Alison and Mark’s elegant spring wedding took place at the Shangri-La Hotel Toronto, one of downtown Toronto’s most luxurious and stylish wedding venues. With the city as their backdrop, the couple celebrated with family and friends in a day filled with beautiful details, heartfelt moments and plenty of Toronto character.
A Spring First Look Overlooking Toronto
On a beautiful spring day, Alison and Mark began their wedding photography with a first look on the balcony of the Shangri-La Hotel, overlooking the Toronto skyline. It was a relaxed and intimate way to start the day before heading outside for portraits.
From the hotel, we took a short walk to Osgoode Hall, one of my favourite locations for wedding photography in downtown Toronto. The historic architecture, dramatic stonework, seasonal gardens and surrounding city streets provide so many opportunities for beautiful and varied portraits.
And of course, the passing streetcars are an added bonus! They bring a distinctly Toronto feeling to the photographs and make a wonderful backdrop for a downtown wedding.
Wedding Photography at Osgoode Hall
Osgoode Hall was the perfect setting for Alison and Mark’s wedding portraits. The combination of historic architecture and spring greenery created an elegant backdrop while still keeping the photographs connected to the city.
As a Toronto wedding photographer, I love incorporating the character of the city into wedding portraits rather than keeping the entire day confined to the venue. A short walk can create a completely different look and add a sense of place to the wedding story.
A Very Special Family Wedding
This wedding was particularly meaningful for me because I had photographed Alison and Mark before. I previously photographed their maternity and newborn portraits when their son, Jacob, was born.
This time, Jacob was part of the wedding day himself as a ring bearer!
He and the flower girl made a memorable entrance in a beautiful handcrafted wooden wagon pulled by the older flower girls. It was such a sweet family moment and one of those photographs that captures the personality and emotion of the day perfectly.
A Sentimental Ceremony at the Shangri-La
The ceremony was officiated by one of my favourite wedding celebrants, Jeremy Citron, and was the perfect combination of sentimental, funny and emotional moments.
The rest of the celebration continued with the same sophisticated and elegant style as the rest of the day. The Shangri-La Hotel Toronto provided an incredible culinary experience, while the reception room was beautifully transformed with floral arrangements by Opening Night Flowers.
A Night Portrait in Downtown Toronto
After dinner and dancing, we took a short break from the reception and stepped outside onto University Avenue for a night portrait.
It ended up being one of my favourite photographs from the wedding. The city lights, the architecture and the couple together created a dramatic nighttime image that feels distinctly Toronto.
From their first look overlooking the city to portraits at Osgoode Hall and their final nighttime photographs on University Avenue, Alison and Mark’s wedding was a beautiful combination of elegance, family, emotion and downtown Toronto.
VENDORS
Venue – Shangri-La Hotel
Venue Coordinator – Miriam Sze
Wedding Planner – Michelle Posner
Officiant – Jeremy Citron – All You Need is Love
Hair and Make-Up – Jessica Jean Myers
Wedding Cake – I do! Wedding Cakes
DJ – DJ Floh Back
Wedding Dress – Kleinfeld Bridal
Groom’s Suit – Saks (Ralph Lauren)
Wedding Party Attire – Bridesmaids in Ted Baker, MOH in Alfred Sung bridesmaid dress, groomsmen in Boss suits
Florist – Nicholas at Opening Night Flowers
