March 22, 2016

Caitlin and Nick felt like instant friends when I met them. They greeted me with huge smiles and we chatted about life and weddings. They have an elegant yet modest air about them,  making you feel as though you just met a couple of movie stars. They are clearly both gorgeous and equally as smart and it was a pure pleasure photographing their wedding day – especially at one of my favourite Toronto venues.

Toronto Hunt Club is nestled on the bluffs of the Toronto/Scarborough border. The scene is nothing like a standard Toronto view. It feels as though you are looking out into the wide open ocean. The Victorian mansion, is full of textures and warmth and the sun blasts beautiful sun rays through the giant windows at sunset.

“There were many special surprises throughout the day, including my “something old” and “something blue” gift that was given to me by my mother; it was a blue gemstone ring that my father had given to her when I was born.

The lovely bridesmaids making sure Caitlin looks perfect for her walk down the aisle.

The ladies are ready and the nerves and excitement is kicking in.

The beautiful bride’s hair was by Cat Morales and makeup was courtesy of Hilary Jenset.

Caitlin’s stunning dress was by Kenneth Winston from Becker’s Bridal and the bridesmaids lovely pink dresses were by Dessy Collection from Jealous Bridesmaids. The stunning pink and white bouquets, which complimented the bridesmaid dresses beautifully, were created by Cool, Green and Shady.

The bridal suite is especially my favourite, as the light is always soft and bright and the colours and mirrors a perfect back-drop. Not only is the bridal suite gorgeous, but Caitlin’s bridal party was full of blonde STUNNERS. I felt as though they were all casted for the cover of Vanity Fair. 

The boys looked dapper too – in their well-fitted blue suits with blush pink ties! Overall, the wedding party was easy on the eyes which made my job pretty easy!

“My favourite detail was sharing notes to each other before the ceremony to calm our nerves.”

The ceremony site is on the grounds, and allows for an outdoor wedding. It is a gorgeous yet simple set-up. The back-drop speaks for itself.

The theme of pretty pink and white flowers was also carried out in the ceremony decor. 

“My favourite moment was walking down the isle and making eye contact with Nick for the first time (finally!) …. As soon as it was over, all I wanted to do was walk down the aisle over and over again!”

“The wedding day was so beautiful; the sun was shining and saying our vows over looking the bluffs could not have been more romantic.”

The most nerve racking part is over and it’s time to unwind and have a good time!

“We had our first dance on the lawn overlooking the lake and danced to “I Don’t Dance” by Lee Brice, which was performed live acoustically by our musicians.”

“The day was absolutely perfect; it was everything that I had hoped for and more. The bridesmaids, maid of honor (my sister), my mom and I arrived at 9 am to begin decorating and to get our hair and makeup done.” 

“Before the wedding day, I spent many late nights around our family dining room table working on arts and crafts with my mom and sister by my side. We wanted the style of the wedding to be very warm and personable; we decorated the Hunt Club with as many photos of the two of us as possible.”

“We wanted our wedding to be as romantic as possible and we decorated the Hunt Club in blush pinks, pearls, lace and roses.

Caitlin and Nick put a lot of heart and soul into their wedding and crafted many DIY’s. You really got a personal taste of who they are as a couple with many photographs dotted around the mansion. One of my favourite details was their “guest book.” They decided to create a message in the bottle guest book where they had 5 bottles representing their 1st, 5th, 10th, 25th and 50th year anniversaries. Each guest was to write a special message and leave it in the bottle of their choice. It is a unique and surprising experience for the couple for many years to come.

“Our MC, even made a Hamilton Tiger Cat jersey for my dad that read “Mr. McAlpine” and gave him the number “one” because “he was my first love.” (Nick used to play for the Hamilton Tiger Cats).”

“The speeches made by our friends and family made us laugh and cry, it was so touching to hear some of the most special people in our lives share stories about us individually and as a couple.”

“You could feel the love the entire day from our family and friends; everyone had waited for this day to come and were so excited to share our most special moment with us.”

I had a really fabulous day photographing your wedding, Caitlin and Nick. Your family and friends were a true pleasure and I am always appreciative of a couple that “gets” photography. 

It is a hard balance – trying to schedule the limited time you really have on your wedding day – did you talk to every guest? did you enjoy each-other? did you get the photographs you really wanted? did you eat? did you drink? did you dance? did you sit back and watch the event unfold as an observer and truly appreciate that everyone there was there for you?

I have never been married, but the more I watch people do it, the more I wonder where to prioritize my time. I love good photography and awesome night shots like we took some time to take – but I also understand that it takes time away from the “experience” with your loved ones.

Thank you for being good sports and getting some of those extra shots! I think they were worth it!

All the best to you both in your new chapter of life as man and wife.

xx- april

————————————-VVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVV————————————-

The Toronto Hunt Club // ceremony: The Toronto Hunt Club // officiant or priest: Mathew Whaskey // cake: Bobbette and Belle // catering: The Toronto Hunt Club // dress: Kenneth Winston from Becker’s Bridal // tux: Groom and Groomsmen suits were custom made by The Dirty Inc. // shoes: Caitlin – Badgley Mischka, Nick and all Groomsmen – Steve Madden // accessories: Groomsmen socks and ties – The Tie Bar; Caitlin’s Hair Piece – Woodbridge Bridal Shoe Shop; Caitlin’s bracelet – Becker’s Bridal // flowers: Cool, Green and Shady // music: Live Music – Nathan Smith and Deniz Lim-Sersan (played during the ceremony, cocktail hour and first dance) , DJ – Veriation Music // hair: Cat Morals // makeup: Hilary Jenset // favours: Mel’s Cupcakes and Cakes (Melissa Miras) // bridal party attire: Dessy Collection from Jealous Bridesmaids // bridal party gifts: Silk Black Robes (used to get ready in, from Forever 21) // stationary + invitations: Empress Paper Crafts // rentals: Around the Table // diy: Card box (birdcage), Seating Chart (picture frames), Guest book (“Message in a Bottle”), picture frames // number of guests: 150