Sifei & Kai were married at the Estates of Sunnybrook McLean House late in the summer. You might remember their adorable Toronto engagement session from earlier this summer. They had a weekday wedding, with a super simple schedule, quiet dinner with their closest friends. They planned to have a bigger traditional wedding in China, later in the month. They wanted portraits in the gardens and inside McLean House, and at the end of the night they asked us to stick around to capture moments with friends. The best man and I opened and handed out at least 100 giant sparklers, and after dinner Sifei and Kai were greeted by their friends and the twinkling of lights of the sparklers. It is probably the most inexpensive way to involve your guests in a little fun! We highly recommend it, its makes for unique photos. We loved working with Sifei & Kai, they were so chill, and really wanted to get great photos. They went with every single idea we had, they were always available to be photographed and for anything their friends an family needed. It was such a pleasure to photograph their Toronto engagement and wedding day.
We are often asked for tips from couples on how to look good in photos. While there are some fantastic articles out there, some even written by models, we feel that the best way to achieve great wedding images is try and feel every moment, and most importantly not to rush them. It happens, even with the best laid plans, the highest paid vendors, weddings can unravel due to weather, miscommunication and lack of participation. Oh and there is such thing as over preparation! I feel sometimes that I am a preacher on this blog, telling you all to savour the moments, and to get great images you must participate and really care, and want photography. But the truth is, wanting great photography is not enough. Just like the almost tired saying goes, “It is not only marrying the right partner, it is being the right partner.” -by Wilferd A. Peterson. It is also true to say that it is not only hiring the right photographer, its being the right model. So let’s talk about that for a moment. How can we take a couple, every weekend or so, and take great images of them? how do they look great without looking awkward, or without having double chins, or in contrived poses? Its simple, those couples don’t rush the moment, they participate fully in the photography experience. They only let the positive emotions of the day rush in, and they approach their wedding as a team. They do not come with a giant list of images for their photographer to check off, they don’t tell the photographer where and when to take photos. They let the day unfold and know that the photographer is there to tell a piece of their love story.
YES, that is correct, just a piece of the love story, not the Encyclopedia Brittanica 10 volume version of your wedding day. If you want a catalogue of every square inch of your wedding day investments, then hire one of those photographers who photographs insurance claims, because I guarantee they will get every last detail. You deserve better than that on your wedding day! You deserve moments that last a lifetime, wedding speeches that make you get up and cheer, vendors who tear up when you say your vows, gigantic group photos with the most important people in your life, and portraits that show who you were that day. You can have all these amazing things if you just relax, stop delegating tasks and be fully present in your amazing day.
This was Sifei & Kai’s 1st wedding (haha!) but they were pro’s at it. This wedding had such great flow and because of that great images and you are only seeing a tiny sliver of the images below.
Congratulations to Sifei & Kai!!! Thank you for choosing us to capture your day, it was our pleasure to be there.
Cheers
& Ryan
