Toronto wedding photographer Archives | Page 6 of 7

Featured on Wedding Chicks!

February 13, 2015

Been holding onto this exciting announcement for 3 months and it’s finally ready to share… Incredibly excited that Jodi & Brad’s wedding is ** featured on WEDDING CHICKS today! **

Wedding Chicks is a phenomenal wedding blog filled to the brim with enticing and swoon-inducing weddings and tonnes of inspirational ideas for the big day.

I’m totally honoured to have my work featured amongst their pages and am so grateful to Jodi & Brad for entrusting me to document such an important day for them.
They did a remarkable job orchestrating their romantic city wedding at the Thompson Hotel.

** Have a look at the feature here! **
http://www.weddingchicks.com/2015/02/09/black-and-white-glam-wedding/

Sam & Joe’s Toronto Winter Engagement Photos

February 11, 2015

We braved the cold and explored the woods on this windy Winter day – the hot chocolate and big hugs helped, I’m sure! I adore the ridiculously cute mugs Sam and Joe brought with them. I kinda like you guys a lot too!

Update: These two are now married! Check out their Toronto restaurant wedding at Boehmer here!

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!

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!”

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!

Niveen and Rob’s Nature and Sunbeam-Filled Engagement

October 24, 2014

I had a blast photographing these two for their engagement session!

We got to frolic about amongst the gorgeous nature *just* before the leaves started falling off the trees. (Sidenote: It’s amazing how quickly that happens, isn’t it??)

These two are just so much fun and easy to get along with – we chatted, joked, and it even went for lunch while we waited for the ferry back. It felt like we were just hanging out – and we just happened to be snapping photos of their adorable looooove.

And, another awesome bonus to our time together was the unexpected visit of an adorable cat, who calmly strolled right into the middle of our shoot and showed himself off for the camera. Since all three of us have cats we of course had to take some time to properly say hello!

Thanks for a memorable, lovely time, guys!

Really looking forward to photographing your wedding this January 31st!

*Check out the bottom of this post for words from Niveen and Rob themselves about their love story!*

And now for some words from the lovebirds themselves:

A long long time ago…(more like 6 years ago) a boy with bright ginger hair walked into work for the first time. He was stopped by a nosey brunette who asked “Are you new?” He said “Yes”. She smiled and said “Welcome!”. Music, and tech geekery brought us together. Our lunch room at work provided Rockband for staff to play and unwind. One afternoon, while Niveen was rocking out on the drums, Rob came by and asked if he could join her on guitar, soon their band formed and was called “What’s for lunch?”. After numerous awkward group work outings, Rob asked Niveen out for dinner, and the rest was history!

Even though we are complete opposites – she’s reckless, he’s patient (Thankfully) – and come from very different backgrounds and walks of life, the relationship became a bridge. It bridged our families, our cultures and our lives. On a warm summer day, after both had taken the leap to buy a house, they had finally picked up the keys and were filled with anticipation. At the door step of their first home, Rob “fumbled” and dropped the key on the floor, he then remained on his knee, and asked Niveen to make a home of their new house, together. And it was the best decision she ever made!

Liberty Village Engagement Photos

October 13, 2014

Liberty Village Engagement Photos

Well aren’t these two just cute as a button??

Isabella and Lukas mentioned they’re not usually comfortable in front of the camera, but I wouldn’t have known that if they hadn’t mentioned it – Isabella even thought she didn’t look good in photos… I beg to differ, miss!

Though they may not usually be comfortable around the camera it sure didn’t seem that way – maybe they’re just so comfortable being around each other, bringing the best out of one another. I’ve gotta say, these photos ooze comfort and coziness – Isabella and Lukas danced around, kept each other warm from the cold, gave the sweetest glances – they make me smile. It was super fun to be in the presence of such open hearts.

The day was definitely a bit brisk and the Fall air had a bite to it, but it was sweet to witness how Lukas held Isabella close to warm her up. Even sweeter to see the looks of pure smitten-ness in their faces and body language.

After some time outside we got to enjoy two beverages with each other. First, the two of them enjoyed a pint (Lukas joked that he should have had it at the start of the session since it warmed him up), then later we went to a nearby coffee shop to enjoy some hot tea and apple cider – mmm, like Autumn in a cup!

I had so much fun getting to know these two.

And now, some words from our lovebirds about their Love Story!
“Our love story was definitely not one of love at first sight. We met in middle school, where we found each other dorky and unappealing. A couple of years went by and a close friendship developed. At school we chose the same classes, would visit each other’s lockers, and laughed at each others jokes. We would phone each other nightly to discuss our latest crushes, often Isabella giving Lukas sage advice. We saw each other through several brief and awkward relationships. Eventually we got tired of our friends interrogating us about our developing affections for one another and the inevitable happened. We weren’t sure if it would last past prom, but more than eight years later we are now planning a wedding.

Despite having no phone service, Lukas planned his big proposal while working at a hospital in the tiny northern town of Moose Factory, Ontario. He chose our favourite winery to stage a private dinner, featuring all of Isabella’s favourite foods and wines. He got down on one knee and an emotional Isabella nodded a yes.

Our relationship has been through long distance, three university degrees, many travels and a beautiful proposal. Nevertheless, our relationship remains much like it began – two friends who laugh at each other’s jokes.

We look forward to sharing our special day with our family, friends and with Olive Photography!”

*Update!* These two are now married! Have a look at their wedding here!

Featured! 3 times last week!

September 29, 2014

Hiya folks!

My, was it an exciting week last week – I was so incredibly honoured to have my photos featured by 3 wonderful blogs!

I was really thrilled, but I have to say, my work is so inspired by the amazing souls who place their trust in me to photograph their milestones. Shelley & Dave, Laura & Zach, Fidan & Designed Dream – these features are as much yours as they are mine. Yes, I might see and capture things in a certain way, but so much of what I photograph is the beauty, life, love and hard work of those who invite me in to come and snap my shutter. I photograph from the heart, opening up and feeling your joy and responding to that – that’s where my work flourishes, and your events had such an abundance of awesomeness that you guys manifested into your life.

So congratulations to all of you on having your gorgeous affairs selected and shared, and thanks so much for choosing me to photograph them!

And now, without further adieu, here are some preview screen shots and the links!

Much love,
Anastasia (Olive Photography)

Style Me Pretty
Shelley & Dave’s Wedding
Link to Feature: http://www.stylemepretty.com/2014/09/22/whimsical-toronto-restaurant-wedding/

The Wedding Co.
Laura & Zach’s Wedding
Link to Feature: http://www.theweddingco.com/olive-photo/

Style Me Pretty Living
Shabby Chic Themed 1st Birthday Party
Link to Feature: http://www.stylemepretty.com/living/2014/09/26/shabby-chic-themed-1st-birthday-party/

Samantha & Darren – Engaged!

June 8, 2014

Samantha Darren Engagement LR WM-2
Samantha and Darren actually met 20 years ago (!!) way back in grade 7, then they went to high school together. Darren apparently had a thing for Samantha but she wasn’t ever ‘available’… Then, years later, they ran into each other and sparks flew. They’ve been inseparable ever since.

What a beautiful day it was when we did this engagement session, totally mirroring the full, open love these two share. I couldn’t help but smile as I witnessed how totally into each other they are – and how much they love their fur-baby Froggy! Froggy was a rescue puppy who was originally often caged and used just for racing, and they love her so much and wanted to include her in the photos. I love that.

Thanks for choosing me to document this time for you, guys. Was such a pleasure and I can’t wait to photograph your wedding on July 26th!
Read about their love story from Sam herself at the bottom of this post!

And now, some words from our bride-to-be!
“Darren and I first met in grade 7, and were part of the same circle of friends in high school, but lost touch afterwards. Over the years we would bump into each other in random places, and would ease into a great conversation. A chance encounter on April Fools, at a local sporting venue I was working at , lead into another a week later with plans to go to dinner soon. There was a lot of emailing and texting in between, but something instantly clicked that first night. Those feelingsintensified by that dinner, which ran seven hours! We talked endlessly and didn’t want the night to come to an end, but neither one of us was willing to risk making a “move” so soon. The following week, while working an event, I watched Darren as he came up the stairs to my area and thought to myself “I can’t just be friends with him!”. Lucky for me, Darren was thinking the same thing. By the end of the month we were a couple, but I guess you could say it was 20 years in the making.”
Samantha Darren Engagement LR WM-15