So like so many of our weddings this year, this was the celebration part of their wedding and they'd had the official ceremony back in the spring when the restrictions were extra tight. This day was filled with all of the very most important people in their lives, except Nadine's brother who was unable to get a flight. But they had the most hilarious stunt double for him, you guys will see what I mean below. Everything went off beautifully and I have to say that Nadine is probably wearing my dream dress, she looks absolutely perfect in it. You can tell that Josh does too - even though they are already technically married, just his reaction of seeing her walk down the aisle is so beautiful.
As always, Earth To Table Farm did a fantastic job here and we always highly recommend them if you want an upscale farm wedding. You really can't beat their gorgeous ceremony location next to a field of wildflowers and because it's done be Pearle Weddings, you know the food is going to be amazing.
Take a look at some of my favourite images from Nadine & Josh's intimate wedding! If you're interested in having our team come out for your wedding, contact me (Kate) today and lets set up a chat!
Contact us today to discuss how we can help you capture your beautiful day!
]]>Chelsey & Patrick and their cutie little boy celebrated their marriage in their parents backyard. Not their first choice, but looking back, everything that mattered was there. And it was seriously beautiful. All of the laughter and happy tears and funny moments and stories, everything was there and everyone that truly, truly mattered to them was there too. You can see it in their faces and in the gentle way their family touches and supports each other. In the way that they just dote on the very cutest little ring bearer.
If you're considering an intimate wedding, honestly - and this is coming from someone who has run and operated a wedding photography company for almost 10 years - the intimate weddings are always the most special. So don't worry about not having that huge wedding you dreamed of. Or even, lets be honest, maybe it's the huge wedding your parents dreamed of. It's up to you, but these little ones? They are just as special. If you're interested in having Mike or Jessica capture your special day - no matter how big or small, connect with me today and lets chat.
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Isn't that actually the cutest thing?
Needless to say their wedding was super emotional, honestly I just can't help but squeal a little when I see emotional grooms like Dane. Mike was teary eyed on our wedding day and it's just the best thing ever to make a grown man cry because he's so happy.
Jessica and Dane not only share a long history together, they are both professional rock climbers. Mike got a chance to do a really cool rock climbing engagement shoot with them and it was such a fun experience.
These two opted to have a first reveal at The Cotton Factory and it'll just melt your heart. Later on they headed over to a Hamilton, Ontario classic wedding venue, Carmen's Banquet Hall. It was such a pleasure shooting this wedding with so many elements to it that made us fall in love with our job all over again.
Take a look at some of my faves! If you're interested in having our team be a part of your day, let me know, we'd love to chat!
Wasn't that the sweetest wedding? If you're interested in seeing how our team can capture your day, give us a shout!
All photographs in this blog were take by Mike Tigchelaar, Lead Photographer & Owner of Zekar Photography Inc.
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1. Interesting Venues
Some of our favourite small wedding venues in the Hamilton area include some cool restaurants in Hamilton's booming restaurant scene. Kendall & Greg had a fun, relaxed wedding at The Diplomat. You can't beat the cool vibe of this restaurant and all of the interesting urban and nooks and crannies to take photos in.
There's also The Art Gallery of Hamilton. They have a pretty little ceremony spot on the rooftop and their indoor ceremony space has the most beautiful natural light. Even though the hall can accommodate some larger weddings, it's also perfect for a sophisticated cocktail party style wedding.
You'll also want to check out The Spice Factory, especially if you're into the rustic, factory-chic vibe. You can get ready in their bridal suite, plus they have a cool fire table outside for late night drinks.
Don't forget Aberdeen Tavern, Radius Dining & Lounge and Shawn & Ed's Brewery in Dundas. If you've got a smaller guest list, you can really get creative with your venue spots, plus the food is going to be more than just your standard chicken or beef.
2. Smaller Guest List means only your VIP's
Have you ever been to a wedding where you can really tell that the couple doesn't even know 1/3 of their own guest list? These weddings are fun, don't get us wrong, but it's so much more of a meaningful celebration when you only have your very most important people around you. Weddings should be less about the show and performance of an event and more about a celebration of love and intimacy and forever promises to eachother. When Mike is working a wedding where everyone knows eachother, there are so many hugs and kisses and special moments between the guests that it makes his candid style of photography an absolute dream. Since you get all of your photos digitally, you can share your online album with your dad's bosses housekeeper (if you wish) and keep the real life stuff to the ones that love you the most.
3. Relaxed vibe
It is scientifically proven that time goes by way quicker on your wedding day than any other day of your life. :) Especially because its so busy, with all the prep and the hustle and bustle. They are always a ton of fun, but they can be socially exhausting, especially for us introverts. Rather than having a big long receiving line and a ton of speeches, small weddings tend to be a lot more relaxed. There are more barefeet on the dance floor, more outside hangouts on the venue steps, more fun drunken conversations with your best friends. And while you're having fun, Mike's out there capturing the whole thing for you to relive in your wedding album again and again.
Hopefully these three reasons are enough to encourage all of you who are seeking to have a small wedding and aren't sure how it's going to turn out. It's going to be awesome, I promise. Especially if you get Mike and the team at Zekar Photography to capture it - but I'm a little biased.
Here are some more examples of intimate weddings we have photographed, these are definitely worth checking out:
Amanda & Steve's wedding at Stratus Vineyards in Niagara-On-The-Lake.
Gillian & Alan's wedding at Jonathan's Restaurant in Oakville, Ontario.
Davina & Jonathan's unique wedding at Orange Art Gallery in Ottawa, Ontario.
If you're interested in chatting more about how we can make your day special, give me (Kate) a shout. We are currently offering special discounted rates for clients who book between August 2020 and October 2020, and we always have special rates for small and off season events.
]]>When Nicole and Terry are paging through their wedding album in the future, they'll remember exactly how they felt - and how everyone else felt too. When you're caught up in one of the busiest and best days of your life, you don't really notice a whole lot of details because you're just so busy taking it all in and luckily Mike was there to make sure not a moment went by that wasn't perfectly preserved.
Nicole & Terry's wedding day took place at the beautiful Whistlebear Golf Club in Cambridge, Ontario. With soaring ceilings, enormous picture windows that let the most perfect natural light and a magical forest just near by, its no wonder this is one of our clients' favourite venues.
Here are my favourite photos from Nicole & Terry's magical day. I usually only include one or two from a certain series within a wedding day, but there was so much story to tell here I had to share them all. Enjoy these, and if you're interested in having all of the beautiful moments captured on your wedding day, we'd love to get in touch!
To find out how you can have the team at Zekar Photography Studio capture your day, contact us today!
Shawnette & Tony and baby Hendrix had a blast together, doing simple things like reading a book, snuggling and tickling eachother. It was the best and these shots will definitely make you smile. If you are interested in having Mike come to your home for a Day In The Life documentary family shoot, give us a shout and we'd love to connect with you!
All of the photographs in this blog were taken by Mike Tigchelaar, Owner and Lead Photographer of Zekar Photography Studio Inc. We're based out of Hamilton, Ontario and we absolutely love to tell the story of your beautiful family. Connect with us to find out more information!
]]>Valerie is definitely the latter, with wedding day countdowns and Chicken Soup for the Brides Soul books and all the fun, girly romantic plans and dreams her wedding day scattered throughout. From her wedding dress that is straight out of a fairytale, to the fun bubbles that were blown by their guests as they walked down the aisle, Valerie and Seth had their most perfect wedding day. Glen Drummond Farms is one of our favourite venues around the Hamilton, Ontario area. We absolutely love working with other vendors who are also family run, and these guys have been in the biz for quite some time. It's a private venue with two beautiful ceremony locations, although nobody comes close to having the epic view of Dundas Valley that these guys do. It's probably the most unique outdoor ceremony location I can think of!
Take a look at some of my favourite photos from Valerie & Seth's wedding. If you're interested in having the team at Zekar Photography be a part of your special day (no matter how short or long you've planned it!) give us a shout, we'd love to chat.
We love focusing on fun, candid moments between you and the people who are the most special in your life. Connect with us to see how we can capture your amazing memories!
All photographs were taken by Mike Tigchelaar, Owner and Lead Photographer of Zekar Photography Inc, based out of Hamilton, Ontario. We have been a professional photography company for over 8 years and our passion for our clients and love of storytelling has never changed. Contact us today to find out more about how we work and what we can do for you.
]]>First of all, they rented an Air B & B which I always recommend. The biggest reason is the privacy of it, you can have all your besties and family around you while you're getting ready and you don't have to worry about everyone being in different rooms. But the biggest benefit is that a house makes much more of an interesting backdrop and atmosphere to photograph in than a hotel, no matter how cool the hotel is.
The second really cool thing they did - they got ready together. They didn't have a bridal party crowding around, instead they opted for a quiet morning, helping each other look their very best for each other. There were so many sweet moments, from Davina helping Jonathan snip a few stray threads, to Jonathan zipping up Davina's absolutely stunning dress. This way of doing things may not be for everyone, but it was absolutely perfect for Davina and Jonathan and that's what every couple should do on their wedding day. Things that are important to them.
After they were finished getting ready, Mike headed over to The Central Experimental Farm. The blossoms were out in all of their glory and with all the rain we'd had that day, they were absolutely stunning. (When I talk about rain here, I'm talking about the Ottawa River rising so high they closed the bridges, it was kinda cool but kinda scary at the same time)
The wedding itself took place a really cool independent art gallery called Orange Gallery. It was intimate, funky and stylish all at once. All of the couples most treasured friends and family got to witness these two profess their forever love to each other and it was a beautiful ceremony in so many different ways.
As is Mike's style here at Zekar Photography Studio, as soon as the sun went down Davina and Jonathan headed outside to get some amazing nighttime shots. The rain didn't let us down this time either by creating beautiful reflections and naturally curated bokeh.
At last it was time to finish off the night with dancing and celebration. I'm loving how many more couples we see who have a choreographed dance that they have learned to make their first dance even more special. It adds a lot more importance to this tradition and its fun to work together on something for your wedding. Plus you look pretty amazing in front of all your guests! Or at least you look like you tried your best :)
If you are interested in having our team out to capture your day, give us a shout!
This was honestly one of my favourite weddings that Mike did in 2019, there's so much in each photo and I just really love how candid the whole event turned out. If you love our style and would like us to be a part of your wedding day, we'd love to hear from you!
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All photographs were taken by Mike Tigchelaar for Zekar Photography Inc. Still searching for the perfect wedding photographer? Check out our post 11 Things To Ask Your Wedding Photographer, it'll help cut through all the fluff and get right down to what you should be looking for when hiring the right professional for your big day. Contact us if you'd like to chat more!
]]>Joyann and Matt got ready at The Waterfront Hotel and then headed over to Spencer's At The Waterfront, one of Burlington's most elegant restaraunts. I love how Joyann's Dad was their officiant. Not every girl gets to be married by their Daddy and it made the whole day that much more special. After their beautiful wedding ceremony, complete with gorgeous rays of sunshine just pouring in, the two of them walked down to the beachfront with Mike and got some wedding portraits. Joyann looks so stunning in her dress, its easy to see how Matt was just absolutely smitten when he saw her for the first time.
Take a look at some of my favourite images from this gorgeous day!
If you're interested in having one of our team come and document your special day, give us a shout - we'd love to connect with you! Feeling overwhelmed by the task of choosing a wedding photographer? Check out our blog called 11 Essential Questions To Ask Your Photographer. It'll help break everything down and hopefully ease the stress of this important decision!
]]>Take a look at my favourite shots from this incredible engagement shoot. These two highschool sweethearts have a deep connection and strength with each other in so many ways. These two look like they are models for a rock climbing ad or something, I just love it!
If you're interested in having us capture you doing what you love best, connect with us - we'd love to chat!
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These two lovebirds were married at the gorgeous Ruthven Park National Historic Site in Cayuga, Ontario. What a gem this little venue is you guys - it definitely should be on everyone's radar. It's private, its rustic, it has a lot of space for all of your guests and the food is top notch. Did I mention it was private? One of the drawbacks of the bigger venues around here is they often have multiple weddings running at the same time and Ruthven is one venue where the only guests at your location will be your own. Plus it has incredible history, for all of you history buffs out there!
Here are some of my favourites from Jessie and Dimitri's beautiful fall day here in Ontario - the kind of day where you're still aware it was summer a few weeks ago but you are surrounded by the gorgeous fall leaves that we are so lucky to have.
Interested in having the team at Zekar Photography capture your special event? Contact us today!
Wasn't that beautiful? Plus, what a cool idea to hire an artist to do character sketches of each of your guests! Way more meaningful than a jar of jam :)
Did you love this wedding as much as we did? Contact us to discuss how we can be a part of your special day!
]]>Gillian & Alan's wedding took place on a cold December evening in the very romantic Jonathan's Fine Dining in Oakville, Ontario. This venue is a cozy haven in the wintertime with wonderful rich dark wooden beams and low candlelight. In other words, its a cozy haven with a wonderful vibe but it's also a delightful challenge from a photography standpoint, which Mike was totally up for.
Check out some of my favourite shots from this beautiful evening, Gillian & Alan were just beaming the whole night and it was so special. Enjoy!
All photos were taken by Mike Tigchelaar, Zekar Photography Studio based out of Hamilton, Ontario. For event inquiries please contact us, we'd love to chat! This blog was written by Kate Tigchelaar, Studio Manager for Zekar Photography Inc.
Sophia and Vince got ready at the C Hotel by Carmen's here in Hamilton. I love the themed room that Vince got ready in, it really suited his style and even matched his cool cufflinks. And can we talk about the absolute perfection that are Sophia's red lips? I am a super pale blonde person so a deep red lip doesn't always work on me, which is too bad because I think it's super beautiful. I'm pretty sure Vince was a big fan of how amazing Sophia looked too - just look at his expression as she walks down the aisle! This wedding was the perfect mix of Italian and Greek traditions, complete with the traditional greek dance with the koluk at the end of the night.
The wedding ceremony was held at the Old Ancaster Town Hall. This is a really good alternative if you aren't into having a wedding at a church, it can fit just as many people and you can call your own shots. Plus from a photography standpoint, the natural light streaming through those windows is a dream. I love how Sophia and Vince did the traditional confetti toss as they walked out of the building, these two had a lot of fun with traditions throughout their day.
Before heading off to the reception hall, we made a quick stopover at The Cotton Factory. Our studio is located there and we love doing wedding party shots there, its so diverse and when its cold outside it's a great place to warm up.
The reception was held at Carmen's Banquet Hall in Hamilton, Ontario. Carmen's does an excellent job at their weddings, they are super professional and they've been doing it forever so you know you're getting a venue that has a ton of experience. Kinda like our team here at Zekar Photography :)
What did you think of this Hamilton winter wedding? If you'd like a member of our team to capture your special day, connect with me and I'd love to help you out!
This blog post was written by Kate Tigchelaar, Studio Manager of for Zekar Photography Inc. All photos were taken by Mike Tigchelaar and Kamila Kuzmicka for Zekar Photography Inc.
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Their wedding took place on a gorgeous spring day in Niagara-On-The-Lake, one of the prettiest areas here in Southern Ontario. These two live across the border but chose to have their small cocktail style wedding at Stratus Vineyards, a very cool and stylish winery in Niagara-On-The-Lake. One of the things Mike likes best about weddings with a smaller guest list is the fact that only the closest family and most VIP friends are invited to celebrate with the couple, so the emotional connections are always really beautiful.
Amanda and Steve shucked tradition and decided to get dressed together, which is really beautiful - dressing eachother up so they look their best for eachother. They got ready at the fabulous Pillar and Post Spa, and then headed out for a walk around town to snap some photos before the ceremony. They kept remarking on how friendly everyone was, and it's true - we Canadians sure love a beautiful celebration of love! But the tourists and other passersby all made sure that Amanda and Steve felt loved and celebrated and it made for such a great candid aspect to their pre-wedding photos.
Later on at their post-ceremony celebration, they had the talented Candice Sand serenading their guests as they enjoyed their romantically relaxed day.
Take a look at some of my very favourite images from Amanda and Steve's beautifully intimate, cocktail style wedding day!
Did you love this wedding as much as I did? If you are interested in having us out to capture your event, give us a shout, we'd love to chat!
]]>These two met online (coincidentally on the same dating site Mike and I met) and even though Mat lived in another province at the time, it didn't take long for this long-distance relationship to become something they both knew they couldn't live without. Mat moved back to Ontario and the two of them fell deeply in love, bonding over everything from their similar life-goals to their love of Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers. I'll tell you more about their connection with Tom Petty in a second, you guys will definitely want to keep reading to find out about how these two ended up in a music video of their favourite band.
On their wedding day, we started at Mat's house. He's a pretty cool cucumber, no nerves at all, just fueled himself up on Timmies and waited to meet his bride. His mom is one of the cutest mothers of the groom ever, she had the biggest, happiest smile the whole day. Like actually, the WHOLE day :)
There are so many ways to honour a loved one who is watching from Heaven. The way that Pia had her Dad with her as she walked down the aisle was so special because it was kind of like they were holding hands as she held her bouquet. It kind of takes my breath away to think about the range of emotions that must have been going through Pia's heart that day as she was taking steps towards her husband, without her beloved Dad giving her away like she had dreamed of.
"Imma gunna smoosh-a ya face." Kids are weird :)
Before we go down the aisle, lets take a break so I can tell some more of that Tom Petty backstory. One of his last big concerts happened in Hyde Park, England. Pia and Mat just happened to be in Europe at the time and Mat surprised her with tickets to this huge, incredible concert. They had the very best time and Pia picked up a Tom Petty t-shirt to remember that incredible day.
Fast forward to the day Mat proposed.
He had driven 5 hours away to pick up her wedding ring and when he got back, he couldn't wait to surprise his girl again. He got down on one knee and proposed, and Pia, wearing the t-shirt she'd picked up from that fabulous concert, said YES!
The day after her wedding, Pia noticed that The Heartbreakers were looking for videos and pictures from fans who had had a connection to Tom Petty. She sent in a clip of their first dance, which was set to "Here Comes My Girl", and it actually made it into the video! Check it out at 1:23 here :)
Pia's gorgeous lipstick made a few extra appearances a couple of times that day :)
Pia's dress is one of my favourites from the year. It fits her completely perfectly and the delicate beading adds just enough glamour without being over the top.
So Mat has held it together pretty well so far. But even Mike had tears in his eyes when Mat stood up and professed not only his love for Pia, but his deep desire to have met her father, the man who shaped who Pia is today. It was very emotional and truly beautiful. A girl who marries a guy who loves and respects her dad, even when he hasn't met him, is a very lucky girl.
I love how this shot looks like it's something straight out of the Little Mermaid. One thing we love about Liuna Garden's is how dynamic the shoreline can be - we've shot weddings here where there has been everything from the most stunning sunset to an epic lightning storm.
"We gonna last forever,’ And man, you know I can't begin to doubt it. No, because this feels so good and so free and so right, I know we ain't never goin' change our minds about it"
-Here Comes My Girl, Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers
Wasn't that a beautiful wedding? So much fun and so many tears - happy and bittersweet and just perfect. Here's a list of vendors that helped make this such a special day:
Hair: Anthony Diletti from Diletti Salon and Spa
Dress: Saratina Bridal
Suits: Moore’s
Makeup: Makeup by Chantal (and oh my goodness, were Pia's lips not THE perfect shade of red!)
Flowers: Rose’s Craft's & Things
Did you love that wedding as much as I did? Give us a shout to find out how we can be a part of your wedding day, we'd love to chat!
All pictures were taken by Mike Tigchelaar, Lead Photographer and Owner of Zekar Photography. This blog was written by Kate Tigchelaar, Studio Manager for Zekar Photography.
]]>We are Award Winning Winter Wedding Experts! Contact us today to find out more about our
off-season wedding discount!
1. The Weather
It hardly ever pours rain in winter. Pouring snow (is that such a thing?) is so much prettier. And Mike, the owner and Lead Photographer here at Zekar Photography, gets really super excited when it snows on our couples wedding days. He's gotten some of the coolest (pun intended) shots he's ever taken in the middle of a snowstorm. See these two chickadees? They were totally into our surprisingly snowy shoot that day.
It's also not so insanely hot that everyone and everything is melting. Your makeup will stay in place, your groom will not get woozy due to being in a suit in 35 degree weather and you can totally wear long johns under your dress. Actually, wouldn't that be hilarious to surprise your groom when he goes in for that garter at the end of the night?
If you're worried about snowstorms and such, we recently did a wedding this past February and the day of the wedding was actually being called Snowmageddon. It snowed all the snow for the whole winter, on one day. All at once.
So everything ran quite a bit behind schedule (we're talking hours) and it was absolutely nobody's fault. So Mike offered to take this couple out on a separate day to get their wedding portraits done at no cost. We will always try and offer that if the wedding day gets sidetracked by things that are way out of anyone's control like that. The bride was so, so grateful for Mike's calm and optimistic demeanor that day, because man, that weather was a nail biter. It just goes to show how our 8 years of experience in the industry can make a big difference on your big day. And in all of our years of doing weddings, that was the only time we've ever actually had to do that. Weather things just seem to work out for the better somehow!
2. It's So Romantic
It really is! When you're hot, you kind of want to stick to high fives and dropping ice cubes down the backs of eachothers clothing. But when you're cold, there's not much else to do but snuggle right up and keep eachother warm. I'm thinking faux fir stoles, beautiful evergreen and cranberry bouquet creations and twinkly lights and candlelight as far as the eye can see. You could give hot chocolate kits as favours or even mistletoe Christmas ornaments, if you're into that kinda thing.
3. Budget Friendly
This is a big one. No matter what the size of your wedding is, most wedding vendors offer off-season discounts. At Zekar Photography, we give a special discount to our couples who are getting married between November and May. Since the heart of wedding seasons is in the fall and summer months, we have lots of flexibility in the wintertime. Contact us for more information on our off-season wedding discounts. Plus, I know for a fact that many of the venues in the area like Carmen's and Ancaster Mill offer off-season discounts. You can have the wedding of your dreams at discounted rates and who can say no to that?
Contact us today to find out more about our off-season wedding discounts!
4. Great lighting and night time shot opportunities
From a professional photographers perspective, the lighting in the winter time is primo. It's not usually glaringly sunny, but the light is more muted, making natural lighting a dream. And because the sun goes down a lot sooner, we get to do some really amazing snowy nighttime shots and don't have to wait till way into the night to do so. If you're looking for a photographer for your winter wedding, make sure you ask them if they know off-camera lighting because they'll definitely need to bust out those flashes for anything after sundown. Speaking of questions to ask your photographer, check out this blog I wrote called 11 Essential Questions To Ask Your Photographer. It can help make sense of some of the really important questions you need to ask in your search.
5. Vendor Availability
Some of you might be reading this because you really really wanted to get married at a specific venue or you had your heart set on a specific vendor, but they were booked solid. As I mentioned before, wedding season in Ontario hits its peak from June-October. Since there are less couples getting married in the off-season, there's a much better chance that your favourite florist, makeup artist and live band will be available on your date. And of course, your favourite photographer too!
Bonus Reason:
Because our photography studio is located at The Cotton Factory here in Hamilton, Ontario, we often have access to really cool inndoor photography locations. So if you love the idea of winter but you don't actually want to be in winter, we can help you out!
Did I miss anything? Let me know in the comments below, there's probably some I hadn't even thought about! If you're interested in having our team shoot your winter wedding and would like some more information, give me a shout, we'd love to chat!
If you'd like to see a real winter wedding done by the team here at Zekar Photography, click on either of the links below.
This blog was written by Kate Tigchelaar, Studio Manager for Zekar Photography. All pictures were taken by Mike Tigchelaar or Kamila Kuzmicka for Zekar Photography.
]]>Now that Mike and I have two little girls of our own, our wedding photos are even more precious to us because we get to pass them on to our kids and it's like passing on proof of where it all started. Elizabeth & Blake's parents have left them a beautiful legacy, each set of parents are high school sweethearts, together since forever. I hope there is more and more new generations of couples recognize how beautiful it is to have that one-and-only, that one special person who is your everything and you are fully committed to them. And Elizabeth & Blake themselves are high school sweethearts, stepping out into the rest of their lives together.
We shot this wedding at the Ancaster Mill, one of our favourite venues around the Hamilton area. I wrote a blog on how lovely this wedding venue is, if you want to check it out.
This wedding was fully of the cutest little gaggle of flower girls I ever did see. I just adore how the oldest literally herds the little ones around. And the moments between Elizabeth and her dad? And her mom? Get your tissues out! I also love the way Elizabeth & Blake ate the same first slice of cake together, it's pretty freakin' cute.
Take a look at some of my favourite photos from their wedding day, enjoy!
I love this new trend of the bride seeing her father for the first time and having it be something separate and special. No matter what modern culture says, it's still deeply emotional for a Dad to see his daughter 'given away' to another dude.
The mother of the bride knew her daughter and husband were about to walk down the aisle and she just could not look she was so overwhelmed with happy emotions. It's the sweetest thing!
Father of the groom, also losing it. :)
Like what you see so far? Let's chat about how we can help capture your special day!
Wasn't that beautiful? If you are interested in having a member of our team come out and capture your day, give us a shout! We'd love to chat :) For our Top 5 Reasons why you should get married at Ancaster Mill, click here.
All wedding photos in this blog were taken by Mike Tigchelaar of Zekar Photography Studio Inc. This blog was written by Kate Tigchelaar, Studio Manager for Zekar Photography Studio Inc.
Here's a few practical reasons why you should consider hosting your wedding at this beautiful venue.
1. Rustic AND Close By
If you are looking for that timeless, rustic look, but don't want to drive forever to get there, this venue is definitely one that you should consider. We've been in the wedding business for about 8 years now and we know that whenever you can cut down on travel time it's always a good thing. For example, you don't want to add an extra hour of travel from your hotel room to your venue, its way better to get there quickly and start the celebration. Since The Farm is located only 20 minutes outside of Hamilton, Ontario, its just a hop skip from one place to the next.
2. Fully Air Conditioned
Hey all you mid-July / end of August brides: This barn. Is. Air-conditioned! No worries about your makeup sliding off or getting crazy sweaty as you rip up the dance floor, you're going to stay nice and cool and your guests are too. As far as I know, its one of the only air-conditioned barns around!
3. Amazing Photo Locations Right On Site - Think Sunset Photos!
There’s the beautiful path leading out towards the fields and the barn itself is over the top beautiful inside. So much natural light pours in and this venue is just perfect for long tablescapes, overflowing with flowers and glowy lights. Plus its situated perfectly to get some gorgeous sunset photos as well. You don't have to worry about going anywhere else and can simply enjoy your day all in one location.
4. Big Enough for Lots of Guests
Many of our couples have a ton of family and friends they want to invite, and that usually means you are stuck to only a few options, most of them banquet halls. The Farm can accommodate up to 240 of your besties and it still feels spacious. Plus you get the whole venue to yourselves which is a big bonus.
5. The Food
As with all of the wedding venues that Pearle Weddings runs, the food here is simply amazing. But the most unique part is that you will be dining on food that is grown fresh, right on the farm itself. Talk about eating local! You will have very happy, well fed, well watered guests at this venue.
Here are some more examples of real weddings we've shot at Earth To Table: The Farm. If you'd like to find out more information on how our team can capture your day, give us a shout! Not sure of what you're looking for when searching for a wedding photographer? Check out our blog 11 Essential Questions to Ask when searching for the perfect team for your wedding day.
This blog was written by Kate Tigchelaar, Studio Manager for Zekar Photography Inc. All pictures were taken by Mike Tigchelaar, Lead Photographer at Zekar Photography Inc.
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First, some vendor shoutouts to all of the people who helped make this day so amazing for Krista & Samir.
Venue: Carmen's Banquet Hall
Decorator (Saturday night): Carmen's
Florist (Saturday night/bridal bouquets): Jodi Leigh Designs
Hair and Makeup (Friday and Saturday): Eryn Shannon Makeup
Officiant: Robin Woollard
Saturday Ceremony -- McMaster University Club
Saturday Reception -- Carmen's Banquet Hall
Caterer: Carmen's and Farida's Catering
This wedding was shot by Mike Tigchelaar, Lead Photographer here at Zekar Photography.
After the beautiful celebration yesterday, Krista and Samir were so excited to spend another day in celebration of their love. Honestly, these two did not stop smiling the entire day, and you can see why. They are just head over heels for eachother and it was such a pleasure to photograph this day.
I always like to ask about extra little details to get a feel for how our couples love stories unfold. So many of our clients meet during school - either highschool or in post-secondary, and these two met while training together at University. Their mutual love of learning brought the two of them together, both of them are highly intelligent experts in their field. It's always nice when you've got another smarty-pants to bounce ideas off of and before they knew it, they loved more than each others study notes.
When Krista told me how Samir proposed, I knew that these two were for keeps. It was a simple enough idea, a sweet proposal at home one day after Krista had been away with work for a couple of weeks. Because he proposed bright and early one morning, but wanted to create a moody candlelit ambiance, he had to figure out how to block out all that light - and what a better way to do it than to cover every single window in christmas wrapping paper. Ladies, any man who goes to that length to create the absolute perfect proposal for you, is a man who is going to go to great lengths for you for your whole marriage.
Take a look at some of my favourites from their beautiful day. Pay special attention to the absolutely adorable father / daughter reveal - I am so glad these are a 'thing' these days and I hope they never stop, it's so, so special.
I adore Krista's lace wedding gown, it's so timeless and fits her absolutely perfectly.
So this was REALLY cool. The fire is to symbolize the forging of two rings into one eternal, everlasting ring. This is the first time I've seen this type of thing and its incredibly meaningful, don't you think?
When the evening pulls the sun down,
And the day is almost through,
Oh, the whole world it is sleeping,
But my world is you
Wasn't that gorgeous? If you are interested in seeing how we can capture your day, give us a shout - we'd love to chat!
This blog was written by Kate Tigchelaar, Studio Manager for Zekar Photography Studio Inc in Hamilton, Ontario.
]]>This post is part one of Krista and Samir's beautiful wedding ceremony that took place at the Dundas Valley Golf & Country Club in Dundas, Ontario. To see the full wedding, check out my next post with all the traditional wedding details.
I adore all of the rich, beautiful tradition that is incorporated into the Nikah ceremony, it just speaks to generations of love and life and happiness. I think us human beings become more rooted and grounded when traditions are passed on like this, and what could be a better way to start your new life together than having your friends and family lavish flowers and gifts and honour upon you.
A few vendor references that I'd like to mention:
Makeup / Hair: Eryn Shannon Makeup
Decorator: Naphisha Vohra
Venue: Dundas Valley Golf & Country Club
Did you enjoy this wedding as much as I did? So much happiness, it's hard for me not to smile looking back at the photos myself :) If you'd like a member of our team to photograph your special event, give me a shout and lets get the conversation started!
]]>Knollwood Golf Club is such an excellent venue to get married at. I'm always partial to venues where you've got the whole place to yourselves. It's got the rustic, cozy charm that sets the perfect tone for a big family gathering, but it also has a lot of really interesting locations for photos right on site. Which saves a ton of time and hassle when it comes to planning your day. There's so much green space that you could set up lawn games to keep your guests entertained, like Seana and Keith did.
The staff is super professional, they really know what they are doing and our team is always really impressed every time we go. Speaking of being impressed, the food is also amazing, especially the pumpkin soup. Definitely a must have!
Take a look at some of my favourite images from Seana & Keith's wedding, enjoy!
Pretty amazing wedding, right? If you'd like our team to capture your special day, contact me to get the conversation started!
This post was written by Kate Tigchelaar, Studio Manager for Zekar Photography. All photos taken by Mike Tigchelaar, Owner & Lead Photographer at Zekar Photography.
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I am a big fan of winter in general - the coziness, the sweaters, the warm fireplaces, the hot chocolate. It's all good in my books. So a winter wedding is my idea of perfection, and Michelle and Justin's early December wedding was exactly that. Here in Southern Ontario, you never do know what your going to get weather-wise, but luckily it was one of those cool, crisp, clear days that reminded me of something from a Robert Frost poem.
Before we get into more details about the wedding day, I wanted to share with you the sweet love story behind these photos. The reason we love doing what we do is because we actually get to bring a love story to life through art, and Michelle & Justin have such a sweet story. Back in highschool, Michelle and Justin were on each others peripheral - they knew each other through friends, but didn't fully connect until Michelle's 25th birthday. After her recent breakup, the last thing Michelle was looking for was a new relationship, but her best friend (also a good friend of Justin's) had other ideas when she and her partner, Matt, dragged Justin to the bar to hit up Michelle's birthday party. That night was the start of something amazing, and just after midnight on the day after Valentines Day 2018, Justin spoke the words that would forever be in Michelle's heart - will you marry me? And 4 years later, almost to the day they met, these two tied the knot.
"And now here we are, how could we ever know I knew I loved you then and I've watched you grow
So it came to be, that I raised you and you raised me We're lucky that way, 'cause our love can never fade"
- Michelle & Justin's First Dance to Never Fade by Jack Johnson
The wedding took place at the quaintly beautiful Inn on The Twenty. We love this venue because there are so many interesting locations for photography, all on one location. That's always a bonus when planning your day as it saves time and hassle and your photos will all have the same look and feel to them. Plus, when the accent colour of venue literally matches your wedding colours, like they did for Michelle, you know it was meant to be!
Take a look at some of my favourites from the day.
We have had a lot of brides lately who have planned a special reveal for their Dad's. I think its one of my favourite parts of the day now, because the fathers are just SO cute. Michelle's dad is no exception - kinda shy but with super a emotional, hopeful, adorable expressions as he sees his beautiful girl all dressed up on the biggest day of her life.
Next up is Michelle & Justin's first-look reveal. This is proof that it really doesn't matter where you are, Mike can find a cool spot to do photos just about anywhere. For example, this parking lot was the perfect backdrop for these two to see eachother for the first time.
See what I mean about Michelle's bridal party totally matching the venue? It's like this old house called Michelle up and was like, "hey, you wanna be twinsies?"
The starkness of the Niagara Escarpment, just the bare bones of Mother Nature here, really keeps the focus on how beautiful Michelle & Justin are. They aren't competing with crazy sun or huge flowers, its just so simple and pretty. Whenever I notice a picture that is really, really good - the first thing I notice is how sweet the couple is, but the second thing is, there are usually only a few colours in it. Here, you've basically gray, cranberry, brown and white and everything just flows together.
Adorable keepsake detail? Check.
Cozy firelight and cranberries for a simple, timeless and classic atmosphere? Check.
SUPER DELICIOUS STEAK DINNER? CHECK.
I'd say these two did a pretty good job creating the perfect winter atmosphere!
These two are dancing to Bad To The Bone. Which is the best. :)
This next picture makes my heart so happy, simply because no matter how old you get, it's always fun to spin around in a twirly princess dress. It's just something that is ingrained in us girls from a young age, we are all genetically predisposed to finding joy in the twirl.
Aren't these photos just beautiful? Winter romance at it's best!
Vendor shout-outs include:
Hair and Makeup: Pamela and Kathryn with La Belle Fille Hair and Make-up
Dress: Angie's Bridal Boutique
Flowers: Freckled Florist
If you would like our team to come capture your special day, contact me today and let's chat!
This post was written by Kate Tigchelaar, Studio Manager for Zekar Photography. All photos taken by Mike Tigchelaar, Owner & Lead Photographer at Zekar Photography.
1. Incredible Photo Locations
This had to be the top of our list, because we're (obviously) pretty invested in what the photos are going to look like. While we always take a fairly candid approach to our weddings, its always nice when the backdrop to the day is as gorgeous as it is at Elora Mill. The town of Elora is so quaint and so pretty it looks like its right out of a fairy tale. Cobblestone and old-world charm abound!
There is a gorgeous park just nearby called Elora Gorge Lookout. It makes you feel like you're somewhere up North with all the gorgeous Evergreen trees.
And then of course you've got the Elora Gorge itself. Mike, the Lead Photographer and Owner here at Zekar Photography Studios, gets very excited when he gets to explore a new angle or new photo ideas. So it wasn't surprising to anyone that he scrambled down with one of our adventurous couples and got this intimate moment right in the middle of the gorge.
2. Rustic Luxury At It's Finest
I don't actually know if "rustic luxury" is an actual term, but its the perfect way to describe the beauty that is Elora Mill. They have three different decor themes throughout the hotel which means they cater to every style of bride. They've got modern, rustic and french styles - all of the rooms are done to the absolute finest. Plus there is a spa on site, imagine going there with your bridal party the night before? Or heck, the day after. This is definitely a venue that puts pampering their guests to a whole other level.
3. The Food Is Top Notch
Very important! One of the main things a guest will remember from your wedding (apart from how much they love you guys and how much fun they had) is whether or not the food was good. If you want your guests to feel spoiled, this venue is perfect for you. After doing hundreds of weddings in the GTA, the team here at Zekar Photography votes the food at Elora Mill as one of the best.
4. Elora Mill Caters To you
You can tell that they really care about you as a guest because they do everything they can to make you comfortable. There is even a shuttle that will take you and your guests from photo location to photo location so you can just enjoy your day. They've also got three different rooms so you can find the perfect fit for your style and your guest list.
5. Rooftop Balcony For Cocktails
The gorgeous views from this cocktail patio are absolutely perfect, including stellar sunsets and, if you're really lucky? Rainbows. It's the perfect outdoor space for you and your guests to have fun, with the opportunity for even more beautiful photographs.
Stay tuned for some upcoming blogs about the weddings we have shot at Elora Mill in Elora, Ontario. We can't wait to go back! If you are interested in having a member of our studio team come out and capture the story of your day, give us a shout, we'd love to chat!
]]>Written By: Michael Tigchelaar. Lead Photographic Ninja and founder of Zekar Photography Inc.
Choosing a Wedding Photographer is one of the biggest decisions you’re going to make in your wedding planning. You’ve worked hard to have everything to come together perfectly, so hiring the right photographer to capture it all is probably on one of your top three most important elements of your day.
In this blog we will cover some important factors you should look for when hiring your wedding photographer. You’ve probably never hired a professional photographer before and the task can seem really overwhelming. We’re here to help break it down for you. Fair warning: There is a ton of information here. We love our craft and could probably talk about it for days. So if you’re interested in just one specific topic, click on any of the question links below to find out more information. But if you’re up for an in-depth crash course on the exact questions you need to ask your potential wedding photographer, grab a cup of coffee or a glass of wine (no judgements on what time of the day it is!) and let’s get started.
11 Questions To Ask Your Potential Wedding Photographer
Pre-Wedding Essentials
1. Style: What style of photography suits me best?
2. Budget: How do I get the most out of my investment?
3. Pre-Wedding Planning: How do I know my photographer will be prepared?
4. Contract: How do I protect my investment?
5. Engagement Session: Do I really need one?
Wedding Day Essentials
6. Camera Gear: How is a professional photographer equipped to handle my wedding?
7. Lighting: Why is advanced lighting important to my wedding?
8. Experience: Why does it actually matter?
9. Assistants and Second shooters: Are they necessary?
Post-Wedding Essentials
10. Editing: What happens after the wedding to make my images awesome?
11. Printing: Can’t I just go to Costco?
1. Style: What style of photography suits me best?
In our opinion, there are really there just two fundamental styles in wedding photography.
The first is traditional. It leans more to the posed and staged shots, controlled images, advanced lighting setups, shots you might see in a magazine. They can take on a modern feel, or old school but at the end of the day they have one thing in common- they are situations controlled by the photographer.
Second is candid or story-telling. Often called ‘photojournalism’ or ‘documentary photography’. This is where the photographer steps back and allows the moment to happen and uses their experience to tell that story without interference. A good photographer should provide a mix of both, but most tend to excel more in one area than another.
When you start your search, keep the question of style in mind for how you will feel in the long run and less on how you feel when you see a single picture you like on a given site. Lean into the style you feel suits your personality best and something that you feel has longevity. Years down the road you’ll want to look at a photo that really captures the relationship between you and your new spouse and all the memories you had that day. You won’t necessarily appreciate something that is trendy in 2018 and very dated in 2043 when your kids throw you a 25 year anniversary party and there is a room full of snickering young people.
In the end however, don't settle - it doesn’t have to be an either-or decision. Here at Zekar Photography, we pride ourselves on our ability to not only get traditional stunning wedding-scapes, as we like to call them, but we also focus on our passion of capturing all of the beautiful little moments that happen throughout the day. Here is a blog covering more aspects of our photojournalistic wedding style.
2. Budget: How do I get the most out of my investment?
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"Don’t let your hope for an awesome deal blind your natural instinct to find out if its too good to be true." |
Your budget is generally one of the biggest deciding factors in how you choose as your photographer and it’s important to know what goes on behind-the-scenes in your photographers studio.
Like most things in life, the money you pay often reflects the quality of the product. At Zekar Photography, every hour we spend taking pictures on a wedding day will have 5 extra hours of work put into it, from pre-wedding planning to post-production. A regular 10 hour wedding day represents a total of 60 hours of labour from a team of professionals, and that's how we deliver the overall product you see on our site.
Look around in your area and see what the average price is for wedding photography. That price in your area will be a good indicator of what you should expect to pay. From city to city it can change, and even demand alone can change a price point on a product so we’ll leave it up to you to do basic price comparisons and figure out the average.
If someone comes in under that average, there are questions you need to ask and that’s something we’re going to cover in the following paragraphs.
Generally speaking though, don't expect to get the same quality from something significantly less than the norm. That’s not to say you won't find it, but be prepared to find out why by asking pointed questions. Don’t let your hope for an awesome deal blind your natural instinct to find out if its too good to be true. Often a lower price can represent a lack of something in an area you are not able to see, something that might affect the final product.
For example. A wedding website has only a small collection of images. The average photographer, over time, can get a few good pictures. They can spend an hour editing a single shot to make it look like an award winner for their site. The question is, can they provide high quality over the whole wedding day in every lighting situation? If it is dark and cloudy on your wedding day, if your wedding venue does not have a lot of natural light, or if the sun is beating down hard, will they be able to take professional photos in any weather and atmosphere? Even if you are on a tighter budget than what the average photographer asks in your area, and you must find a inexpensive option, you're still spending hard earned money. Education before you spend is always a bonus, no matter the budget range.
3. Pre-Wedding Planning: How do I know my photographer will be prepared?
Your photographer should offer a thorough initial consultation and, if needed, continuous correspondence via phone or email when it comes to the planning of your day.
Knowing you have an hour vs thirty minutes to accomplish a given task can alter exactly what you do. One brides getting ready pictures can be 30 minutes because she has a simple dress and only her mom there as she prepares. While another will need an hour because she has a group of friends, a more complicated dress to get into and has some cultural aspects to her pre-wedding preparations. Or she might want to do a father reveal and hand out gifts to bridesmaids. If your photographer does not have a system to figure this out, you could over pay and have them out for too long, or worse be under prepared and not have enough time and miss memories you would want to have later.
At Zekar Photography, we like to say we ‘prepare to be laid back’. A good photographer does not just show up and do an awesome job, just because they are a good photographer. It’s really important for a professional to take the time to get to know you and your partner and what you have envisioned for your day. Whether you are having a simple backyard party at your Aunt’s farm or you are going all out and having an elegant soiree at Casa Loma, it’s important for your photographer to get to know your personal style and expectations.
One of the ways we do this at Zekar Photography is through our Wedding Day Details sheet that Kate, our Studio Manager, sends out to each and every couple. It’ll have all of the times and addresses on it, as well as the names and contact information for the important people on the day-of. We also want our clients to share all their details with us as they plan so we can get to know every detail of the day.
4. Contract: How do I protect my investment?
Another very important pre-wedding aspect is a proper contract. If your photographer does not have one, RUN! Any professional photographer will have a contract and you should never take anyone at their word alone. Not because people will lie, but because what one person's expectations are might not be what another person's standard is, so a misunderstanding can lead to problems. Contracts resolve this on the big issues. It should outline exactly what the photographer will deliver, what your responsibilities are versus the photographers responsibilities and what the total cost will be. A contract shows they take what they do seriously, and a good contract will be clear on the important details. It will be built to protect you as much as your photographer. Read it over and always ask if you’re not sure of something.
5. Engagement Session: Do I really need one?
Although it is not a ‘must’ like the other areas of pre-wedding planning, it can help in many ways. First, it gives you a glimpse into what it will be like to work with the photographer you have chosen. It allows both you and your photographer to get to know eachother better so that on the wedding day it’s more of a professional friendship than a stranger hanging around you on your big day.
Almost everybody is nervous around the camera, especially the big cameras that a photographer carries, so it really helps to take the edge off by having a low-key engagement session to get used to having your photo taken. Plus, you will have quality images to use for announcements, maybe to use for decorations to display at your wedding tables or a guest book.
6. Camera Gear: How is a professional photographer equipped to handle my wedding?
Your photographer needs to be prepared! They need to carry at least two professional cameras, multiple lenses and lighting equipment. If anything breaks they need to have backups. Don’t be afraid to ask what kind of gear your photographer carries. Even if you aren’t familiar with all the makes and models of cameras (not everyone is a camera geek like we are!) you can always do a Google search when you get home.
Long before Mike (the Lead Photographer here at Zekar Photography) was in the photography industry, Mike’s brother had a friend do his wedding photography. Mike was his best man, so there was no way he could do both. The photographer dropped one of his lenses and it broke. He had to send one of our family members to go get him a new one and was left with a somewhat less versatile lens to finish the rest of the coverage.
Now it was not so bad that it was his only lens, but it was enough to put a dent in the plans. Later that same person lost the hard drive he had stored the pictures on. To this day it burns Mike’s brother to think of that experience and how he did not go the professional route.
Part of the operating cost that a wedding photographer has is to have twice as much gear as they need, that way the never really have to worry about stopping. And enough file storage redundancies that all of your files are not stored in one place.
7. Lighting: Why is advanced lighting important to my wedding?
This is a bigger issue than most understand, even trained professional photographers can underestimate the importance on controlling light. Cameras are just machines and they need help to see in both bright and dark situations. If your photographer says they are a “natural light photographer” you need to ask what they will do in a dark venue, or if it’s really sunny and there are shadows in your eyes. How will they remove those shadows so everyone doesn’t look like a squinting racoon?
A purely “natural light photographer” simply wont get high end pictures in a dark reception hall, or fill in shadows in your eyes on a sunny day. In fact, if someone says “I’m a natural light photographer” in the industry, professionals taken it to mean “I dont know how to use a flash”. Now thats not always the case, even we prefer natural light when we can use it, but to limit options to just that one on a wedding day would be, well, crazy!
A Moment For A Flash Photography Explanation:
A good photographer will be able to use both natural light as well as flashes when needed. There are two types of flash photography that can be used at your wedding. Bounce flash and off-camera flash.
Bounce means the flash is on the camera and the photographer will point it at a ceiling or wall and bounce the light to brighten things up. Off-camera is the most advanced. A really experienced photographer will be able to use multiple lights at once, combining natural light and multiple flashes.
Imagine a wedding outside, candle-lit, at night. There is only one photographer that can work a venue like that proficiently. One who uses off camera flash and uses it well! There is nothing to bounce flash off but the moon, so off camera is the only option worth using.
8. Experience: Why does it actually matter?
Before we get into this part, we want to say, there are plenty of great inexperienced photographers. Part of the way we run our studio is to always have a couple of inexperienced photographers working underneath our experienced ones to be trained up. Everyone has to start somewhere, we started out very inexpensive to compensate for our lack of experience.
So this is not say you should never consider someone who hasn’t done very many weddings, just know that inexperience should be compensated by lower price. If you are willing to pay less to exchange for higher risk, take the leap. However as a rule, they won't be able to perform as fast or as creatively as one who has experience. This is true in all things in life and certainly the more complex a situation, the more it holds true. Wedding photography is very complex, just because you have a good camera doesn’t mean you can shoot a wedding.
There are two ways to find out how much experience a photographer has. Ask how many weddings they have done. And secondly, ask to see a few full weddings. Their blog should show their breadth of experience. Are all the pictures posed outside on a sunny day? Not a single one of a first dance in a dark venue? No really good church shots? A well documented and professionally shot wedding does not add up to a good picture in a park where there is perfect light available. It is a total accumulation of many great images in many different conditions. A professional photographer will have the vision to take any situation and make art out of each image. Some of our favourite shots have been on fire escapes right downtown or in the corner of a stairwell that nobody ever notices. We love the challenge! Judge their work by the worst possible spots not just the nice ones. Look at all possible wedding picture scenarios before making any decision, keeping in mind the atmosphere of your own venue.
9. Assistants and Second shooters: Are they necessary?
Every photographer has different opinions on having a second shooter come out with them on the wedding day. Second shooters come in handy if you and your partner are getting ready at different locations and you can’t stagger the timing. They will also get different angles than your main photographer will. Be sure that the second shooter who comes with your photographer has comparable level of expertise and is proficient with a camera. You don’t want your final wedding photos to have 90% professional photos but the ones of the groom getting ready look like they were taken on a cell phone.
As for a photographers assistant, this is not a “must-have” but they do help. If you have a low key wedding in one location it might be overkill to have a gaggle of paparazzi running around. However, during a regular sized wedding, they blend in more and become more unobtrusive. In fact, they can calm things down by being able to bear part of the workload. Our assistants are responsible for 10-20% of the final images. But more importantly, they can be where your lead photographer can't be during your event. Multiple angles at a ceremony or in a different room. They will ease the responsibility of the lead photographer if things get rushed, help carry gear, get water, and help to make sure your photographer does not have to stop taking pictures for any minor things like switching out batteries etc.
10. Editing: What happens after the wedding to make my images awesome?
As we mentioned earlier, for every hour we shoot there are 5 hours behind the scenes in planning and post production. Most of those hours are in post production. If we do a 10 hour wedding, we will invest 25-30 hours in editing for that wedding. Some people have asked us, “Oh you are a wedding photographer? What do you do during the week?” Well, we edit. A lot!
Your photographer is not finished when they hit the shutter release button. They are done when they edit the image. This has not changed even from film days. In fact, the amount of time a photographer spends on their images has increased since the film days, if they do the editing work themselves.
An important question to ask is if the photographer runs “actions”, automated computer generated edits, or if they edit each image by hand. A good honest answer should be a little bit of both.
Every image can receive an automated “starter edit”. Maybe a bit of contrast and color adjustment. Then after that each image has the editor look at it and determine a specific retouch that it will need. Maybe lighten a portion and darken another portion (known as dodge burn). Or maybe make the ambient light more colorful so it looks like it did on the day. We like to refer to this as “painting”. These are small details that set an automated edit apart from one manually done. This is such a massive part of creating a good image it can't be understated. So make sure to ask your potential photographer what they will do to your wedding in post-production.
Remember, simply saying they will spend time is not a replacement for experience. A photographer who has never been through editing hundreds of weddings with different lighting conditions at different venues can’t simply come up with the experience that this very important aspect needs.
11. Printing: Can’t I just go to Costco?
Your photographer might offer albums and prints within their package. It might look like a really great deal - coverage, album, prints, all in one spot. But make sure you ask for examples of what their prints look like and if you can see some albums. There are lots of album companies out there that make low quality, quick production albums. If the spine of the album is glued, chances are, it’s going to fall apart sooner than later. A good quality album has a very thick, bound spine and high quality paper that’s going to last through generations. So if your package comes with prints and albums, make sure you’re getting quality through and through. You don’t want to end up with supposed heirlooms that fall apart or fade.
One way to think of it is this: Would you buy a Lamborghini only drive it on a pothole filled dirt road? Well, that’s the same as hiring a professional photographer and printing their work at Walmart or Costco. Commercial labs will never be as good as a high-end, boutique lab. You will lose sharpness color and impact. We have clients who have chosen to print at Walmart and they always come back. Your photographer should have the ability to provide high end printing options that will last for years and display your wedding images in a manner worthy of the effort put into them and worthy of their emotional value. When we deliver our high-end prints to our clients, we often hear that it looks even better than it did on the computer. Your .jpg’s won’t matter to your children, but a tangible piece of yours (and theirs) history will.
We hope that after reading this blog you feel a lot more empowered and educated to make a good decision. When you meet with your photographer, every question you ask should be met with enthusiasm and excitement. The passion that your photographer has for their business will only translate into gorgeous photographs.
If you would like to talk more about anything you've read so far or you have other questions you are curious about, contact us today!
Here are our top 5 reasons why you should consider Ancaster Mill for your wedding.
1. Their Brand New Wedding Chapel Is Stunning
A couple of years ago, the only place to have your ceremony on site at The Mill was a sweet little garden area just over the bridge. But with the recent addition of the Miller Chapel, Ancaster Mill has completely stepped up their game as far as beautiful ceremony locations goes. The natural light from the surrounding forest just fills the whole hall up with warmth and beauty. Soaring ceilings and elegant chandeliers add a touch of elegance, while the wooden beams retain the warm rustic ambiance that is the theme through the whole venue. This ceremony site is also completely magical for off-season weddings and rumour has it, you can inquire about their special off-season wedding discounts. (Rumour also has it, we here at Zekar Photography are happy to chat about your off-season wedding as well!)
2. Waterfalls
If Hamilton is the City of Waterfalls, then the Ancaster Mill is the venue of waterfalls. The on-site waterfall which runs under the building makes a beautiful backdrop for wedding party photos. You can expect to have about a half an hour with your bridal party at these falls, but if you are wanting more natural waterfall-y goodness, Sherman Falls is just down the street and also makes a great place for some photos. Just a tip, most waterfall areas in Hamilton do need a permit so be sure to check into that before you go ahead and book your shoot.
3. Accommodates Any Size of Wedding
From 50 guests to well over a hundred, Ancaster Mill has different rooms for almost any size of guest list. But no matter what size your wedding is, each room offers the same cozy atmosphere, the same incredible food and all of the other amenities that this venue offers.
4. The Food Is Amazing
As with all Pearle Weddings, you will never be disappointed with their food. They have top notch chefs who cook with farm fresh ingredients (literally, its from one of their own local farms!) and your guests will be super satisfied.
5. They Run A Tight Ship
When you book your wedding at Ancaster Mill, you can't help but notice it - they are incredibly organized. This is a huge relief for all you non-planning types, they really do all the work for you. No guessing or stressing, its all right there. And for all of you who love to plan? This team speaks your language! It's also really nice on the photography end of things too. Even though we do take a very candid, relaxed approach to your wedding, its nice to have a solid framework on the day to help keep everything on schedule as much as possible.
Want to find out more about how we can make your Ancaster Mill wedding dreams come true? Contact us today, we'd love to chat!
Not sure of what you're looking for when searching for a wedding photographer? Check out our blog 11 Essential Questions to Ask when searching for the perfect team for your wedding day.
This blog was written by Kate Tigchelaar, Studio Manager for Zekar Photography Inc. All pictures were taken by Mike Tigchelaar, Lead Photographer at Zekar Photography Inc.
]]>Natalie & Nathan were married on a magical December day in Hamilton, Ontario. These two best friends have been together for 7 years and you can really see their solid and deep connection to eachother in every thing they do - the small looks across the room, the way they subconsciously turn their bodies towards each other and the genuine belly laughs that filled their whole beautiful day. Even though these two are quite the globe trotters, they decided to get married at The Spice Factory, one of our favourite venues here in Hamilton.
Usually the calmest, most reserved part of our day is the very beginning when we get the groom getting ready. But not Nathan and his hilarious group of close friends. These dudes took their duties as groomsmen to heart and made sure they fawned and primped and preened their friend as much as possible, and it was all laughs the whole time. I can't think of a better way to send your buddy off into official married life than rib the heck out of him as he gets ready to meet his bride.
Natalie and her girls got ready in the bridal suite at The Spice Factory. Her hair and makeup was done by the talented ladies at Beyoutiful Brides from Niagara Falls. The soft curls and laid-back side braid that Natalie chose is the perfect compliment to her gorgeous dress which you'll see in a minute.
I adore the beautiful shade of blue of the bridesmaid dresses, nothing suits a winter wedding more than jewel tones and they were the perfect choice from Azazie.
This picture makes me laugh, I mean, that's what friends are for right? These girls always have Natalie's back. And her teeth :)
Natalie's seriously gorgeous wedding dress was by a British designer, Needle & Thread. I honestly can't think of a much more perfect gown to wear to a cocktail style wedding - sexy open back, easy flowing skirt but still completely elegant with all that stunning beadwork on the sleeves and bodice.
Natalie's unique style really shines with these amazing velveteen shoes from Lord and Taylor. Don't they just look like they are begging to be danced in? Such a cool mix of femininity and edgy style, I just love them.
We've been seeing these really cool bouquets popping up lately and I think they are such a great idea. Especially for off-season weddings when local flower selections aren't always the best, earth-friendly options like the ones that EcoFlower does are a great option. If you're the bouquet-keeping type, these beauties keep forever or if you're a crafty sort, you can deconstruct and make a new memory from your bridal bouquet.
One last sweet little detail before we get on to the rest of the day: this stunning aquamarine beauty. Natalie's mom had been given a set of aquamarine earrings from her Aunt, but since she didn't wear them too much because they were so heavy, she had the brilliant idea to have them made into two rings. One for Natalie and one for her sister, to be given on their wedding day. Isn't that the sweetest? And the perfect 'something old, something blue' accessory as well!
Interested in more information? Let's chat!
As I mentioned earlier, Natalie and Nathan are quite the globe trotting couple. There are people who say they love to travel but spend most of their time travelling on Pinterest, and then there are people who actually do it in real life. Natalie and Nathan have travelled to nearly 50 countries together and have even lived in South Korea and England for a couple years to make it easier to get to all the cool little countries near by. One of their favourite things to do is explore new cultures and foods together.
I think its amazing when people choose to live a life that makes them live their dreams - not everyone has to be stuck in a 9-5 the minute they graduate. After being with Mike for nearly 13 years now, I've learned a couple things about marriage and one of them is, if you can travel together, you're definitely going to stay together. And I'd say these two love birds have had lots of practice!
But even though they've travelled so much, their super sweet proposal story surprised me a bit and made my little homebody heart so happy. The two of them had been staying in a whole bunch of low-key places while they were backpacking around Indonesia. They decided to splurge on a bungalow for a couple nights and chose a place in Gili Meno. And oh my goodness if you have a chance, Google that place - it's what dreams are literally made of!
The fact that their prosal happened as they were travelling was no surprise, but I love that Nathan chose to ask Natalie to marry him first thing one morning as they had been laying in bed together, enjoying the tropical sun pouring into their room. Is that not the coziest, sweetest thing ever? And then he had breakfast delivered (definitely a good move!) and they spent the day just enjoying being together and planning and dreaming by the sounds of the ocean. Paradise!
The perfect pine boughs around the trellis was provided by Natalie's Aunt's tree farm, Benjamin Tree Farm in Waterloo.
One of the best things about The Spice Factory is its proximity to all sorts of cool urban spots to take pictures in. Hamilton is full of them, but this awesome graffiti wall is within walking distance and we loved the bright colours - perfect for this fun loving couple!
I always smile at super fun, super happy Daddy-daughter dances :) You know the tears are there, but the laughter and fun of the day pours out and it's just really fun to be dancing with your Daddy on your wedding day!
As much as the Dad's can usually hold it together for most of the day, it's another thing for the Moms. I'm kind of glad that my daughters won't be doing a mommy-daughter dance at their weddings because I would need a truckload of tissues. Nathan's mom could not hold all her beautiful tears in and they had one of the most emotional mother son dances we've seen.
As their friends and family watched on, faces filled with loving smiles and laughter, Natalie & Nathan danced their way into married life to the beautiful and haunting tones of Bon Iver.
Before I show you guys the incredible night-time shots that Kamila captured for these two, I have to share this epic dance face that Natalie's super cute mom has - Natalie's parents are seriously great dancers and they mean business!
During all of her weddings, Kamila and her assistant keep a close eye on whats happening with the weather outside. During rain or epic sunsets, some of our best pictures come from just being aware of every surrounding. We couldn't have asked for a more magical thing to happen during this December wedding then this delicate dusting of the first snow of the season.
As the world rushes around them, Natalie and Nathan stand still and quiet and peaceful together. With the memories of the first time they were introduced back at Brock U, to their worldy adventures, to their beautiful vows and the incredible future towards them, they sealed their night with a tender kiss.
Interested in more information? Let's chat!
Did you love this wedding as much as I did? Tell us about it and be sure to contact us today to see how we can be a part of your special day!
And p.s If you're looking for an amazing caterer, Natalie highly recommends City Farm Catering!
All pictures taken by Kamila Kuzmicka for Zekar Photography.
This post was written by Kate Tigchelaar, Studio Manager for Zekar Photography.
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Written by Kate Tigchelaar, studio manager for Zekar Photography
All pictures featured in this blog were taken by Mike Tigchelaar and Kamila Kuzmicka from Zekar Photography Studio Inc.
Before I get into the gorgeous details of Nicole & Joey's wedding this past November, let's start off with a few snapshots from their engagement shoot we did earlier in the year.
Mike started off their shoot with a walk around the beautiful country property that we were lucky enough to shoot on, but at the end of the session they (or rather Joey) decided that it would be a good idea to jump off the dock.
The top of the dock.
Like 10 ft up in the air.
It took some convincing, but Nicole was up for it, and these two besties jumped right in and made the best engagement pictures we got all year.
Isn't that the best?!
Okay, fast forward to the wedding day. It was a lot colder, and a lot windier, but 1000% absolutely perfect. Starting off with the guys getting ready - Joey's mom is so cute, she looks like a mom from a sitcom or something, bustling around tying the ties, pinning the pins, loving on everyone.
You know what, I'm pretty sure Nicole was supposed to get the first kiss of the day...:)
Before we get into part one of Nicole's getting ready, I'll give a shout out to her incredible makeup artist, Rhonda from the incredible team at Makeupworx. Every time we do a wedding that has had a Makeupworx professional do the makeup, the girls always look flawless. I love Nicole's old-hollywood shout out with her perfectly set waves, done by the talented Sasha, also from Makeupworx. The gold and blush accents in her eyeshadow make her blue eyes even more stunning, absolute perfection!
After Nicole's makeup was done, we headed on out to Casa Loma. It's a pretty amazing place, full of everything you would expect from an early 1900's mansion. Gorgeous deep walnut panelled walls, luxurious silk covered chairs, epic chandeliers and soaring ceilings which make the ambience of the place perfectly regal. The bridal suite that Nicole and her girls got ready in is to die for - the way the late autumn light was pouring in just bathed everything in the most painterly way. And honestly, Nicole is so gorgeous, it really kind of made our job easy :)
Could these bridesmaid dresses be anymore perfect? Gold brocade with a modern twist, it fits so perfectly with the elegance of the day. This is Nicole's stunning sister, putting the finishing touches on. Literally all of Nicole's bridesmaids legitimately look like she cut them straight out of a bridal magazine or something. So beautiful!
Nicole's beautiful wedding dress is by Casablanca Bridal and her shoes are Manolo Blahnik.
Interested in more information? Let's chat!
Before I show you guys the adorable first reveal, let me tell you a bit about Nicole & Joey. They first met at a Blue Jays game and bonded over beer and sticky stadium seats and the satisfying crack of that ball on the bat.
They'd been together 6 years before Joey popped the question and the way he did it is so simple and romantic and perfect. Each year the two of them hold a big Christmas party with all of their friends and loved ones, so naturally the most perfect place to pop the question would be when everyone was in one room. So many guys plan (or stress out about planning) epic proposal adventures, but honestly, the only thing a girl really wants is to be able to shriek and hug everyone all at once. It saves her thumbs a lot of pain from not having to text a million people. So their Christmas party turned into a beautiful engagement party and it was the perfect start to a new chapter in their lives.
Joey has the best laugh and such an infectious smile, I can't help but smile as I'm typing this out!
We popped outside for a few photos but um...it was a little windy. :D
Interested in more information? Let's chat!
I adore this ceremony set up. Not only does it come pre-decorated, the intricate gothic windows are absolutely the most perfect backdrop.
Big smiles from these two as they are finally, finally married! High-fives all around as everyone cheered and clapped and the joy rose up to surround the newest Mr & Mrs!
I love this tablescape - it's so elegant and fresh. All of the gorgeous flowers at Nicole & Joey's wedding were done by the talented Sue Bober at Blossoms in Burlington. The masculine feel of the library juxtaposed with the feminine delicacy of the flowers makes my artists heart so happy.
Nicole is not only super gorgeous, she's also a super smart and succesful #bossbabe. She owns the iconic Brown Dog Cafe , located on Hamilton's own Locke Street South. I can just imagine little baby Nicoles and little baby Joey's running around the cafe, the smell of Nicoles uber famous hot apple fritters wafting through the air, Joey's laughter ringing through the air...ahh.
These two picked their favourite love song, Stay With You by John Legend.
"And in the end I know that we'll find Love so beautiful and divine
We'll be lovers for a lifetime, yeah
And I'll stay with you "
Couldn't be more perfect for this sweet couple!
At the end of the night, Mike and Kamila popped outside to do some night time shots by the castle and the Toronto Skyline. It was starting to snow a bit, but it just gave another reason for these two lovebirds to snuggle.
Interested in more information? Let's chat!
If you guys loved Nicole and Joey's wedding as much as I do, contact us to see how our team can tell your personal lovestory. Or pop on over to our Instagram @zekar_photography_studio to see what we've been up to lately!
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Your home is your nest. It's where you are most comfortable, where the best memories are born and where your kids learn and grow. Everyone is truly themselves at home, and thats what we love to capture most. Your authentic, beautiful love story.
Teresa and Trung invited us into their gorgeous home to help document the precious early moments of their beautiful baby girls life. I don't think I need to point out how head-over-heels these two are for their incredibly adorable little baby. You can see it all over their faces, it's like they just can't keep their eyes off her.
And who could blame them? This little girl has the most fabulous chubby little legs, I actually squealed a little when I saw the finished proofs. I know Kamila probably had a hard time not picking this little squish up and just giving her the biggest hug ever. But we leave all that to her parents and instead, stepped back and enjoyed capturing this new little family in love.
Super sweet, right?! Ah, I just love it. It's shoots like these that just fill us with so much gratitude to be able to capture every day life like this and give the gift of beautiful photos to our clients.
Interested in booking a family photoshoot with one of our team members here at Zekar Photography? Contact me today and lets get the conversation started.
All photos in this blog were taken by Kamila Kuzmicka for Zekar Photography. To see more information about our family shoots, click here.
This post was written by Kate Tigchelaar, Studio Manager for Zekar Photography.
]]>One of the biggest decisions when planning your wedding is picking the right venue. With so many choices out there, it can be really overwhelming and time consuming to research. That's why we've started to put together a series of posts highlighting all of our favourite wedding venues in Hamilton, Ontario, just to make things a little less overwhelming.
We’ve been shooting weddings in Southern Ontario for almost 7 years now so we’ve got a lot of experience when it comes to the different options and atmospheres that Hamilton has to offer.
The first venue I’d like to highlight is our home base, The Cotton Factory. What started out as an industrial textile factory has now been transformed into a bustling creative arts facility.
We’ve had our studio located in the Cotton Factory for 5 years now and we absolutely love it.. And since we’ve been there for so long, we know all the very best angles and most interesting nooks and crannies.
Here are my Top 5 Reasons Why The Cotton Factory is one of the best locations
if you are looking for something a little less traditional but with tons of style.
1. The Special Know-A-Guy Discount
Because we love doing weddings on our home turf, we’re offering a 5% discount off of your Wedding Photography package for any Cotton Factory wedding booked with Zekar Photography.
2. Have a big guest list? No problem!
If you’re looking at a large guest list for your event, you might think you’re relegated to a big banquet hall. Not so with The Cotton Factory. Their main event space is 10,000 sq ft, so you are definitely going to have enough space for all your aunts, uncles and 5th cousins twice removed.
2. Unique Atmosphere
Because the building was constructed in the early 1900’s, you can be sure that there is a ton of character and charm in every corner of this place. We’re talking really awesome old doors, antique windows, rustic wood beams and more exposed brick than you’ve ever dreamed about. Not too many of your friends are going to have the wedding theme of ‘industrial chic’. Think tables overflowing with greenery set against industrial strength in-house decor. Or, like Jessica & Steve's candle-lit wedding, create an incredibly intimate atmospehere and super romantic vibe with glowy lighting and simple decor.
3. Indoor Location
If you’re having an off season wedding, you really can’t beat The Cotton Factory as the perfect solution to any weather related stress. You could easily do your portraits, ceremony and reception in one location. And a big bonus - if you’re our client, you have full access to our studio to get ready in. This is going to save you money on transportation and hotel rooms and cut out unnecessary travel time.
The outside of The Building is also pretty amazing - take a look at a shot from one of our recent engagement shoots:
4. Food
While The Cotton Factory doesn’t have any in-house food available, you can certainly hire your own catering company that fits your specific style and budget. I love this idea because you can really customize your menu and make it completely unique. Deep fried Mac N' Cheese? Check. A smorgasboard of tacos? Check.
With the incredibly delicious and diverse restaurant and catering industry in Hamilton (seriously, it’s one of the best things about our city right now) you’ll have your choice of all sorts of different kinds of food. And we have a few of our our top faves to work with, contact me for more info!
5. Central Location
The Cotton Factory is located in Hamilton's East End, at 270 Sherman Ave North. If you don’t want to stick around the building for your bridal party photos, there are plenty of interesting locations that are not too far away that make for a great backdrop. Some of my favourites:
Van Wagners Beach
Gage Park
Royal Botanical Gardens (permit required)
Dundurn Castle (permit required)
One of the biggest tips I have for planning your wedding day, is to keep things as close by and as simple as possible. Having a location that is near so many other photographic opportunities will definitely keep your stress level to a minimum and will allow even more time for incredible photos. Take a peek at some of the featured weddings we've done that have chosen to do their bridal party and bridal portrait photos with an urban feel.
To inquire about booking your event with The Cotton Factory, contact [email protected].
If you’d like our team at Zekar Photography to document your special day, contact me, Kate Tigchelaar, Studio Manager for Zekar Photography at [email protected]. And remember, we’re offering a 5% discount off your wedding photography package with us if you book us for your Cotton Factory wedding.
To see more of our work, check out our Instagram account @zekar_photography_studio.
All of the photos in this post are taken by Mike Tigchelaar or Kamila Kuzmicka for Zekar Photography.
This post was written by Kate Tigchelaar, Studio Manager for Zekar Photography.
]]>Here are my very favourite photos of the day!
Danielle and Cole incorporated so many beautiful mementos and traditions into their wedding day. They really made sure that everyone that was important to them was near to them, even if their loved ones could only look on from heaven. While they were in highschool, Danielle's very best friend passed away. As young girls, they had planned to do everything together growing up. So while her friend couldn't be there on Danielle's big day, she did carry a bit of her friend with her, in the sparkles that were sprinkled throughout her hair, as her friend was a big fan of everything sparkly.
So this next series is one of my favourites for sure. Danielle is opening up a letter that Cole had written to her about how much he loves her and his favourite memories of their lives, and dreams he has for the two of them in their future. I just love how her little daughter completely anticipates her moms reaction and is ready with the tissues, just in case. It's just so sweet!
Danielle's gift to Cole was also a very special reminder of those who could not be with them on their special day. Cole's cousin, who was as close to him like a brother, also passed away far too young. What a beautiful way to carry the memory of his best friend with him.
A little story from Danielle about the beautiful baskets her two giggling girls are holding here:
"The baskets were made by a man named Richard Nolan. He is from Kahnawake, Quebec. The baskets were made for our traditional wedding. During that ceremony I am to bring white corn bread to handle out to our guest and give to Cole and Cole is to fill his basket with wild meat to handle out and share with me. This is to signify our roles to one another. " Isn't that just amazing? Such a perfect symbol of love, and generosity and hospitality and taking care of eachother.
Wasn't that such a fun wedding? I can totally imagine their kids just looking through these pictures, year after year, and remembering how special this day was for everybody.
Some vendor shout outs:
Hair & Makeup: Amanda Zack
Amazing Cake Stand: Gerry Burning, Danielle's Dad
Cake: The Cake Box (can we get a high five for those gorgeous icing anemones?!)
Flowers: Kayware Event Design & Decor
Videography: Brad Howe
And of course, the always gorgeous Whistlebear Golf Club. We've been doing weddings for over 8 years now, and one thing we do know - Pearle Weddings and Events is top of their class when it comes to each and every one of their venues. The food is always amazing, the service is so professional and everything is just so flawless every time we go there.
Interested in having one of our wedding photographers come out to capture your special day? We'd love to chat!
This post was written by Kate Tigchelaar, Studio Manager for Zekar Photography.
Pictures taken by Mike Tigchelaar, Lead Photographer, Zekar Photography.
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So, full disclosure here - I think I cried like three times when I was going through Sarah and Rob's amazing wedding we did for them this past October. It's one of those ones where the romance between the couple is so real and true it's almost palpable. These two have the kind of love story that you read about in only the best kinds of love stories.
But before I get into the sweet way these two met, let's start with Rob getting ready - and here comes the first set of tears. See that dog tag? That's Rob's dad's handwriting. He's going to be walking down the aisle with his Dad right close to his heart, exactly where all the beautiful memories of such a special man live now that he's not here on Earth to be with Rob on such a special day.
Next, Mike and Jordan headed off to the couples amazing Victorian home where they live with their 3 gorgeous kids. I love the handkerchief idea, it really gives you a sense of how fun loving this couple is, and also about how hard it is to keep your tears looking graceful ;)
Let me tell you a little story about that gorgeous amethyst ring that you see there. The two of them were shopping for antiques on Ottawa St North, and this ring caught Sarah's eye. Even though she had explicitly told Rob that if they were ever going to get married, she didn't want an engagement ring and instead wanted to pick out wedding bands together. Well. Rob had a different plan, and he snuck back to the store a few weeks later and proposed with the ring she had fallen in love with! And one of the coolest parts? It's Rob's birthstone too :)
We've been seeing a lot of flower crowns lately, and I think they are so sweet. Everyone feels like a princess when they are wearing a flower crown!
When Sarah was shopping around for her gown, she had one thing on her mind - cathedral bridal veil. I adore a long, gorgeous veil and I'm glad they seem to be coming back in style. It's just the epitome of the quintessential bride and Sarah is true royalty in her customized gown from David's Bridal. She added the gorgeous flowers herself and had a last-minute snip-snip to get rid of the straps, an excellent decision for sure. The thing that makes Sarah's look complete though, is the diamond hair piece. I adore it - its so simple and elegant and fits so perfectly with the rest of her jewelery.
Sarah's hair was done by one of her close friends Kristin and the bridesmaids hair was done by Jody Roshko. Makeup expertly applied by Emily Beveridge @beyoutifulbyemilynicole.
So here's another instance of tears from me, your overemotional bridal blog writer. Sarah's reveal to her friends and family. Just look at the expressions on everyone's faces - every single person in this shot is so amazingly happy for her and full of love and can't you just hear the squeals of delight? Love it!
Interested in more information? Let's chat!
Okay so before we get into the ceremony photos, let me give you a little background in this sweet couples love story. The two of them have known each other since Sarah was 9 years old. Their families were friends and when Sarah's family moved to Hamilton, they moved close to Rob's family as there were lots of kids in that area. One night the families got together for dinner, and Rob was in charge of wrangling all of the little kids. With kids climbing all over him he asked Sarah how she was and if she was liking her new home and all sorts of really thoughtful questions that 9 year old boys don't generally ask other little girls. It kind of freaked her out and she remembers pretty much just not answering :)
They went to school together, were in the same circles of friends, but never dated. I love this because it reminds me of how Mike and I met - we went to the same school, and I knew of him (he was too scary and 'bad' so I would have been way too afraid of him to even look at him) but we passed each other every day, not knowing we were actually soulmates. And that's the same as Sarah and Rob, knowing of each other but having to go through a whole lot of life before realizing that they were actually the loves of each others lives! Isn't it romantic?!
So how did they actually meet up again? Years later, Sarah ran into Rob's sister and cousin in Shoppers drug mart. And isn't it the way when you run into old friends, she's holding a copy of 50 Shades and a Cosmo magazine. Haha! Anyways, word got back to Rob and they ended up chatting on Facebook and one thing led to another and these two fitness buffs turned a quick jog into a hike that lasted 3 hours. You know you've got a good thing going on when you literally never get tired of talking to eachother.
Fast forward to 2017 and Sarah's getting ready to walk down the aisle towards Rob, who, if you can't tell, is over the moon seeing this seriously gorgeous babe walk towards him, ready to be his wife.
Before we start - Sarah's beautiful flowers were done by Roger at Grayton Designs 905-774-1398.
Some dainty crying going on here! :)
The reception took place at one of our favourite new venues in the city, The Spice Factory. It's the perfect place to have a casual and relaxed atmosphere with a healthy dose of industrial chic. One of the best parts about it is that there are all sorts of cool spots to have your bridal party and portraiture pictures taken, our favourite is James Street North. Always something going on and the cool buildings make a great backdrop.
Sarah and Rob had a ton of fun together during the bridal portraits and thats the way we like it best. When you're having fun and laughing, you always look gorgeous.
I love the gaggle of random Hamiltonian's in the background. Street photography combined with wedding photography is our favourite!
Just move along. Nothing to see here!
When love becomes art! Taken right outside the Spice Factory in Hamilton.
Interested in more information? Let's chat!
Do not look at the next picture of you are hungry. Seriously, you will want to lick your computer screen. That'd be weird though, so maybe just give the talented folks at Jonny Blonde a call to do your catering like Sarah and Rob did. We've done quite a few weddings with these guys as the caterers, and in Mikes words - "best food I've had, hands down." He gets so excited when he knows Jonny is there cause everyone just dies over how good the food is!
These two had their perfect first dance to the most perfect song. Perfect because Tupelo Honey is Sarah's very favourite Van Morrison song, perfect because (unbeknownst to her) it was Rob's dad's favourite song. Perfect because she and his dad actually share a birthday. So it was a combination of every beautiful thing, combined into one most beautiful start to their lives together. An angel to the first degree, I can certainly agree to that!
So that's Sarah's man of honour right there, her amazing big bro. She's acting out how he basically man-posed to her, asking if he could be her man of honour, something they'd talked about since they were kids. It's so cute I can't even handle it!
The kids kicked off an epic night of dancing with a little tribute to their parents, isn't that the best ever?
Interested in more information? Let's chat!
So what'd you guys think? Honestly one of my favourites of the year for sure. Such a fun, gorgeously emotional and perfect day for these two and we were so happy to be there to capture all the incredible moments. If you loved this wedding as much as I do and are interested in having our team come out to shoot your special day, give me a shout!
p.s I had to add this. Because, life is so beautiful and because marriage so beautiful. This picture is just a snapshot - no fancy lighting, no crazy angles. But it is everything to Rob and Sarah and that's the kind of thing that makes our job so special. Rob's Grandma passed away on Christmas Eve, just a few short months after this picture was taken. She got to see her handsome grandson marry the love of his life and she was ready to go join her husband in heaven for Christmas. They had been married for 70 years and he'd passed away just 6 months earlier. Mike and I will probably never be married for 70 years - I'd have to live to 99 and he'd have to live to 102. But my goodness you guys, what a beautiful testament of how marriage intertwines our souls!
Okay, the end. Take a breath and take a tissue and go back and enjoy these pictures again :)
All pictures were taken by Mike Tigchelaar and Jordan Browne for Zekar Photography.
This post was written by Kate Tigchelaar, Studio Manager for Zekar Photography.
]]>Kayla and Taylor's wedding took place this past September, downtown Toronto. These two lovebirds created a wedding style that was all their own - laid back, fun loving, but with a thread of sophistication and class woven throughout the day. With a first-look that took place within the iconic eyes of the CN Tower and a cocktail reception that was held at 2nd Floor Events, this is one wedding you guys will definitely want to take a look at.
When Kamila arrived at Taylor's suite at the Hyatt Regency, he was just slipping on his elegantly tailored (pun intended) suit that he'd picked up at Nordstrom's. I seriously love the navy blue and black details with subtle brocade design of this suit - its so classic and yet has that edge of style that seems to be a hallmark of this handsome groom.
A over in the bridal suite, the elegant Kayla was also putting on the finishing touches. Her cocktail style wedding dress was the perfect fit - fun and sophisticated all at once.
I love this sweet little flower girl. Kids on wedding days are always the best, especially little girls. It's like all of a sudden this person they knew and loved, turns into a princess for the day and it's just so magical for them.
The perfect family photo! :D
As Kayla steps into the elevator on her way up to see Taylor for the first time, I love how this bridesmaid is all like 'HEY-OOOO!' haha!
Interested in more information? Let's chat!
Kayla & Taylor's first look took place on top of the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Toronto. One of the cooler first look locations we've done by far! I'm imagining how many people might have looked out their windows and saw this sweet couple embracing for the first time :)
Now how's that for romantic?!
After the reveal, the entire bridal party took a walk around the neighbourhood to do a few more shots before the reception. The ambiance of one of the coolest cities, mixed with the elegant attire of the bridal party, mixed with the fun and laughter and love of everyone involved, made this part of the day a lot of fun to shoot. I love how the bridesmaids are all in unique black gowns, something they can wear not just on the wedding day but to any formal function. Each one is unique, yet everyone ties into each other. Kind of like how each bridesmaid has a unique relationship with Kayla, but they are all tied in with their love of this beautiful bride.
This kind of shot almost always happens when we are doing wedding street photography. We love it!
Interested in more information? Let's chat!
Kayla & Taylor's small, intimate wedding ceremony took place at 2nd Floor Events in Toronto. A funky, industrially inspired event location that was perfect for this laid back couple.
Such a sweet moment between these two lovebirds!
After dinner, it was time for cocktails and congratulations. Everyone was having a lot of fun with each other and the joy of the day was just bubbling over into laughter and happy conversations.
Guys - Taylor actually wrote a rap for his beloved Kayla! It was the best ever, and so much fun. How many lucky brides can say they've had a song written for them??
Interested in more information? Let's chat!
Did you guys love this wedding as much as I did? If you'd like Kamila Kuzmicka to document your wedding, let me know by giving me a shout! Or follow Kamila on Instagram @kamila_zekarphoto to see what she's been up to recently :)
All of the pictures in this blog post are taken by Kamila Kuzmicka for Zekar Photography.
This post was written by Kate Tigchelaar, Studio Manager for Zekar Photography.
]]>So we were pretty excited when we got the chance to photograph our friends and their gorgeous new daughter in the first weeks of welcoming her into their home. This little one is already so attached to her mama and daddy, you can see it in the way she snuggles right in when they hold her. I remember the early stages of both my adoptions well - the wonder, the love and the fear of the unknown. But also, the incredible beauty of a little heart who is getting to know their new place in the world and getting to know their new parents. It's truly a miracle the way everyone's paths are meant to cross eachother!
Mike went over to Jodi & Corey's home to capture their new family. We just love doing in-home family sessions, everyone is comfortable and this is the place where the best memories are made. Their baby girl is so beautiful, don't her eyes just draw you right in? And I always love a girl who loves books as much as I do!
All photos were taken by Mike Tigchelaar for Zekar Photography. To find out more about our family photography sessions, click here.
This post was written by Kate Tigchelaar, Studio Manager for Zekar Photography.
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Lindsay & Karthik's romance started way back in 2009 when they were both working at Boston Pizza. I'm imagining their eyes locking over a heart shaped pizza and the moon hitting their eyes like a big pizza-pie...but it was more like they'd been working there together for a long time and just struck up an amazing friendship ;) Except the thing about this amazing friendship, is when one of the friends moves far away for work as Karthik did, it became a little more amazing every time they talked to each other. And suddenly, the friendship was a long distance relationship, and the relationship was also really amazing and fast forward to 2017 and these two are meeting each other at the altar. I just love it when two souls are separated and can't live without each other and then a romance starts - it's like the formula for every romantic movie, except these two lucky lovebirds get to live it real life!
The wedding took place this past September, with Lindsay getting ready at the beautiful Osler House B & B in Dundas, Ontario. For all of you brides who are getting married in Dundas or the surrounding area, this is one gorgeous little gem to check out. Close to everything and makes an incredible backdrop for getting ready photos too - I mean, look at that grammaphone! Hair and Makeup was done by the talented ladies at Honor Beauty. And Lindsay's Maggie Sottero dress just fit her like a glove, talk about gorgeous! Lindsay's flowers were done by the talented Petal 2 The Metal Mobile Flower Shop. I adore the use of all the different textures in these bouquets, its so fresh and interesting and perfect for an early September wedding.
Interested in more information? Let's chat!
The ceremony was held at one of our favourite farm venue's in the area, Dyment's Farm. If you're looking for a fun, laid back wedding where you have the whole place to yourself, Dyment's is definitely worth checking out. I love the fact that Lindsay & Karthik said their vows while overlooking the gorgeous views of the Dundas escarpment. The whole month of their wedding was expertly coordinated by the lovely Jennifer at The Wedding Pixie - a sweeter and more friendly coordinator would be hard to find!
The most interesting aspect of Lindsay & Karthik's wedding, was the infusion of each of their family cultures. Lindsay's dad is Scottish, so of course there were kilts and a bagpiper (Doug Wickham) and then Karthik's family hails from South India. So we've got a beautiful Scottish bride with the gorgeous Mehndi designs on her hands from the celebration night before. I just love it!
Before we continue, I have to give a shout out to the hilarious officiant, Reverend Michael Bittle - you guys, this guy is such a character! He added so much fun to an often nerve-wracking part of the wedding day, I just love it.
Ugh. THESE TWO! So beautiful :)
Interested in more information? Let's chat!
After the bridal portraits - which miraculously did not get rained on - it was time for the reception party. These two have so much love surrounding them, that's for sure. You can see it in the happy tears and joyful smiles and applause as these two are toasted and celebrated and adored.
It doesn't matter that we've been doing weddings for over 7 years now - I still choke up at Daddy daughter dances. Maybe it's because I'm already crying at the thought of Mike dancing with our daughters on their wedding days (and they are both under the age of 4, so I have lots of time to get myself together!) but I just love them. It's so special. And Lindsay's emotion here, is just beautiful!
One of the best parts about getting married at Dyment's Farm - the campfire!
Hilarious guests!
Interested in more information? Let's chat!
Was that a gorgeous wedding or what? I hope you guys loved it as much as I do :) If you are interested in having us come out to capture your special day, give me a shout! You can also follow me on Instagram @zekar_photography_studio to see what we've been up to lately.
This post was written by Kate Tigchelaar, Studio Manager for Zekar Photography.
Just a heads up on Annamarie & Martin's beautiful country wedding - your cheeks are probably going to hurt from smiling back at all of that happiness that surrounded these two on their special day. I'm not even kidding, these two lovebirds are literally beaming at each other in every shot, it's so perfect! Also, for anyone who loves horses, we have a couple of characters to show you in the bridal portraits.
Annamarie & Martin's wedding was a short and sweet time for us photogs, but Kamila captured so many beautiful moments, I just had to share it. These two had more of a traditional day and there was something so special about how they kept their day sacred. Weddings aren't just about having a big party extravaganza, it really is the start of the most important covenant between two people and that's what makes it so beautiful.
Annamarie's amazing hair was done by the talented folks at Dolce Divas / Teased Bridal We've been seeing a lot of loose, flowing hair with very feminine accessories like flowers and ribbons lately. It's really beautiful and kind of reminds me of Rapunzel in Tangled a little bit :)
For anyone who is planning on having a Wedding Day Emergency kit - scissors are always, always a good idea. :)
Oh hay. You smell nice :D
Have you guys been drooling over this super gorgeous bouquet like this little bee and I have? Such a pretty colour combo! I'd give credit but Annamarie is lucky enough to have this talented floral designer as a friend who only does custom private orders. Such beautiful work and inspiration though!
I'm so happy to see that bridal veils are making a big comeback. You can put a beautiful dress on any old time, but when you top it off when a gorgeous veil, that's when you feel like a true bride!
Wasn't that just the sweetest and happiest wedding ever? Let me know what you think! Give me a shout if you'd like Kamila Kuzmicka and our team to capture your special day and don't forget to follow us on Instagram @kamila_zekarstudio and @zekar_photography_studio .
All of the pictures in this blog post were taken by Kamila Kuzmicka for Zekar Photography.
This post was written by Kate Tigchelaar, Studio Manager for Zekar Photography.
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Carlyn and Rob had the most romantic wedding this past June. These two have been in love since they were 19 years old and I can just imagine the excitement and anticipation they were both feeling as this special day finally, finally arrived. After 7 years of being wedding photographers, there is one thing we notice - that couples that have been together since they were young, often have big, beautiful families who are also very close. This is exactly what Carlyn and Rob's families are like - close and loving and full of laughter and love and happy tears for these two gorgeous lovebirds.
As part of their wedding ceremony, they both poured sand from each beach that their cottages are on - from the shores of Lake Huron and Georgian Bay - as a symbol of their unity. And their variation of a guest book was so unique and personal - everyone signed a custom cut piece of wood and they used it as their coffee table. Isn't that the best idea ever?! Plus one of their guests gave them a gift of customized canoe paddles...you really can't get cuter or anymore Canadian than that! I just love it. :)
The wedding took place at one of our favourite venues, Dyments Farm. I remember going on field trips there as a little kid and I'm so glad they opened up their beautiful facility as a wedding venue. It's so fresh and relaxed, with all the guests gathering on the patio for drinks and appetizers before the ceremony. And lets not forget the epic first look location - a gorgeous view of the town of Dundas, right at the edge of the Niagara escarpment.
I love how Rob is cool as a cucumber throughout most of the day - except when he sees his drop-dead gorgeous wife, in her incredible two piece wedding dress, for the first time. These two truly do have one of the best first-look reveals that we've done in awhile! And the emotion and laughter and fun that happens during the speeches, this one is really one of my favourites of the year so far!
Guys - their nighties say NAP. Haha! :D
Cute Daddy-Daughter moment coming up!! :D
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It rained, but no surprise, it was a pretty rainy summer here in Southern Ontario!
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So what do you guys think? Let me know by connecting with me on Instagram @zekar_photography_studio or Facebook! If you're interested hiring Mike for your 2019 or 2020 wedding, shoot me an email!
This post was written by Kate Tigchelaar, Studio Manager for Zekar Photography.
]]>Attention all you aviation geeks and airplane enthusiasts, this is one wedding you will not want to miss! Shane & Amy were married on a rainy fall day last year at the Warplane Heritage Museum in Hamilton, Ontario. Even though it was rainy and foggy during the day, everything cleared right up and there was an incredible sunset at the end of the night.
These two lovebirds are some of the nicest people you'll ever meet - when Shane found out that Mike would be working on my birthday, he remembered to give me a shout out at the reception. Super sweet! You can tell that these two are so in love too, they have a lot of fun together and seriously had such a blast at on their big day. This was our first wedding at the Museum and we were pretty excited to be amongst all the rich history and amazing aircraft.
I love how Amy's dress has the perfect vintage feel that goes perfectly with the theme of the day. Shane is an avid aviator and also a professional videographer, so he travels a ton across Canada and back again. Most likely in tiny planes I'd never set foot in in a million years :)
Instead of blowing bubbles or throwing rice, Shane & Amy had their guests toss paper airplanes at them in celebration of their marriage :)
Every time it's raining out, Mike always keeps one eye on what is happening inside and one eye on what's happening outside. Which is a good thing, because the sky that night was unreal!
How's this for a super unique, super romantic dance? :)
Did you love this wedding as much as I did? I can't get over how lovely Shane & Amy are and how the aircraft were such a perfect backdrop for these two! If you're interested in having Mike and our team capture your special day, give me a shout! In the meantime you can check out our latest work @zekar_photography_studio on Instagram.
This post was written by Kate Tigchelaar, Studio Manager for Zekar Photography.
It took me way too long to post Kristel & Ryan's incredible wedding at Crosswinds Golf & Country Club, but boy am I super excited to share it with you now. They got married last September and their wedding was one of my favourites of the year. Which you can probably tell, as I included way too many pictures in this post - but there were just so many amazing moments, I couldn't leave anything out.
Kristel is one of those super sweet, really thoughtful kind of girls, evidenced by the absolutely perfect gift she gave Ryan on the morning of their big day. She knew how hard it was that Ryan's dad was looking down on him from Heaven on such an important day in a man's life. So she did the best thing she could think of and had special cufflinks made with a picture of his dad on them, so he'd be walking along with Ryan the whole day. I still tear up at Ryan's reaction, even all of these months later!
This wedding is one of the best examples of why we love our job so much, capturing the best parts of peoples lives - the love, the laughter and the happy tears - all on one day :)
I love kids at weddings so much, they always crack me up with their hilarious facial expressions!
I always love the very first photos of the brand new Mr & Mrs - the look on our couples faces as the relief of the ceremony pressure is now off, and they can enjoy the rest of the day as husband and wife is the best. But before Kristel & Ryan headed off to do their photos, they had one stop to make at a very special lady's house. I can't tell you how happy it makes me that they surprised their dear friend with a visit, and she just happened to be making a batch of home made perogies!
One of the best parts about getting married at Crosswinds Golf & Country Club (besides the delicious food and super professional staff) is the scenery can't be beat. We love the rolling hills and the epic views of the Halton escarpment!
During the reception, Mike always has an eye on the weather outside. Some of our very best pictures are taken at night or during sunset. He noticed that there was the clearest sky, full of stars and had Kristel and Ryan take a quick breather for this beautiful shot. As luck would have it, there is actually a shooting star making its way clear across the sky. I think Ryan's dad may have had something to do with that :)
I'm going to end this post with some hilarious garter toss shots. It was such a fun, emotional and beautiful day, I just love being able to enjoy it through these incredible photos!
Do you love this wedding as much as I do? If you'd like Mike and our team to be part of your special day, give me a shout! You can also follow us on Instagram to see what we've been up to lately @zekar_photography_studio
This post was written by Kate Tigchelaar, Studio Manager for Zekar Photography.
Willa & Matthew were married at the beautiful Vineland Estates Winery this past October. With all the crazy rain and weather we had this fall, we weren't sure what the day would bring - but it brought beautiful sunny skies and an incredible sunset that made one of our favourite pictures of the year. Vineland estates always offers a magical backdrop to any of the events we do there, but for Willa and Matthew there just seemed to be something extra special.
Willa and Matthew are the sweetest couple, they were both so excited to celebrate their special day with all of their amazing friends and family. One of the best things about these two is how they come alive when they are in each others company - the way Matthew just wraps his arms around his lovely Willa makes my heart so happy.
Take a look at some of my favourites from this happy day!
"You are my greatest adventure"
Did you love this wedding as much as I did? Contact us today to see how we can capture your special day!
This post was written by Kate Tigchelaar, Studio Manager for Zekar Photography.
After I finished sorting through Cris & Vim's photos for this blog, I realised something: I had way too many favourites. It's a good problem to have, and as you'll see below, nobody can blame me. Their wedding was one of those ones that had so much magic in it throughout the entire day that its hard to find the moment that made it the most special. From the pure love that Cris & Vim have written all over their faces, to the seriously beautiful daddy-daughter moments, to the absolutely gorgeous venue at Honsberger Estate Winery - everything was simply perfect.
One of the best things about their wedding day was one that most couples worry about - the weather. The weather that day was pretty awful - it was raining and incredibly windy. Those two things combined make for a pretty challenging experience for photographers, but if there is one thing that Mike loves, and thrives in, it's a challenge. And the pictures couldn't have turned out any better because of it.
Take a look below and just bask in the beauty of the love these two have for eachother!
"And all along I believed I would find you
Time has brought your heart to me
I have loved you for a thousand years
I'll love you for a thousand more"
"
Okay, get your tissues out. When I see images like this, I get all teary thinking about how Mike is going to react when our daughters get married one day. (In a million years of course!)
It was a little windy!
You know you've got great friends when they'll stand out in the middle of the pouring rain with you, waving sparklers and pouring love on you!
Surprisingly, it only took a few shots to get this one :)
This post was written by Kate Tigchelaar, Studio Manager for Zekar Photography.
Mark and Sandy's wedding was such a beautiful event that it was hard to pick just a few favourites. It was a gorgeous summer day this past July and when we arrived at Mark's hotel room, there was a certain kind excitement in the air that can only mean it's going to be a perfect day.
Sandy's getting ready shoot is one of my favourites of the whole year. Not only does it demonstrate the importance of having the perfect bridesman, the reactions of her friends when they see her in her dress is amazing. And who can blame them really, her dress is like something straight out of a fairy tale - classic but with the perfect length to add a little bit of flirty fun with those perfect shoes.
This was the first time we had ever done a wedding at Cathedral Basilica of Christ The King, an iconic cathedral here in Hamilton, so we were pretty excited to get the chance to photograph this beautiful couple in such a stunning atmosphere. After the ceremony we headed over to one of our favourite spots to get great urban wedding photos, James Street North in Hamilton. I always love the contrast of the soft romance of our couples in love and the gritty backdrops of our city.
Take a look at my favourites from the day, I know you'll love this one as much as I do!
Would you love the team at Zekar Photography to capture your special day? Contact us and let's chat! Follow me on Instagram @zekar_photography_studio to see our most recent work.
This post was written by Kate Tigchelaar, Studio Manager for Zekar Photography.
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Doesn't this wedding look like it was a blast? If you'd like Mike to capture all of the fun at your wedding, contact us today! And be sure to check us out on Instagram by following me @zekar_photography_studio to see all of our latest work.
This post was written by Kate Tigchelaar, Studio Manager for Zekar Photography.
Alex and Lisa have the most incredible way of looking at each other - the picture where Alex is putting the ring on Lisa's finger? Be still my heart! Everything about this wedding seemed so intimate and romantic to me - the quiet moments that these two shared throughout the day was really special. Take a look at my favourites from the day!
Did you love Lisa and Alex's wedding as much as I did? If you'd like the team at Zekar Photography to capture your special day, contact us today! Follow me on Instagram to see our most recent work @zekar_photography_studio
This post was written by Kate Tigchelaar, Studio Manager for Zekar Photography.
The wedding took place at Earth to Table, one of our new favourite local venues. Everything was expertly coordinated by the fabulous Liana at Birch & Lace. Take a look at my favourite moments from the day - even though it rained a little during the evening, it only added to the magic that Steve & Krista create when they are together.
Did you love this wedding as much as I did? Contact us to see how we can capture your special day, or follow me on Instagram @zekar_photography_studio to see what we're up to next!
This post was written by Kate Tigchelaar, Studio Manager for Zekar Photography.
The reception was held at the lovely Marquis Gardens, also in Ancaster. These two had the cutest game to get things going, it was the "shoe game", pretty much like the Newlywed Game. They did really well, considering they'd only been married a couple of hours - badump-ching!
Take a look at this happy couple on their special day. And hey if you like what you see here and want to see what else we've been up to lately, you can follow me on Instagram @kate_zekarphoto!
This post was written by Kate Tigchelaar, Studio Manager for Zekar Photography.
After the ceremony, we headed over to another popular photography spot for us, the Hamilton Waterfront. There is something about the urban industrial grittiness of these spots combined with the beauty and elegance of a wedding party that just makes my heart pitter patter. The reception was held at the lovely Grand Olympia Ballroom, one of Hamilton's classic wedding venues.
Take a look at the beautiful day these two had!
This post was written by Kate Tigchelaar, Studio Manager for Zekar Photography.
You know what makes me really happy? When our past clients contact us to document the extra special early months of their new addition. It's so awesome to be able to witness the growing family of Lauren & Ewan, whom we photographed at their fabulous wedding back in 2013. Baby L is pretty much the cutest baby ever, which goes without saying as you'll see below. With his incredibly adorable rolls and his sparkly blue eyes, I could literally just eat this guy right up. And the pride and love on Lauren & Ewan's face is just so beautiful, made me tear up a little that's for sure!
Yep, it snowed a bit on Katie & Jordan's spring wedding day, but it actually made the pictures even better than they would have been if it had been a sunny day.
Know what else made Katie & Jordan's wedding so awesome? How totally in love these two are. How much fun they had with their super awesome family and friends. How the little details that they incorporated into their day made it extra personal - especially the absolutely adorable announcement they had at their signing table. Plus the wooden sign they had for their guests to write well-wishes on was pretty awesome too. I love weddings at Earth To Table Farm, those guys are true pro's and the food is always incredible.
I love how Jordan had gifts for each of his parents on his wedding day, and I especially love that he picked out a bracelet for his mom to wear that day. I love the contrast of the soft, pretty wedding details on the harsh, industrial background and grey weather. I love the look in Katie's eyes as she looks up at her gentleman.
Take a look at some of my favourites from the day!
Did you guys love this wedding like I loved it? Tell me about it on Instagram @kate_zekarphoto or contact us today!
]]>Ben called Mike to see if he would be willing to document the surprise and of course Mike was super excited and helped Ben set out the perfect plan. See fig a. and fig. b for evidence of the perfect plan.
Fig. A
Fig. B
On the day of the proposal it was absolutely gorgeous down at Albion Falls. When Mike and Kamila got there to set up, they found that there were about 30 people down at the falls enjoying the day. Since Ben and Jenn hadn't arrived, he and Kamila went around to each person to tell them what was going to be happening and if they could just subtly move off to the side so he could catch the moments. Everyone was very excited and some of the people who were about to leave decided to stay and watch. When Ben and Jenn arrived, and Ben saw Mike giving him the special signal, it was all up to Ben after that...
And it was perfect.
After Jenn recovered from the happy shock of not only being proposed to but having 30 strangers clapping and cheering - along with a crowd that was gathering on the edges above- she was so happy and so excited. She was extra surprised when she realized Mike & Kamila had been secretly taking pictures the whole time. Ben had even asked her dad beforehand, which I just love.
What a beautiful way to start the next stage of their lives together!
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Jesus' family and friends came all the way over from Spain to attend this special event and it was so beautiful for both Kathleen and Jesus to have their families in one room. I adore the way Jesus looks at his gorgeous bride and how much fun these two have together. Take a look at some of my favourites from the day! You guys will definitely want to check out the really cool nighttime wedding portrait Mike captured for these two, it's one of those ones that you look at for awhile and you can't quite figure out which perspective you're looking at.
Did you love this as much as I did? Come follow me on Instagram @kate_zekarphoto or give us a shout!
]]>Laura & Shawn were up for anything that Mike suggested, so they were lucky enough to get some of the most creative shots he's ever done. I cannot get over how cool the birds eye pictures are of them in the city, it's almost like a Where's Waldo for the bride and groom.
Check out some of my very favourites from the day and don't forget to follow me on instagram @kate_zekarphoto!
Are you thinking about getting married at The Cotton Factory? We live there! Come to our house and we'll give you our special Cotton Factory friends discount. To inquire, email me at kate@zekarphoto. For more info on our pricing, click here to download our 2018 pricing guide.
And now, back to our regularily scheduled program.
How many ways do I love Jessica & Steve's wedding? Let us count them.
I love the fabulous originality - from Jessica & Steve's fantastic sense of style, to how they incorporated the things that they love so flawlessly into their celebration. Since these two locked eyes for the first time in a cute little bookstore (props to James Street Bookseller & Gallery!) it was only natural that not only would they have their 'First Look' amongst the tomes, but that there would be baskets of books for their guests to choose to take home with them at the end of the night. And can we talk about the pink Cadillac?
I love how adorable their little guy is - how he looks up at his mama with love-eyes as she says I Do to her very best friend in the whole world. This little family is super fun together, check out their engagement session for evidence.
I love how they stopped by their fave pub The Pheasant Plucker for a pint and a laugh with their pals before saying their vows.
I love the incredible candlelit ambience that was created in our fabulous studio at The Cotton Factory . It is definitely one of the very coolest places to get married in Hamilton, by far.
But most of all, I love how much freakin' fun these two have with eachother - some of my favourite pictures are of the two of them just laughing their heads off. These guys are the real deal. Check out some of my faves from the day!
The whole day was filled with so much love and so much laughter, it was a lot of fun to shoot. Each and every guest was there to entertain Leora & Shaul and to make sure they were having a fantastic time, and boy do these two have some super talented and hilarious friends. Every single shot has someone who is touching, laughing or loving one another.
When Leora & Shaul first approached us to be their photographers, Leora admitted she had been talked into getting a photographer by her mom. A lot of low-key brides are nervous about adding another vendor to their list, but Mike's photojournalistic storytelling style was a perfect fit and we're so happy that Leora & Shaul are as in love with their photos as we are. I think my favourite shots are the ones where everyone is dancing the hora, you guys have to check them out below!
Did you love this wedding as much as I did? Find out how Mike can capture your special day, contact us today!
]]>Charlie made such a dashing groom and Alex made such an unbelievably graceful bride, I'm just in love with the way these two photograph. I really feel like these two could be in a magazine. Both Alex and Charlie are fairly quiet and reserved, they have the quiet kind of love that comes alive when they are close to one another. Both of their families were so overjoyed for these two and you can really see how much they are surrounded by so much love.
The wedding ceremony took place at the Art Gallery of Hamilton, one place that both Mike and myself just love to go to on a date. The AGH made for the perfect backdrop for the ceremony, simple and understated but with undeniable elegance. The reception took place at one our favourite venues, Liuna Station which has its own essence of luxury. The pictures at the very end of the night were taking under an industrial bridge near Liuna and I just love the contrast between the romance of Alex & Charlie and the stark, functional brickwork.
Take a look at my very favourite images from the day. Enjoy!
Love the subtle skull detail on Alex's purse - perfect for a Halloween wedding!
She didn't realize the mic was still on...:)
Did you just love this wedding? I don't know if you can tell, but I sure did! If you're interested in seeing how Mike can capture the elegance of your wedding day, contact us today!
]]>There are so many sweet moments in this wedding I can hardly pick my favourites. But as you guys know, I'm a sucker for daddy / daughter moments and this one is one of my favourites of the year. Every time I look at it I tear up on the raw emotion on both Lisa and her dad's face as they dance together at the end of the night. I also just love how there are name tags explaining their relationship to each special people in their bridal party. How lucky are these two to have such amazing and long time friends! And I can't forget just the flat out love and admiration that is in Lisa & Andrews eyes as they gaze at each other, Lisa to her hero husband, Andrew to his beautiful bride.
Take a look at some of the best photos from this wedding, and get your tissues out!
Wasn't that the sweetest? If you are interested in having our award winning photographer capture your wedding, contact us today to find out more!
First off, Kamila placed first in the Movement & Motion category, with her passion filled photo of Zak & Carolyn.
Mike placed first in the Wedding Day Details Category, with this unique ring shot featuring some confused goldfish from Michelle & Mark's wedding.
And he also placed first in the Dance Floor Category with this absolute tear jerker that happened at Abby & Kevin's wedding. These two were the only ones left on the dance floor for being married the longest - 65 years! Man this gets me choked up!
Mike placed 3rd in the Wedding Day Details Category, with this owly dude.
I just love everyone's expressions in this one, Shannon and Brandon had one of the most animated bunch of friends I've ever seen! Mike placed 11th in the Dance Floor Category in this one.
Jessie & Steve had a lot of fun and helped Mike land 12th in the Cutting The Cake Category. By this time of the night, it doesn't really matter what your makeup looks like after :)
And last but not least, we've got this big sister and her squish of a brother. Mike placed 14th in the Kids Being Kids Category.
Did you enjoy these award winning images as much as I did? Interested in finding out more how we here at Zekar Photography can make your day unforgettable? Contact us to day!
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Written by Kate Tigchelaar, studio manager for Zekar Photography.
I am so excited to share this wedding with you guys! When we heard that the Ancaster Mill had opened up a farm venue, we just knew it was going to be amazing. So on the day of Jessie & Steve's wedding, we couldn't wait to hang out with this amazing couple and experience the country elegance that we knew Earth to Table Farm was going to present. And they did not disappoint - from the jaw dropping, belly filling, amazing food, to the perfect decorations and relaxed vibe, this is one place you guys are going to want to check out!
Jessie & Steve are a super fun loving couple, back home from Calgary. We just love our Calgary couples, they are always a ton of fun and there are always cowboy or cowgirl boots involved! Since Jessie's family is Scottish, and Steve is a pilot and they both love to travel, there were so many subtle and personal details throughout the day. There were cross-stitched aisle decorations that had oldies love song lyrics, there were bacon and cookie dough cupcakes (omgosh you guys), there were red heads. ;)
These two have such a strong love for each other, and man do they make each other laugh. I just love how much fun their families are having, this was truly a fabulous celebration of love and life! I'm not sure what my favourite part is - from the first picture of Jessie's bestie shoving those boots on, to Steve's dad using his mom's head as a tripod, there are so many amazing images. But I can't forget the image we captured of the newlyweds at their cake cutting - that one landed Mike 12th place in Cake Cutting category for the PWPC Fall 2015 contest, and helped land him the honour of coming 3rd place across Canada for the PWPC Fall 2015 contest. It's a privilege to be recognized professionally for something we just love to do!
Are you guys loving this wedding as much as I am? Stay tuned for some epic reception pictures!
Interested in having one of our Award Winning Wedding Photographers capture your special day? Contact us today!
]]>Every wedding that we do has a different feel, and Shannon and Brandon's was definitely a lot of fun. Not only are these two so darn sweet, they are completely and utterly eachothers 'person', if you know what I mean. Every detail of the wedding was put together perfectly, from Shannon's elegant fascinator, to Brandon's dapper wing-tips, to the fact that many of their guests donned 50's style clothing to compliment the theme. The ceremony took place at the lovely RBG and then off to Lakeview for the party. These two have absolutely fabulous friends who just love them to pieces, it made for such a fun day of laughter and celebration - plus the photos of the the reception make me just want to get my dancin' shoes on!
Check out Shannon's fabulous bouquet toss, we placed 11th in the Bouquet Toss Category for the PWPC Fall 2015 Competition. Love it!
Are you loving this wedding as much as I am? Contact us today!
Would you like our award winning photographers at your wedding? Sure you would! Contact us today for a consultation:)
]]>The bridal party started out getting ready at the Waterfront Hotel in Burlington and that's also where Hayley & Tim shared their first look - and its super, super cute! They headed off to the Royal Botanical Gardens for some beautiful portraits and then back to one of our very favourite venues in the area, Spencer's At The Waterfront.
What I love most about these two is how overjoyed Hayley looks the entire day and how sweetly and tenderly Tim looks as he gazes at his beautiful new wife. Take a look at my very favourites from the day - you'll definitely love the looks on Hayley's bridesmaids faces when they see her for the first time!
The formal photos took place at McMaster University, where they both went to school and upped their already high IQ's a couple notches. I think its cool when you get to revisit the place where you both studied together on the day you're getting married. The wedding took place at Dyments Farm, somewhere where we have just started having the privilege of working and it's such a great place to get married if you're looking for an outdoor, non-vineyard, s'mores-after-dark kind of place. Take a look at some of my favourites from the day, especially if you like epic dance moves. I bet you won't be able to keep the smile off your face like I couldn't!
If you'd like Zekar Photography to be a part of your fun day, contact us here!
Okay, who wants s'mores now?! Let us know on Facebook or contact us today!
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Carm & Darrell are truly the best of friends. These two have been through a lot together and have only gotten stronger. Their bond is so obvious, in the way that they look into each others eyes and in the way that they are always touching eachother, its really beautiful. You can really see how their love is celebrated by all the their family and friends that came to witness the wedding, everyone has a look of adoration for these two which speaks volumes about what awesome people they are. Take a look at my favourite images, especially if you want to see the cutest little ring bearer and flower girl in the world! And then get ready to get a little misty eyed - I just love an emotional groom ;)
If you want to find out more about how we here at Zekar Photography can be a part of your day, contact us today!
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Their playfulness and joy of being around eachother is infectious and made the day just that much better. The wedding ceremony took place at the beautiful Spencers At The Waterfront, with the formal pictures over at Village Square. Then they headed off to Carmen's to dance the night away - I love the little pops of geek culture that Caitlin & Jayce incorporated throughout the day, really making their wedding their own.
Take a look below at some of my favourites from the day!
Aren't these two the cutest? :)
For the record, he caught it :D Did you love this wedding as much as I did? Contact us today to see how we can capture your fabulous day!
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After the intimate and sacred wedding ceremony, Mike and the bridal party went for a little walk through the gorgeous town of Dundas (my hometown!) and stopped at a few little places that meant a lot to Elisa and Sheldon. Then they headed up to Dyments Farm to celebrate the rest of the day.
The whole day was a beautiful celebration of friends and family and I love how the couple added so many unique elements to the day, not to mention the fact that Sheldon is a firefighter so they had the big truck on hand for some cool photo ops. Here are some of my favourites, get ready, cause they are gorgeous!!
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And boy are we glad they did. From their awesome engagement shoot on James Street North, to their beautiful celebration at Cobble Beach Golf Resort in Owen Sound, these two were so much fun to work with.
A lot of couples will ask us what they should do if it rains on their wedding day. Rain is never usually a problem and you can get some gorgeous pictures out of any rainy day. But on Jen & Rich's day, it didn't rain - it was just extremely windy. Like 56km wind, right off the water kind of windy. But Mike loves a challenge and the pictures turned out beautifully anyways. Cobble Beach Golf Resort was a really special place for Jen because she grew up in Owen Sound and always wanted to get married there. The resort and the surrounding location is full of memories for her, so it was the perfect place for her to marry the love of her life. All the details that went into their day were so special - from the custom made football cover to carry the rings, to having their favourite Huey Lewis & The News song as their first dance song. Jen & Rich are surrounded by so much love and laughter, and having gotten to know them over the past year or so, it's easy to see why. These two are eachothers 'person', they are for realsies - check the pictures out below to see what I mean!
p.s Jen's dress is from a little place called Kleinfeld Bridal, in case you were wondering where you might get some of that gorgeousness!
Did you melt into a puddle over the insane cuteness like I did? Tell me about it on Facebook!
]]>Abby and Kevin are such a great couple and so perfectly matched, with each of them leaning on each others strengths and it makes for the perfect partnership. I love their sense of humour and their deep commitment to each other. I think one of the things that was so amazing about their wedding day was how big and loving their families are. The DJ had a "who has been married the longest " game where all of the married couples came onto the dance floor and one by one each couple left the dance floor until only Abby & Kevin and Kevin's grandparents were on the dance floor - with Kevin's grandparents being married 59 years. Its one of my favourite pictures of the day!
Did you tear up a little too? Tell us about it on Facebook or contact us today to find out how we can make your memories last!
]]>What I love the most is the attention and focus that was paid to the blending of their two families. The wedding was not just about the party or the gathering, it was about pledging their love and commitment together, as a big new beautiful family. I am used to seeing the beautiful unity candle ceremonies that are common, but I just adored the idea of how each of them put a little goldfish into one big family sized fish bowl.
And at the end? Batman showed up. :D
Take a look at some of my favourite moments from the day!
Did you love this wedding as much as we did? Let us know and lets hangout on Facebook or contact us today!
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Did you love this shoot as much as I did? Contact us today to book Zekar Photography for your engagement or anniversary shoot!
]]>Even though the weather was a little iffy the week leading up to their big day, the sun was shining as they both got ready at the Sheraton Hotel in Hamilton. Kelly & Cole decided to do a first reveal, which we always love because everyone is always more relaxed when they are together early in the day and it takes some of the stress of walking down the aisle out. Plus its always just so darn sweet, which you'll see in the pictures below. We did the formal-ish pictures over at our studio at The Cotton Factory, which always makes a super unique backdrop. The ceremony was held at The Waterfront Centre, and from there on out the party was started. Take a look at some of my very favourite moments from the day!
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Wasn't that the sweetest? :) If you're interested in finding out how Mike can capture your family's every day memories, contact us today!
]]>The ceremony took place at the stunningly gorgeous Church of Our Lady Immaculate, a landmark church located in Guelph, Ontario. We just loved how the springtime sunlight bathed over Emily & Jason as they said their vows. With a handmade ring box made by Emily's grandfather, stunning plumeria flowers in the bouquets and delicate lace details, the entire wedding was a tribute to the romance between this sweet couple. The reception was held at Paragon Banquet Hall & Catering in Cambridge - check out the gorgeous chandelier above the dance floor. Here are some of my very favourite images from the day - get your tissues ready!
p.s Check out the bridal party taking a selfie at the altar! Too funny!
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Kirsten and Travis are just the sweetest couple, what I love most about their wedding photos is how you can see that they light eachother up when they are together. The way that Kirsten looks up at her man, the way that Travis gazes at his lady, its all just too cute for words. They got married on a cloudy / rainy-ish day and it was a good thing we had our photography studio over at The Cotton Factory for backup. I always love the contrast between the industrial grittiness of the factory and the softness of the wedding atmosphere. The ceremony and reception was held over at The Waterfront Banquet Centre and a great time was had by all.
Take a look below at some of my favourites from the day!
Wasn't that a sweet wedding? If you'd like to inquire more about how our documentary style photography might be the perfect fit for you, contact us today!
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Did you love this photoshoot as much as we do? Contact us today to book your own in-home documentary style family photoshoot!
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These two fell in love shortly after they met, with Carys being the sweetest girlfriend ever and flying to Ottawa to be with Carmine after his beloved Grandma passed away, just three months after they met. Their devotion and love for eachother is so apparent, I adore the beautiful emotions that are all over their faces, especially the heart-meltingly sweet moments where Carys is (trying to) say her vows.
Here are some of my very favourite images from the day!
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]]>Here is one of the first sessions we did, on a regular, everyday weeknight. Baby Rowen just learned to crawl a few weeks ago, I just love her bright, curious little face!
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I found this one hilarious. It looks like the bird on the left is going, "oh Brandon, it's beautiful! You shouldn't have!" (But Shannon informs me that they are in fact actually fighting over the seeds)
And for all you bird nerds out there (like us), here are some of Shannon and Brandon's audience. :)
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Looking to book a family photo shoot with Zekar Photography? We'd love to hear from you! Contact us today or come hang out with us on Facebook!
]]>The wedding took place at the intimate and rustic Nottawasaga Conservation Authority. Both Tom and Olivia are major outdoors people, so it was the perfect fit. The two of them thought of every single detail for their acorn & scottish themed wedding, right down to the absolutely adorable handmade acorn chocolates and matching cake. I just adore Olivia's vintage dress, she looked absolutely gorgeous, especially with her fantastic shoes from very cool (and local!) Poetic Licence. Even the bridesmaids dresses were unique in the way that an evening or formal party dress probably wouldn't have fit with the theme, but the sweet swingy skirt and fitted cardigans were perfect.
As you take a look through my favourites of this wedding, take note of the night time shots near the end - this is a prime example of what happens when Mike gets a bolt of inspiration for a picture. He might make you stand outside in the cool night air, wondering what the heck he could possibly be doing, but believe me, Olivia and Tom trusted their photographer and the results were amazing.
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I love the way these two look at eachother - Katie is stunningly elegant in her vintage style dress, she has a grace and beauty about her that Liam did not miss a single second of. No wonder he fell in love with at first sight!
Take a look at some of our favourite images from their day, and enjoy!
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Fast forward to their beautiful wedding held at the Royal Botanical Gardens, which was so much fun. These two have the sweetest family, from their adorable little kids to their amazingly loving and supportive extended family. Their little guy is such a gentleman - when I was walking with him and Mallory to the spot where were meeting Mark, he said "My mom? She looks better than Cinderella." And Mark - Well, you could say he agreed. Mark has an unabashed love for his beautiful wife. We seriously had to pick this guys jaw up off the floor when he saw her for the first time during their reveal. You can literally see the hearts floating around their heads, the magic between them has definitely not been dampened by the ups and downs of everyday life. Mallory looks at Mark as her protector, her knight in shining armour and as an amazing dad. Without further adieu, here are some of my favourites from this Hamilton, Ontario wedding!
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This is one of the villages that The Samaritan Foundation has built with the hearts and hands of volunteers.
This is a typical home in the poorest areas of Puerto Plata.
A Dominican Village.
The woman who received the home. Clean, with plumbing and electricity. Safe and secure for herself and her precious babies. http://thesamaritanfoundationdr.com/
For more info on some of these pictures, join us on Facebook.
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With the nice weather finally here we have had many requests for outdoor family sessions. I thought I would share with you some of what in my experience are the "do's" and "don'ts" of a successful documentary photo session with young children indoors or out. This will also give a preview of what usually takes place during the time we spend together.
I love photographing families doing their thing. Although posed photographs have their appeal, I believe that the true bond between family members becomes visible when they play and have fun together. I love documenting the looks, the smiles, the friendly nudges and loving embraces. But for all that to happen the stage has to be set long before the family arrives at our meeting spot.
1. Arrange the session around the child's schedule. You as parents are the experts on your children and we rely on you to tell us when your little ones might be in the best mood. As a mom I know that this "phenomenon" usually happens when they had a good nap and their little bellies are full. But is that not true for all of us? And let's not underestimate the importance of a clean diaper ;)
While there are better and worse times for doing photography outdoors we specialize in capturing your memories at any time of day.
2. Allow enough time. We try and keep the sessions about an hour long. Just about the right length of time for a nice leisurely walk in the park. Children can get tired and bored easily. This time is usually ample enough to let the kids and everyone else get used to me and the camera. Then once the fun begins it's my job to in turn make them forget all about me and that is then the magic happens. "Play" and "relax" are the key words here. In my experience, children don't do well when they are rushed or not enjoying themselves. If need be we will take time to take a break and have a drink and a little snack. I know I don't need to remind the parents to bring one along. Having said that, sometimes we have to work on the child's timetable. I have had very successful sessions where the child cried for the first 45 minutes. I just documented the crying and the parents comforting the baby. I was able to capture some very tender moments for the family that the parents were very happy with.
3. Pick a spot. You as parents know best whether your child will be happiest indoors or out. Do they like playing with their toys inside or a visit to the playground will be better to allow us to capture them at their best. Either way I usually arrive at the a little bit earlier to scout out the place for the best locations and the best light at any given time of day. It helps things go a little bit smoother once the little ones arrive. I have had a lot of experience with children of all ages having raised three kids (including a set of twins) myself. I have many tricks up my sleeve that I use to capture the little ones' attention. So the parents don't need to worry about coaxing the children to smile and look at the camera. Besides sometimes a little touch or look can say more than a thousand words ever could...
4. Once there don't worry and stress too much about your child's mood. Unless they are ill and not feeling well we will spend enough time together to get the best moments out of them. The beauty of a documentary family session is that all the moments are precious and worth capturing. Even the tears and the tantrums. The photographs give you a glimpse of a real family life in a way that the posed session never could. They capture how everyone looks at a given moment in time but also documents the special moments, unique personalities and attitudes of everyone involved.
5. Bring something along to jump start the fun. If it's a birthday party then there is plenty going on already. When we are at a park then it could be your child's favourite toy or game. If the parents don't bring toys I often times bring something with me or find something to grab the child's attention and let them forget about the camera.
The bottom line is that it is important that we all enjoy this experience and that the session captures the uniqueness of each individual family.
Hope this helps you prepare for your session and that you enjoy the images!
Kamila
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Weddings are already fast paced and highly emotional, even for the most laid back of couples. Adding a professional photoshoot into the mix only adds to the commotion. That is why an experienced photographer is essential if high quality pictures are of great importance to you. A professional will come with that experience, gear, and artistic know-how to make photography an enjoyable part of the day rather than an experience you would rather avoid.
Even the most professional photographer has their limits however. It takes time to set up those award winning images you see all over the internet. Even a veteran photographer needs time, what they do is an art and if its rushed they may get the job done but that extra creativity they need for award winning images can be muted by the rush.
My experience has always been that couples that leave a little extra time always end up with images I submit to photography competitions or who have that weddings I use for sample albums in our studio.
There are two major reasons for this:
First, during the day there are some moments during the time we spend together to sit back and take a few breaths to relax. We are not rushed to get the job done and move to the next thing… So while I’m scouting and setting up they are relaxing and not feeling rushed to move to the next spot. The more they get to enjoy the quiet moments the more they are into one another when we are taking pictures. How often as a couple do you kiss and hug when you need to get a million things done in a day? Intimate moments are stimulated when you are both relaxed and focused on one another.
Second, having a little extra time gives me the ability to do more scouting and creative thought. There are locations I have been numerous times and still to this day I will find a new image I’ve never taken there before if I have the time to look. When I have the time to study the light and shadows, look around corners, and let a couple relax in the moment the better the image gets.
So how long does it really take? That depends on your expectations what you desire to have done and the individual photographer. This is another reason why a professional is important, they will spend the time to learn what you want so they can get you what you need.
Below are 6 tips to consider when planning your picture time.
- Doing family photos at weddings is akin herding cats. People leave to freshen up, grab a drink, after all, it’s a party right? No matter how hard you try you will be waiting for people. To save frustration and let yourself and your guests enjoy the day, give lots of time for family pictures. If all goes well you will have extra for artistic portraits and if it’s a mess you had the extra time and all is well.
- Create a shot list. Preplanned shots are good because you have a list to check off, during the rush of the day it can be easy to forget even the most important people. Your photographer may not be familiar with your family dynamics. So leaving it in their hands to figure it all out can be a risk. Work with them to create a good shot list of the family and friends you want to have posed shots with.
- Start with a big group and work down. Its easer to have everyone you need in one spot and send them away when you’re done than it is to go find them one at a time. It’s also harder to pull someone away from a drink and a conversation then if their near and ready to get the picture and go party.
- Relax. The best thing to do is be yourself! This has much to do with the photographer you chose. Make sure they make you feel comfortable.
- Come prepared, bring extra shoes for walking, umbrellas, makeup, food and drink. There are things you will need and having to go get them if you don’t have them with you can take valuable time away from your pictures.
- And last but not least talk to your photographer, as what their opinion is when it comes to getting the job done. If you want simple shots it will take less time, if you want creative shots, you may need to leave time for them to work the situation out in the way they do.
Iain and Melissa decided to do a first-look, which we always love. These two are super cute, I can just feel their joy right through the pictures!
During the formal photo session, Melissa got this crazy big splinter in her foot...my palms are sweating just thinking about it. Kind of a bummer, but she took it in stride. I'm sure it didn't feel to great the next day though!
After the repairs were done, it was time for the ceremony. The thing I love about Liuna Gardens is the outdoor ceremony location is so pretty, right on the water. It also has the worlds longest aisle, so if you're into making a big grand entrance, this place is for you!
Generations :)
The rest of the day was spent partying-on-down with their loved ones!
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I love the beauty of this next moment. There is nothing quite like seeing your mom's reaction on your wedding day!
Over at the ceremony garden, Richard was anxiously awaiting his bride as he greeted his guests.
I love how Richard's groomsmen are checking to see if there were any tears!
After a short and sweet ceremony...Richard and Maria are finally married!
Before you guys get to drool over the gorgeous formal photos, I gotta throw in this handsome ringbearer first. Does this kid have swagger or what!
On our way over to the beautiful covered bridge that the Ancaster Mill has, Maria had to stop and do some footwear adjusting!
Looking this gorgeous really builds up an appetite, on to the reception!
So cheeky...
And the rest of the night was a big, fun party!
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Eventually though, it was time to get down to business.
I love the look of pure intensity here.
After much primping, and intense lacing-up, Heather was finally ready - and gorgeous!
Her daddy agreed!
Over in the grooms suite, it was all jokes and smiles as Lawrence got ready for the day.
Finally, Lawrence was ready to meet his lovely lady at the altar over at Spencer's on the Waterfront in Burlington.
From here on in, it's kind of hard not to have a constant smile on your face while looking at the joy on Lawrence & Heathers face as they say I do!
A lot of the very best moments at a wedding happen when nobody expects it, and Mike is always ready for it when things like this happen - Chef photobomb!
All of Heather loves all of Lawrence. :)
And all of me? Loves all of this dinner. Nom Nom x 100.
A little newly-wed smooch underneath an August blood moon!
No wedding is complete without a random parkour kid!
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The phrase 'wedding photojournalist' has become somewhat of a marketing term as of late. You can find it plastered all over wedding websites. The reason being is most photographers know that the traditional style of wedding photography is not something that attracts very many clients and to use the term suggests they are responsive to the demands of most couples these days. So I thought its time I put my thoughts in on the matter.
Wedding photojournalism is often defined as capturing the wedding day in a manner that is unobtrusive and candid. I would agree with this for the most part. However, I feel photojournalistic wedding photography goes deeper than just this. Before I explain my thoughts on it I want to make sure you know one thing: there is no set in stone definition of this form of photography, and that is a good thing. What we do is an art and if you ever could define it its mystery and speciality would be diminished.
Some photographers believe wedding photojournalism means absolutely no interference with the moments at all, even to the point of only basic editing and no camera flash. Others will say the photographer is in control of the situation, lighting, where they place the subject, but not taking away from what happens naturally. And other may say something different still. Ultimately the only thing that matters is that if you are looking to have photojournalistic wedding photography done, make sure that whatever style is put forth by a potential photographer suits your needs, and the personality of your photographer complements you so you feel comfortable.
What is wedding photojournalism at Zekar Photography?
So how do I define wedding photojournalism? For me it comes down to one simple idea: telling a genuine, natural story! I’m not one who will ask a wedding party to jump for a picture, in fact I don’t like those pictures because its overdone and I like to kick against the norm not copy it, it’s my nature to trail blaze. I don’t ever want to make a wedding look like some other wedding I found on a blog! However if a couple asks for one I do it because part of their story is the time where they asked for a certain picture from their photographer, so at that moment its natural and my feelings change. So in that sense I am happy to do it.
But what does telling a story mean to me? Its complicated. In fact I haven’t been able to figure it out completely yet myself. There is a good reason for that however, I am always growing, learning, changing, so how I define the core of my style has to be malleable. I revisit my foundation often and question it.
However, there are three clear aspects to wedding photojournalism I see in my work that I can explain that will never change.
First is the story of the day. Most couples who commission me to document their day do so from beginning to end. The reason is they want to relive the whole day again and again through my pictures. So my primary focus is to tell the whole story of the day in the collection of images so that once they have gone through them all they have relived each part like they were right back on their day. Years after a wedding I have gotten emails from couples on their anniversary. They tell me “we just went through our wedding and want to thank you again, I took us right back and we remembered the whole thing”. That is my goal!
Second, telling a story in a single picture. This is where the magic happens. This idea separates a real photojournalist from one using the term as a marketing tool. So what is an example of this? Well, lets say a bride is sitting at the head table and her maid of honour is giving a speech. She brings up a past moment that causes the bride to tear up. The photographer takes notice and takes a picture of just the bride crying remembering her friendship. Is this a photojournalisim? It was candid, the photographer did not interfere, so is this photojournalism? For me however, I don’t think it has become wedding photojournalisim yet, certainly not in the single image. What story does it tell, if its just the bride in the image she could have just found out her chicken was over cooked and it upset her. Or maybe it was her father giving the speech, how could you ever know. What a wedding photojournalist will do is get that shot, but another that seeks to incorporate the brides maid in it as well so the viewer later on can see who it was that caused the emotion. For the bride it will remind her of her friendship again years down the road.
It also stretches a photographer to their creative limits, the best composition might be a picture of just the bride, the best light etc… but if it avoids the story it has missed the real picture taking place. So only experience and knowledge on how to make a situation work well will make a good image. This is what makes a good artist, one who can take limitations and have limitless options from experience to choose from, that tell the whole story. That to me is what wedding photojournalisim is when telling the story in a single image.
Lastly, how far do I get involved in an image. This would be the controversial area where photographers really start to disagree. What crosses the boundary? There are two areas to talk about.
First is in the actual image its self, my best example would be the use of flash. Photography is the manipulation of light, everything you see is light that hit a sensor. So if you add or take away light you have changed the environment the couple was in. So for me, how I view light is I will ues it to enhance only what is happening.
A first dance is a good example, if it’s a very intimate dace where the couple feels as though they are the only ones in the room I will create light that complements that emotion by isolating them from the crowd. If they have done ball room dance lessons and are putting on a show for their guests I will create light that incorporates their guests.
The second aspect is in editing, how far do you manipulate and image? Do you change the colors to give it a vintage look? If you do that then you have in a sense created a false environment and have changed reality. So my same principle applies here, my edits will only go as far as to enhance what is already there. I will not manipulate an image, change the environment, change the mood, my goal is to keep the image as genuine to the moment as possible while making it artistic and of quality.
What wedding photojournalism is not.
It is not just taking candid shots, it is a thought out, planned process to tell a story. Getting to know our couples their dreams and ideas for their day is massive so we can be prepared to get those moments.
It is not avoiding posed shots, part of a wedding is doing portraits, so taking a hard line approach and not getting involved at all would mean no set up shots would happen. This is not the case for us at Zekar, and in fact many of the best candid moments I have gotten happen during a set up shot. How we approach the photojournalistic side of portraits is to do what we call staged shots, we find the best location, make suggestions to the couple, and then let then engage on another. There will be natural moments generated in this and we document that. We help create natural moments for the couple because portraits are a natural part of the day.
It is not without structure. We don’t cross our fingers and go into the day hoping to see all the moments by chance, we develop a detailed outline of the day, ask lots of questions about what will be taking place, and make lots of suggestions on how to structure things to be optimal for the best photojournalistic shots.
Details are a big part of the pictures. Its not just about the people its about the things, the rings, flowers, handmade décor, all of these things were planned out before hand and are a major part of the day, we document them because they are part of the story as well.
So to sum it up, wedding photojournalism is something left to be interpreted. Every photographer has a different approach or theory as to what it is. But at its core it’s the ability to tell the story of what is happening naturally. At Zekar Photography, we do not follow trends, we follow the story of your day and how it reflects all your planning. We document that in a candid unobtrusive way and add our artistic vision to a natural moment.
]]>Check out the posh gorgeousness that these two rocked - I love the elegance of their outfits and the natural chemistry that just shines through.
Then we jaunted off to Spencers Park in Burlington, the place where Sheldon asked Elisa to be his love forever . :)
The day started off with Stefanie getting ready, attended to by her beautiful bridesmaids.
Meanwhile, Erik was bartering for his brides hand in marriage with a bottle of Vodka - Stefanies brother, however, wouldn't budge in the negotiations unless the proper size and value of Vodka was brought to the table. Luckily for Erik, it all worked out in the end!
Next, it was time for a traditional Swedish ceremony of blessing.
Finally it was time to head off to the ceremony. Everything was going as planned, until...
A roadblock!
Turns out, they were friendly. Stefanie & Erik were back on their way, and everything was going smoothly. Until...
Another roadblock! Turns out, this one was friendly too, especially with an offering of...you guessed it...vodka!
Finally, after an intense bartering session and two serious roadblocks, Stefanie & Erik made it to the church on time!
Next we were off to the Scottish Rite. This next picture has a bit of story behind it for Mike, its really neat. So about 5 years ago when we were just starting Zekar Photography, we were stopped at the intersection kitty cornered to the Scottish Rite. The sun was shining and there were two little flower girls who were spinning around, with the sunlight enveloping them in golden rays and you could just feel the joy. Mike said that if he was the photographer, he'd have stopped whatever he was doing to capture that moment. Fast forward 5 years, and he got his chance!
Finally it was time for real festivities to begin. Stefanie and Erik had a fantastic time with all of their loved ones surrounding them in happiness and joy!
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First, some of the gorgeous wildlife that can be found at the hidden paradise that is Rockwood.
And now, some of my favourites!
And now for some close-ups of the real star of the shoot! The paws. The crazy eyes. The tongue. AAH!
It started off innocently enough:
Then, the weapons were drawn.
Then these things happened. :D
Then this happened. I guess a natural progression in an epic water balloon fight is trying to see what it feels like to have one explode in your mouth :)
These first few were taken at Princess Point, definitely a great spot for some romantic outdoor dates.
Olivia and Tom...sittin' in a tree...
K i s s i n g. :D
Olivia fits right under Tom's chin, like they were specifically made just for the exact purpose of the perfect standing cuddle. :)
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Mike left the guys drooling on the driveway and went off to the real belle of the ball, Sonia. Sonia and her girls were bustling around, putting the finishing touches on. Sonia looked drop-dead gorgeous, her wedding gown fit her beautiful silhouette to a tee - it's probably one of my favourite dresses I've seen. I love the swathes of fabric around the bodice and the delicate lace overlay.
Next, we were off to St Joseph's Ukrainian Catholic church. The ceremony was gorgeous, rich in tradition and reverence.
This next series just shows how in love these two are. I mean, look at the adorably cute secret looks these two share!
For the formal-ish part of the day, Sonia & Mike decided to take advantage of our awesome studio, located at 270 Sherman Ave N in Hamilton. The industrial grittiness offers a fantastic juxtaposition between the softness of the wedding party and the harshness of the architecture.
I don't often show a lot of posed family or group shots as we really do concentrate mostly on documenting the moments as they happen, but I love the way these ones turned out.
Just before we headed over to Michaelangelo's for the reception, the bridal party launched into a champagne fight - mostly aimed at Mike!
And off to the reception!
I love all the different traditions that our couples have, but I really wish I was Ukrainian so that I could have one of these incredible Korovai. I adore the little bread love birds!
Mike & Sonia had a ton of fun at their reception. There was competitive garter-grabbing...
And then they played a game where the bridesmaids had to roll a cold hardboiled egg along the groomsmens leg, inside their pants...tee hee.
We wish Mike & Sonia the very best - we know they'll have a beautiful life together!
Did you love this wedding as much as we did? Let's be friends on Facebook, or contact us if you'd like to set up a consultation!
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Since Jen is so outgoing and funny, her expressions made for fantastic photos. As a side note, she also has the coolest job ever - she is a professional puppeteer! Awesome!
Since some of the other wedding vendors were running behind schedule, Mike had a bit of time to go exercise his creativity. He found this dude on the dance floor of the wedding tent and him and our assistant Kamila coaxed this little diva onto Jen's wedding ring. He was fairly particular that we get his 'best side', a bit of an attention hog really.
After the finishing touches were completed, we were lucky enough to witness this beautiful moment between Jen's parents. Love the look on her daddy's face!
Next, we headed on over to the Royal Botanical Gardens for the ceremony.
Nick was waiting patiently for his beautiful bride, as these two decided to do a 'first look'. It was totally worth it...get your tissues out!
For the record, we did not Photoshop those tears. This girl just has big beautiful happy tears! We love it!
Do you guys hear violins in the background?! Cause I sure did when I first looked at those!
Time for the ceremony, with more beautiful tears and laughter.
After a couple more formal-ish photos, we headed back to Jen's house for the outdoor reception.
I love how Jen & Nick are super genuine and themselves, they truly had a really good relaxed time on their wedding day and it really shows in their photos.
I think this fist pump pretty much says it all :D
Did you guys love this wedding as much as we did? Come on over to Facebook and lets be friends! Or contact us here at Zekar Photography, we'd love to chat!
]]>Mike was on hand to snap a few shots of the couple as they celebrated their love for each other in the courtyard of the Mississauga City Hall.
This guy was so awesome - his fiery hair totally suited this whole scene!
Are these guys not all kinds of gorgeous?! Like what you see? Lets be friends on Facebook or contact us here for a consultation!
]]>First up, adorable gender reveal.
Are you loving them yet :D I KNOW, right?! :)
This one is hilarious...Marcellus totally photobombed the shot ;)
See what I mean :) These guys are not only an amazing couple together, they are going to make two heckuva good set of parents for their lucky little boy!
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These two tied the knot at the rustic and ever shabby-chic Balls Falls. Samantha was busy getting ready as Mike arrived, with all her fabulous bridesmaids decked out in the prettiest of pink bridesmaid gowns. I love the soft peony colour of them, just perfect for a springtime wedding.
Just before the ceremony, Mike had a peek at the wonderfully decorated barn. Don't you love Samantha's bouquet, with a beautiful and touching tribute to her beloved Grandma?
I absolutely love the idea for table numbers that Samantha and Aaron had. Each number corresponds to something important to the two of them, like their first date or the date Aaron proposed. It didnt matter if the numbers were out of order because the point was the sentimentality of them and it was a perfect way to personalize each table and for others to know more about their history.
Over at the cute little chapel, it was time for the ceremony to begin.
Next, time for some formals. A little soggy, but a lot fabulous!
Finally, time for the part-ay :D Samantha and Aaron are an awesome couple, so totally in love. Even though Samantha wasn't quite sure about Aaron (at all!) on their first date, he wooed her out a second time and she knew then that he was the man she was going to marry. I adore it when love takes us by surprise like that!
Let's end it with a little bit a groovy dancing! :)
Did you love this wedding? Tell us about it! Come hangout with us on Facebook :)
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The tea ceremony was beautiful, such a rich tradition with deep family roots. Ian was honoured to be welcomed into this wonderful family.
After the tea ceremony, we all headed off to Cambridge Mill. Hoa slipped into her western bridal gown and got ready for the second ceremony of the day.
Check out Hoa's stunning bouquet! Calla lillies, tulips, freesia, irises - the perfect mix of all the best purples for spring!
Next we headed back to the Mill for the ceremony. This couple is so sweet together, they just have a natural fit and their ceremony was just lovely.
I have to explain the next couple of photos before we go on. Hoa and the bridal party conspired to play a hilarious trick on Ian. All of the groomsmen were told to line up and put blindfolds on, and the music kicked in and they all started dancing. Then everyone stopped - everyone but Ian, who was left dancing his heart out by himself in front of his friends and family! It was pretty hilarious, and luckily Ian has a wonderful sense of humour!
How cute is this cake topper?! Super cute!
The dancing continued and the evening went on, and it was a wonderful, fun day for this awesome couple!
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This next shot was pure magic. Mike convinced them to brave the cold and snow because his photography ninja-sense was going off, and he never ignores The Ninja!
I just have to add these in as well - don't you guys just love Jessa's pearl wedding ring? It's simply stunning and so unique, pearls are something that all of the women in her family wear so it's extra special.
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Our first stop was Little Cove. Kendra and Dave spend a lot of time in this secluded little cove on Georgian Bay. Since we had the craziest winter ever, the bay was still frozen in a lot of spots and it was cold...and windy...but sunny, and fun!
As you can see, these two have an absolute blast with each other. I love Kendra's big smile - and so does Dave!
One of the things we learned about Kendra and Dave, is not only are they both equally excited about their upcoming wedding, but their whole family is too. This is a shot of them cuddled up in a handmade quilt by Daves Grandma, and the cool iron heart was crafted by Kendra's Brother. Three cheers for crafty families!
On our way back into Tobermory, Mike spotted this fabulous patch of birch trees from the side of the road. Luckily these guys are good sports, because we had them tramping through some swampy areas, but it was totally worth it.
Next we headed over the little town of Tobermory. I was quite surprised by how many people were there on Easter Weekend, the town was just waking up from a deep-freeze and the restaurants were scrambling to serve all the unexpected guests. Kendra & Dave got some ice cream from the supermarket - we're pretty sure it was left over from last year, but it still works. Don't you love their t-shirts? An inside family joke that worked perfectly!
One of the things Kendra & Dave love to do together is fly kites. We headed over to Singing Sands beach - which was a little careworn after the winter, but it was so windy it was perfect for kite flying.
We had such a good time with these guys, I love how truly in love with each other they are, they were so much fun to hang out with. Can't wait till the wedding this summer!
Check out Mike's portfolio on our Home page.
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How about these two cutie flower girls, all class :)
I love the pure beauty of this next shot!
Next, it was time for the ceremony at St Francis Xavier Parish in Hamilton.
I have a huge soft spot in my heart for daddy-daughter moments and Amanda and her Daddy are just heart melting!
After a beautiful ceremony, we head on over to a local winery in Niagara. It's pouring rain but Mike makes great use of the fabulous wine cellar.
The reception was held at St Naum's in Hamilton. Here are a couple of examples of some of the fabulous details that Amanda arranged. I simply adore the elegance of the silver theme and how magical it was. She proved that just because you have a fall wedding, doesn' mean you are stuck to the red and orange and brown colour schemes.
Pretty gorgeous :)
Amanda and Dan's first dance song was sung by their friend singer / songwriter Tomi Swick, you can hear the song by clicking here.
Remember how cute Amanda and her dad were while they were walking down the aisle? Well Dan and his mom nearly outdid them on the dance floor:
Close up shot!
Super sweet! This whole wedding was super sweet actually, and we're so glad we got to be a part of it :) We wish Amanda and Dan the very best!
Did you love this wedding? Tell us about it on Facebook! Interested in seeing what Amanda and Dan's wedding album looked like? Click here for the blog post: 4 Reasons Why Professional Wedding Albums Are Worth It!
]]>Jenn and Dan are truly a sweet couple, who just adore eachother. They met in a library and I have to say I have the most romantic visions of them catching eachothers eyes through the nook and cranny of a giant bookshelf. I don't know if thats even close to what happened, but meeting in a library is pretty awesome. Love blooms when you least expect it, even when you have to use your library voice to get your newly found soulmate's attention.
Jenn and her girls were busy getting ready in the bridal suite, her bridesmaids were super attentive and awesome. They even brought a crochet hook to help do the buttons up on Jenn's dress, such a smart idea! Speaking of Jenn's dress, this girl completely rocked her gown. Truly, the dress skimmed her fabulous figure and flared out ever so slightly at the bottom - the epitome of grace and style, Jenn's natural elegance shone through beautifully.
Mike headed on over to the cocktail room to hang out with Dan as he got ready to meet his bride. Dan is one of those guys that just makes people happy, just by being in the room with them. He and his friends were having a blast, just hanging out and enjoying the day.
Dan and Jenn decided to do a 'first look' session, which worked out really well. It's a great option for couples who are feeling freaked out by the pressure of walking down the aisle in front of everyone, and as you'll see below, the pictures say it all. I included a lot of pictures from this part because it's cute to see the anticipation of their emotions.
This is Dan, reacting to the peanut gallery that was watching this beautiful moment take place. :)
Wasn't that gorgeous?
Speaking of gorgeous, check out the perfect winter flower bouquet that Jenn picked out. The dusty miller and subtle silvery hues are absolutely perfect with the deep purple of the bridesmaids dresses.
After a few of the semi-formal formals, Mike and the guys hung out at the bar for a bit and the guys showed of their fabulous socks. It's always cute when people do this, a little bit of fun and personality added to the day.
An example of how we get creative when its minus a million degrees outside and we've got time for lots of bridal photos.
Finally it was time for the ceremony to begin. With everyone relaxed and laughing, the vibe was so good as Jenn's dad walked her down the aisle.
After the wedding ceremony, it was time to find some warm spots to take a few more formal photos. The first spot? The elevator. :)
Finally, it was time for the reception. We've heard a lot of wedding speeches, and a lot of wedding MC's, but its unusual for us to be laughing so hard at the MC's jokes or teared right up at the speeches like we were at Jenn and Dan's wedding.
This is proof that Mike actually never stops taking pictures. Don't worry, this is taken after he thoroughly washed his hands :) Another fun fact about this shot? It placed 7th at the PWPC quarterly wedding contest for Wedding Details.
After the beautiful speeches, comes the dancing, and dance they did. I love watching a couple dance for the first time as husband and wife, its definitely one of my most favourite wedding traditions.
We wish Jenn and Dan the best of everything in the future!
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The first thing you'll notice when you get your album is how heavy it is. This particular album is a 10 x 10 and about 5 lbs. It's a two-hander for sure. The reason behind the heft of this thing is because it has nice, thick flushmount pages. A flushmount album lies flat and there is no gutter interrupting the flow of the picture, which makes it awesome for telling the whole story, right across the page spread. The professional Fuji photopaper that is used is actually the best that is available on the market. This means print quality is second to none - my pictures will never do the seamless detail justice, so if you do want to check them out in person, you can always just give us a call. You can get all up close and personal and squinty with the pages and I promise you, you'll never see the little ink dots made from the printer.
These albums are all handmade too, by professional artisans in Toronto, Ontario. The best part about that, is not only is it so much cooler than having a mindless robot put together something that is so special to you, but an expert is going to notice when something isn't put together right. Your wedding album is crafted to become a timeless heirloom that is to be passed down for generations, definitely not a product of today's "throwaway" culture. I just love the fact that each album we give our client is actually made just for them, because it's an extension of our commitment to individualized service for each of our couples. No run of the mill, factory pushed out cookie-cutter stuff here!
See how awesome the spine is? No glue, no dodgy sewing.
The second reason we love our albums, is not only is each album hand made, but you can really customize these babies. For Amanda and Dan's wedding, we chose a dove coloured, faux silk cover for their album because Amanda's bridesmaids dresses were a beautiful muted greyish purple and there were silver and grey details all throughout the wedding decor. We've got about 10 colours of faux silk, linen and leatherette to choose from, so if matching makes you happy, these albums are perfect for you! You can put any text you'd like on the cover, we just kept this one nice and simple.
The third reason why our albums are so special, is they are hand designed by the guy that took your photos. Mike was there, he knows the exact succession of events, he knows exactly what pictures are to be grouped together to tell the perfect story. Your album is put together by experienced artisans from start to finish, the artistic vision you hired us for is completed by having us put the album together just for you. Its also a huge time save for you too. It's pretty cool to know that your album is going to be crafted and made and all you have to do is give it the final thumbs up and voila, it's at your door and ready for you to share with all your peeps. When we design the albums, we don't use stock templates either, because we know that each wedding is one-of-a-kind and isnt going to fit just a couple of different templates.
And the fourth reason our albums rock? Only professionals can get them. You can't just sign up on a website and order these ones up, only professional photographers have access to these boutique albums. That means that your album is going to be pretty unique among your friends, which also gives you bragging rights. Pretty cool, right? :)
So what did you think? Do you love this album, do you want to know more? Give us a shout on Facebook or send us an email, we'd love to chat!
]]>With Lisa & Craig's wedding, I could not stop smiling through their story - from the beginning to the end, these two are literally beaming through the entire day. I just love how they incorporated their Maritime roots into a fun, relaxed wedding day that was all their own. You would think that having a November wedding at a beach-y place like Baranga's would be a little contradictory, this wedding is all sunshine with these two lovebirds! A cute random fact before we start? They met at the great Canadian coffee shop, Tim Hortons, and not on a date either - just two peeps who were in line at the same time every day, and found themselves wanting more than just a few minutes of hi-how-are-ya, come-here-often? So cute :)
When Mike arrived at Lisa's house, everyone was just putting on the finishing touches and helping Lisa slip into the most fabulous shoes. But first - best wedding invitation ever!
After everyone got all gussied up, it was time to head over to Baranga's, for Craig and Lisa's first look. We see this so much now, and we find that when our couples do it, they are much more relaxed for the rest of the day. It can be pretty scary walking down the aisle!
Just a warning going forward - if you see anything ridiculous, its because Craig & Lisa are hilarious on their own and Mike just stood back had a blast just capturing their goofiness :) I also actually had a hard time narrowing down my favourites for these guys, so because they set aside so much time for one-on-one pictures with Mike (which we love), there are a lot of pretty awesome shots.
I'm pretty sure the only reason the guy on the bike is not looking is because the cuteness would have caused him to fall right off his bike. Cuteness like that is hazardous. : )
I don't usually include the family photo part of the day into these blogs, not because the pictures aren't good, but because I like to incorporate pictures that everyone can relate to. Pretty sure you guys can feel the adorable-ness of this one :)
After the short and sweet ceremony, it was time for the real fun to begin.
Lisa & Craig did a seriously fantastic job at incorporating their theme throughout the day. From the lobster trap envelope box, to the delicious lobster and seashell shaped sugar cookies (hand baked, mhmm), to each table being named after their favourite Maritime place, the whole thing was an east coasters dream come true.
Pretty much the rest of the night is proof of why I hope Craig and Lisa have a bus load of kids. Even if they don't plan on it, wherever they are, kids are sure to find them. It's like Craig emits a sonar signal that only people under 10 years old can hear, and it's saying "jump on me." "pin me down on the ground in my wedding outfit.'"
Okay wasn't that wedding awesome? Did you smile the whole time?? Tell us about it on Facebook! We wish these two the very best. Are they going to be married for ever and ever?! YOU BETCHA!
In this post, Mike outlines 8 important questions to ask your Wedding Photographer! It's important that you ask as many questions as possible so that you get a good feel for who you're talking to, here are some tips to help you out.
As always, over to Mike!
Questions you should ask your potential Wedding Photographer
1. Ask them if you can see a sample of a few weddings. Go beyond their front page portfolio. Be sure to see that their portfolio quality is the standard not an exception. Looking at sample weddings will show you a few things. Do they maintain good quality in every situation the wedding puts forth from a sunny day to a dark reception hall? Can they tell a story of the day? Are all of the pictures ones you’d want to show your friends and family?
2. Ask how many weddings they do in a year. This may seem trivial but it can tell you a lot, to little and maybe they are not full time and its more of a hobby, to many and will you get the attention you need to get quality? A good average for a photographer is 30-40 weddings a year. If all they do is weddings maybe 40-50. If they say they do 25-30 and they spend lots of time on each this is good! 35-40 and they also shoot family, maternity, and headshots. You might be one in a line of many and the quality will not be the same, this is what looking at full weddings is important.
3. Ask about their work flow, how many pictures do they edit and what program (s) do they edit with? A camera takes a picture when a photographer is inspired by the moment. This inspiration is an idea; there are controls on the camera that give the photographer the ability to begin to communicate this idea but it only just starts there. You will not find a photographer who will upload your pictures and give them to you at the end of the very same day, if they do, find another one - unless you have a prior agreement that we photographers usually call 'shoot to burn'.
Why shouldn't they give them to you right out of the camera? Because they need to edit them. The camera itself is limited if it wasn’t we wouldn’t have a such a wide variety of editing software out there making millions in sales if there were cameras that did all the work. They are just machines! So the idea begins on your wedding day with the click, it is then taken back to the digital darkroom and the photographer applies their special touch through programs like Adobe Photoshop, Gimp, Lightroom and so on. This aspect of photography is as vast and as important of the workings of the camera itself, it is only when they are put together that you get a good full package. Shoot to burn photographers aren't very common, but to put the importance of proper, professional editing into perspective, I will continue with the car metaphor by saying that a picture without editing is like purchasing a car without a paint job. It's still a car, it still works, it just doesn't look pretty. They'll still be pictures of your day, but they probably aren't going to look too pretty!
4. Ask about their equipment. Do they use a point and shoot? I hope not! A point and shoot is basic, a camera that does not have interchangeable lenses. It's important to remember that a camera is a tool. To illustrate, here is a little story about Ansel Adams, a very famous landscape photographer. When asked why he would give up composing music for photography, as it didn’t seem to communicate as much as music, he said, and I paraphrase. “I don’t think a camera can communicate very much, but I think a photographer can”. If your photographer is going to communicate your wedding properly they need the tools. Ask what they use, write it down and look it up to see if it’s suitable for weddings. Do they have off camera lighting, extra camera bodies and lenses if something breaks? However, Ansel Adams also said "There is nothing worse than a sharp photograph of a fuzzy idea” The tools are not the end all, do they have vision and ability to produce the idea. This means, having technical expertise and fancy equipment is one thing, but if they aren't an artist, then they're not going to have the innate ability to capture the beauty of your day. You'll be able to tell this by the emotions you feel when you see their art.
5. Ask them about their photographic experience. Where did they get started, how long have they been around cameras, why did they become a wedding photographer. And most important, how many weddings have they shot? A photographer may have 'been in business' for 10 years, but only have photographed 20 weddings!
6. Ask for a few references. All experienced photographers will have some past clients that you can talk to. See if they lived up to the standards they advertise by asking a client.
7. Ask about printing rights and watermarks. Do they require you to print with them? If they do how much does it cost? You could be confronted with some surprising back end prices if this is not considered. A watermark is the company name or photographers name placed onto the picture as a permanent mark and they may charge you a fee or printing fees to remove the watermark. We've 'front end loaded' our packages so that what you see is what you pay, and you can decide for yourselves which of the prints and extra's you'd like to purchase in the end.
8. Make sure the photographer you meet, is the photographer that will actually shoot your day. Here is a story that upsets me – and it happens more often than you’d think. Years ago my cousin walked into a home studio, saw good pictures, and signed the contract. After meeting with the photographer, he sent them on their way and she was happy to have her/him booked and went on with other things. Her wedding day came, the door bell rang. Someone yelled “the photographers here!” and she jumped up with excitement and went to the door. Who was there? The photographers apprentice. “Who are you?” she said. “I’m your photographer Mr Never-Done-This-Before replied. “Oh no you’re not” she said “yes I am… Mr Ripoff sent me” he replied. It was never mentioned that Mr Ripoff would not be there, but Mr Never-Done-This-Before, with his cheap camera from the 70’s would be. I don’t know if the contract said this was possible but it may have, so sit with your photographer and read their contract and ask about it. If they don’t have a contract, run. Contracts protect you as much as them! Luckily for my cousin, my older brother who is a very experienced hobbyist photographer was there, and his pictures grace her walls today.
We are happy to answer any questions you have about what you've read here, or maybe something we haven't addressed. We like to have a friendly relationship those who are getting married and with fellow wedding photographers in our community, so even if you do not end up as our client, we are committed to helping everyone get the wedding photos they deserve! Feel free to contact Mike at [email protected] or join us on Facebook!
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So we've learned about the personality traits that you should look for when looking for someone who fits your personality and comfort level. But the fact still remains that weddings are expensive and its crucial to be fully educated on why its important to make investing in a good photographer a priority when setting your budget. This ones a little longer - but remember, when you invest the time into educating yourself, you're going to get exactly what you want on your wedding day!
Over to Mike!
Wedding photography is one of the hardest forms of photography there is. A wedding is like sports photography, fashion, portrait, product, architecture, and landscape photography all in one, happening fast, and often at the whim of situations like weather or unique lighting conditions and the rush of emotions of those involved. Nothing but experience can prepare a photographer for this, and this is before they even edit and compile your story together. So it makes sense that excellent wedding photography has a price and should be considered an investment. I feel it’s important to say this, and therefore I should talk about price and product and how they are related as it governs most people’s choice in some way. Most couples do not know how to price wedding photography as they have usually only encountered it for the first time after their engagement. Let me clarify something before I go on - when I use the term cheap in this blog, I mean this. Once you have read this, and you understand what it is your looking to invest in, cheap will mean someone who claims to provide all the things mentioned at an exceptionally lower price than you typically see as the average.
I would suspect there is something to be couscous of if their cheap in the manner I am speaking about, the chance that it is a photographer who offers everything required to create pictures with lifelong durability at a 'discounted price' seems unlikely to me. All cars are generally the same in concept, yet we all know when we sit in a luxury car it has higher value, why is that? It has seats as all others do, an engine and body, but why do we know it’s different? It’s because there is experience, time, energy, and quality going into the small details, it may have all the same things as other cars, but the small things are so much better. There are many aspects of photography that come into play in a photography package, engagement session, extra photographers, equipment, editing, albums, prints, and then intangibles like experience, creativity, and a photographers style are just a few to list. All have worth and will dictate the price. Think about the combination of these things up against price, if you saw a new BMW priced the same as a KIA I think you would stop and wonder "this is to good to be true". An experienced photographer has learned the work involved and there is both value to them and yourself in this fact. Why one will be priced the way they are will depend of these factors, so you must consider which factors have value to you and then seek after those things the best you can within your budget.
Although it may be true that you can get similar packages for a wide range of prices I do not think you can get everything wedding photography offers cheap and end up happy unless it’s an unusual circumstance. However, you can get less for cheaper, and be happy, if that’s what your budget dictates. You can have things cut out of the package to lower the price, this is a different cheaper all together -lets call it "budget savvy". Photography is not like a product from a superstore; you can’t buy it in bulk and sell it for cheap, it is an art, a collection of once in a lifetime moments, so expect to pay for it. When you do so with understanding, you will get your monies worth. Like all things quality and price are attached at the hip in some way, in wedding photography they are related intimately.
As I grew in the industry, I knew from study of good photographers that it was very involved, the more I got involved however I saw there were so many more techniques I would have to acquire than I could have imagined. By going cheap as I mean it, or bargain hunting, you are most likely making a mistake. And your wedding is not a safe place to learn how you should have hired an experienced professional. That is not to say that you won’t stumble across the next budding world famous wedding photographer, or that an inexperienced person cannot produce acceptable results. I too had to start out with no wedding experience; and those people I shot weddings for in that time knew what they were getting. My travel experience photographing new people in different cultures and countless hours with my cameras and editing software over the years prepared me well, but I still had much to learn and better equipment to buy. My warning here is about the people who claim and even possibly think they have the abilities and experience and can do all the same things much lower than the rest of us when they actually do not. You need to look out for them, that way there is no surprises or tears in the end. And there are ways for you to figure out who these people are by knowing a little about what we do as wedding photographers, which is another goal of writing this blog. Like knowing BMW is a good car by driving in one, you will know why and what to ask someone who seems cheap as I have defined it.
But weddings are so expensive!
There are two sides to this statement, both the photographer and the engaged couple can say it and both be true. I will only spend a short time on what it means for the photographer. In my study I could find only one reliable study on the profit margins for photographers, it was done in 2004 by the PPA (Professional Photographers of America). That was around the time digital had a foot hold into the professional scene. The average profit margin for a photographer then was 19-21%, so lets assume its gotten better and now its twice as much at 40%. An established photographer has lots of overhead, camera equipment, editing software, insurance, travel, taxes etc.. Once all these expenses take a piece of the profit the photographer is left with a chunk. It is not a get rich job! Here is some math to show you. Lets do an average of 30 weddings a year at $4000.00 per wedding. You might say that's a good income! 120,000$!! In truth, if the photographer is lucky they will only see 40% of that, and that's $48,000. That was doubling the average of a reputable study. So remember the price you see quoted is not what they get to keep.
For Kate (my wife and business partner) and I our budget was limited, so I truly understand the problem money can be in planning a wedding. I was moving from university into a career and a new home, things were tight. With both of us having a passion for photography, our pictures had high importance to us. So our primary focus while looking was the quality of work, not the extras. We decided for our wedding that everything else could suffer at the expense of food, drinks, and photographic quality. So we decided spend less on the "disposables"... Things like table toppers, we made our own invitations, had cupcakes instead of a fancy cake, and found lots of other places where we could transfer our resources to achieve our goal of high standards on our priorities. It didn't make sense to us to spend a lot of money to have a "Pinterest Worthy" wedding and have had terrible photographs of all of our pretty things and many missed moments. Our photographer was there because of his work quality and personality, and we still have a relationship with him to this day. Remember photography is one of the few things that lasts past the wedding day. What good is a ton of prints if you don't want them on your wall, or they remind you of a photographer who treated you like the next part in their production line. You simply cannot risk feeling your heart sink every time you look at your wedding pictures for the rest of your lives. You have spent countless hours, emotions, and dreams creating the perfect wedding, looking your very best, having the biggest party of your lives, make sure the memories captured reflect the beauty of your day.
If your budget is the bottom line and you cannot bend, you may be able to find someone who can give you good results for a lower price, but expect that it will have risk involved and you may just get what you pay for. If someone is inexpensive, expect for them to say that they are inexperienced, that they are looking to build a portfolio, or they don’t edit their pictures afterwards, find out why before so you don’t find out why the hard way, after. However, everyone has to start somewhere, so it’s not always a bad thing, just be aware.
However, in saying that I do not mean to take away from the value the extra's have. Most of the time the products photographers offer like albums and prints come from labs that only work with professionals. The time and energy that goes into producing these products cannot be compared to what you find online or at consumer labs. Our lab has professional bookbinders that assemble the albums by hand, and our work stations are all calibrated to their printing equipment. Each picture I put into an album is sized and sharpened properly for optimal printing, and I will even edit an image to insure it fits in with the other images on the page. Your photographer has put together countless albums and blogs, they know how to tell a story in images, they have years of experience with the programs and equipment used to make quality products. These are a few things you cannot get from consumer labs, they require time, much like the extra work in a high end car, and you can tell in the final product. Just be sure to ask your photographer about their lab, you don't want to pay boutique lab prices to a photographer who may be using a consumer lab and marking up something cheap. If you'd like to see an example of one of our wedding albums, check out our blog post 4 Reasons Why Professional Wedding Albums Are Worth It!
I mentioned that Kate and I were on a limited budget, I was in university so money was tight. After our wedding we decided to put an album together from a consumer lab online. We got what we paid for and knew that we would. The print quality is not even comparable to the lab we now use, and the pages fell out after a year because of low quality binding. I'm not upset though, I knew this was the case. Now that we have some extra money we will be building a new album with our professional lab, but if I could have, I would have had our photographer do it at the time because I know the value in allowing his art to be managed and assembled by him. When I look at the album we bought I feel like I rented a Lamborghini for a photographer and drove it on a dirt road called "My Album."
Price reflects Process
The work that goes into a picture is extensive. The know-how begins with how to capture it, but also moves into editing and keeping your wedding in an efficient workflow. A 6 hour wedding done by a professional will not be merely 6 hours; it could easily reach 40 hours with downloading, backing up sorting, editing, ordering prints, putting your unique story together in an album, and all the other administrative work that goes on behind the scenes. My opinion on budget is blunt; inexpensive usually represents either inexperience or a sacrifice in a proper work flow.
Think about it this way, would you be able to work 40 hours a week and also pay for all the product your working on for your employer, like paper, manufacturing, equipment, programs, employees, insurance, hydro, etc and do it all for $500, or even $1000 dollars? You would go broke fast, so if someone tells you that's what they do like other pro's, either they don't do it or wont be doing it for long. So consider the process your pictures will go through, good pictures don’t end at the last call of the wedding, they begin there and started long before. You're not just paying for good pictures, but a workflow that your pictures will enter. Furthermore it is often very expensive to have a picture corrected by another professional if your photographer has not done it as part of their work flow. You could potentially have two outcomes if the photographers post-production is not considered before you book. First, when you look back at it through poor pictures that could never be fixed your memories won’t be as they should be, a happy window into the past. Second, you could spend hundreds or even thousands more paying another professional to fix something in Photoshop that should have been done properly the first time.
Feel like you're understanding it a little better? Great! Now for the next post, 8 questions to ask your wedding photographer! Or if you missed it, part one While you Search.
This first post will focus on what you need to consider when hiring a photographer when it comes to personality.
Without further ado, here's Mike! :)
While You Search
Most people who are seeking after wedding professionals have never encountered the special things they do. Before my wedding, I can say I knew nothing of wedding cakes, outside of how to take a picture of them, so before we bought one Kate and I went down to look at and eat some samples before we decided. You wouldn’t buy a cake for your day unless you tried it first right? The fact that you’re here to read what wedding photography is about, is much the same - you can look at a photographers pictures and appreciate them, or not. Just like a cake. However, why you may or may not like those pictures goes deeper than just emotion, there is a reason why they appeal to you, and that is the overall goal of this blog.
Wedding photography is a very deep subject, I have written a lot and that's why I've broken it into a series so you can skip to the parts you're most curious about.
However before you decide what to skim over I would like to put the entire thing in perspective. Let’s say this first section “while you search” is a 20 minute read. I know, you can get food faster, but remember if the food is not done right you can take it back, you can’t take back wedding pictures and get new ones. Let’s say for an easy number you have $4000 dollars to spend on wedding photography. If this section does what it is intended, it will help you make the wisest choice for your investment. Someone who does not research a product runs the risk of not getting their monies worth, so we can say then that taking 20 minutes to read the first section is worth a potential $200 dollars a minute in value if it helps you make a sound investment and gives you amazing wedding photos.
That being said if you want to skip ahead here are the links :)
Series Part 2: Price Reflects Process
Series Part 3: 8 questions to ask your wedding photographer!
Okay, so first up - Personality!
Your photographer is typically one of the first vendors you book when you are starting your wedding planning. Since sometimes they can be with you for a year or two, and even longer if you have them shoot your family as it grows later in life, they should be considered as a potential professional friend. I have been blessed to watch families grow from the first time I met a couple before their wedding, right through to their family turning from two to three and beyond and I call them friends now :) So a photographers character is the first thing you should consider, speak with them in person before you reserve your day. Are they excited for you? Do they have a passion for weddings? Are they interested in your day and all the unique specifics? Do they sound nervous, bored, or act like talking with you is just run of the mill? Ask yourself, could this person be a friend, or at least someone I will smile for? Next to your fiance and wedding party, the photographer will be beside you the most on your day, their presence should make you comfortable.
I can't tell you how many times I have talked to bridesmaids or others at weddings who said something like. "my photographer was so boring or depressing I wish I had been more thoughtful about who I picked!" A look into their character will give you insight into how they both work as an organized person and how they will fit into your plans. Are they a take charge type of person, are they laid back and observant, a combination of both, what do you need to help you? Some people simply want their day documented so a laid back yet very observant photographer may fit best. Or you may want them to conduct the pictures, promote a moment; a more take charge vocal photographer may fit you then. Ultimately if you feel comfortable with your photographer your pictures will be much better, so your comfort level should be paramount. So in short never higher a photographer unless you have met them, spoke with them on the phone or in the least gotten a reputable reference!
Mike arrived at one of the Hamilton areas hidden gems, we actually never knew this place existed but we'll be telling others about this quaint little bed and breakfast right here in Ancaster, Serenity Ranch. It was the perfect place for everyone to hang out and get ready, close enough to The Ancaster Mill but not as impersonal as a hotel can be.
Mike peeked in at Jason. Waiting. Like grooms do. :D
It was finally time for the reveal. Laura and Jason opted to do it outside in the beautiful sunshine. These two are just so sweet, I can literally feel their giddiness as I go through the pictures, I love it!
I love the 'friend paparazzi' in this shot!
See that? Man tears. Mmhmm.
Next we braved the knee deep snow and snapped a couple shots of the girls having blast!
Then we were off to the Ancaster Mill for the ceremony. I love how just Laura and Jason's close family and friends were there, it made it so intimate and special and these two are really lucky to have such amazing people around them.
Love will keep them warm :)
As I mentioned, Laura put a lot of thought into the details of their wedding. But what we really noticed was how on the day, Jason and her only had eyes for each other. They forgot about the chaos, the scheduling, the frenzy of a wedding and just enjoyed each other and had an amazing time together.
A few of the details..
Laura surprised her mom with a dance - it's not just Daddy's that get the honour!
We wish the very best to this sweet couple!
]]>Mike, Mike, Haylee and our assistant Kamila, all headed over to Albion Falls, dressed warm and ready for a romantic hike. We do a lot of shoots there because of the diversity of the landscape, this time with the white snow and the dark branches made great contrast.
I just adore how Haylee's hat matches the snow hats these reeds are wearing. Like a little crowd of marshmallows :)
It was a good thing we brought a blanket, I'm pretty sure it was -16.
Next, it was time for an all out snowball fight. I don't know who started it, but I'm pretty sure it was equally matched!
After Mike and Haylee warmed each other up (aww), it was time to head back. Mike had a great time with these two, totally looking forward to their wedding this summer!
Did you love this shoot? We'd love to hang out, check us out on Facebook!
]]>The wedding day was the kind of amazingly sunny, gorgeous fall days that we all hope for when we book an October wedding. The venue was to die for, the very elegant and amazing Grand Victorian Bed & Breakfast in Niagara-On-The-Lake, Ontario. Mike arrived to a relaxed atmosphere where Elise and her friends were getting ready and enjoying the day, especially with their two cutie flower girls.
See those awesome shoes? Thought I'd include a close-up for all you shoe lovers out there : ) She got 'em at Bakers Shoes!
I just loved Elise's wedding ring, when I asked her where she got it I spent an unspecified amount of time looking at the Michael Hill website. You'll see her bracelet in some of the pictures later, and she got that at the delightfully named Bling on King in my hometown of Dundas, Ontario.
Before Elise slipped into her dress, Mike went over to the next room to spend a little time with Jonathan and his guys.
For the record, the guys were all wearing super-hero underwear underneath their kilts, however I didn't get explicit permission from each guy so I didn't want to post those photos. But let me just say that if we ever did a calendar featuring all of our hunky grooms (which we wont, cause that's weird) these guys would be on the cover.
In no time, Jonathan was ready to go for his lovely lady!
The wedding ceremony was held at the charming St. Saviour Anglican Church, an amazing building built in 1879.
As Mike's time with Elise & Jon was winding down, they headed back to the Grand Victorian to take advantage of the fabulously wide wrap around porch that hugs the house. But first, Elise with proof of her ass-kicking-ness:
We just know that these two have a love that is for keeps. They are so very much each others 'person', its really beautiful and an honour to have been part of the day that tied them together forever!
Like this wedding? Come hang out with us on Facebook and keep in touch!
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Number one answer? Because they are fun.
Seriously, they are. That’s the main reason we include them with all of our packages. Basically it’s like, you guys are on a date, and Mike is the weirdo ninja paparazzo in the bushes snapping away furiously as you guys are canoodling and schmoopying and doing all that stuff that maybe you haven’t done together in a while.
Going on a date, with just the two of you, focusing on each other and just…feeling each other’s energy, and hearts and enjoying each other’s company. And then having awesome pictures to remember it with for the rest of your lives? It’s perfect!
You two are in love. That’s why you’re getting married.
And your wedding day is going to be all sorts of amazing, but that day is extra special, which is why you dress up all fancy-like. You’re probably not going to spend too much more time after your wedding day in your wedding clothes. (Unless you’re like me who likes to wear her wedding dress for Halloween, because why the heck not.) There is really only a short period of time where you’ll identify as ‘the bride’ or ‘the groom’, but you’ll always identify with being ‘each others’. So capturing you guys as who you are, how you belong together in everyday life, is so important because it’s who you’re going to be for the rest of your lives.
It doesn’t matter if you still want to ‘lose weight’ before the wedding (just gotta add in here, do not put this kind of pressure on yourselves…!) or maybe you just got a less than fab haircut or your future husband looks stiff and silly in pictures. Forget all this stuff. We are professionals, and our job is to bring out the beautiful in you both, by making you comfortable, and letting you guys do what you do.
And if you’re sitting here thinking, “what if we don’t DO anything?”, believe me, you do. We’ll step in if we need too, to get you guys loosened up a bit, suggest some poses maybe or Mike will tell terrible jokes. Actually, the terrible joke part happens regardless of what’s going on.
(wanna see more of Richard and Maria's shoot? Click here!)
Anyways, so then, when the big day rolls around, you guys will not only have amazing pictures to show on your welcome table and in your guest book, you’ll know exactly what it feels like to spend time with Mike, to have a big crazy-ass camera pointed at you and to not even care because you’ve been there and done that.
You’ll know how amazing you look in the pictures we take. So you don’t have to worry about making sure you have your model lips on, or you are tilting your head just so, because all that stuff is baloney and you’ll have had real time practice looking fabulous without even knowing it.
Our engagement shoot with them was probably one of the single hottest days of the summer, we were smothered with the heat and it was at 9am - but Keirsten and Kyle had so much fun with each other, plus we had a little surprise visit from a sweet horse named Joe.
The weather on their wedding day in October? Windy and kinda rainy. But that didn't stop Keirsten and Kyle from have a simply fabulous wedding!
The first stop was to where the guys were getting ready. When guys get ready, they pretty much do it in about 5 minutes and spend the rest of the time drinking. It's a rite of passage for the guys to make sure they are extra super relaxed :)
At the girls house however, the rooms were a-bustle with joyful pandemonium, glitz, glamour and a heady mix of hairspray and laughter. Now I've seen a lot of girls get ready on their wedding day and most of them usually have a makeup artist helping them with their makeup. But Keirsten and her girls? These girls were professionals themselves. Seriously, I have never seen so many women know exactly how to put on their makeup like this and look so absolutely stunning!
Keirsten chose a mermaid-style wedding dress that was the perfect choice for her to-die-for silhouette. She looked drop dead gorgeous and was glowing with anticipation and excitement at seeing Kyle at the end of the altar.
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Finally we were off to St. Naum Macedonian Church, for a traditional Orthodox Macedonian ceremony. The church was filled with family and friends and the traditions were so special and sacred, it was beautiful.
This shot just melts my heart....love the moment when a Daddy gives away his baby girl :)
Once we got outside again, I understood why there was so much hairspray action going on back at the house - it was really crazy windy out! Wind and veils make some pretty cool pictures though, and Keirsten didn't mind a bit!
Next we headed on over to Dundurn Castle in Hamilton for wedding pictures. The elegance of this gorgeous house (definitely more of a stately mansion than a castle, hehe) lent itself perfectly to the elegance of the day.
This is where the bridal party totally let loose and had a blast. All of these guys and gals could easily step in front of any camera and model, it was like they were born to do it. Mike had an amazing time with them and Keirsten & Kyle had a blast, hanging out with their besties and celebrating their new status as mr & mrs.
I have to take a moment here to explain what was going on in this pic. Since it was so windy, there were all sorts of things flying around in the air, including a crazy bug that landed on Keirsten. So the bridesmaid in the far left? She's just still freaked out by the bug!
The ever classic dudes-with-cigars shot turned out fantastic with this super suave group of studs. (Yes I just said that, haha!)
Check out Keirsten's serious amount of sass in this shot....so perfect!
After the formals were over, it was time to hop back in the party bus - but first? A little top-up on the hairspray.
Shortly after this, the bridal party headed off to their reception to enjoy the rest of the night. Mike had such a great time with Keirsten & Kyle and we know these two are going to have a beautiful life together, surrounded by their family and filled to brim with friends!
Did you guys love this wedding? We'd love to get to know you better, hang out with us on Facebook!
]]>Seriously, I feel like they should write a book or something on how they stay so in love for 10 years and with two little little ones in tow. Winter photoshoots are always hit and miss when it comes to the weather, so we were so glad for all snow that had recently fallen. It even stayed fresh and white for us and it wasn't even that cold - for the adults at least. The littles on the otherhand were a little chilly, so we had to do the shoot toute de suite. I think the photos turned out pretty good, and even though little Abigail doesn't exactly have eyes in some of them, I think it shows the funny realities of life and the love between Tim & Daneille perfectly.
Poor little Abi :)
An insider tip on how to get kids to look like they're smiling and avoid the cheesy-cheese? Just tell em to yell. Works every time :)
I love Daneille's fabulous pose here, and Abigails all 'omg mom' haha. :)
True love :)
What I also love about cloudy days, is how much brighter they can be when you get to revisit a gorgeous sunny fall day, like the day that Amanda and Trevor were married back in September at Knollwood Golf Club in Ancaster. When we did Trevor and Amanda's engagement shoot, we had a ton of fun with them - mainly because these two are willing to get down and dirty and have a lot of fun by having an all out paint fight. So when Mike arrived at Knollwood, he knew the day was going to be a fun, relaxed celebration full of a lot of laughter and Amanda's ray-of-sunshine smile.
I just love Amanda's wedding dress, you guys will see how beautifully it fits her. It's always a little bit of a challenge when you are petite like Amanda is to find a dress that doesn't overwhelm you, and this one is perfect.
Amanda chose to have only her mom in the room while she was putting her dress on. Such an important moment between a daughter and her mama, I love how Amanda chose to keep it intimate and special.
After putting on her dress, Amanda walked down the steps and her bridal party and dad saw her for the first time. Notice all the dropped jaws? Because, this girl is stunning!
Next, it was off to the church. We love the cool, sleek architecture of St Lukes Church. The light was streaming in in such a perfect way, so Amanda and Trevor were just glowing!
The best part if the day... finally married!! :)
I love the romance of Amanda & Trevor, it only gets better as the day goes on, but check out this sweet little moment in the limo :)
A little royal wave...and a little bubbly!
So first this happened....
And then this happened. We love it :D
Remember I said the that romance just keeps getting better with these two? Get ready cause here come my favourite pictures of the day...!
Are these guys beautiful or what? Now comes the fun part, the reception. We love being in a room full of happy voices, lots of hugs and super big smiles and Trevor & Amanda simply had it all.
Our couples have all sorts of different ideas in lieu of clinking glasses for the bride and groom to kiss, and I love the idea of bean-bag toss. Looks like Trevor wanted to kiss his bride and kick up the competition!
Trevor and Amanda are destined to have a beautiful life together and we were honoured to be a part of the beginning of it!
]]>We know you guys are all huge supporters of the City Kidz Organization we work with here in Hamilton, so I wanted to post a few photos to give you a behind the scenes look at the tremendously successful Christmas Party they had this year. I couldn't get permission to post any pictures of the kids themselves, but here's a little bit of what the staff does there- and believe me, this was one loud, rockin' good time! In total, there were 1,846 kids who were able to attend one of the three Christmas parties, and still another 4,086 that got really cool Christmas presents. For most of the kids, the Christmas presents from City Kidz were the only gifts they got this year - super, super appreciated! The kids were beside themselves with excitement, like literally it was a madhouse of shouts and cheers and jumping about. Plus they actually got really cool presents like ipods, disney on ice tickets, hockey game tickets, you name it! Plus with the amazing true message of Christmas, these kids are probably still giddy from it and it was weeks ago now :) Anyways, enjoy these pics and thanks again to all of you who help us support the organizations who mean everything to the kids who are most in need in our city!
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After the guys were ready, we headed off the Cambridge Mill to start the rest of the day. Heather was just about to get into her dress, a dress that was fit for a princess and thats exactly what Heather looked like when she was done. We see a lot of slim silhouettes in bridal gowns, but I just love it when a girl goes all out and has a big gorgeous dress with diamonds and tulle and everything that makes a bride feel like she's in a fairy tale!
As the nerves pile up, Justin is looking pretty serious. Good thing his friends are around...and his bride is just around the corner! :)
Finally, married! And the smiles begin : ) I love how much Heather & Justin make each other smile. You can tell that when they are together, they are invincible!
Since a summer storm interrupted our outdoor photoshoot, we headed on inside to the reception. One of the things that Mike likes best about being a wedding photographer, is the challenge of unexpected things like sudden storms. He revels in thinking on his feet and we're always so excited when we get to see how awesome on-the-fly pictures turn out, especially in such a beautiful spot as Cambridge Mill!
After some toasting and some speeches, it was time for the first dance.
How amazingly elegant are these two? After lessons and many practices, Heather and Justin achieved the ultimate in a graceful first dance!
Not to be outdone, a levitating wedding guest :)
We wish both Heather & Justin all the very best in the future, especially on their new adventure in Western Canada!
When Mike arrived at Peninsula Ridge Estates, Jenn and her girls were busy slipping into their gowns and putting the finishing touches on. Jenn wore the perfect wedding dress, mermaid style and fit exactly to her petite figure. With her gently flowing hair and fresh makeup, she was the epitome of a beautiful bride. I just adore her choice in bridesmaids dresses, the black and white floral made such a statement - but not so much that it outshone the bride. A lot of people stay away from the long dresses, especially in the summer, but these were so fresh and stylish, it totally worked.
Champagne - a wedding morning essential! :)
Ok so I gotta take a minute to tell you about Jenn's fabulous veil. When she first told me about it, I was amazed at the patience this girl must have to do such a thing. Then when I saw the final product, I was blown away. Seriously you guys, have you ever seen such a clever and unique idea? I have not! It's really the cutest detail I've ever seen.
Next, I gotta take a moment to talk about the shoes. We've been seeing a lot of brides making some serious statements with their bridal shoes, but Jenn took hers to a whole new level. She and Bob have a great love for superheros and comics, and they came up with the fabulous idea of incorporating both things into Jenn's shoes. She decoupaged scenes from where Batman gets married to Catwoman (well, in Catwoman's dreams actually) and made the coolest shoes! You could do so much with this idea, say a specific book or poem meant a lot to the both of you, you could decoupage the pages onto your shoes. Or what about the sheet music to your favourite song? Such a great idea!
Keeping up with the superhero wedding theme, the guys sported their favourite characters on their cufflinks. Another cool, subtle way of putting your personality into your wedding!
And yep, that is a batman style wedding ring :D
Okay, so next was the ceremony, held in a tent outside the winery. The couples family and friends looked on as these two love birds made it official, with much smiling and much tears and much love.
After the wedding ceremony, it was time for some semi formal formal pictures. Oh and a mini meltdown from an overexcited little ring bearer- it's kind of a lot of work! :)
Since Jenn & Bob's wedding happened during a weekday, the winery part was actually closed because they were...making wine. ;) But when Mike wants to get a certain shot, he's pretty determined and after laying on the charm to a couple different people, they finally let them go in to get a few shots. It was a little dark, a little wet, a little...wine-y...but a lot worth it!
Jenn & Bob decided to share a special moment with each other in the vineyard, and Mike was only too happy to capture the intimacy of these two reading their personal vows together. Surrounded by the rolling hills in Niagara, the sun beamed down as these two beamed at each other (...in Beamsville, I'm not even kidding). They professed their love to each other in a private moment, where they could be themselves and just enjoy each other. I love that these two recognized that they needed this sweet time alone together, to just breathe and finally be married.
Next it was time for dinner. Before I go into how delicious the food was (and it really was), I gotta tell you about the pic below. It's one of the many topiaries that Jenn made, each flower, by hand. A lot of folding and a lot of glue gunning, but doesn't it look cool?
See the burlap rosettes on the table? Totally hand made. This girl rocked the DIY!
Jenn is not originally from Ontario, so she was happy to receive well wishes from her family and friends back home :)
You know what five year olds do when the get cake on their pants? They lick it right off. No big deal. :)
After dinner, we did a few more bridal party photos, and then came the really fun part...the chinese or 'wish' lantern celebration!
And for the final hurrah, a sparkler party, with all their loved ones lighting their way. We wish Jenn & Bob and Calvin much love and success in their new life together!!
Next we headed on over to Glendale Golf & Country Club in Stoney Creek where Mallory & Mark are members. Not only did they meet here, they got engaged here. Apparently Mallory was quite caught up in the game and didnt notice Mark preparing to propose. Little did she know that an even better rock would be sliding her way...;)
Curling is especially significant to both of them, Mark is a competitive curler and is currently kicking butt and is on a fast track to pursuing his Olympic Dreams! Seriously guys, TEAM CANADA!!
This is the same lane that Mark proposed on :)
We know we'll be following Mark closely, check out Team Kean and cheer right along with us :)
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The women in the room helped Rose slip into her dress, and put the finishing touches on. Her hair looked glorious, thick and dark and shining down her back in perfect loose curls.
The men were busy following an Armenian tradition where Rose's brother slips some money into her shoes as a sign of good luck and happy start to her new life as a wife.
Next we were off to the church, St. Patricks Cathedral, one of the oldest churches in Hamilton. Built in 1877, the stunning architecture seems to embrace Rose as she walks down the aisle to her handsome husband-to-be, Tom, as he waits for her with smiling eyes and a happily nervous smile.
Finally, Rose & Tom are married, smiling and relaxed and really excited. Having gotten the most nerve wracking part over, its time to head over to the reception at Geraldo's at LaSalle Park in Burlington.
Rose and Tom are truly a sweet couple. Both of them are a little shy and reserved, but when together they bring out the best in each other and truly only have eyes for the other. I just love the way that Rose gazes up at her handsome husband, as he looks adoringly down at her. So much is said between these two in the subtleties of love and life.
The only downside to having shoes full of good luck money :)
I just love this idea, a great way to celebrate a couples first midnight together, with sparklers and revelry!
A lot of our couples are doing their first dance as part of their entrance celebration. This is a beautiful way to kick of the feast! :)
Rose and Tom met and fell in love while they were both planting flower beds, while working for the city. I can't resist making a reference to flowers, as Mike & I both wish this lovely couple a beautiful life as their love blossoms and their future unfolds!
When Mike arrived at the bridal suite, Erin and her girlfriends were happy and relaxed, excited for the day ahead. As Erin's mom helped her put the finishing touches on her classy cocktail wedding dress, the excitement was palpable and it was time for Erin to go meet her groom.
As you can see, Neil is equally as relaxed and excited :)
The ceremony took place on the porch of the 1812 room, because of the rain. It was a sweet, intimate and fun ceremony, and all the trees and flowers that surrounded the gathering were fresh and green and bursting with life...perfect!
Before we get to the more intimate photos with Erin and Neil, I have to take a moment to explain the way these two met. It is hands down the cutest story I've ever heard, and I'm pretty sure there are a few romantic movies already based on such a story.
Erin & Neil are both super-smart. Like really smart, like Erin is a Doctor and Neil is actually a rocket scientist (or close to it) and has actually had a beer with Stephen Hawking himself. It's true! Anyways at some point in Erin and Neils life, they were both on a train in Italy. I am unsure of what they were both doing there, probably something super smart, but they both ended up on the same train car. Neil's eyes were immediately drawn to the lovely Erin, as she sat there reading and trying to ignore the 'creepy guy' who was staring at her, obviously wanting to start a conversation.
I guess he finally won her over and they both realized they were from Ontario, and after awhile they realized it would be a good idea if they met up again, and soon. After deciding on a local restaurant they were both familiar with, it was agreed that they would meet there the next night and carry on where they left off. Little did either of them know, there was a massive concert in town and all roads were blocked off around the restaurant they had chosen. So there Erin and Neil are, both coming from separate parts of the city, neither of them having contact information to reach each other and both wondering if they would ever see each other again or if this moment in time would just be a big 'what-if?'. Being the smart girl she is, Erin decided that the best thing to do would be to go back to the train station where they had ended their conversation before. She waited...and waited...and as hope dimmed, she decided it was just too far fetched that Neil would be on the same wave length. As she left the station and walked down the road, there, in the distance...was Neil. Walking towards her, fate surrounding him, and I swear there must have been violins playing somewhere in the distance. And the rest, as you can see below, is the lovely outcome :)
One last thing about Erin and Neil, not only are they super smart, they love Zombies. And we love Zombies. So we just adored the little touch of zombie-ness that Erin had added to their wedding cake. You think it's a beautiful wedding cake?
It is.
Until ZOMBIES ATTACK!!! aggag-gagghghg (zombie noises ensue)
Cake made possible by the talented folks over at Hamilton's own Cake & Loaf!
Oh and did you see that picture sitting next to the cake? That is a collage of pictures of the two of them that Neil made - rather, he made the program to create an algorithm to make it - and its just awesome!
We feel lucky to have met Erin & Neil, we had a great time at their wedding and wish both of them the very best in many years to come! :)
]]>We were lucky enough to have nice weather that day, for August in southern ontario can be seriously killer. The flowers at Whitehern Museum in Hamilton were in full bloom, and the birds were singin' and the people were smilin' and Sarah and Lukas were just a-lovin'.
Ok so I am a big nerd when it comes to animals, check out the paw tufts on this dude. Paw tufts! I mean, really. :)
These guys are so cute with the loving messages around their house!
We had a chance to do a few photos before the ceremony. So much of the day was spent with Sarah and Lukas just enjoying their friends and family and thats what made this day really perfect.
Mike had the guys lined up for a shot, and he told them all to turn to the left. The little dude thought that they were going to turn to the left and march. So he marched...they didn't. Classic!
Guess which one of these kids did NOT want to be in the wedding....;) You know who the flower girl totally reminds me of? The love of Charlie Brown's life, The Little Red Haired Girl!
This next series is really cute. Sarah was pretty sure that Lukas was not going to remember his vows, but he worked really hard to put them all to memory. These are shots of her realizing he has no cue cards and has memorized them all, just for her.
After the ceremony, we headed off to the Hamilton Waterfront Centre. The room was alive with love and laughter of Sarah & Lukas friends and family. We know these two will have an amazing life together...supie love forever! :)
When Mike met up with Richard and Maria on this gorgeous early fall day, he had been stuck inside editing for days. It was and understatement to say that he was pretty pumped to be out in the fresh air, sunshine and hanging out with this couple who are so fabulously in love. Richard and Maria brought along their tiny pup, who was most definitely not a beach bum - to be fair, the waves were bigger than she was, so I don't really blame her. It took just a few warm up shots for Richard & Maria to get comfortable in front of the camera, but as you can see, it took no time at all for them to forget all about Mike and concentrate on their love for each other. Maria is so full of grace and elegance, she moves like the prettiest ballerina. The way she carries herself reminds me so much of Audrey Hepburn, with Richard being her Gregory Peck in all his handsome ways. This photoshoot may truly be one of my favourites of the year so far, with the romance of it all - it's a beautiful life!
The best part of the day? Samantha's walk down the aisle with her adoring Daddy. :)
With such ideal weather, the outdoor ceremony was perfect, at once elegant and casual as only the Ancaster Mill can do. As the couple said their I Do's in the embrace of the lush green trees around them, their friends and family lovingly looked on as they sealed their vows and stepped into their new life together.
I think one of the most striking things about Samantha and Johns love, is how their opposite personalities just completely compliment each other. Samantha is outgoing and delightfully quirky, while John is steadfast and a man of few words. But you can see how completely 'for' each other they are, and the casual way that Samantha drapes her arm across her man speaks of a deep friendship between them both.
This really is one of my favourite, casual photographs of the year so far.
The reception was held in the Millview Room, and it was full of a lot of laughter, a lot of glass clinking and a lot of fun!
They are. :)
Congratulations to the both of you guys, we wish you a very long and happy life together!
C
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A classic example of Mike being random and proof that these guys are up for anything ;)
After Silvi finished getting her gorgeous, handmade lace wedding dress on, we walked over to meet Andres in the peach orchard, for the couples first look. This is always such an intimate, special moment of the day and we just love it. The first thing that Andres said to his beautiful bride was how truly lovely she looked and the both of them just relaxed and let the excitement of the day wash over them as the spent a few minutes alone together.
Next, we headed over to The Good Earth Food & Wine Co. in Beamsville. This charming, rustic winery was absolutely perfect on a summers day. Having the whole place to themselves, Andres and Silvi's family were able to enjoy the festivities and not be distracted by any other weddings around them.
Everyone gathered at the long table under the beautiful wood trellis, the stars were starting to come out as the sun was setting, and the staff brought out a truly delicious meal for everyone to enjoy. Andres had known Silvi was the one for most of his life, as they grew up in the same small Estonian-Canadian community. To have finally captured the heart of the one he loved was truly a blessing, and for both of them to share in the love and laughter that surrounded them that night, was a wonderful thing indeed. Mike and I learned a few things about the Estonian culture that day, but our favourites have to be the vodka based wedding traditions, which kind of deserve their own blog. My personal favourite is scaring the 'evil spirits' that 'lived under the table' away with offerings of vodka. Truly, there was a lot of glass clinking and vodka drinking and great times.
The staff at The Good Earth were polite and professional, and our meals were garnished with fresh herbs from the gardens directly outside the kitchen. It is beautiful to know that what we were enjoying truly was from the Good Earth!
After dinner, the festivities continued with a rousing waltz by the bride and groom, and then literally every single guest was on the dance floor. I just love how Andres mother lets loose, so much fun!
It was a pleasure to be a part of Silvi & Andres day, it was one of those experiences that reminds us what a blessing it is to be doing what we do!
When Mike arrived at the bridal suite, he walked into a cloud of giggles and hair spray as the girls got Lindsay dressed and prettied up for her handsome groom.
It's always nice to know we've got a back up camera, just in case. Tee hee :)
Don't you just love the way that Lindsay looks up at her husband? I'm pretty sure if we looked close enough her pupils would be heart shaped. For more examples of Lindsay and Seans heart shaped pupils, check out their fabulous engagement shoot at Brickworks in Toronto! So cute!
After the beautiful ceremony, it was time to get a few shots of the couple together - married, at last!
I'm not sure how Mike convinced these two to get up there, but it was worth it! I guess some of his Ninja Style Photography is wearing off on them : ) The one thing about being a Hamilton wedding photographer is that you get to find all sorts of creative spaces in places that we get to go to a lot, and this is one of them!
Next the three of them tucked underneath the bride at the Mill, lucky for us Lindsay wasn't shy about climbing over the rocks in her beautiful gown!
This is one of our favourites :)
Mike gets so excited when moments like this appear, really its part of the magic of the wedding day when you can capture the emotion of the day reflected in the weather like this.
After a lovely meal and some hilarious and emotional speeches, Sean called Lindsay outside for one more picture - he had a surprise for her : )
He's actually Super man. Surprise! :D
Congratulations to both Sean & Lindsay, we wish them the very best!! :)
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| Sometimes a girl needs a little help :) |
After the beautiful 1950's Bentley, from Memory Lane Limousine, dropped Meghan off at the Church, it was time to say 'I Do' as the bagpipes played and their loving families looked on. It's always nice when a couple has the privilege of having a family member officiate, and Andrews mom, who is also a minister, did a wonderful joining her son to his beautiful bride.
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| Little dude in a kilt! :D |
Before we headed back the the Scottish Rite, the four of us took a short walk across the street to capture a few wedding photos in Hess Village, Hamilton's own pedestrianized bar district. With its paved stone streets and old architecture, it made the perfect backdrop for this beautiful couple.
After little impromptu busta-move to Brown Eyed Girl and the reception was at hand.
We enjoyed a delicious meal and a fantastic same-day wedding video done by their talented videographer. When it was time to dance, everyone was out on the floor, gettin' their groove on and Meghan & Andrew celebrated being Mr & Mrs, at last!
Since most of the bridal party met through various jobs at the CFL, it was only fitting that Meghan & Andrew had Hamilton's own Pigskin Pete as their MC!
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| Raisin Bran Love :) |
Cutest family!!
The couples' little one decided he needed to help Joel with the flow of tears...
I love how kids are always the first ones to break in the dance floor :D
Congratulations you two, we wish you guys all the best...its a beautiful life! :)
Hey everyone!
A lot of our clients are out-of-province couples who come to the fine city of Hamilton to tie the knot. Korinn & Luke were a couple of cool cats from the prairies that we just loved hanging out with. It was a crazy sunny day, perfect for some great wedding shots on Van Wagners Beach! These two pretty much beamed at eachother the entire day, and honestly you guys, does Korinn have a million dollar smile or what?! Here are some of our favourite shots of the day, enjoy!
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| ta-daaa! |
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| (the guys have it easy :) |
A little before-the-ceremony bro-time. Or operatic aria time, take your pick. ;)
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perfect sunny flowers! |
I'm not really sure what was happening here, but it's funny. :D
The reception was held at Renaissance Banquet Hall, if you're a fan of dry ice, this place is for you :)
Enjoy!
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| exciitttinnng!! :) |
When they look into eachothers eyes, it is so sweetly intense there really isn’t any doubt that these two are for keeps.
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| tee hee :) |
Next up, the ceremony!
As Lindsey’s father walked her down the aisle, accompanied by a talented musical duo and with all their family and friends looking on, the most important one was there, waiting eagerly for his wife-to-be. The ceremony was made even sweeter by personally written vows, signifying their true commitment to the promises they were making in front of a crowd of loving witnesses.
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| great staff at the ancaster mill! |
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| so I says to her, I says hey martha..! |
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| And this awesome chick could be their sidekick :D |
Super cute Grandma alert...!
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| people really dig the guestbooks we do - pretty awesome keepsake! |
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| Guess who loves cars:) |
As they walked into their reception to the Baywatch Theme song (too funny!) everyone was on their feet to formally welcome them into their new lives as Mr & Mrs.
Super speedy ninja lemon juggling!
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| this dude was motorin' |
First, the most recent kid enhanced wedding moment:
Really, you can't beat the floating head effect here. :)
And second, last years prime example of why kids are awesome:
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| http://zekarphoto.blogspot.ca/2012/11/marsha-steve-august-2012-burlington.html |
Stay tuned for more updates! :)
We don't often see this, but Steph had a great surprise for her groom - his beloved truck, in cake form :)
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| best photo bomb ever. :) |
Some jaw droppin' bouquets that I've seen recently, there may be some inspiration here to take to your florist or wedding planner. Or you can just drool over them, then go to Fortino's (or your local grocery store florist) and pick the closest things they have ;)
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| er- something tells me the grocery store wont sell anemonies :D |
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| dress shoes and pj's? so cute! |
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After slipping into her beautifully simple lace dress, one of her bridesmaids tied the worlds most perfect bow with her wedding sash.
After finishing up with the girls, Mike and I headed on over to Lowville Park where the ceremony was to take place outside a little old schoolhouse. I have to say that Lowville is such a pretty spot to get married, it's low key and absolutely gorgeous. I just love all the simple details that Danielle included, everything has a fresh, comfortable feel to it and it just reflected her and Dave's easy going and friendly personalities.
As Dave was finishing greeting his guests, their friend started up with the most beautiful steel drum music to accompany Danielle down the aisle.
It was so amazing to be a part of this warm, sunny day with such gorgeous music as Dave watched his lovely bride walk down the aisle.
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| maarrieeed! :) |
After the ceremony, we headed over to the large stream in the park. We were pretty sure that Danielle and Dave would be up for getting right in, so we were pumped when the whole wedding party joined in.
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| Islands in the stream! |
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| that is what we are...;) |
Danielle surprised Dave with a sweet message for him on the bottom of her shoes : )
Then it was back to the schoolhouse for a couple more shots.
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| Dave is at least 6"5, so I'm pretty sure this was easier for him than it looks ! |
So cute! They did this a lot : )
Inside the hall, we enjoyed a delicious meal prepared by Carmen's. But the most delicious part?
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Sweet 'n simple! |
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| This guest was actually one of the best dancers I've seen :D |
Next it was time to head over to Lakeside Park in Port Dalhousie. They have this awesome old carousel there, fully restored – and still only 5 cents to ride! The carousel was carved between 1898 and 1905 and is totally awesome. Candice and Jake rented the carousel for half an hour and we had a blast snapping pics and gettin’ dizzy.
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| Dudes. |
Next we went to an park near Brock University that used to be quarry but has since been reclaimed into a beautiful natural oasis.
Finally it was time to head on over to the Four Points by Sheraton in St Catharines. One thing I have to mention – the bridal party had the most creative entrances we’ve ever seen.
The following picture is not a picture of a bridesmaid falling and being embarrassed – it’s a picture of a bridesmaid doing the inchworm and totally rockin’ it. Talk about hidden talents!
And not to be outdone, the best man totally surprised us with a fabulous leap forward. (Actually just as a note, this best man did something amazing later in the night - he actually wrote, played and sung Jake & Candice a romantic song, just especially about them and it was really amazing!)
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| It's fun being married. :) |
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| This was arranged by a very helpful and talented flower girl :D |
Just about every guest got their groove on, especially Jake with this classic gettin-on-down dance face.
Hey guys!
Since posting the blog on Marina and Steve's wedding yesterday, I've been on a little mission to find the coolest and most unique wedding belts I could find. But first things first - apparently they are not called wedding belts, they are called wedding sashes. Excuse-moi! But I do agree that wedding sash is a much more fashionable term, so I stand corrected.
So what does one do when they want to find creative, unique wedding accessories? They go to Etsy.com of course!
Within the first 20 seconds of my search, I was already squealing - I came across this shop, Rosy Posy Designs. Not only are these all handmade, but they have such a unique flavour to them - kind of boho, kind of earthy girl, very romantic. You could put this on any lace dress and have it work perfectly, or for you summer-time beach casual brides, white eyelet cotton or linen. A few of my favourites:
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| Something blue! |
You could even incorporate the guys' corsage colours with the colours in the sash, and your bridsemaids too!
This last one is a great compromise for those of you who dont want to go all out there with the colour, but want to have something unique and feminine.
And wait, I totally just thought of something - after your wedding day is over, you can still have these brooches / sashes afterwards, as a keepsake that is not tucked away in a box in the basement. Yay!
I came across these two that I really liked, mostly because I'm still obsessed with gray bridesmaids dresses, and I've seen these colour combinations before and it just works so well in photographs. The following two pictures are from Brown Eyed Girls Boutique.
Loved this one for the very boho look, from Lukamoda.
For a little more of a refined look, elegant and clean but still unique, I stumbled across this shop called Elite Women. I love the placement of the interesting feathers on these ones, and was surprised at how low the price was.
Another great thing about handmade wedding sashes, is you can save a lot of money with buying a simple dress, and enhance it for under 200$.
There are tons of options out there though, you can really bling it up:
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| From Ingenue B |
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From Star Trim |
So there you have it :) Most bridal shops these days have a small assortment of bridal sashes, but I always recommend checking out craftspeople first. Have any of you guys seen some awesome wedding sashes? Feel free to share in the comment box below!
And check out these sexy hot pink shoes…!
A little behind the scenes on this next picture, as Marina was getting her fine self situated on the bench, Steve was standing beside me, with this look of just pure love and adoration for his bride. He just shook his head as he gazed at her, and said (or rather, sighed) “isn’t she just beautiful?” It was so darn sweet and he walked over and gave her a very prince charming kiss, and I swear the birds just started a-singin’.
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| Notice the gleam of mischief in Steve's eye? :) |
To top the beautiful day off, Steve and Marina danced like professionals…
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| It really does take a village to get a girl into her dress :) |
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| Loving Robin's Grandma there in the left hand side, aren't you? :) |
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| Guess where they met :) |
My favourite? It’s a toss up between the impromptu brady-bunch-meets-photobooth shot (especially the one right in the middle!)
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| rain schmain. |
After they (and all of us lucky enough to be there) dried their tears, we did a few formals.But for this fun loving couple, formals weren’t super formal, which we totally love.
Tee hee.
We had the best time with these guys, their friends and family were hilarious and we truly enjoyed ourselves!
And started off slow.
But then it got messy.
And then the messiest of all messyness.These two made a completely beautiful Rorschach Inkblot of…their love :)
*cue violins, fade out...*
the end! :)
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| Don't you love the basketball, frozen in time there? :D |
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| Don't be deceived by the shot perspective here, I was on the top of a step-ladder here, on my tip toes. |
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| Please note, there is a reason why we bought stretchy-paaants for him for photoshoots. Too many ripped seams |
And there you have it, proof that Mike truly is a Ninja-Style Photographer.
