This Hart House wedding had it all: a fun bride and groom, energetic bridal party, live music, ethnic dances, the works. We started the day at the Intercontinental Hotel in Yorkville where the bride and groom got ready. Soon after, we moved to Hart House where the bride and groom had their first look. The interior courtyard is one of the best spots for first look in Toronto. It is a secluded place in the heart of the city where the bride and groom enjoyed a few minutes together after they saw each other. I love the Gothic revival buildings which, with their textured walls create perfect backdrops for wedding pictures.
After the first look we went to St. Michael's Cathedral for the wedding ceremony, followed by formal portraits inside the church. Next, we had a quick photo shoot at various University of Toronto buildings. Both the bride and groom are U of T graduates and specifically wanted to photograph on the premises. Once we finished the creative wedding day portraits, we went to Hart House to continue the day. After the grand entrance, the bride and groom had their first dance as husband and wife.
In this picture in the foreground, we see the bride and groom having their first dance. Behind them, the band is playing Aerosmith's Crying.
This candid image features a few elements that makes it interesting. First the colour scheme is a classic one: the vocal artist in the background is dressed in blue, which complements the orange guitar of the bass player in the human skin tones. Second, I used the Dutch tilt in this image to increase its dynamism and match the first dance song to the feel of this wedding photo. Maybe the most striking aspect is the fact that the focus is on the band not on the bride and groom. However, the lead vocal looks directly to the just married couple. His gaze draws a direct leading line to the subjects of this image, the newlyweds. The presence of three humans in this picture creates a triangle, a composition element that increases the beauty of this wedding photo.
Location: 7 Hart House Cir, Toronto, ON M5S 3H3.
