We’re thrilled that our first fashion editorial was published in the latest issue of the Wedding Ring Magazine! Special thanks to Sonia Ryan Makeup Artistry for organizing & styling the shoot, Petrov Bridal for the stunning gowns and Hotel Metro for an amazing shooting location!

- Heather

Whenever one of my friends gets engaged, I immediately panic – will I be able to attend? Will it be on a date that I’m already booked? Emillie is one of my oldest friends and the second she told me that she was engaged I crossed my fingers and toes that I’d be able to attend the wedding! She told me that it was important to her that I be a guest, but with Lindsay already booked around the dates she was considering I couldn’t imagine anyone else taking the photos on her wedding day! We made a deal – I’d photograph during the day and turn into a guest at night. The date she picked happened to be my & Eric’s anniversary and we were thrilled to get to spend our anniversary together dancing the night away!

Even as a “guest” it’s hard to turn off photographer brain – right when we sat down to dinner crazy dark clouds rolled in and after a torrential downpour the sky turned an amazing shade of orange. We ran outside and took some amazing, impromptu photos – I think Emillie will be laughing for years to come at the image of me laying down in the mud in my party dress determined to get those epic shots! Congrats Emillie & Damian – you’re an amazing couple and I couldn’t be happier for the two of you!

- Heather (London Ontario Wedding Photographer)

ps. If you missed the post, this wedding is also featured in the current issue of Wedding Bells Magazine!

Describe the vision/theme you had for your wedding in 5 words or less: outdoors, local, sustainable, cute, fun, car-free!

What are you favorite memories of your wedding day?
Seeing my dad in his suit and Harry Potter tie, seeing my (now) husband in his suit and tie (!!)  dinner, dancing, the overall cuteness of everything, Heather lying in the mud taking photos!

Best wedding related decision:  to have the wedding outdoors at the pioneer village, and to choose the caterer we really wanted

Favourite detail:  The homemade bunting and confetti, the vegan gluten-free cupcakes, the fun photo booth, my girls, and by best buddy Damian

Advice for future brides & grooms:  make sure you get what YOU want!

Would you change anything if you could do it all over again? I would hire somebody to take everything down afterwards!

Best surprise of the day:  finding out that my mom was driving me AND the kegs of beer to the wedding, my little brother crying ALL day haha

Favorite HRM picture from the day (and why?): the photo of Damian picking me up in the rain: I love that it’s blurry because he picked me up spontaneously it looks like a piece of art. I also love ALL of the photobooth photos more than anything!

VENDORS: Ceremony & Reception Location: Fanshawe Pioneer Village | Officiant: Patti Lofgren of Kettle Creek Weddings | Cupcake: Shotgun Cafe, Toronto ON | Dress:  JCrew |
Day of coordinator: Jennifer Eaves at Blissful Bookings | Flowers: The Flower Lady | Decorations: me and my girlfriends! | Hair/Makeup: Ashley Brewer of the Proudest Pony in Toronto |
Caterer: Blackfriars Bistro and Caterer | DJ: Damian and his Macbook! | Violinist: James Enns, my brother!

WEDDING SONGS:  I don’t remember because my little brother picked them out and played them!

Favorite HRM picture from the day (and why?): the photo of Damian picking me up in the rain: I love that it’s blurry because he picked me up spontaneously it looks like a piece of art.

The reactions I got from the bridesmaids when I showed them the epic rain photos above was priceless!

- Heather

The Toronto Brickworks is my new favorite spot for engagement photos! Michelle and Steve are a great couple – just wait until you see their stunning wedding day pictures at the Distillery District! As I’m sure you can tell from these engagement photos Michelle was a very glamorous bride!!!

- Lindsay

Engagement photos taken in Port Stanley always turn out great! I’m looking forward to photographing this sweet couple’s wedding this summer!

- Heather (Port Stanley Engagement Photography)

Happy New  Year to all our blog readers!  What better way to start off the New Year with one of our favorite sessions from last year – Helen & Kevin’s day after session. It was important to Helen to have some photos with her beloved horse, but logistically just didn’t make sense on the wedding day. We returned to her family farm the day after their wedding and captured some beautiful images!

- Heather

I love a bride whose willing to get her dress filthy for good photos!

- Heather

- Heather

What a spectacular day! Jen & Carter’s wedding celebrations were a joy to be a part of from their fabulous engagement photos to their beautiful & relaxed wedding day! You’ll see in the photo below that every detail was perfectly put together but yet there was still such a laid back feeling about the whole affair. I loved every minute of it! It was extra special for me to capture this day as Carter is an old friend of mine…. they’ve recently announced that there will be a new addition to their family this spring and I look forward to continuing to document the special events in their life! Congrats Jen & Carter and thank you for inviting us to be a part of your big day!

- Heather (London Ontario Wedding Photographer)

Describe the vision/theme you had for your wedding in 5 words or less: Antique, Vintage, High School, Classic, Relaxed

What are you favorite memories of your wedding day?
Bride: Meeting Carter at our house before leaving for the wedding
Groom:Waking up together in the morning; saying the vows we wrote together

Best wedding related decision: Seeing each other in the morning, before the ceremony.

Favourite detail:Passing our wedding rings among our guests during the ceremony; and the favours table, which was decorated with maple syrup, escort cards containing hand-written notes to each guest, and pictures of family members’ wedding days

Advice for future brides & grooms:Put aside any traditions  you are comfortable not following, and do it your way.

Would you change anything if you could do it all over again? No, we wouldn’t change anything

Best surprise of the day: That Carter didn’t cry (too much)!

Favorite HRM picture from the day (and why?):
Groom: The picture of us on the couch in the back of the U-Haul – it has so much significance to me, because it reminds me of when Jen moved from New York (in a U-Haul) back to Canada to be with me.  It was the beginning of our life here together.
Bride: The picture of us on the couch in the field, where Carter is standing behind me, and we both look so serious.  It looks like it’s straight from a magazine – love it!

VENDORS: Ceremony Location – Bellamere Winery and Event Centre – Gazebo | Reception Location – Bellamere Winery and Event Centre – Kindred Hall | Officiant (if not a church ceremony) – Ivan Arneill | Cake – Melrose Bakery | Dress (designer and/or store) – Designer: Rivini  Style: Florenta  Store: Klienfeld Bridal in NYC | Flowers/Decorator – Samirah at Designs in Bloom | Hair/Makeup – Both Hair Styles: Laura McVeigh at Entrenous; Makeup: Stephanie Hall at Entrenous

WEDDING SONGS: Processional – Pachelbel, Cannon in D | Recessional – Rondeau, John-Joseph Mouret | Entrance – Good Vibrations – Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch | First Dance – Five Days in May – Blue Rodeo | Parent Dances – Father/Daughter Dance – Choreographed dance to mix of Neal Young (Heart of Gold), M.C. Hammer (Can’t Touch This), Michael Jackson (Billy Jean)

Favorite HRM picture from the day (and why?):Bride: The picture of us on the couch in the field, where Carter is standing behind me, and we both look so serious.  It looks like it’s straight from a magazine – love it! (below right)

Favorite HRM picture from the day (and why?):
Groom: The picture of us on the couch in the back of the U-Haul – it has so much significance to me, because it reminds me of when Jen moved from New York (in a U-Haul) back to Canada to be with me.  It was the beginning of our life here together. (below)

A very happy me with a very happy bride and groom! Haha!