wedding Archives | Page 2 of 3

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.

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/

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

Kashfia & Arber – Married! 04.19.2014

April 22, 2014

How can I describe to you just how beautiful the love between these two wonderful human beings is?

Let’s start with how sweet they are individually – they are each so kind-hearted, caring, and considerate of others… multiply that by a lot between the two of them and you have an inspiringly supportive and nurturing couple. It’s amazing how they look at each other, and how attentive they are to one another. You can instantly tell these two have a solid bond.

In my initial meeting with the two of them I was so touched to see the care with which they each explained their ideas for their wedding – making sure the other agreed, and supporting the other’s statements, affirming the importance of their loved one’s ideas.
They explained to me that they’d have two separate days for their wedding festivities – one would be a simple home ceremony performed by an Imam in keeping with Kashfia’s Bengali culture, and the other would be a more Western reception with a Bengali twist: shared, family-style food and a stage set up with a backdrop for guests to get photographs with the newlyweds. Impressively, Kashfia and Arber created this stage setup themselves since Arber has a theatre design background and they’re both very artistic. You’d never guess the super cool backdrop was made using gold spray-painted straws!

Another pleasant – and totally amazing – surprise was Arber’s speech to his wife… After Kashfia’s lovely, tear-inducing words to her husband, Arber mentioned he’s not so good with words… so the DJ fired up some music and Arber began to sweetly sing Elvis Presley’s ‘Only You’. The whole crowd started hooting and hollering at how fun it was!

I’m so happy Arber’s sister Borana – an old friend from high school – referred her brother and Kashfia to me. It was such an honour being present to capture their heartwarming love.

Warmest congratulations and best wishes for a happy marriage, lovebirds.

I have no doubt you’ll have a beautiful life together <3

Kashfia Arber Blog Pages 15
And now, some words from the newlyweds!

How did you meet?

We first met at a New Year’s Eve party. Arber had spent the entire night trying to learn the name of every single person who was there and almost burned down our friends’ apartment by passing out sparklers to everyone. To quote a friend of ours, the sparks have been flying ever since!

What was your favourite wedding moment (bride & groom)

Kashfia: My favorite wedding moment was definitely when Arber began singing “Only You” in lieu of a speech. It was such a wonderful surprise, and it captured how sweet (and funny) Arber is as a person.

Arber: My favorite moment was our first dance, to the wonderful singing of our friend Michelle and masterful accompaniment of our friend TJ on guitar

Any advice for engaged couples planning their wedding?

•Whether or not you are doing a DIY wedding (like we did), ask for help and use your support network; our wedding would not have happened without all the friends and family who insisted on making sure our day went well.

•On the day of the wedding, hire a day-of coordinator or make sure that someone you trust is going to take care of any questions or problems that may arise

•Manage your families’ expectations early on in the planning process, especially if you and your partner come from different backgrounds. The hardest part of all of our preparations was trying to figure out how to do right by our families and our cultures.

Details:

– Dress designer: Off-the-rack white wedding dress, altered by Arber’s neighbour Moza who is the most talented seamstress we know; lehenga from Asiyans in Scarborough
– Makeup: Asha Arabia
– Suit: Custom made by Sun & Moon Ltd.

– Centrepieces & Bouquets: We made them ourselves, with the enormous help of our friends!

– Cakes & favours: The favours were local honey that we spent a day pouring into glass jars, that were then hand labelled by our friends. Instead of a cake, Arber’s parents got us a macaroon tree from a local Albanian pastry shop.

– Venue: The Assembly Hall

Any final thoughts about the big day/experience of getting married that you’d like to share?

Try to make the planning process fun for the both of you; some things are going to be a chore and some things you won’t agree on, but it’s really nice to look back on the day and remember how it brought you and your partner closer together.

Connie & Mike’s Liberty Grand Wedding

January 21, 2014

Connie & Mike had a beautiful, opulent wedding in the Fall, and while the photos have been edited for a long while, I’m finally putting some up on the blog!

It was a day to remember. Not just because they had super cool acrobatic entertainment at the reception, but most of all because of the gorgeous, love-drunk smiles they had for each other all day long.
I’ve never seen a groom tear up so much, and it was so endearing and beautiful to see. And Connie was just so radiant!

They held their ceremony at St. Clare Parish Church in Toronto and their reception was at the Liberty Grand.

Here are some of my favourites from the day.

Yeah, Baby!

December 30, 2013

This holiday I received some beautiful news:

Christa & Jorden, a couple whose wedding I photographed last Summer on July 5th, 2013, are expecting their first little one this July 2nd!

Warmest congratulations, you two! I’m so excited for you, and your child will be absolutely blessed to enter a home filled with so much love.

Meagan & Adriano – Married!

October 5, 2013

Ah, Meagan and Adriano. Two absolutely lovestruck people who make such a beautiful complimentary pair.

As Adriano mentioned in his reception speech, Meagan’s happy, bubbly personality captivated him from the start and lifts his spirits – which tend to be on the more serious side like his poker-faced father (who I got to know and think is actually such a sweetheart). But, you wouldn’t guess it if you were to be in the presence of the two of them together – When he holds and gazes at Meagan, Adriano’s always got the softest, most tender look on his face and the most gentle and carefree smile.
I’m actually getting a little teary-eyed just thinking about it.

I met this awesomely sweet couple last Winter at a coffee shop in the Annex and they were such an easy pair to talk to. Meagan’s a bit like me – optimistic, enthusiastic, and a definite planner. Adriano’s like my hubby – a bit stern at the start as he figures you out (I quickly saw smiles from him) but so supportive and implicitly trusting of his partner’s vision. It was clear he just wants Meagan to be happy.

We did an engagement session in March, and on Friday, September 27th I got to document their super lovely wedding day!

On the big day I met the bride and her bridesmaids at a funky salon at Ossington and Harbord called The Saloon. The quirky design features lent themselves to a laid back, fun atmosphere, which was perfect for this bride and her maids… who sipped mimosas from green plastic cups, no less!

We then headed over to The Old Mill for the gals to get ready at the really beautiful suite that Meagan and Adriano reserved…

… then did a ‘first look’ before the ceremony…

… as well as some wedding party and family photos.

Then came the ceremony in the chapel at the Inn. Meagan required quite a few tissues – it was very sweet.

You could tell that Meagan and Adriano were on Cloud 9 that day, and that everyone was just so happy to be there.

And now, a few words from our bride!

How did you feel on your wedding day? I felt highly emotional from the moment I woke up until the moment I went to bed. It was the most amazing, surreal day of my life!

What was your favourite wedding day moment? I truly find it hard to pick a favourite moment of the day, because it was all so special, but I would have to say the moment we were officially declared husband and wife was my fave!

Any advice for engaged couples planning their wedding? Try not to stress over it too much. It’s just one day, and the most important thing is that at the end of it, you are married to your best friend! It’s easy to get caught up in the hype, but just try to enjoy the process!!

Details:

Dress: My was purchased at Windsor Bridal in Toronto, and it’s an Allure Gown.

Centrepieces: Flower arrangements were made by myself and my stepmom, Heather, as were the boutonnieres and bouquets! They were definitely one of my fave touches for the day, they turned out better than I expected!

Cake: Made by a dear friend of mine as part of our wedding gift.

Bridesmaids Outfits: I let the bridesmaids choose a nude/metallic shoe of their choice, and the dresses were Social Bridesmaids by Dessy in the colour African Violet.

Meagan and Adriano, I’m so happy for you both.

It was my absolute pleasure to be there to document this happy time in your life, and I look forward to being there for many more as I’m so glad we’ve become friends!

I really think you guys have something special and beautiful. Congratulations on becoming husband & wife!!

Meagan & Adriano – Sneak Peek!

September 29, 2013

Been pretty sleepy today after shooting Meagan & Adriano’s wedding yesterday, but I had such an amazing time! Couldn’t help but dance along with everyone as I photographed the party later in the evening.

I’ve sifted through the photos and picked out my favourites, and now it’s time for bed! But first, here’s a little sneak peek from this super nice couple’s beautiful big day. The warmth of the sunlight was nothing compared to the warmth in their eyes!

Can’t wait to edit the rest – More to come soon!