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Distillery District Archeo Wedding – Niveen & Rob

March 28, 2015

Toronto Wedding Photographer Olive Photography Distillery District_0173

Niveen and Rob struck the perfect cultural balance, incorporating their two diverse backgrounds into a beautiful, impactful wedding celebration at their Distillery District Archeo wedding.

They had an intimate home ceremony to make their marriage official in Niveen’s culture, then had a beautiful ‘Western’ wedding reception at Archeo in Toronto’s Distillery District (which I had the honour of photographing) with a jaw-dropping floral arrangement above their head table, super cool sweet table with chocolate-dipped Oreos (their favourite cookie), baklava (a nod to Niveen’s culture), and surprise entertainment in the form of belly dancers and other dancers who impressively balanced candelabras on their heads!

They also had a ‘love lock’ engraved with their initials and wedding date to secure to a love wall near their venue – one they can visit and smile at for years to come.

Niveen sported a super cute stole to keep her warm (can you believe it’s H&M?), an eye-catching headpiece, and blue velvet shoes as her ‘something blue’. Rob had a nifty and totally dapper tie clip along with a custom-tailored suit.

Check out the bottom of the post for words from the newlyweds!

And now, some words from the newlyweds themselves!

What made you choose a winter wedding?

N: We were actually hoping for a summer outdoor/garden wedding. But, life happened and we ended up buying a house. My family is traditional and preferred that I move in after we are married. So we planned the wedding in 6 months because we’d rather be together than wait for the summer sun! Luckily, its a less busy time and it was possible for us to find some fantastic artists, venue, and vendors on such short notice. Other than taking photos in the cold, It was perfect! And I wouldn’t change the time even if I had the chance to. In the end I got the garden wedding I wanted, thanks to our brilliant Florist at Coriander Girl. We knew we wanted something lush and romantic and more colorful than a typical white winter wedding and she made it happen. We had all the lovely vintage touches through the fantastic Krista Jane and the awesomeness that is Archeo.

What were your favourite wedding day moments (each of you, or one of you)?

R: the first look was definitely something I was waiting for and was one of my favourite moments of the day. The speeches were also great!

N: I can’t pick one, I know it’s a cliche. But maybe catching rob tear up at the speeches, he never cries! Something about knowing that I’m not the only blubbering fool the entire time and that on the inside of that solid exterior there’s a man with a ton of feels.

Were there any noteworthy challenges to planning your wedding?

R: not really, Niveen planned everything so well. She has a great eye for detail and made sure the day would turn out as well as it did. The only thing that worried me leading up to the day was the weather but other than being cold, I think we lucked out.

N: Trying to blend our two very different families. I’m of Middle Eastern heritage and Rob is Canadian, and I wouldn’t say it was so much of a challenge as much as being conscientious and respecting both aspects of each other’s culture. Oh and on a more logistical point, order your invitations way in advance and order extras…long story ha!

Now that you’re wedding planning pros & newlyweds, do you have advice for engaged couples planning their wedding?

R: the day does really fly by. It’s over before you know it. We had a relatively small wedding with just over 100 guests and it was hard to get quality time in with each one. Make sure you take the time to go around to each table and connect. I ended up meeting a lot of the guests on Niveen’s side and I’m glad I took the time to say hi. And try to get the tasting done early. We had to reprint some menus after the tasting because the desert sounded great but we ended up changing it after the tasting.

N: Just because its winter it doesn’t mean that it has to lack life or color! We ran in the opposite direction of silver and white, and went with gold, navy and deep pink and purple jewel tones. Another tip, no matter what your budget is, hire a day of coordinator! I didn’t want to think of a thing during that day besides having the time of my life. Last one, use your gut/instincts, I met with a few photographers, and florists, and something just clicked with who we ended up with. Everything felt natural, and honest, and I couldn’t have met greater and more talented people!

Other thoughts/reflections you’d like to share?

N: Take a minute to yourself and stand in a corner of the room and appreciate it. I did that once, and I wish I took more time to just take it all in because it goes by so fast!

R: once the day starts just go with the flow. Some things will go wrong and not work out but in the end the small stuff doesn’t matter. Enjoy the day and each other and don’t forget to eat the cake. I only had the one bite and now I have to wait a whole year to try it again (we kept the cake top for our 1 year anniversary)

Vendors:

Photography: Olive Photography (www.olivephotography.ca)
Flowers: (www.coriandergirl.com)
Vintage Rentals: Kj& Co. (www.kjandco.ca)
Veil: VeilsofArt (http://www.veilsofart.com)
Cake: I do Wedding Cakes (www.idoweddingcakes.ca)
Prairie Girl Cupcakes (https://www.prairiegirlbakery.com)
Jelly Modern Donuts (www.jellymoderndoughnuts.com)
Homemade oreo cookies dipped in chocolate, coconuts or walnuts!
Dress Designer: Tara Keely by Lazaro (www.theknot.com/wedding-dress/tara-keely)
Shoes: Nine West (www.ninewest.com)
Suit: Custom – Indochino (www.indochino.com)

This wedding was featured on RuffledBlog! See the feature here!

Thompson Hotel Wedding – Jodi & Brad

February 13, 2015

Jodi & Brad are an absolute riot, and I had the pleasure of photographing them and their cool city Thompson Hotel wedding. The city skyline from the roof was incredible, and inside Jodi & Brad had decorated the sleek space in a lush, romantic way with modern touches (like the rectangular gold vases, clear ‘ghost’ chairs, and fun personal additions like cat place cards, their favourite candy and silly wedding-themed surveys for guests to fill out). The mixture of styles was pulled off wonderfully – it’s no wonder, since Jodi’s an event co-ordinator extraordinaire!
Their height difference was also so cute – Brad had to bend down quite a bit to kiss his bride! They’re super adorable together.

*Check out the end of this post for some wedding planning reflections from these newlyweds!*

** Here are some words from the couple about their love and wedding planning: **
“Our wedding was a comedy of errors from start to finish, but when all was said and done, ended up being a perfect day. We had a number of things suddenly change during the planning process that made us have to re-adjust our desired theme and ovrall look & feel. One of those (not so minor) things was having the restaurant the reception was scheduled to be in close down a few months before the date. We had chosen the particular restaurant because it had a very soft, warm, and romantic feel to it, which we both loved. We moved the reception to the Lobby Bar in the Thompson hotel, and were thrilled with the results, but it meant having to modify our romantic theme to a more modern venue. We tried to incorporate soft touches with the colors, flowers, centrepieces, and overall décor so it was a combination of downtown chic meets soft romanticism. My biggest piece of advice for brides (and grooms) planning their wedding is to roll with the punches. Things will change, things will be adjusted, but as long as you’re able to adapt you’ll do just fine. It can be a stressful time but if you have a vision in your head of what you picture the day to be, you can always translate that into whatever situation may greet you. My second piece of advice is to have fun with it and make it yours. A wedding should be a reflection of who you are as a couple and doesn’t have to follow a cookie cutter script. We forewent most traditions – no cake, no garter/bouquet toss, and only one person each in our wedding party – because we felt they just weren’t us. Instead, we opted for quirky and personal vows and to show off our love of cats with hand painted gold cat nametags. We also gave our guests mini packages of our favorite candy brought home from Germany in my suitcase as favors. We felt like each and every guest at the wedding was able to have a snapshot of who we were together and the type of relationship we have. Groom says: Truthfully, there’s only so much input a groom has when planning a wedding when the bride-to-be works in the event production business. You just answer “yes” and “no” honestly when asked and try to not say anything stupid. My better half did a fantastic job of making sure that we were able to put on (what we feel was) the ultimate party for our friends and family, some of whom had come from as far as Australia to be involved. The only thing I would recommend to those about to get married is book your photographer for as long as possible in advance. We had our incredible photographer booked for several hours and we still ended up needing to keep her for additional time as the timeline got a little delayed, as can often happen with weddings. That time flies by SO fast so keep that in mind when planning your day. Oh, and you’ll have a lot of people pulling you in this direction and that, but don’t forget to take a few minutes to eat!”
This wedding was featured on Wedding Chicks! See the feature here!

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/

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!

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/

Featured by Weddingbells!

August 27, 2014

Hey y’all! This is just a super quick post to share some happy news:

Olive Photography has been featured by Weddingbells!

Recognize those photos? They were posted a li’l while ago on the blog.

To see the feature on Weddingbells, click the link below!
http://www.weddingbells.ca/real-weddings/a-romantic-pink-wedding-in-toronto/

Stephanie & Brian had a super lovely wedding, and it’s an honour to see it shared in such a highly regarded place.

Thanks for inviting me to document your big day, guys, and thanks Weddingbells for making my day!

St. Lawrence Hall Wedding

August 14, 2014

Eve and Dave’s wedding felt like an Old Hollywood affair. Not just because of Eve’s flawless, totally amazing finger wave ‘do and red lips (such a cool bridal look!), but also because of many other little touches she so thoughtfully assembled for her and Dave’s big day.
U of T’s Hart House and St. Lawrence Hall also helped in creating that fabulous vintage vibe.

For example, she and all her bridesmaids carried authentic vintage beaded purses (her gift to them); they rode in a vintage Rolls Royce (Oof! So nice.); their reception venue was a historic ballroom; their wedding party photos were taken on historic University of Toronto grounds, adding to the classic, historic vibe… and more. A unique and fun theme for a wedding for sure.

There were other great personal touches to this wedding as well, like the favours being mini sewing kits (Eve is a seamstress with an alterations business) and the lining of Dave’s suit jacket was a photograph of their dog Botox – how cool is that? Eve also spent 6 hours – per shoe – to bedazzle a pair of white Converses which she wore all day to stay comfy under her show stopper of a dress. Seriously, get a load of it. Wowza!

I’ll stop rambling now and let you check out the photos.

Thanks for having me be a part of this special time, guys! Many congratulations!

Fantasy Farm Wedding – Samantha & Darren

August 12, 2014

This wedding had so many guests from out of town – it’s amazing how love brings people together. And to honour their Irish family background Samantha & Darren had many green touches (my favourite colour!… ‘Olive Photography’ – could you tell?) at their Fantasy Farm wedding. For instance, Samantha wore gorgeous emerald earrings, super cute green shoes, and had lovely green brooches in her bouquet – along with many other little touches throughout their wedding. What a neat idea to infuse culturally-significant colour into your wedding palate, eh? Definitely some great inspiration in here if you’re planning a wedding! (The greenery all over Todmorden Mills also added to the theme!)

They also personalized their wedding in the sweetest way by infusing little greyhound accents in adorable unexpected places like the favours, cake topper and signing tree painting. This is because they are parents to a greyhound named Froggy whom they love so much.

Enjoy!

And congratulations again, you two. Such a pleasure being your photographer.

—
P.S. If you’re interested in having your own wedding at Fantasy Farm, check out this wedding, which also had some photos at Evergreen Brickworks!

Tappo Wedding in Distillery District – Ashley & Jay

June 23, 2014

Remember these two from their engagement session? They’re a super fun, super adorable and super in love couple — Ashley and Jalal are married! They had a beautiful Tappo wedding in the Distillery District.
It’s so sweet to see how magnetic their love is. Their attraction is so strong you can feel it just being around them! You can get a little glimpse of how fiery their love is by seeing how Jay looks at Ashley in some of these photos. And Ashley is just so smitten.
Love these two.
I had a fantastic time photographing this wedding – their friends and family were so friendly and man, do they know how to have fun! Music blasting in the limo, jokes and laughs the entire day, and such high energy and full-on happiness!
Ashley got ready at The Ivy at Verity hotel and we then headed to St. Peter’s Catholic Church for the ceremony, followed by The Distillery District for photos and Tappo Wine Bar & Restaurant therein for the reception; it’s a lovely rustic, intimate restaurant with such delicious food and a wonderful outdoor patio space where they set up a few hookahs! Super neat – love when couples incorporate cultural elements into their weddings.
Once we got to the Distillery District Ashley & Jay changed into their comfy Converse shoes – but not just any Converses — Jay wore sleek leather ones that he meticulously polished to look fab, and Ashley wore adorable white ones with a platform incorporated in them so her dress didn’t drag. She said her feet were sooo comfy, which is important when you’re on your feet all day! Even more so when you have to navigate uneven cobblestone streets. Cute idea, guys!
I’ll stop blabbing now and let y’all see some photos from this rad wedding!

** Scroll to the end of the photos to read some insights from our happy couple! **

And now, some words from the newlyweds!

What was your favourite wedding moment?
Bride: I have so many favourite moments, but I think my top faves are when I received a pre-wedding love note from the limo driver upon his arrival to pick the girls up. When I read (or attempted to) and my maid of honour, Faye, finished reading Jay’s love note to me I was literally in happy tears. I thought, wow I am so lucky, I am about to marry the sweetest man! My second favourite moment was when my mom walked me down the aisle. She is the most important person in my life and I love that she had that honour and moment! Not to mention, that was the moment I finally got to see Jay’s smile waiting for me at the end of that long aisle! Finally, my last favourite moment would have to be when “Sweet Carolina” came on during dinner (the Fab 8/Boy’s song on Jay’s side) and I got to see my husband in his prime with his closest and bestest friends; dancing and singing and hugging! They made me so happy to see what wonderful friends he has in his life, who travelled long and far to be with him for his day! He was so happy and that made me so happy!
Groom: Other than the usual… Seeing Ashley that first moment on the aisle, kissing her and calling her my wife, and our first dance, I have quite a few favourite moments as well. If I have to pick I would say that the moments Ashley and I shared at the alter while listening to the priest and guest speakers was so special. We were both so excited and nervous. Each time one of us was about to have a moment of tears or nerves, we would whisper something funny to each other. Everyone wondered what we were saying. No one will ever really know lol Looking at her, and sharing this moment with her was more than I could have ever imagined to be so special. We never realized how truly special signing that piece of paper, having that day and having the “husband” and “wife” title really is!

Any advice for engaged couples planning their wedding?
If you had asked us a few months ago, we would have said “Run away just the two of you and forget the big to-do!” It is so much stress! BUT it is SO WORTH IT! Don’t dwell on the little details, no one will notice. Have fun, and stop to take in the moments happening around you. Do it your way! But most importantly, spend the time, money and energy on finding an amazing photographer. Your photos are all you will have when that amazing day whips by and is over! We are less than two weeks over with it, and so happy we already have our beautiful photos to reminisce with!

Details:
– Dress designer: Moon Light Couture by Val Stefani from Mona Richie Bridal
– Suit: Jack Victor Exclusive Collection www.jackvictor.com
– DJ: Rob Gri AKA DJ Greedo @ Del Vinyl Entertainment www.delvinyl.com
– Centrepieces: DIY
– Cake: Merry Cakes (Merrycakes.ca and merrycakesdotca on instagram)
– Venues: The Ivy at Verity hotel, St. Peter’s Catholic Church, Tappo Wine Bar & Restaurant in The Distillery District
– Makeup: Shari at Sutherland Artistry
– Lashes: Jennifer Couto at Lasholiscious
– Hair: Daniel Palacio at Deberardinis Salon and Spa

Congratulations again, you two!! Had a blast, and feel so honoured to be your photographer!

—

Anastasia Giaouris

Photographer, Olive Photography
olivephotography.ca
OlivePhotographyTO.wordpress.com

Facebook.com/OlivePhotographyTO
@OlivePhotoTO

info@olivephotography.ca