Today I’m sharing one of my favourite weddings from the past couple of years. Jes and Kevin’s Bandit Brewery wedding was so fun, and full of warmth. I had a huge smile on my face looking through the photos again as I put together this post.
Bandit Brewery is also one of my favourite restaurant/small wedding venues in Toronto, check out that blog post here.
Jes and Kevin met during the Covid years, both of them had been staying with their parents in their hometowns when both decided to get back to the city and start dating again. Jes had a goal of going on 5 dates. Kevin was date number 4, and she never did make it to number 5. Their timing was impeccable, and goes to show that some things are just meant to be. This was also the case when they contacted me about photographing their wedding. I was originally booked for their wedding date, but the other couple emailed me about postponing their wedding a couple of days before Jes’ email. And boy am I glad that I was able to capture their special day.
Thank you so much for having me be a part of your day Jes and Kevin! Here is the story of their intimate wedding at Bandit Brewery. xo
I’ve shot weddings in many different venues in Toronto and across the GTA. From rustic barns to grand halls and everything in between. In the past few years, I think restaurant venues, especially in cities, are increasingly becoming a popular choice for couples. Today I’m going to share some of my top restaurant wedding venues in Toronto that I’ve had the pleasure of shooting at. Whether it’s because of their unique space, great food or amazing views, any of these locations would be a great choice for a smaller and more intimate gathering.
A restaurant venue is a great wedding option for a few reasons:
The food is usually fantastic! And with food already included, you don’t have to worry about finding a caterer.
The decor is mostly done for you. You don’t have to do much more to decorate other than some additional table lights like candles, and flowers.
You can often have both your ceremony and reception in the same location, which can be more cost effective. Some restaurants even have outdoor space for ceremonies.
Bandit Brewery
Bandit Brewery is actually a micro-brewery in the heart of the Roncesvalles neighbourhood. The setup was inspired by the experiences and the atmosphere of German beer gardens.
Why I like the venue:
It really is a unique space. There is an indoor area that can be used for wedding ceremonies, and the patio is used for receptions.
The patio can also be covered in cooler months, but the glass walls and roof still provide lots of natural light. Combined with the trees that they keep inside the patio, it’s a very airy and relaxed garden ambience.
There is even a small area adjacent to the patio where you can set up a couple of lawn games.
The whole venue is yours and very private.
Things to consider:
Due to the size of the venue, the bridal party will likely only be able to hide in the back alley behind the brewery before entering for the wedding ceremony. Not ideal for inclement weather but something to plan for.
2. Boehmer
Boehmer is a modern French restaurant located in the very popular and hip Ossington neighbourhood between Dundas and Queen street.
Why I like the venue:
The food really is fabulous!
The front dining area can the rearranged to accommodate typical wedding ceremony setup and then flipped for reception seating during cocktail hour.
A small patio area at the front also provides some outdoor space.
Things to consider:
The main dining area can seat up to 115 guests, with some space towards the back of the restaurant for your vendors and/or musicians.
There is also a smaller private dining room that is great for very intimate weddings with fewer than 16 guests.
3. Canoe
Canoe is a modern and stylish restaurant located atop TD Tower on the 54th floor with inventive Canadian cuisine.
Why I like the venue:
The biggest draw is of course the exceptional view of the CN Tower, the lake and the downtown core. On a good day, the sunset views are stunning.
The windows provide lots of natural light in addition to the great view.
Things to consider:
They have a separate room that can be used for a wedding ceremony. The same room is also used for smaller, more intimate weddings.
Bonus:Propeller Coffee Co.
Though not a restaurant, Propeller Coffee Co. is a unique space for weddings with 80-125 guests. Located near Lansdowne and Bloor, it is regularly a hip and stylish coffee shop.
Why I like the venue:
The building itself is industrial but not cold, and it provides a very clean canvas.
Unlike most restaurants, the space feels airy and open.
Flexible seating setup options for both ceremony and reception (for example, you can have smaller tables or tables put together for two rows of long table for the reception).
Things to consider:
The immediate surrounding area of the venue is a mix of urban and residential creating a varied and unique environment that may not suit every taste.
Because it is not a restaurant, food is technically not included. But Propeller has a list of trusted caterers that they work with.
I’d love to hear your favourite restaurant venues, comment below!
Spadina House wedding ceremony | Intimate restaurant reception at Boehmer
I’m excited to share this beautiful outdoors Spadina House wedding today! The Spadina House Museum is one of those locations that I’ve always wanted to photograph at. So I was pretty excited when Caitlin and Anthony contacted me to shoot their wedding. The museum is also a great spot for wedding portraits even if you don’t have your ceremony here. The gardens are beautiful especially in spring and summer, and the house itself just exudes old world charm.
We started the day with getting ready at the stylish Kimpton Saint George hotel, then we were blessed with beautiful weather for Caitlin and Anthony’s wedding ceremony in the gardens of the Spadina House. After some portraits on the grounds of the Spadina House and also at a bar where the pair had their first date, we made our way to their reception at Boehmer restaurant along Ossington. It was an evening filled with great food, heartfelt speeches, lots of laughter and awesome live music.
A wedding photographer is a visual story teller, and as I look through these images from that sunny June day, I find myself smiling, laughing and tearing up all over again. And that is what I hope my images would do for all of my couples, to remind them how their wedding day felt, and to feel again the emotions that all those fleeting moments brought.
Here’s the story of Caitlin & Anthony’s wedding day. xo
I’m excited to share Diana and Lee’s intimate Vineland Estates wedding on the blog today! Their celebration took place on a clear summer day at the beautiful Vineland Estates Winery in Niagara-on-the-Lake. If you are looking for an intimate venue outside of the city, this is a great option!
Diana and Lee is proof that sometimes you just don’t know what life has in store for you. They met on Tinder and swiped right because they thought the other spoke English. Lee was teaching in Shanghai at the time and Diana was travelling in Shanghai visiting friends and family. Their initial dumpling-eating date turned into a week-long date. After lots of food and long walks around the French Concession neighbourhood in Shanghai, they quickly realized they wanted to see more of each other. Over the next six months they made an effort to see each other despite having an ocean between them. After having spent so much time travelling together (and if you’ve travelled with other people, you know that travelling is a true relationship endurance test!), they knew there was something more to this courtship. So Lee planned a proposal in beautiful Bali during a stopover while they were travelling (but of course), and that’s what led us to their heartfelt celebration at Vineland Estates.
Thanks Diana and Lee for inviting me to share in and document your special day! I still remember how much joy and laughter filled the day and I hope you do too. Here’s the story of their wedding day. xo
Boho & Vintage Inspired Outdoor Wedding at Gimcrack Equestrian Centre
A few months ago, I had the pleasure of photographing Ginger and Cedric’s unique Gimcrack Equestrian Centre wedding. Even though we live in Canada, where we only really have two months of summer, and where outdoor weddings are often wrought with complications due to the weather, I still love me a good outdoor wedding. September is a great month for it. Your chance of good weather is fairly good still, and most of the mosquitoes are gone by then. September also tends to be quite a bit cooler compared to the sweltering heat we usually get in July/August.
Ginger had a very unique vision for her wedding day from the start, and it came together perfectly. I especially love the circus top tent they had! All tent weddings should have a tent like that. Then there was the vintage VW camper that Ginger arrived in – so cool!
What I love the most about their wedding day was when Ginger said in their thank-you speech how she always giggles when she’s at Home Depot and someone asks if she’s found everything she’s looking for – because that’s where her and Cedric met! She found her soulmate there after all.
Thank you for having me document your lovely celebration Ginger & Ced! Here’s the story of their wedding day. xo
Sonoma Wedding Photographer | Jack London State Historic Park Wedding
In the Spring I had the pleasure of photographing Zinzi and Brian’s Sonoma valley wedding at the beautiful Jack London State Historic Park. It was so lovely to be back in sunny California again. The day started with joining Zinzi at a lodge in the surrounding hills in the mists. The skies then cleared and we got some typical California sunshine for the wedding. There’s nothing I love more than an outdoor ceremony in comfortable temperatures and dinning alfresco under the stars.
Zinzi and Brian initially met at a work conference where they had hit it off right away. Zinzi gave Brian her phone number and although Brian was planning on asking her to coffee later, they “ran” into each other on Tinder before he had a chance to do that. And the rest as they say, was history. I love how they describe their relationship: the most similar but opposite people. I think for a relationship to last, we have to have similarities that keep us together, but also have opposite aspects that are complimentary and keep things interesting.
Thank you Zinzi & Brian for inviting me to document your beautiful and fun day of celebration! Here’s the story of their wedding day. xo
