not had a minute to sit down to edit and blog, however I can promise you that I have a lot of great stuff coming down the pipe!  Now, Christine and Doron’s wedding!! You may remember them from their engagement shoot at the Brickworks. Well, this fun and fashionable couple got married at Cullen Gardens early last month (September 5, 2009) and it was a blast. Here’s a peek at the day.

I love Doron’s reaction when he first saw Christine…he was in awe!

Had a chance to tag along with Claudia Hung again, this time for Susey and Vince’s wedding which took place at Niagara on the Lake’s, Cave Spring Winery on August 22, 2009. I quickly found out that both Susey and Vince were just an easy going and fun couple to work with, which always help with getting awesome photos. Here are some of my favorites.

I mentioned this before, shooting with other photographers offer challenges and different working experiences. Expectations are different and I generally take less photos when tagging along a new photographer simply because I want to observe their unique shooting style and they interact with the couple to accomplish their shots. Tagging along with Claudia Hung was no different as I got to experience a new shooting style and gained a little bit of insight.

Christine and Jean Paul got married on August 15, 2009, they are one of the nicest and easiest couples to work with, it was not hard to see that they were really in love and were not afraid of showing it on camera.

Moments, I try to capture moments like these because I feel that there is a level of intimacy that translates in the image, Jean Paul is posing with his mum for a photo and Jean Paul’s dad is looking with this smile of happiness. I am thinking, he looking at how far his son has come and how proud he is of the man he has become, or he could be just looking at him…fine…I think too much.

The wedding party was rather large but awesome to work with simply because they had chemistry.

This was the beginning Christine and Jean Paul’s introduction. The wedding party ran into the hall with glow sticks rocking it Black Eyed Peas, I Gotta Feeling (arguably the song of the summer of 2009).

Chrstine and Jean Paul walked through the tunnel of love still rocking it to the Black Eye Peas song. The guests were then ordered to the dance floor to dance with the couple. The everyone’s energy was amazing, the dance floor pretty much exploded with people having an awesome time.

By far one of the most energetic entrances ever!

On a side note, August 15, 2009 was not only Christine and Jean Paul’s special day, but they took the time to celebrate Chrisine’s grand father’s birthday. I am inclined to say he as 90 years old…but I am not sure. All I remember was that he was so happy and surprised that they took the time and effort to recognize his birthday. He was just soo happy, I swear he wanted to cry. It was really quite touching.

I am going leave you with one of my favorites of the night and it was Christine’s dance with her father. I just love the overall mood.

Janet and Tony got hitched on August 7, 2009 and I had the pleasure to assist Joee once again! When I arrived at Tony’s place, the guys were doing what guys do on any wedding day. Hanging out and waiting till the last minute…hehehe. Common, guys need ten minutes max to get ready, five of which used to figuring out how to fold a pocket square (see blow)!! This is the first time I met Tony and I found him to be such a calm, relaxed and composed guy. Great to photograph and just an all round cool guy.

So, funny thing happened to Joee.  Look at the photo below…what are Janet and Tony ducking for cover from? There was a sea of pigeons  that got scared while taking photos at Osgoode Hall, I was praying for no poop on the dress  or myself but instead, one of the pigeons hit Joee in the head. What are the odds?!?! Luckily, all was fine.

After the pigeon incident, I had an incident of my own…as we photographed Janet and Tony crossing the street, I fumbled my camera like a football and it dropped on the street. Everything happened in slow motion and in my head the noises created by traffic and pedestrians in downtown Toronto were replaced with my voice yelling “Noooooo….”. Thankfully it that part was all in my head, although the sound of my camera dropping on the pavement was loud enough that Joee, Janet and Tony, among other passers-by noticed. I causally picked it up and kept shooting. Keep calm and carry on is the only thing I did. Thankfully these things are build like tanks otherwise, I would busted out the backup gear. Phew…alright..enough of my drama, enjoy the rest of the photos.

Congrats guys!!!!

As Joy was getting into her dress, a couple of her brides maids were cookin’ up something nasty in the kitchen for the guys. I was curious and took a whiff of it and it was vile!!! 1 part V8 4 parts Tabasco!!! *shivers*

Guess who got the lucky tabasco cup….way to take one for the team!

Joy, Luke, you guys are great, congrats again! Going to leave you with the final photo taken of the night…from left to right, Ronald, Joy, Luke, moi, Lucy.

And I leave you with this last photo of Stella and Peter enjoying the wicked slideshow Kevin Lam put together of their special day. Congrats guys!!!

Congratulations guys!!

Furthermore, I was reminded of the importance of an engagement shoot. Because I was shooting this on behalf of Margaret, I did not have the luxury of really getting to know Erin and Jeff and how they would react in front of my camera. We had to try a few things and learned about each other on the fly which was challenging, but I think I did succeed in the end as they were comfortable with me and were willing to just do what I asked…within reason of course. This is so important  to getting great pictures. In any case, I was blessed with great weather, Lucy to assist me and of course, a great couple to work with. Congrats Erin and Jeff, thank you for letting me share your special day with you. Here are a couple of my favorites.

Last Saturday, I had the pleasure to assist Joee at Victoria and Timothy’s wedding. I quickly learned that the wedding party were all jokers and close friends since high school which was nice to see. They were such a tight group, all looking after each other and supporting Victoria and Timothy on their special day.

Rings…Check. Tie..Check. Make-up…umm….Check.

I am cring looking at this photo. The girls certainly did not make it easy on Tim. However, Tim did not even make a sound when the guys ripped the strip off. What a trooper!!

The reception took place at the Richmond Hill Country Club and it was beautifully decorated!

The wedding party enjoying Joee’s surprise slideshow. This was an awesome wedding to document, not only did we just feel Victoria and Timothy’s love, but their friendship and bond with the wedding party. You guys are great! Congrats!

Rain rain go away was the only thing I was thinking about as it rained on and off throughout the day last Saturday, June 20. This however did not seem to bother Christine and Darin on their most important day.

Being able to document a couple’s wedding is pretty amazing. One of the feelings I like and keeps me going at a wedding is being able to feel the energy/love the couple has for one another. To me, I look for the way the couple looks at each other. In this case, Darin was having his portrait taken by Eugene and Christine just stated at Darin. It’s sappy but if this ain’t love, I don’t know what it is.

Not sure if anyone noticed but the majority of these photos were processed differently. I am constantly experimenting and I can only think that this is a good thing as a photographer’s style should always evolve and grow. What do you think about it? Is there much difference?

Congrats to Chrstine and Darin.

People asked me if it was weird being a part of Hilda and Ryan’s special day as one of their photographers. I don’t think so, if anything it helped a lot as the day was filled with catching up, laughter and fun. Here are some of my favorites of the day. Congratulations Hilda and Ryan!!
Isn’t that a gorgeous Channel-set ring from Tiffany & Co. (for those of you who do not know what the rings are resting on, it’s an it was an ice cubeThe girls sure had some pretty crazy door games planned.The day was beautiful and sunny. Perfect for the outdoor ceremony at the Angus Glenn Golf Club.The following mini set is my favorite from the wedding. Don’t they look so good together?!

Ron graciously gave me some time with Amy and I was able to find some beautiful light to photograph her in.

I have been trying to shoot more in portrait to mix things up a bit, but for this particular shot, I did not know which to pick as they both give a different feel to the image. Que pensez-vous?

Why might you ask? There was just something intangible about this wedding that wowed me!  I think that I managed to distill this feeling and be able to articulate it in this post…keyword…think. This feeling really came down to the the culmination of people who work well together, each of which had a genuine interest and care for each other. It’s a little broad but I just I felt like I belonged there even if this was the first time I met Christina and Leslie, they treated me like their own.

It is for this reason that I cannot stress enough to future brides that picking a wedding photographer is more than just appreciating a photographer’s art, but rather how well the couple and photographer work and communicate together. I mean when you think about it, of all the vendors contributing to your special day, the one you will be spending the most time with is your wedding photographer. As a result, would you not want your photographer to be someone who you would genuinely want to hang out with? Someone you can joke around and have fun with, all the while getting great images from your special day? This is the type of relationship I would strive to cultivate with my brides and grooms in order to get great images.

It feels like a long time coming but I am slowly developing my style. I have a great deal more to learn and I am grateful for all the photographers who have given me the opportunity to shoot and learn by their side. Special thanks goes to Joee who is a great friend and mentor, Ron who without him I would probably not be a photographer, Kevin for the constant support and help,  Margaret for taking a chance on me and of course, my family and friends. Thank you all.

Enough, rambling…onward to the photos! The day started out at the Hilton Suites in Markham, we then proceeded to the The Country Club in Woodbridge and the reception was held at the Paramount.

Ha ha…the above photo are cue cards from the maid of honor’s speech which were written in english but to be spoken in chinese. This is exactly how I got through all my years at chinese school.

I can say that I have been to quite a few weddings but never have I seen this contraption that Joee is holding. Nope, it’s not photography related, it’s apparently an old school steamer.

This boy was the cutest. His name was Luca and when I told him to smile for me, the closed his eye and said out loud “CHEEEEEEEESSSSSE!!”

The ceremony took place at the Immaculate Heart of Mary Church in Stoney Creek. It was newly built church, I believe only a couple of years old, regardless, it was beautifully lit.

This is one of my favorites of this wedding. The two gentlemen overseeing the cocktail reception was the father of the bride and father of the groom.

The reception hall was beautifully decorated by the people from the Burlington Convention Centre which is where the reception took place.

Last month, March 25, 2009 to be exact, Jennifer and Andrew tied the knot and I had the privilege to follow Margaret in documenting their wedding day.  They were such an easy couple to work with, it also helped that Andrew was such a joker! It was nothing but laughs all day…it was a shame I had another shoot to go to so I only stayed part way through the creatives which took place at Main Street Unionville.

The day began at the Hilton Suites in Markham where Jennifer and her bridesmaids were getting ready. Check out Jennifer’s beautiful dress and bouquet!

Does Jennifer not look stunning?!?

Jennifer’s dad seeing her beautiful daughter before they walk down the isle together. The Trinity Presbyterian Church was awesome…Nothing like your typical church where it’s generally dark, no no…there was beautiful light coming through the windows. Andrew was such a joker. Margaret and I asked him to get a little sexy and kiss Jennifer on the neck…instead he took a nap.there we go!!!

Good Morning everyone!!!

I usually don’t post the day after…but I had the privilege to tag along with Joee and Eugene yesterday for Christina and Leslie’s wedding which was a whole lot of awesomeness (yes..I know that is not a word). I can’t really describe why though. I think it was one part, all the vendors worked in concert together to make this wedding run perfectly, another part Christina and Leslie were just so full of energy, and of course because they got the dream team Joee and Eugene behind the cameras…and myself of course (yes i am tooting my own horn..it’s my blog after all)

There were a lot of things that made this wedding great to me and it was not just the photos;  more importantly, this wedding served as a reminder to me as to why I want to pursue wedding photography.

I stayed up till 2am sorting pictures but needed to crash before I could post any up, but this is a photo blog after all and what good is it without any photos? So the above photo is one of my favorites of the Christina and Leslie’s special day. More to come soon..have a great long weekend people!

Check out Stefanny’s wedding dress, isn’t this just stunning? I met Stefanny and Brian a couple months ago. They had an awesome destination wedding in St.Thomas and booked an equally awesome photographer,  Kevin Lam, to document their wedding. (Check out his photos here)

When they came back to Toronto, they wanted to put together a reception for friends and family who could not make the trip to the Caribbean islands and they commissioned me to document this portion of their union.

One of the bridesmaids getting make up done.

So recently I commented on what a cool cake Liz and Brian had for their wedding (image here). Well, after attending Stefanny and Brian’s wedding, I think their cake, takes the….uhh..umm…Cake. Elaine Yip of Elaine’s Cake Boutique, wanted to design a cake that meant something to Stefanny and Brian, that way it’s not just a cake for cake sake. So she drew her inspiration on the fact that Stefanny and Brian had a destination wedding, and that they travel a lot for work and play. As such the luggage cake was created.

who says pure white backgrounds are played out? I love this shot..and what’s best…it’s all natural light!

A Chinese wedding would not be complete without door games of course. Rob and his groomsmen had to come up with a love song for Jenah on the spot. Just around the corner, Jenah was listening in.

Check it out! They even had a movie poster which resembled the real movie poster, it was all made from scratch.

This is one my my favorite images of the night, there is really no technical sophistication to it, but rather the moment. Jenah and Rob had just finished entertaining everyone by playing the famous “Shoe Game” also known as “The Wedding Test” which involves both the Bride and Groom’s shoes. When the game was over, Rob helped Jenah put her shoes back on. I don’t know about you…but I think this depicts  how sweet and considerate this couple is.

For more pictures, check out Joee and Kevin Lam’s blog.

Reliving Marie and Patrick’s wedding through my photos was nice. It reminded me the importance of working with the right people. I have never met Marie and Patrick before and yet, when I show up on their what is probably one of their most important days of their lives, they treated me like thier own. I was privellaged to be able to set a couple of shots of my own and they trusted me with whatever I asked of them photographically. This trust transcended through the photos and as a result this has got to be the best wedding I have ever had the pleasure to photograph, even if I was just tagging along. this is my favorite image of the day.

On March 21, 2009, I had the pleasure to document Liz and Brian’s wedding along with Margaret and Lucy. Seeing that is was still cold in March I was really looking forward to this wedding because we were to shoot in a greenhouse! That way we would avoid the gloomy cold and grey weather.

The ceremony took place at the Queensway Cathederal which did not look like a church at all. The place was massive with multiple tier seating…it looked like a perfect place for a production! Congrats Liz and Brian!

Woohoo!! I have never seen a water fountain in the middle of a wedding cake but isn’t this the coolest thing!!! ( i think so….look at the kool-aid go!)Ok, so this shot has the videographer’s tripod in it and yes,  I took this photo intentionally. At the time…even when I am looking at it now, this perspective gives the photo a little more dimension and a sense of space to it. The shot below is the exact same with a tighter crop to avoid the tripod and although nice…I think the one above gives it a more photo journalistic feel…is it just me?

Two weeks ago, I had the pleasure to shoot along side Joee and Eugene at April and Glenn’s wedding. It was the first wedding of the season and the weather could not be more perfect. Again, I ideally wanted to finish posting all my 2008 work before posting current ones but this is still fresh and don’t want to keep you waiting so…enjoy!

after the ceremony, we were off to the Humber Bay Bridges which is an awesome location to shoot. Especially because the weather was so nice.

I personally love the shot of the Humber Bay Bridge. I am inclined to go back and make a series and print it out. As a photographer, one is always being challenged by the environment in which they are shooting. It could be lighting, it could be weird backgrounds. To overcome these challenges you just need to be constantly aware of your surroundings and how you can use them to get a different point of view. Joee, being the creative photographer he is scaled this massive rock, trust me, it’s bigger in person, to get the following shot below.

Of course no wedding would be complete without the rings! At the end of the night, Joee wanted to give the new couple a little surprise. During the reception, he uploaded a sample of the day’s photos edited and whipped up a slideshow for April and Glenn. I saw how hard he was working but seeing how happy April looked when viewing the slideshow, I knew that it was worth the effort. Congrats April and Glenn!

Steve loved how Claire looked and just had to take a photo for himself.Family and bridal photos were taken at a park in King West area. Funny how one of the groomsmen started shaving in the middle of the park.are they not beautiful together?!

I figured the bride always has some awesome detail/accessory shots and the groom generally does not have much, but why not? Check out these slick looking cuffs and watch Jeremy had.

Something a little different. I always wanted to try the shot above and because I had more time with the wedding party we gave it a go!Going through the photos from Jessica and Jeremy’s wedding, I noticed that I had a bunch of ring shots. The day was  beautiful so how could I not take advantage of the natural light, blooming flowers and not the mention the beautiful rings!  This may be weird but I actually like doing ring shots when time permits. It’s a chance to be a little more creative and use my surroundings to come up with something great…it’s also because I like shiny things.and to finish…the happy couple!

Ok, so I have been frantically trying to post photos from all the weddings I assisted with in hopes to catch up with real time, but there was just so much to go through and so little time. However, I did want to post something that was current! I just got back from my first wedding assist of 2009. I was tagging along with Joee and Eugene as third shooter and I had a lot of fun. This was a great wedding to start the season. I will have more to come, in the meantime, be sure to check out Joes’s site for the official photos!

i personally love above pairing. the first one was taken when it was Susan’s turn to say her vows while her mother was tearing.
yes, this is a blurry photo but i wanted to post it because i thought it was kinda funny. As I mentioned before, the weather was quite erratic and unpredictable. Ron and I just set up the bridal party photo with two golf carts in the background. After one shot, it started to pour! The groomsmen hopped on the golf carts while the brides maids just started running back to find cover from the rain.is this not a cute looking cake?

these photos were taken at Parkwood Estates in Oshawa, Ontario. Although the name might not ring a bell, the estate was used as a mansion in the Adam Sandler’s classic 1995 movie, Billy Madison.i love when the wedding party is easy going. it was stop and go rain non stop this day. However, we were lucky enough to find an unbrella to cover everyone!

this was one of my favorites of this wedding. This was their “first meet”. Scott looked so happy to see Shawna. On a technical note, is the black and white too harsh? I am on the fence about this one. What do you think?

Firstly we have Crystal and Joeseph! Who got married on July 19, 2008. After the ceremony, we went to Scarborough’s Guildwood Park which was an amazing location for photos.  It was a beautiful day and I remember that there were at least 5 other brides present at the park for photos. I strongly recommend any bride to check it out as a possible location for photos with family and wedding party, more info here.

Here’s best part, as we were leaving the location, there was another bride who arrived in beautiful vintage Rolls Royce. Margaret and I thought it would be awesome if we could use the car for a couple of photos so I kindly asked the bride and groom if we could borrow the vehicle to make Crystal and Joe’s day even more special. The result is as follows…

to be conotinued…

Because the weather was a little iffy, the lobby of the hotel lended itself to some nice photos.

I always love looking at these photos. It reminds me how happy the bride is to be among family and friends.

although I Deirdre and Rob were looking at Margaret for this photo, I liked the framing of my shot.

love this photo because of the way Deirdre is looking at Rob. If I was to add a caption it would be. “You are amazing.”

She was easy to talk to and fun by nature. She was very much open to the idea of having me come out and shadow her at weddings to get a feel for them. I was grateful for her help and have been tagging along with her on many weddings that season. The first time we shot together was on June 21, 2008. Shayne and Daniel’s wedding which took place at the lovely One King West. I was not sure if it was ok that I shoot along or if I was there as an observer only but I did bring my camera along just in case. It was nice to watch Margaret work, she’s great with people and even made sure that I got some shooting done.

Chad is a firefighter and so obviously, the wedding would not be complete with an appearance of a firetruck!

Here we go…

May 7, 2007 – Sophia and Han’s Wedding Reception