There’s no set timeline when it comes to genuinely connecting with someone. Sometimes you become friends over time, but others, you form a deep connection within moments of meeting them. And when you meet Pam and Felix, you feel like family, instantly.

We didn’t know what to expect when we went to document Pam and Felix’s wedding since we hadn’t spent much time with them before that morning. However, we came out at the end of the night with an unexpectedly close bond - and an invitation to go see the Great Wall of China.

For Pam and Felix’s beautiful Graydon Hall Manor wedding, we had the opportunity to create alongside our dear friend and Toronto wedding photographer, Erika at Ten 2 Ten Photography. Erika is a great ally, and someone we often discuss industry issues with as part of The Image Makers Collective group, so every chance to work together, more than just a casual encounter, is a time to think about our craft and what collaboration between wedding photographers and filmmakers can be.

From start to finish, this Toronto Chinese Wedding was not only a celebration of two people but a confluence of two cultures, as Felix’s family is from Hong Kong and Pam’s traveled from Tianjin, in Mainland China — a place where Pam moved to Toronto from eight years ago.

Every small detail in this multicultural wedding paid homage to their unique heritages, from a traditional Chinese tea ceremony to Felix's trying to speak Mandarin to Pam’s family.

Some of the most heartfelt moments in the wedding happened during the speeches. Felix’s best man and friend from university Bing talked about his friend’s generosity, emphasizing and that the only thing he loves more than cheesecake (which is a lot) is “sharing the things he loves with those closest to him”. Meanwhile, the maid of honour Alison echoed this by giving a list of things she loves about Pam, including the fact that she is “caring even if she tells you she’s not”.

And so to know Pam and Felix is to know they are warm, funny, understanding and caring. And not just to each other, but also to their friends and family. As you watch their wedding Highlights Film, you’ll witness these two beautiful souls share their infectious love of each other with everyone around them. The energy of their wedding burst with a bright light, with sparklers illuminating the night with a loving glow.

And so as we wrap up this project, even though we ended up not being able to take up Pam’s family on their touching invitation to the Tianjin reception, we still feel a special connection was formed. Perhaps even one day we’ll still get to visit the Great Wall of China together. Until then, an evening of karaoke will have to do!