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.