Sandra & Chris’s Allen Gardens Wedding

Sandra and Chris hosted the most meaningful and intimate elopement at The Allen Gardens and Gusto 101 Restaurant in downtown Toronto. They invited only their closest family members, and focused on what was truly important to them, being together, getting married in a beautiful place, and enjoying a fabulous meal with their loved ones. After their wedding Sandra and Chris were boarding a plane to Cannes together, planning to start their new life in France, so they wanted to emphasize getting to spend quality time on their wedding day with the people they love the most. Sounds like a dream right? I’m one lucky wedding photographer to have been able to capture these two and their love.

Sandra is truly a bride who believes in doing things her way. She’s true to herself, appreciates the simple and meaningful things in life and doesn’t follow tradition just for traditions sake. The moment I met her I knew she was my kind of girl, and I was beyond excited to photograph their wedding in downtown Toronto! They met me in front of the Allen Gardens Greenhouse, after spending the morning together and helping one another get ready. Sandra looked stunning in a long off white skirt and blouse combo, topped with a white blazer, pink suede pumps, and a gorgeous silver hand bag. Does anybody else love a bride in a blazer as much as I do? Chris was all smiles all day, and looked sharp and European cool at the same time in a fitted light blue checked suit. They made such a striking couple that everyone around the park wished them well and told them how beautiful and happy they looked together!

Their ceremony took place under the iconic, cathedral domed ceiling at the center of the greenhouse, and their family looked on with smiles and tears through the greenery. They read one another vows they had written themselves, and brought the whole family to tears with their words to one another. After sealing their vows with a kiss and signing their marriage license, they sent their family on to the restaurant with hugs, and headed out into the city with me for some Toronto wedding photographs.

We had decided to take their wedding photos at Sugar Beach, and it was the perfect location for us to shoot! The beach was all but empty, the sand and the air were still warm, and Sandra, being the quintessential carefree bride, kicked off her shoes immediately and danced in the warm sand with her new husband. We watched the sun start to go down and the sky over the lake light up as we laughed and took photos together for a few minutes, then hopped in the car to meet their family at the restaurant for dinner.

They had booked a long table on the rooftop patio of Gusto101 restaurant, and hosted an intimate and emotional family style meal for their reception. The food was to die for, the company was overjoyed to be celebrating their marriage, and I was touched to be included and well fed at the family table in between capturing candid photographs of their speeches, champagne pops, and cheers. Sandra and Chris are one of the warmest and most hospitable couples I’ve ever had the joy to work with, and I stayed with them long into the evening, capturing hours of photographs as they enjoyed the company of their family before heading off on their new life adventure together.

For links to the fantastic vendors from this day, scroll through to the bottom.

xo
- c