Blog | Page 16 of 23 | Olive Photography

Toronto Boudoir – Appreciating Self

February 11, 2015

Toronto Boudoir – Appreciating Self

Miss F (name withheld for anonymity) had been thinking about doing a boudoir session for herself for ages. She’s turning 40 soon (can you believe it?) and she finally decided to just jump right in and give it a go.

I was taking a plunge with this one too – it was my first time being asked to do a boudoir session, but I was more than happy to give it a shot – I loved the idea of celebrating yourself and being comfortable in your own skin.

Miss F found me through her sister who has seen some of my other work, and she connected the two of us. I’m so glad she did, because this was such a fun day.

F and I looked into hotels and decided on one for the shoot, and I brought on Makeup by Carmela to pamper and polish this already ravishing woman. We wanted sultry, relaxed, va-va-voom without overdoing it. She did a superb job on the hair and makeup!

On the day of the shoot we all relaxed, joked around, and just enjoyed each other’s company. The photo portion flowed really nicely, with Miss F being a phenomenal model taking creative direction but also *totally* turning the hotness up to 11. To be honest, it wasn’t hard considering she’s a knockout bombshell, but it was important for me that she *felt* comfortable and beautiful, since that’s inevitably what makes a person look their best.

In the end, I think the day went absolutely wonderfully. We had a really great time and the photos turned out just like I had envisioned: feminine, romantic, sultry, almost filmic. Classy, not trashy. I think that’s what a boudoir session celebrating yourself should be.

Thanks so much for a marvellous, memorable time, ladies!

—
Much love,
Anastasia
info@olivephotography.ca

A Nice Surprise – 2015 Wedding Wire Couples’ Choice Awards Winner – Neat!

January 25, 2015

Well this was a nice surprise to discover this evening!
Logged into my WeddingWire account and learned that I’ve been selected as a 2015 Wedding Wire Couples’ Choice Awards Winner!

What does this mean?

Here’s a bit about the award, as described by WeddingWire:

“ABOUT THE COUPLES’ CHOICE AWARDS
The WeddingWire Couples’ Choice Awards® recognizes the top 5 percent of local Wedding Professionals from the WeddingWire Network throughout the United States, Canada and abroad that demonstrate excellence in quality, service, responsiveness and professionalism. Unlike other awards in which winners are selected by the organization, the WeddingWire Couples’ Choice Awards® are awarded solely based on the reviews from over 200,000 newlyweds. Awards are determined by a combination of excellence in four factors: overall rating (quality), total number of reviews (quantity), review performance from 2014 (recency), and consistency of reviews from year to year (consistency).”

Well, folks, I’ve gotta say, I’m so, so humbled and grateful to all of you who have taken the time to stop by my WeddingWire page to write kind words about your experience with me as your photographer. It truly means *so* much!

It’s always such a pleasure working with all of you.
It’s amazingly rewarding to make you happy (and capture your happiness!), and I feel incredibly lucky that I get to do that on a daily basis. <3

Here’s to more wonderful memories (and great reviews from happy couples!) this year!

Love love love to all of you!

Anastasia

Behind the Scenes photos via @OlivePhotoTO on Instagram – Go follow!

P.S. If we’ve worked together and you’d like to add a review of your own but aren’t sure how, e-mail me and I’d be happy to send you a link!

Anastasia Giaouris

www.olivephotography.ca
info@olivephotography.ca
facebook.com/olivephotographyTO
olivephotographyTO.wordpress.com
@OlivePhotoTO
416.520.1093

Niagara Vineyard Wedding – Laura & Zach

January 11, 2015

Laura and Zach’s Niagara vineyard wedding was set against the most spectacular and romantic setting – the gorgeous green rows of grapes touched by the golden sun made us feel like we were in a dream.

Laura’s attention to detail brought the beauty inside the reception tent, as lovely mis-matched yet co-ordinating vessels held an unexpected and totally fresh array of florals, and each plate was adorned with an adorable burlap and lace pouch which housed home-made caramels as a ‘Thank You’ to guests.

The whole vibe of the day felt so beautiful – amongst the days I’m sure we’ll all remember fondly as one of those epic Summer memories that we’ll never want to let go.

There was so much happiness, warmth and love that day, and the gorgeous setting mirrored how we all felt.

Here’s a look at Laura and Zach’s beautiful wedding at Ravine Vineyard… And be sure to read some words about the big day from the couple themselves at the bottom of the post!

… And here are some words about these lovebirds and some of their advice to engaged couples:

Q: Tell us a bit about your love story?

A: We were originally introduced through friends during University. With both of us at different schools and living in different cities and with no physical introduction, we continued on our separate paths. It wasn’t until July 4th, 2010 on a random Sunday, that we decided to meet up in Toronto on a whim. For those that know us, this was out of character for both of us! We then spent the day exploring the city, opening up to each other about our lives, the difficulties we’ve overcome, hardships we’ve endured but perhaps most importantly, where we wanted to go in life. We joked, we laughed and we continued to just let it all happen! After an incredible 8 hour walk through the city, we sealed it with a kiss and have been best friends and soul mates since.

Q: What were your favourite wedding moments?

A: It is almost impossible to narrow down a favourite moment, the entire day was magical! From the moment we woke up to the time we fell asleep, the day was perfect.

Q: Any advice for engaged couples planning their wedding?

A: Enjoy the planning process, stay organized and stay on top of things! By doing this, you will be able to relax and enjoy the weeks leading up to the wedding. Don’t forget to think about the guests in your planning, the small things go a long way! Most importantly, it’s your wedding, so throw an extraordinary party to celebrate your love with family and friends!

Q: Any final thoughts about the day you’d like to share?

A: The day won’t go by quickly if you are relaxed and ready to enjoy!

P.S. This wedding was featured on The Wedding Co.! See the feature here!

Caffino Wedding – Shelley & Dave

January 1, 2015

Hey y’all!

I was holding off on publishing this Caffino wedding in Liberty Village since it was going to be featured on Style Me Pretty (!) – but now enough time has passed and I’m so excited to be sharing it with you.

I got to shoot this wedding on my birthday (June 21st) – First day of Summer, longest day of the year, and a day so full of love and beauty all around… such a fantastic way to spend a birthday!

Shelley & Dave went *all out*. This wedding is styled to the nines!

This shabby-chic wedding in Liberty Village’s Caffino Ristorante was everything they are – sweet, stylish, chic, classic, beautiful, and oh so memorable.
Being there felt like I had stepped into a magazine or gorgeously styled blog post – you could tell these two had put so much thought into making this a special day with so many personal touches.
They painted and potted all the herb place card holders/favours themselves! Shelley’s mother beautifully calligraphed all the guests’ names as well, and Dave wrote out the seating chart by hand.
They had a super fun Polaroid ‘photo booth’ ‘guest book’, and guests pinned their special messages to the newlyweds onto cute twine lines strung over a wrought iron gate fixture. And, those who like to Instagram were invited to use the hashtag #thecolenbranders via an adorable bunting banner at the entrance.

… And let’s not forget about the DARLING sprinkle-covered cake with sweet fondant bowties! (A nod to the gents’ bowties, perhaps?) This cake wasn’t just awesome to look at, either – it tasted phenomenal. And the ice cream bar with topping choices next to it was a fun way cap off dinner and provide an energy boost for dancing!

There are almost too many special details to recount!

Congratulations again, Colenbranders!!

P.S. So much kudos is deserved to Fidan and Christina of Designed Dream Wedding Planning for setting up Shelley’s vision so perfectly, and to Alina of Flowers Time – Toronto Floral Design Studio for the gorgeous floral arrangements! And to Caffino Ristorante for being such a wonderful venue!

Alluring Black & White

December 31, 2014

What are your thoughts on black and white photographs?

I did a little colour vs. black & white post a while ago and it seems the vast majority of people prefer colour. I mean, colour is vibrant, lively, and generally awesome so I can understand why!
Though, there’s something about the simplicity of a black and white image that is so beautiful. The lack of colour gives way to alluring depth and contrast, and without colour the subjects can’t help but be the focus of the image. There’s also a ‘moodiness’ and a feeling to them that is quite something.

I started photography on black and white film, developing my own film and seeing the super interesting ways this kind of image can appear.

Felt a bit nostalgic today and had a bit of fun re-editing some photos in black and white.
Though I’ll of course continue shooting in colour, I do enjoy throwing in the occasional B&W frame.

Baby Jacob’s First Photo Session

December 17, 2014

This li’l guy is just over a month old, but he’s so expressive you’d think he was already 2 years old! Check out the photos for yourself – He’s so expressive and has such personality.

He was so relaxed and followed my camera with his eyes almost the entire session. What a curious cutie.

‘Dream Big’ – Jonathan Carroll

December 14, 2014

Very honoured to have photographed Jonathan Carroll – former voice and partner of iTravel 2000 and now head of Travel Nation Canada and PCtravel.ca – for PAX magazine / PAXnews.com.

I love Carroll’s perspective, turning what many would call a ‘challenge’ into an ‘opportunity’. ‘Dream Big’, he says.

Read the article and browse the magazine at http://paxmagazine.ca/digital/2014-11/en/#page/9
Article written by Terrilyn Kunopaski.

Toronto Beach Engagement Session

November 4, 2014

These high school sweethearts are so beautiful inside and out.
I joked that they look like J. Crew models, and funnily enough someone else told me the same thing the next day!

We got a few shots in the city then took a ferry across from Toronto’s bustling downtown to the calming, totally beautiful island, and had fun enjoying the nature and our time together. (That’s grape juice, not real wine, in those beach photos – kept it legal!)

And here’s their love story, written by groom-to-be Nico:

“It sounds like the plot of a cheesy teen flick from the 90’s, but our story kicks off with the two of us – shy high school students nursing a secret crush on each other – finally connecting at our prom after-party. What followed next was a trip to Pinery Provincial Park with some mutual friends, our first kiss, and then our first date in July 2007. Originally intended as a low-key affair at a coffee shop, our date took a turn for adventure when Kelsey mentioned that she wanted to leave the city to see the stars. Not wanting to appear ‘un-manly’ by consulting a map, I decided to simply pick a direction and drive that way until we spotted stars. We returned after some star-gazing well past Kelsey‘s curfew (thanks to getting horribly lost), much to the displeasure of her parents (although they’ve since forgiven me)!

A life together followed, from attending university in Guelph, Ontario to teaching English abroad in Sendai, Japan. Already alike in so many ways, we grew to become best friends as our relationship and love for each other blossomed. Seven years and two weeks later, I proposed to her at the same spot on the beach where we shared our first kiss. Kelsey made me the happiest man in the world that day when she said yes. I know I speak for the both of us when I say that we are so blessed to have met each other and that we are beyond excited to spend the rest of our lives together!”

Humber Bay Park Engagement Session

November 3, 2014

Humber Bay Park Engagement Session
It was a super windy, cool day, but my goodness did I feel the warm love!
Every time I think about this engagement session I picture Denise’s bright, life-filled smile and her sheer joy being in the presence of her doting fiance Mark.

It‘s as though there were magnets pulling these two close to each other – they were embracing or holding hands the entire time. It was just the sweetest.

These two have been in a long distance relationship for – get this – 9 years! She’s been here in Toronto and him in Georgia. (The picture with the little maps with hearts on them is a nod to their long distance history.) I don’t know how they’ve done it. Seeing how much they love being together I can only imagine how difficult the distance must have been all this time. But, once they get married he’ll be moving to Toronto so they can share their new life together in the same place, finally.

It was fantastic spending time with you, guys. Thanks for inviting me photograph this beautiful time in your life – I can’t wait to also photograph your wedding on January 3rd!

** Check out the bottom of the post for their love story, written by Mark! **

** And now, some words from our groom-to-be Mark about their love story! **

“Denise and I have been dating for nine years. The most amazing nine years of my life, I have to say. Our story began by the most unlikely of happenstances. She and I happened to be online playing a pool game at the same time. Yep, an online pool game. Many people assume that she and I met on some dating site or something like that because I am from Georgia and she is from Toronto. For those that know us, I’m sure that amuses them as much as it does us.

We spent a year getting to know one another over the phone and text messages or IM’s before I came to visit her in Toronto on September 22, 2005. We have been dating and seeing each other ever since. It has been hard to stay as close as we are and have grown to be over the last nine years, but soon the wait will be well worth it. She makes me the happiest man on Earth and could not or would not wish for a better wife to be. God has truly blessed us with love and a sense of peace when we are together. With a smile like hers, who wouldn’t be happy?”

Update: Denise and Mark are now married and have had a beautiful baby! See photos welcoming little Francesca here.

Cupcakes, Blankets & Tea: Louisa & Ben’s Cozy Fall Engagement

October 28, 2014

Hugs, a big warm blanket, cupcakes and soothing hot tea – these are the yummy things that filled this simple but amazingly lovely engagement session.
Louisa and Ben are two ridiculously sweet folks whose smiles just beam. They’re so cute together and this session just unfolded so naturally – the result: cozy, natural, love-filled photos that showcase the wonderful bond these two share.

Read at the bottom of this post for their love story!

And now some words from our lovebirds!

Our love story began with some popcorn and ice cream. We met through a mutual friend and starting hanging out by making dinners and going for walks. She never really realized that they were dating until one day, we saw a movie together, Crazy, Stupid, Love. She was going to buy her own ticket but he happily returned from the cash with two tickets and a large bucket of popcorn! Somewhere in between the sweet and savory, we fell in love. There wasn’t a defining moment when we knew we were meant to be; rather, it was a series of small details we noticed about one another that made us sure. She noticed the way he held his grandma’s hand on the stairs, the amount of ice cream that arrived in her fridge and ‘have a great day!’ post-its that began to appear everywhere. He noticed that she picked up on all the small details that make up the important parts of others’ lives, how things started to look brighter (i.e. cleaner) when she was around, and that he had met his match in her determined spirit. The love we had became one of those certain things in life, one that was undoubted and went on to grow comfortably and confidently. We experienced life’s ups and downs together for the past few years and continue to celebrate the big and little things that come our way. We are so excited to be married and continue to build our life together!