*Updated Mar 26, 2020
Your Wedding Photographs Will Be Beautiful
Photography has always been about capturing those honest, genuine moments in life. Callum is always looking to photograph the fun and happy moments at your wedding; the snorting laughter to the biggest smiles, big fat hugs to your mother crying of happiness, and everything in between. This Toronto Wedding Photography Planning Guide will give you some amazing ideas and suggestions for planning your wedding.
Toronto Wedding Photography Planning Guide Tips
Let’s start with timing!
In situations where the venue dictates the ceremony time, it is best to start with the ceremony time and work backwards and forwards from this established point. In situations where you control the entire timeline, we find it best to work from a preferred portrait lighting time, like a sunset.
Callum will arrive to capture getting ready about 45 minutes before you put on your dress.
If you are having a first look.
This is the next step after capturing getting ready. Callum will provide you with ideas of the best place to do a first look. Depending on timing, you will want to be joined with your wedding party for group photographs after the first look. We can also take photos with the immediate family but again, this is dependent on time. This whole process will take about an hour from the beginning of the first look. If there is enough time before the ceremony, you may want to consider doing some of your portraits then as well.
The ceremony.
Look to give arrive at the ceremony between 30 and 45 minutes early so you have some cushion time before the ceremony. This way you can relax and keep yourself hidden before the ceremony begins and this eliminates the risk of any guests seeing you.
After the ceremony.
If you did some pre-ceremony family photos then we generally take the remaining family portraits that you would like. If you did not do a first look, we will take all the wedding party and family portraits now.
If the timelines allows, I like to send you straight from the photos to your cocktail hour to enjoy the celebrations with friends and family.
Portraits.
I will quickly pull you out during dinner to get a few final portraits. My goal here is to capture you both with a beautiful sunset and this also gives you both a moment to breathe and enjoy a little time alone.
Dancing.
Usually, Callum captures an hour of dancing, we find this is more than enough time to capture the atmosphere. If Callum didn’t get the chance to do portraits earlier, Callum will often grab you both for lovely night portraits when possible.
Timelines
Timeline Example (10 hours):
11am – Start of Coverage
2:15pm – First Look / Portraits / Wedding Party
4pm – Ceremony
5pm – Cocktail Hour / Family Portraits
6pm – Reception/Dinner Start
7:30pm – Sunset Portraits
8:30pm – Dancing Starts
9pm – End of Coverage
Light
Good light makes all the difference, but can be quickly forgotten. It affects much more than your photographs. During ceremonies, look at your location and anticipate where the light will come from. The ideal situation is behind you and the officiant, keeping the sun out of your eyes as you exchange vows and rings. If you have the choice, choose a shady location, to keep you and your wedding party cool.
Most weddings should have outdoor ceremonies as close to sunset as feasible. In the summer, a ceremony between 4-6pm allows the sun to start to recline and give you more flattering light.
For winter weddings, consider having your family and portraits completed before the ceremony to avoid losing the available light that is in short supply at this time of year.
What to do when it rains
Rain is essential for the planet, and sometimes it rains on a wedding day. Haven’t you heard that rain on your wedding day is good luck? Don’t let a little rain add stress to your day; we’ve photographed lots of weddings where it rained and Callum knows make sure your wedding day is still amazing. But you should make a back-up plan for your ceremony and keep it in the back-pocket (and a few umbrellas in a car close by!). We recommend see-through umbrellas with big ‘J’ handles which will be beautiful for photographs. If you have a rainy wedding day, the rain will add beautifully creative element to your wedding day.
Vendors
Wedding Planners
These rockstars can handle anything, and then some. You will love them!
Madison & Ella
Open Sky Weddings
INLY Events
Our Favourite Locations
The Art Gallery of Ontario
The Old Mill
Hart House
Evergreen Brickworks
Doctor’s House
Argo Rowing Club
Estates of Sunnybrook
Royal Canadian Yacht Club
Hair/Make up
Do a trial run before your wedding to make sure you love your look and make little changes before the wedding day!
Wedding Dress Boutiques
These three locations in Toronto will answer all your dress dreams. A family favourite is the Bride’s Project. They have a very cool mission that you should check out.
The Bride’s Project
Sash and Bustle
Loversland
Officiants
Enduring Promises
The Marrying Lady
Videographers
I recommend Henjo Films anytime I can. Down-to-earth, creative, fun and most importantly, masters of their craft.
Florists
These are our go to the gals for floral.
Hunt and Gather Floral
Quill + Oak
DJ
These two DJs will keep your slow-dances slow, and your party electric. Spinning mixes of classics and modern tracks with just the right amount of class.
DJ Rich Sweet
DJ Shaun Colthrust
Caterers and Food Trucks
These foodies know how to excite your senses, and as a massive foodie, I can never recommend them more.
Hotels
One King West, Glenerin Inn, Four Season Toronto, Thompson Hotel, Hotel Ocho
Things to do in Toronto & Southern Ontario
Toronto has so much to offer, and the surrounding region too. Here are a few places your friends and family from out of town can check out before or after your wedding.
Kensington Market, CN Tower, Distillery District, Art Gallery of Ontario, Royal Ontario Museum, Hockey Hall of Fame, Queen St W.
High Park, Dundas Square, University of Toronto, Don Mills Trail, Cherry Beach
Southern Ontario locations worth checking out – Niagara Falls, Niagara-on-the-Lake, Prince Edward County. Need more suggestions? Just ask us!
