Cherise + Konrad
Modern Urban with Polish Traditions
Two venues, two very different energies, and somehow it all clicked. Getting ready at the Anndore House, ceremony and reception over at Reid's Distillery. Cherise and Konrad have a clear sense of style and the day was basically that turned up to eleven.
The morning kicked off in two suites at the Anndore. If you've never been, the place has this dark, art-forward feel that's a dream to shoot in. Cherise was somehow completely calm with a room full of people doing hair and makeup around her, friends and family in and out, the bulldog (full custom tux, taking the whole thing extremely seriously) holding court in the middle of it. Her dress was an off-the-shoulder lace number with detachable sleeves, and it suited her perfectly.
Down the hall, Konrad and the guys were doing their version of the same thing. Less hairspray, more shared bottles. He wore a black velvet tux jacket with a patterned lining and a proper bow tie. They clinked glasses, did the toast thing, and that was that.
Their first look was private, just the two of them in a quiet corner of the hotel bar area. Konrad turned around and his face did the thing you hope it does. They'd decided to read their personal vows there, away from everyone, and we shot it as quietly as we could from across the room.
After that we headed into the streets for portraits. The wedding party was head-to-toe black, and against the graffiti alleys around the venue it looked properly cinematic. Nobody needed direction. They just walked, joked around, leaned on each other, and I worked the edges.
Reid's Distillery is one of those venues that does the work for you. Big ceilings, brick, and those copper and steel stills sitting right there in the room. A string duo played guests in. Cherise walked down the aisle on her own, which hit a lot harder than most grand entrances I've seen. Konrad couldn't stop smiling.
Right after they were pronounced, Konrad's family brought out the bread and salt for the Polish welcome. Bread so they never go hungry, salt for the hard stuff they'll figure out together, and a vodka shot to seal it. One of my favourite traditions to shoot.
Cocktail hour was cocktails and food and the usual mix of crying and laughing during speeches. First dance was fully choreographed and ended in a dip that got a real reaction from the room, not the polite kind. Parent dances after that, all of them quietly great.
By the time the dance floor opened up, the night basically ran itself. Everyone in. The distillery lit up nicely. Cherise and Konrad right in the middle of it the whole time.
A really good day for a really good couple. Huge congratulations you two.
