Daniela + Ryan
An Urban Industrial-Chic Wedding with a Focus on Candid Moments and City Exploration
Some couples just have a vibe, and Daniela and Ryan have it in spades. Their wedding played out more like a day out in Toronto with their favourite people than a formal event — which, honestly, is my favourite kind of wedding to shoot.
They got ready in separate suites at Studio Bon Soleil, which is one of those spaces that does half the work for you — exposed brick, huge windows, natural light pouring in from everywhere. Daniela was with her bridesmaids, champagne in hand, hair and makeup in full swing. Ryan and the groomsmen were a few doors down with a bottle of whiskey, getting into their grey suits and generally taking their time about it. A couple of details stood out: the custom flask with Ryan's name on it, and the letter Daniela had written for him. He read it alone before anything else happened, and you could see it hit him. That kind of set the tone.
The first look was at The Burroughes Building, where the ceremony and reception would later be. They used the painted brick wall out front - it's iconic for a reason. I'll let Ryan's face in those frames speak for itself. These are the moments I'm really there for.
From there we turned it into a bit of a road trip. The whole wedding party piled into a car and we headed for Graffiti Alley. The bridesmaids threw leather jackets on over their dresses and the contrast against all that colour was exactly what we were hoping for. They knew what they were doing in front of the camera too - no coaxing needed. From there we stopped at The Dime so everyone could grab a drink and actually relax for a minute before the ceremony. Little detours like that aren't really about the photos. They're about giving the couple some breathing room in the middle of a very full day. The photos just happen while that's going on.
Back at The Burroughes for the ceremony, the space had completely changed - candles everywhere, rows of chairs facing the window that looks out over the city, the whole room lit warm. Their vows were the good kind: funny in places, serious in others, both of them tearing up halfway through. When they walked back down the aisle as a married couple, the room was loud.
Reception was a party from the jump. Long family-style tables, string lights, that industrial space doing its thing. The speeches did a lot of damage - one minute Daniela and Ryan are doubled over laughing, next minute reaching for tissues. Instead of a plated dinner they went with food stations, which I'm a big fan of. Keeps people moving, keeps the energy up, and nobody's stuck at a table watching their food go cold. Dance floor was full from the first song. Dessert bar, late-night burgers, the works.
Near the end of the night we pulled Daniela and Ryan up to the rooftop for a few last frames with the skyline behind them. After a day that busy, those few quiet minutes up there were a nice way to close it out.
Daniela and Ryan, thank you for letting us tag along on this one. It was a blast from start to finish.
