zekar photography

City Kidz + Zekar Photography = Love

2013-08-30T21:36:00.001-04:00

Hey guys, just wanted to post a little shout out to our awesome clients, and an awesome charity. For the past two years, we've hooked up with the City Kidz charity, based out of Hamilton, Ontario. They work with over 5,000 inner city kids, each week, by providing them with a safe, fun, inspiring place to hang out on Saturdays and be around people who care about them and are dedicated to helping them achieve their goals. These guys go around to designated neighbourhoods, in a big red school bus, pick the kids up and take them back to the 'clubhouse' where there are games, programs, snacks and general hullabaloo's to be found.

I grabbed this off their site, it highlights what they do a little more:

· Inspire children to dream big, and to rise above their circumstances

· Instill faith based values and teach children to do the right thing

· Provide new experiences and environments that inspire kids to unlimited possibilities

· Provide positive role models that build relationships with every child

· Build hope by celebrating the special days in a child’s life such as Christmas and birthdays (honestly, this one killed me, they get a special VIP badge and a present, just for them. Sometimes, its the only acknowledgement of their birthdays that they get).

· Remove barriers by providing door to door transportation to all activities

· Empower youth to be role models and provide opportunities to lead

But words do not really express what they are doing in the hearts of the little ones they have such a big impact on. We had a bridesmaid who worked at a school in one of these neighbourhoods, and she said that whenever it was 'share and tell' time, without fail, at least a few of the kids had a fun City Kidz experiences to share each week. Pretty awesome, especially when there are a lot of dismal statistics in our fair city.

It's hard not to see this and look the other way, so Mike & I figured out a way to give back just a little, with each of our gold and platinum wedding packages, if a couple donates $30.00 or more to City Kidz, we take $100 off their package. And honestly, because our clients rock, this charity has been receiving more than the minimum amount of donations, more often than not. You wouldn't think that $30 would be a lot, but believe me, it goes a long way to helping these guys do what they do. And so many of the kids that were once 'city kidz', grow up to be junior leaders and leaders in the organization.

Leaders! In their communities! So amazing. So inspiring :)

Here's a little note we got from City Kidz recently, we're only half way through the wedding season here, so it's looking like we'll close to double it before 2013 is through. So thanks to our awesome clients, you guys make a huge difference!! :)

Meghan & Andrew - Scottish Rite Wedding

2013-08-24T18:37:00.000-04:00

On a beautiful day in early June, Meghan and Andrew had finally arrived at the day they'd been waiting for. While Andrew was hanging out at Staybridge Suites, the new hotel in Hamilton, Meghan was getting ready with her girls in the bridal suite at The Scottish Rite.

Sometimes a girl needs a little help :)

So I did a little research on the internets about this Ferguson clan symbol and I learned two things. First, it says Dulcius Ex Asperis, which basically translates as "Sweeter after difficulty", which is a fitting motto not only for a fierce clan like the Fergusons, but for the ups and downs of marriage. The second thing I learned, was that Craig Ferguson has this motto as a tattoo. And now you know.

After the beautiful 1950's Bentley, from Memory Lane Limousine, dropped Meghan off at the Church, it was time to say 'I Do' as the bagpipes played and their loving families looked on. It's always nice when a couple has the privilege of having a family member officiate, and Andrews mom, who is also a minister, did a wonderful joining her son to his beautiful bride.

Little dude in a kilt! :D

Before we headed back the the Scottish Rite, the four of us took a short walk across the street to capture a few wedding photos in Hess Village, Hamilton's own pedestrianized bar district. With its paved stone streets and old architecture, it made the perfect backdrop for this beautiful couple.

After little impromptu busta-move to Brown Eyed Girl and the reception was at hand.

We enjoyed a delicious meal and a fantastic same-day wedding video done by their talented videographer. When it was time to dance, everyone was out on the floor, gettin' their groove on and Meghan & Andrew celebrated being Mr & Mrs, at last!

Since most of the bridal party met through various jobs at the CFL, it was only fitting that Meghan & Andrew had Hamilton's own Pigskin Pete as their MC!

Raisin Bran Love :)

Kristen & Joel's Wedding at Carmen's Banquet Hall, Hamilton

2013-07-01T13:57:00.000-04:00

When we met Kristen & Joel, we were so excited to have been invited to be a part of their day. These guys are the real deal, so in love and super committed to eachother - even across the US / Canada border, their love for eachother is solid. We had a blast at the engagement shoot (our first sunrise engagement shoot, and it turned out fabulous) and knew the wedding was going to be just as amazing. Unfortunately I (Kate) couldnt be there that day, but Mike and our assistant had a lot of fun and, as you can see, this family is pretty amazing and beautifully emotional. Kristen looked so delicately beautiful in her strapless, multi-tiered wedding gown, she really took Joel's breath away. Check out some of my favourites from the day, enjoy!

After the ceremony, Mike and the bridal party quickly headed over to Sam Lawrence Park to snap a few shots. The leaves were just coming out, and the flowers beds were still asleep - a gorgeous Spring day!

The reception was held at Carmen's Banquet Hall, and everyone was ready to par-tay!

Cutest family!!

The couples' little one decided he needed to help Joel with the flow of tears...

And it helped. A little. ;)

I love how kids are always the first ones to break in the dance floor :D

Shadow monster dance puppets!

Congratulations you two, we wish you guys all the best...its a beautiful life! :)

Erin & Neil Engagement Session Hendrie Valley, Royal Botanical Gardens, Hamilton

2013-06-29T19:52:00.001-04:00

Mike had a great time with these two on the boardwalk in the beautiful, lush landscape of the Royal Botantical Gardens. Erin & Neil love to dance, so there was a lot of twirling and gallantry and they had a ton of fun, despite the rather gloomy weather. :)

Korinn & Luke's June Wedding

2013-06-14T21:47:00.001-04:00

Hey everyone!

A lot of our clients are out-of-province couples who come to the fine city of Hamilton to tie the knot. Korinn & Luke were a couple of cool cats from the prairies that we just loved hanging out with. It was a crazy sunny day, perfect for some great wedding shots on Van Wagners Beach! These two pretty much beamed at eachother the entire day, and honestly you guys, does Korinn have a million dollar smile or what?! Here are some of our favourite shots of the day, enjoy!

ta-daaa!

(the guys have it easy :)

A little before-the-ceremony bro-time. Or operatic aria time, take your pick. ;)

I included the next pic cause I love the guys suit. :D

perfect sunny flowers!

Finally being married is fun!

Off to the beach!

I'm not really sure what was happening here, but it's funny. :D

The reception was held at Renaissance Banquet Hall, if you're a fan of dry ice, this place is for you :)

On a cloud....of love!

Jamie & Jon Wedding - Othello's Banquet Hall, Oakville

2013-06-01T21:13:00.001-04:00

Hey guys! So I (Kate) am not always able to go to every wedding (booo), and unfortunately Jon and Jamie's was one of them. Which is a total bummer because we had such a great time on their engagement shoot, I was really looking forward to it. Because I wasn't there, I can't tell you too much about all the things that happened behind the scenes, but what I can tell you is that, a) Jamie looks stunning, b) Jon & Jamie are super in love with eachother and c) everyone had a great time at the wedding! Here are some of my favourites from the day, which as I recall, was fah-reezing and kind of snowing (ahhh, Ontario spring!) so Jamie & Jon cut the outdoor shots a little short to avoid hypothermia :)

Enjoy!

Lindsey & Matt - Ancaster Mill Springtime Wedding

2013-05-17T20:52:00.002-04:00

It was a pretty spring morning when we arrived at Lindsey’s house. With warm greetings from her lovely family, we captured all the things we love about the pre-wedding events, happy tears, love and laughter.

exciitttinnng!! :)

After arriving at the beautiful Ancaster Mill, it was time to get Matt in position to see his gorgeous bride for the first time – how cute are these two!

When they look into eachothers eyes, it is so sweetly intense there really isn’t any doubt that these two are for keeps.

tee hee :)

Next up, the ceremony!

As Lindsey’s father walked her down the aisle, accompanied by a talented musical duo and with all their family and friends looking on, the most important one was there, waiting eagerly for his wife-to-be. The ceremony was made even sweeter by personally written vows, signifying their true commitment to the promises they were making in front of a crowd of loving witnesses.

By the way, Matt is not sucking Lindsey's braaainnzzz out here, he's giving her a super cute sweet kiss on the head. ;)

“Love is a mirror

It sees and reflects back….

It even has the ability to show you sides of yourself that you never knew existed….

And if love is true

Every side is your best side. “

-ZaMar Mbatha-

After the ceremony, the guests enjoyed a lovely cocktail hour and had a chance to relax and unwind after the anticipation of the day. Honestly, literally everyone was laughing and having a great time! Here are just a few of the shots we got, but we seriously love just hanging out and snapping shots of the good times a rollin'. ;)

great staff at the ancaster mill!

These next few shots make a cute series. These dudes look like an old timey comedic duo, like their names are Hinks & Hughson or something like that. ;)

so I says to her, I says hey martha..!

And this awesome chick could be their sidekick :D

Super cute Grandma alert...!

people really dig the guestbooks we do - pretty awesome keepsake!

Guess who loves cars:)

As they walked into their reception to the Baywatch Theme song (too funny!) everyone was on their feet to formally welcome them into their new lives as Mr & Mrs.

Super speedy ninja lemon juggling!

“And when you kiss me, on that midnight street, sweep me off my feet, singin' ain’t this life so sweet.”

Lindsey and Matt have a wealth of awesome friends and family, and we were so happy to have been a part of their day. Congratulations you guys!

Singin' in the rain - Sam & John's engagement shoot!

2013-04-28T19:30:00.000-04:00

The day of Sam & John's engagement shoot was at the tail end of a very rainy week. It pretty much rained non-stop for about 6 days straight, but that didnt stop them from totally having a great time together. As you can see, sometimes weather like this makes it even more romantic and fun!

this dude was motorin'

Kristen & Joel's Sunrise Beach Engagement Shoot

2013-04-20T17:16:00.000-04:00

When Kristen & Joel came up with the idea of doing their engagement shoot at sunrise, we were pretty excited. And luckily for us, despite days of cloudy early-spring days, the morning of the shoot was pretty much as perfect as you could get in March in Southern Ontario. I just love the idea of the sun rising on their new day, their new life together that is coming up in just a few short weeks now. This shoot is also a great example of great outfit planning, since the colours really enhance the soft sweetness of the beach and the amazing silver tones of the water we were so lucky to have that day.

At one point during the photoshoot, I asked them both to 'look off into their future', even though it's so incredibly cheesy to say that - but when Joel looked off to the left and Kristen realized she was looking to the right, she quickly snuggled closer to her husband-to-be and said softly "Oh, I guess thats where my future is." So sweet!

Why we love kids at weddings!

2013-04-20T16:06:00.000-04:00

So I was pretty sure I'd posted a picture illustrating why we seriously love kids at weddings, but turns out I didn't - which means this blog post is going to be one that I'm really looking forward to building upon as the busy season is starting to roll in for us this year.

First, the most recent kid enhanced wedding moment:

Really, you can't beat the floating head effect here. :)

And second, last years prime example of why kids are awesome:

http://zekarphoto.blogspot.ca/2012/11/marsha-steve-august-2012-burlington.html

Stay tuned for more updates! :)

Jason & Robin - Wedding at Atlantis Pavillions, Ontario Place

2013-04-13T17:59:00.001-04:00

It was a cold, blustery Fall day when we arrived at the elegant Atlantis Pavillions at Ontario Place in Toronto for Robin & Jason’s wedding. Robin was busy up in the mezzanine room, being attended to by her group of multi-tasking bridesmaids.

It really does take a village to get a girl into her dress :)

Check out these killer shoes ladies – seriously, this girl means business!

Outside the boys were braving the chilly temperatures, but we think these shots were definitely worth it.

After a few finishing touches before the ceremony,

A few last minute 'shh, its almost time'...

It was time for Robin’s grand entrance with her proud daddy.

Doesn't Robin look just like a porcelain doll in this picture? Beautiful!

Robin and Jason had a relaxed ceremony, and very casual 'I do's' which we loved, because getting married, is really fun!

Next it was time for the reception, we were all welcomed into the grand reception area by Robin and Jason's hilarious friend and excellent MC.

Record skip – check out this treat table! These little sugary delicious marshmallow pops are such a great alternative to cake pops, which can get kind of pricey if you have a lot of guests. These are just a delicious and super fun and easy to make!

And check out this great idea for bonbonniere's - Robin's love of tea translated into a great keepsake of monogrammed teaspoons!

Ok back to your regularly scheduled program of....the first dance. :)

Loving Robin's Grandma there in the left hand side, aren't you? :)

After a delicious dinner, and some toasts, it was time for dancing and cheers-ing and all around good times.

"If you live to be 100, I hope I live to be 100 minus 1 day, so I never have to live without you."

Robin and Jason have the kind of love that has grown over many years of being together, solid and strong, and totally for keeps.

Before the night was over, we ran back up to the rooftop to get this one last shot - so gorgeous!

We wish you both the best of everything that life has to offer, congratulations guys!

Stephanie & Steve - Lovely Toronto Wedding

2013-03-02T20:19:00.001-05:00

Stephanie & Steve were married on a beautifully chilly November day. After getting all prettied up at the Quality Suites Hotel in Toronto, they had a beautiful ceremony at the Canadian Coptic Center. Then we all headed off to the Humber Arboretum for some fabulous wedding portraits, and finished up the day with a gorgeous reception at Claireport Place Banquet Hall - full of dramatic smoke, laser lights and belly dancers. Wonderful! Stephanie & Steve are a lovely couple, and we had a great time hanging out with them and their families. Congratulations to both of you!

This rappin' bridesmaid did a hilarious job of a customized song for Stephanie and Steve, a la Fresh Prince of Bel Air (check the shades, yo)

We don't often see this, but Steph had a great surprise for her groom - his beloved truck, in cake form :)

best photo bomb ever. :)

James Street North, Hamilton - Engagement Shoot -Lindsey & Matt

2013-02-26T13:31:00.001-05:00

It was a beautiful winters day when we took a leisurely stroll down James Street North in Hamilton with Lindsey & Matt. I’m in love with how the bright colours popped against the snow! These two were so cute, there were a couple of occasions where they received encouragement from random passersby, gotta love how friendly Hamilton is. We’ve been wanting to do an engagement shoot on James Street North for awhile, so we were pumped when Lindsey & Matt were all on board, especially for the impromptu snowball fight at the end!

I think every engaged couple should have a snowball fight, gets the pre-wedding stress out ;)

Gorgeous Bouquets

2013-02-22T13:32:00.000-05:00

I spend a lot of time on Pinterest (shocker, I know), and since I have quite the collection of wedding themed pins growing, I thought I'd share a few on here.

Some jaw droppin' bouquets that I've seen recently, there may be some inspiration here to take to your florist or wedding planner. Or you can just drool over them, then go to Fortino's (or your local grocery store florist) and pick the closest things they have ;)

er- something tells me the grocery store wont sell anemonies :D

Julie & Brandon, Queenston Heights, Niagara On The Lake Wedding

2013-02-18T20:00:00.002-05:00

Julie and Brandon were married on a beautiful fall day in Southern Ontario. Mike and I started out in a cloud of hair spray and flurry of bridesmaids at Julies house.

We then popped on over to Brandons house for a quick couple of shots. The groomsmen figured out their boutonnieres and posed for an important shot in Brandon’s dad’s motorcycle, complete with a purple socked tribute to a much loved man.

Speaking of a much loved man, I have a soft spot for daddy’s and daughters on the wedding day, and these two shots are two of my favourites of the day.

The church ceremony took place at the beautiful Cathedral of St Catherine of Alexandria, the same place that Julies parents and brother were both married in.

In this shot, Mike replicated the same photograph that was taken by Julies parents photographer, back in the day.

The group photos were taken at the beautiful Royal BotanicalGardens in Queenston. There were so many amazing spots to take pictures here, we could have spent hours there, it was perfect. Plus, we are always grateful when it’s raining just a little bit, because the greenery is always so much more vibrant and lush looking. It was a little chilly, a little damp, but the weather only enhanced the warmth and love between this lovely couple (and I'm not saying that to be super cheesy, there really was a lot of snuggling going on!).

As Julie and Brandon met at a golf tournament, it was fitting for us to get a couple of shots on the nearby golf course.

Next, we headed off to the beautiful Queenston Heights for an intimate dinner party and reception. During the cocktail hour, the bride and groom surprised their guests with a special war of 1812 presentation, put on by the fine folks at Queenston Heights. The guests were delighted and Mike was able to get some really unique shots, these guys were so cool!

After a delicious dinner and dessert (where I was introduced to Crème Brulee for the first time and have now commenced a true love story with it…delicious!), it was time for the speeches & dancing. This little dude is not only imitating the cute monster on his pj's, but he totally drops down to the ground for some very intense break dancing.

dress shoes and pj's? so cute!

Finally, Julie and Brandon danced together to The Luckiest, by Ben Folds (Mike and I had chosen the same one for our first dance tooJ ).

We had such a great time hanging out with Brandon and Julie and we know these two are going to have a beautiful life together!

Danielle & Dave - Lowville Park Wedding, September 2012

2013-01-19T12:14:00.000-05:00

It was a glorious early September morning when we arrived at the Waterfront Hotel, and Danielle and her girls were having a great time as they got ready for the day.

.
After slipping into her beautifully simple lace dress, one of her bridesmaids tied the worlds most perfect bow with her wedding sash.

After finishing up with the girls, Mike and I headed on over to Lowville Park where the ceremony was to take place outside a little old schoolhouse. I have to say that Lowville is such a pretty spot to get married, it's low key and absolutely gorgeous. I just love all the simple details that Danielle included, everything has a fresh, comfortable feel to it and it just reflected her and Dave's easy going and friendly personalities.

As Dave was finishing greeting his guests, their friend started up with the most beautiful steel drum music to accompany Danielle down the aisle.

It was so amazing to be a part of this warm, sunny day with such gorgeous music as Dave watched his lovely bride walk down the aisle.

maarrieeed! :)

After the ceremony, we headed over to the large stream in the park. We were pretty sure that Danielle and Dave would be up for getting right in, so we were pumped when the whole wedding party joined in.

Islands in the stream!

that is what we are...;)

Danielle surprised Dave with a sweet message for him on the bottom of her shoes : )

Then it was back to the schoolhouse for a couple more shots.

The reception was held at the Lakeview Banquet Hall, a beautiful spot with a beautiful view of Lake Ontario. But before the couple started in on dinner, we had time to grab a few more shots. Danielle & Dave have a lot of fun together, they are so perfectly matched in personality. I really love how Danielle was totally up for a game of hoops, and I must say the bridal party gathered a small crowd of admirers.

In order to get these shots, Mike decided it was time for another installment of Ninja Style Photography, you can read alllll about it here.

Dave is at least 6"5, so I'm pretty sure this was easier for him than it looks !

So cute! They did this a lot : )

Inside the hall, we enjoyed a delicious meal prepared by Carmen's. But the most delicious part?

Home made hotsauce peeps. Now, I am not usually brave enough for hot food. But Mike is, so as soon as we got home that night he popped open the bottle, put a modest amount on his finger....and almost died. Seriously, it was so hot! I proceeded to taste an iota of this stuff and was all Looney-Toons-Steam-Exploding-Head after. Nicely done, Danielle and Dave.

Sweet 'n simple!

After a very lovely first dance (these two are just so in love, you guys)

Night was falling, and the wine was flowin' and a lot of carousing and rug cuttin' abounded.

This guest was actually one of the best dancers I've seen :D

We thoroughly enjoyed the laid back atmosphere at the wedding of this gracious couple, and we know that they both have the commitment and love that is made to last. Congratulations you guys!

Jake & Candice - August Wedding, St Catharines, ON

2013-01-06T16:13:00.000-05:00

It was a gorgeous, sunny day in beautiful Jordan, Ontario and Candice and her girls are all a-buzz. I just love the way the light pours in, it was like Nature was all thumbs-up for how pretty Candice looked.

During the ceremony, there was a lot of singing, which is wonderful because its like all of their loved ones are singing them into their new life together.

After the ceremony, there were lots of hugs – this picture is actually one of my favourite pics of the year.

Next it was time to head over to Lakeside Park in Port Dalhousie. They have this awesome old carousel there, fully restored – and still only 5 cents to ride! The carousel was carved between 1898 and 1905 and is totally awesome. Candice and Jake rented the carousel for half an hour and we had a blast snapping pics and gettin’ dizzy.

Dudes.

A little walk down the beach and we found a troupe of ragamuffin beach boys.

I love the deep purple that Candice chose for her bridesmaids, so elegant and yet the long dress style is flowy and light so it totally worked with the warm weather and beachy theme of the pictures.

Next we went to an park near Brock University that used to be quarry but has since been reclaimed into a beautiful natural oasis.

This is place where Jake asked Candice if she was interested in starting to date - she was ;)

It must be noted that Candice is a farm girl at heart and had no problem walking over the gravel road in her bare feet (check out the hot pink toenails, peeps)

but a little later on it was time for her new husband to come to the rescue. Rocks are one thing, brambles are quite another.

Finally it was time to head on over to the Four Points by Sheraton in St Catharines. One thing I have to mention – the bridal party had the most creative entrances we’ve ever seen.

The following picture is not a picture of a bridesmaid falling and being embarrassed – it’s a picture of a bridesmaid doing the inchworm and totally rockin’ it. Talk about hidden talents!

And not to be outdone, the best man totally surprised us with a fabulous leap forward. (Actually just as a note, this best man did something amazing later in the night - he actually wrote, played and sung Jake & Candice a romantic song, just especially about them and it was really amazing!)

It's fun being married. :)

During the speeches, it can get kind of emotional. Candices sister stepped in to help Candice with the rest of her speech here, sweet huh?

And then this happened. :D This was a game, not sure what it was called, but something like ‘Guess which one is your husbands butt’. Too funny!! : )

This was arranged by a very helpful and talented flower girl :D

After the first dance,

It was time to party on down.

Just about every guest got their groove on, especially Jake with this classic gettin-on-down dance face.

Candice and Jake are a lovely couple who are just starting their lives out and are going to grow beautifully together in love and life. We wish them all the best!

Shout out to the Sash! (the wedding sash that is!)

2012-12-16T15:45:00.000-05:00

Hey guys!

Since posting the blog on Marina and Steve's wedding yesterday, I've been on a little mission to find the coolest and most unique wedding belts I could find. But first things first - apparently they are not called wedding belts, they are called wedding sashes. Excuse-moi! But I do agree that wedding sash is a much more fashionable term, so I stand corrected.

So what does one do when they want to find creative, unique wedding accessories? They go to Etsy.com of course!

Within the first 20 seconds of my search, I was already squealing - I came across this shop, Rosy Posy Designs. Not only are these all handmade, but they have such a unique flavour to them - kind of boho, kind of earthy girl, very romantic. You could put this on any lace dress and have it work perfectly, or for you summer-time beach casual brides, white eyelet cotton or linen. A few of my favourites:

Something blue!

You could even incorporate the guys' corsage colours with the colours in the sash, and your bridsemaids too!

This last one is a great compromise for those of you who dont want to go all out there with the colour, but want to have something unique and feminine.

And wait, I totally just thought of something - after your wedding day is over, you can still have these brooches / sashes afterwards, as a keepsake that is not tucked away in a box in the basement. Yay!

I came across these two that I really liked, mostly because I'm still obsessed with gray bridesmaids dresses, and I've seen these colour combinations before and it just works so well in photographs. The following two pictures are from Brown Eyed Girls Boutique.

Loved this one for the very boho look, from Lukamoda.

For a little more of a refined look, elegant and clean but still unique, I stumbled across this shop called Elite Women. I love the placement of the interesting feathers on these ones, and was surprised at how low the price was.

Another great thing about handmade wedding sashes, is you can save a lot of money with buying a simple dress, and enhance it for under 200$.

There are tons of options out there though, you can really bling it up:

From Ingenue B

From Star Trim

So there you have it :) Most bridal shops these days have a small assortment of bridal sashes, but I always recommend checking out craftspeople first. Have any of you guys seen some awesome wedding sashes? Feel free to share in the comment box below!

Marina & Steve- Wedding Hamilton, Ontario

2012-12-15T18:28:00.001-05:00

After a serendipitous meeting at her mother’s hair salon, Steve and Marina were well on their way to creating a beautiful life together, with a beautiful August wedding to kick the whole thing off. It was kind of rainy that day, but as with most weddings we do, the rain has a way of either washing everything clean for us, or staying out of the way for the really important parts. After hanging out with the groomsmen for a few minutes, we headed on over to Marina’s house, full of hustle and bustle and all around gorgeousness.

Marina looked every bit the princess bride in her fabulous, multilayered gown – simple, yet so feminine and pretty.

One of my favourite parts is the awesome belt that perfectly customizes the gown to match Marina’s style , yet still remains elegant and not over the top.

And check out these sexy hot pink shoes…!

Finally it was time for a beautiful ceremony at the Holy Cross Croatian Roman Catholic Church.

After the ceremony, we headed over to the Royal Botanical Gardens for some formals.

A little behind the scenes on this next picture, as Marina was getting her fine self situated on the bench, Steve was standing beside me, with this look of just pure love and adoration for his bride. He just shook his head as he gazed at her, and said (or rather, sighed) “isn’t she just beautiful?” It was so darn sweet and he walked over and gave her a very prince charming kiss, and I swear the birds just started a-singin’.

Before we headed to Pier 4 Bayfront Park for a few more pics, a little break for a smooch in the elevator ;)

Now it was time to head over the the Croatian National Home, for some delicious food and some ~~nerve-wracking~~ excellent speeches.

Notice the gleam of mischief in Steve's eye? :)

What a fun idea for bonbonierre’s, don’t you guys think? Honestly, after the wedding, I ate so many gumballs, I couldn’t open my mouth properly for a couple days my jaw was so stiff, tee hee. : )

To top the beautiful day off, Steve and Marina danced like professionals…

....and then everyone else followed suit! Patryk from Liquid DJ Services was great, he got everyone involved and everyone was bustin' a move.

These two are so in love, it was so fun to hang out with them for the whole day. It’s stuff like this that makes life so good!

Lindsay & Sean Engagement Shoot Brickworks, Toronto

2012-11-10T20:41:00.001-05:00

So, I can’t always go to each of our clients engagement shoots, which is a total bummer – especially for an extra cool one like this.

Lindsay and Sean invited Mike to the famous Evergreen Brickworks in Toronto, a place that is special to this couple because Sean literally helped rebuild the site to be the amazing place it is today.

When Mike got home from the shoot, he was so pumped and kept saying how much he could tell these two were really in love with eachother. You can totally see it in the pics they captured that day too.

Guess where they met :)

My favourite? It’s a toss up between the impromptu brady-bunch-meets-photobooth shot (especially the one right in the middle!)

and the ‘prepare to merge’ :D

And of course, our patented reflection shot tm.

We are really looking forward to being there when these two tie to knot next year!

Rockin' Fairground Engagement Shoot - Jamie & John

2012-11-10T19:08:00.000-05:00

When Jamie and John agreed to do their engagement shoot at the Rockton Worlds Fair this past Thanksgiving Weekend, we dosey-doed (yep!) right on over to the fairgrounds and got shootin’.

The fall colours were just in the middle of their glory, but the temperature was certainly not glorious (it was fah-reezing)– however, Jamie and John were troopers and still managed to look cozy and warm, canoodling in the midst of a copse of trees on the fairgrounds.

After a quick snack on some delicious apples,

We headed over to barn, where we met this cute little Miss, all decked out in her fuzzy pink jacket and adorableness.

Then we met Dandelion the cow. Guys, seriously, who looks this good petting a cow! A little backstory on Dandelion, Mike and I went back to the fair the next day and we happened to meet Dandelions ‘dad’, who is a 7 year old boy. He informed us that even though her name tag says Dandelion, her real name is Suzanne. Which makes total sense, of course. ;)

Next came the midway, and some significantly less healthy snacks. We were stopped at least twice to ask if we were doing a modeling photoshoot, which kind of tells you that it wasn’t just us that thought this couple looked pretty darn good.

rain schmain.

We also snagged a couple of free rides, which was a total bonus to such a fun day with this great couple!

Jamie and John, you helped us Rock that Rockton Fair *badum-bum*

Marsha & Steve - August 2012, Burlington Wedding Photography

2012-11-06T19:11:00.002-05:00

“You know why I love Marsha?” Steve said to me, as we were walking towards the spot where he would see his bride for the first time. “Because she is…” he paused, emotions welling up in his eyes. “The light in every room we go in. She is everything. She is so beautiful, and bright and she just loves her friends so deeply.” He shook his head in amazement and love for his soon-to-be-wife and took his place to wait for her, as she was about to come around the corner and meet him in the middle of a bridge at Paletta Mansion, in Burlington.

Rewind a little bit. It was a hot, lovely day in August and Marsha and Steve were getting married after being together for 10 years. Steve was downstairs at Paletta, doing what groomsmen do best – grooming.

Marsha arrived, beautiful, glowing and surrounded by her amazing (pumpin’) bridesmaids and friends – and a couple of really beautiful little flower girls.

One of my favourite moments of the day:

Next, it was time for the ‘reveal’. I don't really need to explain these next few pictures, it was just such a beautiful moment...

This is one of my favourites, because Steves hand is practically vibrating with excitement :)

After they (and all of us lucky enough to be there) dried their tears, we did a few formals.But for this fun loving couple, formals weren’t super formal, which we totally love.

Their ceremony was held outside, with beautiful Lake Ontario in the background. As Jake Dudas strummed his guitar, everything fell into place and before we knew it, Marsha and Steve were officially mister and mrs. Check this out - I posted this on our Facebook fan page, but thought I'd pop it on here too - makes me laugh every time!

As you can see, the groomsmen were still doing what they do best – being ridiculous.

Check out this stunning cake – made by Jessica at Hey SweetStuff! Custom Cakes.

And I have to give a shout out to The Original Posie for making such a pretty and dramatic bouquet!

Tee hee.

At the end of the night, it was time for the first dance, Marsha and Steve are a couple who will definitely love eachother till the end…and then everyone busted a move in true, sophisticated, Nova Scotian style!

We had the best time with these guys, their friends and family were hilarious and we truly enjoyed ourselves!

Ashleigh & Aaron - August 2012 Wedding, Niagara Falls

2012-10-25T22:13:00.000-04:00

Ashleigh and Aaron had an amazing wedding in Niagara Falls,Ontario. When Mike and I arrived at the hotel , Ashleigh and her bridesmaids were just starting to get their makeup and hair done, and were about to dig in to a healthy breakfast and watch one of Mikes favourite classics – Spaceballs.

One of the things we like most about Ashleigh is how much she laughs, and she and her girlfriends were so relaxed and chilled out, it was fun to shoot.

After getting into her dress ( a community effort, as it usually is!), everyone was looking pretty fine, I must say.

Next, the girls travelled in style in the mother of the brides fabulous 1955 Chevy. When they pulled up to the Crowne Plaza Hotel, the girls were an instant tourist attraction and I spent a considerable amount of time doing crowd control. It’s funny how many people walk right up to the bride in the middle of a photoshoot!

After literally the quickest ceremony we’ve seen yet (15 minutes or 20, tops!) we headed off to discover all the fabulous places the Crowne Plaza and Niagara Falls has for photo ops.

These little cuties were very helpful keeping everyone cool with the mini fans they brought :)

Guys, how awesome are the top hats and canes? So dapper!

At the hall, we had a delicious meal of all the couples favourite traditional Croatian food. I love going to weddings where the food tastes like you’re at your Baka’s house for a Sunday meal.

For their first dance, Ashleigh & Aaron kept it sweet and low key and one of their groomsmen serenaded them to Wheat Kings by The Tragically Hip. It was very cool and very sweet.

Thank you both for having us out, we wish you both the very best!

Paint Fight Engagement Photography - Albion Falls, Hamilton Ontario

2012-10-13T20:25:00.000-04:00

We took a walk with Amanda & Trevor the other week to enjoy some of the beautiful fall colours that were just starting to bloom across the forest at Albion Falls .

After taking one last toe dip of the season, they did exactly what one should do on a beautiful fall day.

They had a paint fight. : )

Mhmm. That’s right, a paint fight engagement shoot! We found a highly decorated bridge in Red Hill Valley that was the perfect backdrop for the duel.

It started off with a showdown.

And started off slow.

But then it got messy.

And then really messy.

And then the messiest of all messyness.These two made a completely beautiful Rorschach Inkblot of…their love :)

*cue violins, fade out...*

the end! :)

Ninja-Style Photography

2012-10-13T19:46:00.000-04:00

When people ask us what our photography style is, I like to say its Ninja-Style. Now from what I know about Ninja’s, they get really mad when you claim you are a Ninja, and yet don’t actually follow the Ninja way. Misrepresenting a Ninja never turns out good in the end. Therefore, to back up my claims, I present you with concrete evidence that, indeed, “It's not uncommon for Mike to be found perched precariously in a tree above an unsuspecting bridal party or silently somersaulting behind the last pew in the church” (taken from our website )

Exhibit A.

This is a beginners move in Ninja-Style Photography execution. Note the lack of foot holds, however the height and danger element leave something to be desired.

Exhibit B.

This shot does not accurately represent just how far up and precarious the situation was. This particular shot involved Mike taking off his shoes, rolling up his pants and wading through the river (I must note it had been sleeting earlier that day, so it was freezing) and scrambling up the side of a gorge that was lined with shale, all to get the intimate shot you see below. I would say this would be a moderate move in Ninja-Style Photography. During the reception speeches at Allasan & Mikes wedding, they thanked us and said “we knew when our photographer was off-roading on our engagement shoot, that they were the right choice for us!" Just doin' our job, guys. ;)

And lastly, but certainly not least, Exhibit C.

This would be a classic example of expert Ninja-Style Photography. Mike does not think twice about missing an amazing photo op in the face of danger. Despite my anxiety and desperate wish for a big huge fireman trampoline to put under him, there really was no other way to capture the awesome hoops this 6”5 groom was shooting (his lovely bride also joined in, but that’s a whole other post!). These great shots were taken by a guest at the wedding, and I do believe that a crowd eventually ends up forming and there are probably some Instagram versions of this spectacle floating out there as well.

First, the climb up, balance, and assurance to his sweaty-palmed wife that he knows what he’s doing.

Don't you love the basketball, frozen in time there? :D

Don't be deceived by the shot perspective here, I was on the top of a step-ladder here, on my tip toes.

Second, the set up.

Please note, there is a reason why we bought stretchy-paaants for him for photoshoots. Too many ripped seams

Third, the shot.

The backboard and the whole thing shook like crazy every time Dave took a shot. I think I actually turned away from the scene and couldn’t look anymore.

But you know what? It was all worth it in the end. Nobody ended up a quadriplegic, and we ended up with this kickass shot of Dave being a superstar.

And there you have it, proof that Mike truly is a Ninja-Style Photographer.