While 2020 weddings looked a bit different, they were still full of all the love, joy and happiness shared by couples and their families. I am so grateful to continue to document your love stories, no matter how big or small the celebration. It’s hard to look back on an entire year of Toronto micro weddings in just a few minutes, but I am so excited to share more in my 2020 wedding and couple highlights!

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If you live in Europe, this is probably an easy question to answer. If, like me you live somewhere with fewer historic sites, you may have to improvise. In order to achieve the charm and character of a true historic wedding, look to the designated list of historic sites near you. I recently had a chance to shoot a wedding at the Ruthven Park National Historic Site, just outside of Hamilton, Ontario. The first thing that popped out at me was how much it felt like I was shooting a wedding in Savannah, Georgia! Your eyes gaze upon the large stone columns and friezes in the Greek tradition, sweeping willow branches, and a sprawling 1,500 acre estate located along the river. Dating back to the 1840’s, this Ontario historic site has so much charm and character. It is the perfect setting for those wondering how to plan a charming historic wedding and make you feel transported to an era long since past. You don’t need to get married on the acropolis to have historic charm and Greek columns.

A True Timeless Beauty

The first characteristic you’re looking for is obvious. You want the visual impression of something very old. These are hard to find in places like Canada, but it’s not impossible. With a little creativity and thoughtful details, the Ruthven Park National Historic Site made a great wedding venue. It was easy to imagine yourself at the social event of the season somewhere between New Orleans and Charlotte. When you look at the front of Ruthven Park National Historic Site you’ll have a warm Southern breeze rush past you and smell the mint jelups.

A Country Estate Is Perfect For First Looks

Finding a location for your historic inspired wedding is the most challenging part. Once you’ve found it, the fun begins! Now you can add the details that will take this from country estate to fairytale setting. One aspect that is very important is the estate grounds. Ruthven Park National Historic Site was a great spot because it had sweeping willows and the Grand River in the background. With these sorts of details you feel like you’re in a classic movie like Gone With The Wind!

Simple, Elegant, and Classic

Take the details one step further. Your decor can include leather bound books, bourbon cocktails and mint julebs, and you can even cater your attire to the occasion. For the men that can include bowties, soft neutral colours and greys, and suspenders. The classic look will really make guests feel like their attending a wedding from an era long since passed by. For the women of the bridal party, and for the bride, think lace! Also searching out a cathedral vale and trying to find a vintage dress if you can. Try creating your floral arrangements with magnolias and roses since they really harken back to a more classic era.

 Bring The Brass

Finding the right band to compliment your historic style wedding will also add a lot of charm and fun to your day. I love when people find brass bands to finish off the look perfectly. Not only does it really give that old historic feel, it’s also so much fun to have those beautiful sounds fill the venue!

A Northern Belle

The Ruthven National Historic Site is a great option for those looking to plan a charming wedding at a historic site. If you live somewhere near Hamilton this will make a great venue for achieving your dream wedding day. If you want more suggestions, I’d love to help! Contact me , or heck let’s just hop on a plane and fly somewhere packed with history and charm, like Edinburgh or Rome!

Vendors:

Venue – Ruthven National Historic Site

Florist – Belmont Flowers

Hair + makeup – Hair by Carmine @ Control Hair

Caterer – Sweet Isa Catering

Officiant – Kristen Saburn

Invitations – Minted

Brides attire – Alex Veil Bridal 

Grooms attire – Channer’s Waterloo

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I get asked this question a lot. With years of experience shooting couple’s special moments, people frequently want to pick my brain on this topic. It makes sense, you two want to capture your beautiful engagement in the best way possible! While the backdrop is not the main focal point (you two are!), it’s nice to have it compliment you two. So where should you have your engagement photos done? That depends on where you live, and what season it is. As a photographer based in the Toronto area I’ve come up with a list of some of my favourites. Hopefully these will spark some idea’s for you so you can find where’s the best place to get stunning engagement photos!

Summer Paradise

This one is for those sunflower lovers out there. While the season to capture your engagement pictures amongst sunflowers is short, you will not be disappointed with the wait. Their are several great farms around the GTA that have wonderful sunflower fields to shoot your engagement pictures in during the August bloom. One of my favourites is Davis Farm in Caledon East. Not only do they have a very accessible field to roam through, it’s only an hours drive from Toronto. They also have refreshments such as lemonade, ice cream, and booths with fresh veggies and they had a petting zoo with exotic animals. Out in the field they also strategically placed vintage couches so people can capture some very cozy shots among the beautiful sunflowers! Scroll down to check out the engagement shoot I did for Sarah and Justine as they strolled through a beautiful sunflower field.

Future Engagements

If you want to hear more ideas for stunning engagement photo spots contact me below me and we can get searching together!

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Have you ever been to a wedding that was unadulterated fun and excitement from start to finish? If you have, you know it’s such a joy! If you haven’t then you might be wondering how to achieve such a feat! With your wedding around the corner you might be wondering how to make your wedding fun for your guests. It all starts with interactive ideas that get your guests involved. While that can include an endless list of ideas, here’s some great building blocks to get you started! Remember, think of how you can connect with your guests on your wedding day. Not only will your guests have fun, but you and your guests will enjoy the chance to interact during this special day!

Start With A BANG!

I recently had the privilege of capturing Ron and Phil’s wedding at Hilton Fallsview Hotel & Resort, in Niagara Falls, ON. They really knew how to answer the question of how to make your wedding fun for your guests! They kicked off the night with a confetti cannon. A CONFETTI CANNON! I cannot think of a more appropriate way to signify that your guests are in for a fun night! Think of something you can bring to your wedding day that can set the tone for the evening. Something that tells your guests there in for a fun night!

People Come For The Wedding, But Stay For The Dancing!

Let’s get real for a second. Your two won’t be the only ones looking forward to strutting your moves on the dance floor the night of your wedding. So open things up for some fun! Maybe have your MC throw down a dance off challenge to eager guests. You could also try to organize your wedding guests into age groupings, and play a hit from their day that they get to own the dance floor to. Anything that gets those feet moving, and those grins stretching. Talk to your band or DJ as well, see if they have any creative ideas to liven up the dance floor. Maybe throw a freeze dance game into the mix, and see who’s left standing by the end of the song.The dance floor always seems to be the time and place for guests to have fun and connect at any wedding.

Game of Alters

Why was Game of Thrones such a smashing success? The battles? The character development? The sex scenes? NO. The games of course! Ok, maybe that’s a stretch. There is nothing better at a wedding than ice breaking games that get the guests interacting. This can be as casual as a couples trivia game. You can even go as bold as to throw a Twister matt down and let the hilarity ensue. Maybe during cocktail hour you could have your wedding planner organize a mad lib about you two as a couple that your guests could all respond to. While you two are busy having photos done, the planner could put the mad lib together for you two to read during speeches.

Let The Fun And Games Begin!

If you really want to know how to make your wedding fun for your guests, just remember these two things:

1. The more fun you two are having, the more fun the guests will have since laughing and smiling is contagious!
2. The more you find ways to incorporate your guests into the evenings activities the more fun they’re going to have!

It’s as simple as that! If you want to pick my brain and find out some of my all time favourite fun ideas for wedding I’ve shot in the past contact me below.

Vendors:

Venue/caterer/desserts – Hilton Fallsview Hotel & Resort, Niagara Falls, ON

Florist – BBBlooms

Tiffany Sacco, Special Events Manager, Hilton Fallsview

DJ – The Sound of Harmony 

Officiant – Andrew Brouwer

Wedding attire:

Ron – Strauss

Phil – Indochino

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Babies are very unpredictable, as I’m sure you’re well aware by now. We struggle to find continuity and routine when our little ones arrive, but that’s the fun part. Until you want to have a photoshoot to document those early days with your baby. Then you’re left asking yourself how to make your newborn photoshoot go really smoothly? There are a couple keys to achieving this, but don’t worry if it all doesn’t pan out, there’s just no way to control it all. But with these tips you should be ready to set the perfect stage for your little one.

Don’t Feed Your Baby Too Early

Your baby will most likely be at their best if they have a recently filled stomach. If you feed your baby and the photographer is still an hour from arrival, you’ll likely miss out on those precious milk drunk moments that are so fun to catch on camera. While you can always catch it later when baby gets hungry again, it just takes away from other fun things we need to catch.

Know Your Babies Go To Soother!

It takes time to learn which soother (or whatever your family likes to call it) is your baby’s favourite. A lot of babies seem very attached (pun not intended) to just one. If you’re armed with this you should be able to sooth your baby. We’ll also take some breaks along the way to allow them to feed and settle.

Get Your Baby Used To The Bath

If, like many new parents, your heart melts during baby’s bath time, you may want to include this in your photoshoot. However, babies love bath time only when they’ve been shown how to love it. Start giving your baby baths early, and know how to do it right so they love the experience! This means getting the temperature warm enough. Too many parents are afraid to make it warm enough out of fear of burning the baby. Then the water is too cool, and no baby wants to be in that bath. Would you? Also think about how to turn bath time into a nice spa like experience. Light candles, play soothing music, and get that lighting nice and mellow. Your baby will shine through in the photos during their happy bath time if you do it right!

Have Your Outfits Picked Out Early

A lot of couples think this is silly to be pointed out. But many couples find their outfits on the day of the shoot clash with each other, with the baby’s, or everyone’s! Try on your outfits the day before and snap a quick selfie. Make sure this is the look you want to go with. Just be prepared for the day baby has become a teenager, and is making fun of all your outfits in your precious photo album.

Slowly and Smoothly Wins The Race

If you want to make the best of your newborn photo session, take the time to get ready in the weeks prior. You’ll be happy you did. If you’re looking for more tips contact me below and we can talk more! I love capturing the newborn stage for families

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Your wedding day may be fast approaching and you have one last thing on your mind. Does your ceremony celebrate what makes you two special? A lot of couples have their ceremony and reception at their venue. It’s convenient and the most common way to do it. But after shooting Leanne and David’s wedding ceremony at Carver’s Cottage and then the reception at the Royal Ashburn I learned that opting to have your ceremony somewhere else can really add a special feeling to your wedding day. A lot of wedding venues will have everything you want and this won’t be an issue. However, if you want your ceremony to be more intimate, rustic, natural, scenic, personal, etc you should explore options near your venue. Your wedding day will be special, but make sure it’s special to you two above and beyond everything! So if you’re wondering how to plan a ceremony that’s special for you, here are my best tips!

A little Goes A Long Way

If you’re thinking of how to plan a ceremony that’s special for you, and you want a more personal/intimate ceremony than your venue, try to find something relatively close by. When you make it too far you can complicate many things. Timing your wedding day will be difficult with all the traveling in between. So find something less than 30 mins away if possible. If your ceremony and venue are too far apart it can also be a logistical nightmare for guests and your wedding party. The other issue that can come up is that you disrupt the flow of your day. With too much time traveling between the locations your wedding can feel disconnected.

Your Special Moment

Find a place that channels something special to you two. For some that means being in nature. For others it means somewhere smaller and more intimate for a smaller ceremony. While others want their ceremony somewhere very public and iconic, like the CN Tower or a museum. I know some couples that have been married on the property of their childhood home, and then proceed to a venue nearby for the reception. This is such a great way to capture a timeless, special place for your ceremony. Having your ceremony somewhere meaningful is a great way to remember that special place for years to come.

Finding The Right Fit

Try to find a location for your ceremony that works well with the vibe of your entire day. Sometimes it can feel awkward if you have the ceremony somewhere very casual and then transition to a fancy venue for the party, or vice versa. While there is always going to be a change in vibe try to minimize it as much as possible.

Home Is Where The Heart Is

Think about how the ceremony location will show up in your pictures. The ceremony is the heart of your wedding day, so capturing the moment with my camera is the ultimate goal. I want to capture the magic of that moment you two say “I do!” in your most special location. So if you’re trying to figure out what place that is for you two, reach out and I’d love to brainstorm and help you find it! And if you do know where it is now I’d love to help you capture this momentous occasion.

Let’s Plan Your Special Ceremony

Whether you want to be surrounded by flowers inside a rowboat, your dog to make a special appearance, or have a theme based around your favourite TV show as a couple, you two will find a way to make this day special. You two just need to figure out what things are most important and then contact me  and we can start brainstorming ways we can incorporate them into your wedding day photos!

Vendors:

Ceremony location – Carvers cottage

Reception location – Royal Ashburn Golf Club

Florist – Van Belle Flowers

The post Carver’s Cottage + Royal Ashburn Wedding appeared first on Gillian Foster Photography.

Bonjour, ca va bien? Ok, that’s maybe as far as my high school French can get me so I’ll quit while I’m ahead! If you’ve landed here you’re likely a francophile, and in desperate help of direction so you can pull off a Parisian inspired wedding, IN TORONTO! Where do you start though? I would suggest the venue. The small details that will go into making the venue feel Parisian can come later, for now, lock down that perfect Parisian inspired venue. I have two perfect Parisian inspired venues here in Toronto that would be perfect for pulling off your dream French wedding. So without further adieu…here’s how to have a stunning Parisian wedding in Toronto!

Your Wedding Day Deserves To Be Grand!

The Colette Grand Cafe doesn’t just sound Parisian, it’s is bursting at the seams with Parisian vibes. This cafe used to be located downtown, but it has re-opened north of the city near Yorkdale. This cafe channels that simple elegance and subtle beauty that we come to associate with Parisian style. I shot a wedding here a number of months ago and loved the atmosphere they have created. If you want to see photos of that Parisian inspired wedding click here. Since moving Toronto locations they have not lost any of the Parisian charm and sophistication you want for your wedding day.

Maquette (model) Good Looks

My other suggestion is to stay in the downtown Toronto core and book La Maquette. As part of the stunning Berkeley family of event spaces in Toronto, you know you’re in good hands. They have created the perfect wedding event space. You actually feel like you’ve taken a wrong turn somewhere in Toronto, only to end up strolling past a Parisian cafe. When I shot a wedding for Jane and Jason at La Marquette recently I was impressed with the use of light, windows, and accents in the furniture and decor. It felt very Parisian, and there were no shortages of great shots to be had. Jane and Jason did not have to walk more than a couple of steps before I had the next great shot in mind. So if you’re looking for that perfect Parisian inspired wedding in Toronto check out the photos of Jane and Jason’s wedding below!

La Grande Finale

Before you two say “I do”, say adieu to boring wedding venues. Your Parisian dream wedding is totally feasible, and finding the right venue to bring a little slice of Paris to Toronto is the hardest part. The Colette Grand and La Maquette are two really intriguing options for adding that fancy Parisian flair. With all the subtle beauty that is wrapped up in these venues, you two have an easier job designing your wedding decor too. These venues are meant to shine, and shine they will! If you have any specific questions about either of these venues or about planning a Parisian inspired wedding, say bonjour and leave a message!

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As your wedding day approaches you may be wondering whether or not you should be doing a first look. It’s one of the most frequently questioned traditions these days because doing a first look certainly comes with pros and cons. Your wedding photos are a very important aspect of your big day since it’s the time capsule you’ll carry with you the rest of your lives! So making the right decision here can be overwhelming, but don’t let it paralyze you with fear. Either way, we’re going to make it amazing and beautiful. But I’m here to help answer your question; “is it better to do a first look wedding?”

To Look Or Not To Look…

I have shot a lot of weddings where the couples want to see each other for the first time at the ceremony. This is a beautiful tradition because it builds great suspense for your big moment, and can be a wonderful surprise. The traditional superstition of the bride and groom not seeing each other until the ceremony has remained rooted in our society, but it can be tricky to get the right shots when done this way. It is commonly a lot easier for photographers to do a first look before the ceremony since we have the time and structure to get all the shots we need (and the couple wants!). However, this is not to say that doing a first look is inherently superior to seeing each other at the ceremony. I have come to see the beauty of doing either one. It totally depends on what you two want for your big day!

First Isn’t ALWAYS Better

Let’s get the perks of doing a first look out of the way…FIRST! It is easier to get all the shots we want because we have the time and a relaxed space away from the commotion of all the guests. There is plenty of time to get great shots with the bride and groom alongside their wedding parties and the wedding guests. The first look is when you two have a perfect stage to shine. You’ve gone to such great lengths to look your best, so let’s take a good amount of time to make sure we capture that. A first look is a more comfortable and relaxed way to have your photos taken before the momentum of the wedding gets going. So why would you opt for no first look? Well, the tradition of waiting until the ceremony may seem like a silly superstition, but many couples have shown over the years that it does create a little bit of magic for the guests to witness. That first glance a bride and groom share as the ceremony begins can be fireworks! Want proof of the FIREWORKS? Check out the photos I took of Danielle and Dan’s wedding at La Paletta Mansion in Burlington, ON. Deciding between a first look or not doing one is hard, like whether to find out the gender of your baby during pregnancy. There is no wrong way, both lead to a beautiful outcome. Even in a first look, the bride and groom will light up with fireworks. It’s all a matter of timing and preference.

When The Surreal Becomes Real

Whether you opt for the first look or not, rest assured I have you covered! I have shot many weddings where the couple wants to wait for the ceremony to see each other. When this happens we just work together on a timeline so we have all the shots covered. We will sneak in some wedding party/family photos earlier in the day. We will also build extra time into each of the getting ready portions of the day for your album. The getting ready photos will be something you two cherish because they show that beautiful suspense all couples have before their wedding. It’s one of the most surreal days of your life, and the getting ready photos always seem to channel that magic. It’s absolutely my favourite part of every wedding. The nervous excitement. The tearful looks between mother and daughter. The father sharing a warm hug, and maybe a scotch, with the groom.

Here’s Looking At You!

I really hope this helped you decide between doing a first look or skipping it for your upcoming wedding. If you still feel undecided, contact me using the form below and I’d love to help you figure out how to decide. Keep in mind, seeing your partner before the ceremony or during the ceremony for the first time is going to be magic either way. You two just need to figure out when you want that magic to happen!

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On your wedding day, you won’t need to worry about capturing the big moment. When you hire a professional photographer you should be confident that they’re going to provide you with all the desired shots you want. Your photographer will accomplish this because of their experience, and hopefully because you two have had good communication about what you want to see. So one of the big aspects to consider if you want to ensure your wedding photos turn out great is to plan for good lighting! I’m here to help you plan for how to make the best use of light for your wedding!

Lights! Camera! Action!

Let’s start with the easiest and best way to make the best use of light on your wedding day. Honour the code of photography; golden hour is the best for stellar shots! Make sure that you and your partner have made time in your wedding schedule for pictures to be taken at that magical hour. When the sun starts to set your photos really begin to glow and illuminate the beauty of your special day! So let’s remember to make a plan ahead of time to coordinate the setting sun with a lot of your shots. We can look online ahead of time to see when the sun sets that day, and then plan backward for a timetable.

Location, Location, Location!

If you want to make the best use of light for your wedding photos golden hour is your surest way to achieve that goal. But don’t forget to book a venue that has a lot of open space, gardens, and windows. Don’t let the light get trapped, blocked, or reflected. Just like the love you two share, LET IT ALL IN! I recently shot a wedding at Fantasy Farm wedding venue, and their space is perfect for capturing that all-encompassing light! Fantasy Farm has been a popular location for couples to get married in Toronto since 1943! I mean with a name like Fantasy Farm, who doesn’t want to get married there!? Throw in their incredibly beautiful gardens and their fairy tale-like venue space and you’re in heaven! With ample garden space and big windows in the venue, you have an opportunity to plan a spectacular golden hour photo session during your wedding. Want proof? Check out the wedding I shot for Maisie and Cam below. You can just feel the magical light pouring into every one of their wedding photos!

Let The Light In

Light is going to be your best friend on your wedding day, so let it shine through as much as possible! Make sure your venue has plenty of outdoor space so we can harness that natural lighting. It’s also important to make sure you make time to capture some magical shots at the golden/sunset hour. And if you can make sure you find a venue space with lots of big windows, the issue of light will be no sweat for you guys! If you have any questions feel free to contact me.

Vendor Team

Venue: Fantasy Farm
Florist: Blooming Flower Design Studio
Hair & Make-up: Judy Lim
Videographer: Life’s Reel  
Cake: Dolce Vita Cakes
Musician: Sean Stealth
Officiant: Robb McDonald, All Seasons Weddings
Invites and lettering: Blush Letters Co 
Dress: Jolie Bridal
Suit: Spier & Mackay

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So your big day is around the corner, and you’ve been hit by the pre-wedding butterflies right? You have been running through your special day in your mind and it can be almost overwhelming at times. But no need to stress, because I’m here to tell you my tried and true methods for keeping calm, relaxed, and happy during your wedding day. After all this day is one of the most special in your lifetime, you deserve to be feeling elated and excited. So follow these 5 tips of mine if you are curious as to how to be really relaxed during your wedding.

It’s A Long Day, Remember To Stretch…

So we all have something in our lives that can keep us grounded. For me, it’s running. It clears my head of stress and leaves me feeling relaxed and rewarded at the end. I recently shot a wedding for Annie and Aurelea at the Now Sapphire Resort in Mexico. Annie and Aurelea had a fantastic solution to the problem of staying relaxed on what can sometimes feel like a hectic day. They had a stunning morning yoga session. This put them in a wonderful mindset for the whole day. So find your peaceful activity to start the day with. That thing that will put you two in your “happy place” all day!

Life’s A Beach!

Choose a venue, location, afterparty, etc that puts your minds at ease. Annie and Aurelea also knocked this out of the park! They chose to have their ceremony on a beach in Mexico. How could you not be relaxed on a white sand beach with turquoise waters behind you? That level of beauty just triggers a wonderful release of dopamine into our brains! Also, getting married at a resort on the beach kept things simple and all in one place. So they didn’t feel like they were rushing around in the days leading up to the wedding, or on the wedding day itself.

Find Your Magic Number

For some many couples, the number game can be such a stressor. Who should you invite? Will you leave certain people out? What number works financially? But never forget that this is your day, and you two should be happy, comfortable, and relaxed. So if a big wedding is not your jam, shake it up and maybe think about cutting the number of guests down to 20 to 30. The faces you see that day will then be only the ones you are super close to. That’s sure to keep you relaxed and happy.

Last One, But A Biggie!

Hire a day of wedding coordinator or wedding planner! Ignorance truly is bliss. Most weddings will see something go different than it was planned. Having someone hired to address these sorts of things will lift the stress off your shoulders. They are not just there to help you plan your wedding, they’re there to help keep you relaxed. They are going to make sure that if something is too much for you to handle, they will take care of it. So while you’re enjoying your big day, they can be there to assist in minor, or major, issues that arise. You can just focus on your toasts and pulling off your best dance moves later!

There’s No Magic Formula!

You’re going to be relaxed on your wedding day only if you two are honest with yourselves. Do not think you have to add people, traditions, or choose a venue based on others opinions? If your wedding reflects what you two love and enjoy, then it will naturally make your day flow in a relaxed way. So if you’re curious about more relaxed wedding day tips and tricks, shoot me a message below! I’d love to help you two find your most perfect wedding day!

List of Vendors

Ceremony – The beach, Now Sapphire Riviera Cancun resort

Reception – Tequila terrace, Now Sapphire Riviera Cancun resort

Catering/cake – Now Sapphire Riviera Cancun resort

DJ – DJ Doremixx

Planner/coordinator – Juan Carlos Castillo

Caligrapher/invitations – Vista Print

Wedding attire – Four Fifty Five

Wedding dress – Allure Romance bridal dress collection

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