Marina + Baher / Fairmont Royal York Wedding

Connection takes time, and it often develops in ways we never expected.

Marina and Baher drifted around each other for years until they eventually drew closer, ultimately sailing together down the aisle hand in hand. We had the honour of documenting their story of a deep love that started when they were young. The couple ‘met’ in high school, but they were islands in different social crowds and didn’t speak to each other until they both attended the University of Toronto. It was then that they spent time talking on their GO Train commutes, and were friends throughout their time in school. They didn’t begin dating until they graduated and their love first set sail.

The couple’s elegant Fairmont Royal York wedding, at one of Toronto’s most stunning historic wedding reception halls, was perfectly curated. Amidst travertine pillars and painted ceilings, a warm light was cast, from the venue’s ornate chandeliers, upon every family member and friend in attendance.

Marina and Baher are there for each other. Really there. There’s an emotional proximity, nurtured and developed through years of close friendship. They are safe with each other, even when apart. You feel it in the room.

When you watch their beautiful, modern wedding film, we hope you can feel that closeness. In the moments of togetherness and support, but also in the solitary moments in the morning, reading each other’s wedding cards. No matter how far they are from each other, they are always there for each other. Really there, no matter which way the wind blows.

Church / St. Mary's Roman Catholic Church
Venue / Fairmont Royal York
Photography / Dave Abreu Photography
DJ - Sound Obsession
Stationary - So Pretty In Print
Floral & Decor - Royal Orchid Florist
Dance Floor - Event Graffiti
Cake - Fine Cakes by Zehra
Tux - Garrison Bespoke
Make up - Fancy Face
Hair - Ladylyn Gool

'Hey...' / Katie + Micah's Berkeley Church Wedding Film

On many levels, Katie and Micah’s wedding was about timely connection. Joined were families and lovers, but also generations-long traditions with contemporary aesthetics.

The couple’s beautiful Berkeley Church wedding reception was held in the heart of the city. This Toronto wedding venue, an iconic space that hosts a variety of events, from award shows to music performances, was lit blue and purple for the occasion. With its Victorian-inspired architecture and stained glass windows overlooking the main space, it made for the perfect classical backdrop for this high-spirited yet delicate gathering of friends and family.

As you watch Katie and Micah's modern wedding film, you'll bask in the warm and light-hearted, uncomplicated love that unites Katie and Micah. Hey… reads Micah’s card to his bride. A simple word that, being the first word he texted her when they connected, makes her smile every time.

As Toronto wedding filmmakers, we love working alongside talented artists like Niv Shimshon, one of the best contemporary Toronto wedding photographers, and Jessica Auvray of Bisous Events, a good friend for years, a fellow lover of minimalism, and a modern wedding planner extraordinaire. Oh, and she also made a cheese-wheel tiered cake happen!

During the reception, close friends and family spoke from the stage, connecting past stories and future wishes. When the groom took a turn at the microphone, he shared his path to the wedding day with his new wife: multiple meetings and more than one proposal (the first one wasn't serious, but he couldn't hold it in when he learned about her love of the Simpsons). While Micah had met Katie a few times before they ended up dating, nothing had come of it. Still, the way things unfolded was serendipitous. Because while the Micah of yesterday might not have been right for Katie, when they finally connected, he definitely was. Sometimes, love just takes its time.

Planner : Bisous Events
Ceremony Venue : St. Mary Star of the Sea
Reception Venue : Berkeley Church
Photographer : Niv Shimshon Photography
Florist : Flower 597
DJ : DJ Conor Cutz
String Quartet : GTA Strings
Invitations : Wedding Paper Divas
Calligrapher : Little North
Linens : Susan Murray
Cheese Cake : Olympic Meat and Cheese
Cake : Alex Shimshon
Hair and Makeup : Jen Evoy Studio

Kristin + Tom / Whistler's McNeil Room Wedding

Places can carry emotional memories, and for Kristin and Tom, New York City's Union Square is a very special location. It's where they lived (just a block away from each other), where they often visit, and it's where Thomas ultimately proposed. Their story, that we tried to express in a simple yet meaningful wedding film, is one of incredible connection; Their love carried across borders and postal codes with a connection that wouldn't break, even when separated by physical distance.

Five years ago, Tom from Toronto met Kristin, from St. Louis, MO, in the summer while he was interning at a law firm in the Big Apple. They met, as he says, "the old-fashioned way", in the early hours of the morning. And contrary to what his mom says - that "nothing good happens after 2:00 in the morning" - it was magic that took place then. A few years later, they finally had their first date, and even though he showed up late, they were instantly connected. Which takes us to their wedding day at St George's Orthodox Church in Toronto.

As you watch their lovely Toronto wedding film, you can't help but fall in love with Tom and Kristin. Right off the bat, you can feel the love not only between them, but from their community of family and friends who came to celebrate from all over the world. All day, they took great care of every detail of the wedding and reception, with the planning help of our friend Jan (of Willow Rose Events). Everything unfolded perfectly and Kristin, as a professional wedding designer with her company, Miss Design Berry, even made all the wedding stationary.

In true Mastoras family fashion, they had the reception at his uncle's restaurant, Whistler's Grille and McNeil Room. We couldn't help but get caught up in the joy and happiness shared by everyone on this incredible day.

Congratulations, Tom and Kristin! You are a beautiful couple that is a true testament of the fact that love knows no boundaries. Here's to many years of a happy life filled with love, friendship, and trips across the border.

Love,

OHF

Photographer : Purple Tree Photography
Hair/Makeup : BlushPretty 
Planner : Willow Rose Events
Band : Dave Murphy Band
Flowers : Blush and Bloom
Cake : Nadia & Co.
Stationary/Backdrop : Miss Design Berry
Plates/Goblets : Plate Occasions
Venue : Whistler's Grille and McNeil Room
Limo : Paradise Limo

Kiran & John / Toronto Botanical Garden Wedding

The first word that came to mind when writing this post about Kiran and John's wedding was togetherness. As their two families went through the weeklong Toronto wedding festivities, relatives from around the GTA and all the way from the UK not only met, but bonded; strangers quickly became friends - so much so that invitations to visit and stay over were made - and, through many shared drinks, everyone came together.

We first met John a few years ago when we filmed his brother Matt’s wedding. And we're so happy that, in the years since, he met Kiran, who changed his life forever. Now flanked by a smart, strong and beautiful woman, he went from being a best man to being the man. 

The week-long multicultural wedding was a dialogue between two cultures, with Kiran’s heritage highlighted in an ‘Indian night’ that included bhangra dances and a sangeet ceremony, and John’s with a beautiful Chinese tea ceremony.

It was a joy to capture Kiran and John’s beautiful Toronto Botanical Garden wedding, especially with our friend and Toronto wedding photographer Heidi Lau photographing the event.

As you watch their Highlight Film, you’ll witness many youthfully giddy moments, including the time when John goes in for the kiss at the altar too soon, and then has to patiently wait until it’s actually time to kiss Kiran, how they gleefully enter the reception, or the hilarious dance between the two dads at the reception.

At the end of it all, it's John that said it best: in each other they see not only a husband and a wife… they see home.

Photographer: Heidi Lau Photography
Venue: Toronto Botanical Garden