Gare Viger Wedding in Montreal, Quebec
It has been a STACKED two years, but I am coming out on the other side of it and am soooo looking forward to sharing some of the weddings I have had the pleasure photographing.
Today, I’’m going way back to September 2022, to Julia & Alexandre’s wedding that took place at the St Germain Church in Outremont and their reception that followed at Espace Gare Viger.
Julia & Alexandre’s wedding is a standout because of where they focused their energy: aesthetics that built an ambience that was dramatic, welcoming, and celebratory; their time prioritized their family and friends; and building in so much light. All those disco balls! Candles! Made for extraordinary compositions and framing.
What was also a great challenge for me (as well as I think the start of a sea change for me in how I approach photographing couples on their wedding day) was that they spent little to no time on having “couple portraits”. Perhaps all of ten minutes dedicated to it during their day.
But the party? I bet every person at that wedding will never ever forget it. Or maybe… they do… but only in the best way when you’re having that much fun.
VENDORS
Wedding Venue St Germain Catholic Church | Reception Venue Espace Gare Viger - Gentile Venues | Associate Photographer Shawn Kerr Photography | Dress Maison Ariane Carle | Suit Suit Supply | Entertainment Soul Station Orchestra | Florals Yves Chenier Floriste | Rings Shop Julria
Rangefinder 30 Rising Stars Nomination
In the wedding photography industry, getting a Rangefinder 30 Rising Stars nomination is a secretive and elusive process, you can’t just apply to be considered for it. From what I hear, nominations are made by past winners of the 30 Rising Stars and those who work closely with RF Magazine. It’s a very special moment to receive a Nomination Email in your inbox… and then you can’t tell anyone… for months.
The win is the nomination, and while I would have loved to have been one of the 30 this year, I am so very proud of the portfolio of work I have been building and am trying to now set about showcasing here before my 2023 season kicks off.
The portfolio I submitted heavily focuses on photographs that feel painterly. I like photographs that transport you a little, maybe they feel a little timeless and evocative of something deeper beyond documentation. My favorite photographs feel sculptural in some way. I know that sounds strange, but they take on a shape that makes me pause and look again.
Looking back, there are things I would change about my submission but I won’t digress much further. That’s par for the course when it comes to looking at my own work.
And if you are a photographer reading this, there is so much value in taking some time to review and assemble your work into a portfolio. So often I am blazing ahead trying to get through my edits, that I don’t have time to see how my eye has been developing and that’s an important thing to consider, to be more mindful about as I continue to grow, create and be at my job. Stasis is a place I never want to arrive at.
Ok, enough rambling, enjoy!
La Toundra Wedding: Ben & Kelci's romantic celebration
This wedding was published in Trends Magazine
There is nothing like a good sense of humor to set the tone of celebration and it was immediately clear that the day would be filled with laughter the moment I ran into the groom and his best man in the lobby of the Sheraton Hotel.
Ben, originally from Montreal, now living in Ottawa made me feel right at home and despite the scorching temperatures - his groomsmen were up for my suggestions to take advantage of the lounge chairs on the rooftop of the hotel. We also managed to attempt a portrait of something between Abbey Road and David Byrne’s Stop Making Sense.
I then hopped over to the cozy and modern Salon Sixhaut to meet up with Kelci, who I met at my booth last year at the Elegant Weddings Show (ps. I will be there again this November!).
Just as an aside, something I loved that Kelci prior to her wedding was that she provided me with a link giving me a preview of her dress. It was really helpful to me when I scouted the garden and grounds of La Toundra because I thought a lot about the structure of her dress and looked for flora and fauna that would complement and contrast in portraits. There is a photograph of her underneath a smoke bush here that just worked so beautifully.
And speaking of beautiful:
La Toundra is a beautiful wedding venue — it’s built to let the light in, so if you are wanting natural light photographs throughout your wedding day, prioritizing a venue that has plenty of it is really helpful to the photographer. Kelci hired a Day Of Wedding Coordinator and this really helped her remain almost serene throughout her wedding day because everything was being taken care of while she hung out with her sisters and girlfriends.
This wedding had all the components of beautiful light, scenic garden views, emotional beauty, memorable hilarious speeches, elegance, romance and dance joy.
On that note, enjoy my little virtual recap of Kelci & Ben’s Wedding Day.
Finally, thank you Kelci & Ben for inviting me along to capture what was a very special day.
GROOMSMEN PREP VENUE Downtown Sheraton Hotel SUITING Moores PLANNER Black Tie Events BRIDE GOWN Theia Couture BRIDESMAIDS GOWNS Jenny Yoo NYC RINGS Magpie (Bride) Davidson (Groom) CEREMONY & RECEPTION VENUE La Toundra CATERING Stephane Fontaine FLOWERS Costco CAKE & DESSERTS Des Erables Gateries DJ & PHOTOBOOTH DJ Shane RENTALS Le Vaisellier