Avant Documentary Photography » Weddings

Toronto Wedding Photos | August 21, 2010 | Gigi + Mike

admin — Sat, 28 Aug 2010 03:09:08 +0000

On a cloudy saturday morning, as I was driving to Gigi’s house, I was thinking I’ve known Gigi and Mike for over a year. As a matter of fact, she was the one who caught the bouquet from Betty and Patrick‘s wedding whom I had the privilege to document. Fast forward a few months from that wedding, Gigi called me while I was in Hawaii for a buddy’s wedding. I’m pretty sure she thought I was a lazy bum when she called me at 3ish pm on a wednesday afternoon EST while I sounded like I was still drooling in bed when I picked up the phone (9ish am in Honolulu). Ever since our first meet, I knew I had a really good connection with Gigi and Mike. It was a meeting but full with laughters. After months of exchanging emails, we did our engagement session back in June and just like the previous encounter, it was just filled with fun and joy.

The wedding dress and shoes

Gigi getting ready

Mike getting ready

Chinese tradition before picking up the bride, the door games!

Chinese traditional tea ceremony

Hakka traditional tea ceremony

Gigi getting ready before the ceremony

The ceremony, with Gigi’s father walking her down the aisle

An overview of the wedding at West River Event Centre in Woodbridge, Ontario

Gigi and Mike during the ceremony

I’ve been checking forecast everyday for the entire week and hoping it wouldn’t rain. Surely enough, we made it through and rain literally started dripping as Gigi and Mike walked out of the ceremony. Mike even turned around and said “is it rain I feel?” The weather was definitely on our side and we had the best of both worlds, as the Chinese say, rain on the wedding day is good luck. After the ceremony, rain started to drop, then started to pour. We couldn’t take any photos outside. Luckily their hotel was nearby and we went there for a quick portrait session.

We went back to West River shortly after the photo session for the banquet and the rest of the night went by really smoothly.

Guest table and centre piece

Wedding cake

Head table decoration

Gigi and Mike’s grand entrance

Cake cutting

First dance

Chinese traditional table to table toasting.

A very unique bouquet toss in where all the single ladies each grab a ribbon. The ribbon that actually doesn’t fall off and is attached to the bouquet would be the possessor

Mike getting the garter. Instead of a toss, each single guy has a balloon tied to their feet and has to destroy others’ balloons. Likewise, the last person standing with an undamaged balloon is the possessor of the garter. The dance floor instantly turns into a gladiator ring.

Gigi and Mike’s dancing instructor having some fun.

Gigi was a beautiful bride and Mike was a handsome groom, and what I saw throughout the day was just like every time I met them, full of love and laughter. I think this formula means they’re perfect for each other. Gigi and Mike, I can’t thank you enough for trusting me be a part of the day! I wish you all the best!

More photos will be posted in my ffacebook page in soon time!

Cinematographers: Konrad Czytowski and Mark Klessen
Decorations: Sonny Productions/RL Wedding Agenda
Event coordinator/MC/DJ: Grace Lau of Aqua Event Management
Venue: Hilton Suite Inn
Venue: West River Event Centre

Toronto Wedding Photos Sneak Peek | August 21, 2010 | Gigi + Mike

admin — Tue, 24 Aug 2010 22:54:22 +0000

A sneak peek of Gigi and Mike’s wedding on August 21st at West River Center. Rain was pouring at the end of the ceremony and we took some photos at the Hilton Suite Inn.

Gigi and Mike after the wedding

The bridal party relaxing after the ceremony

More photos to come! (Also check my facebook page for more photos)

Toronto War game/airsoft time lapse video | June 5, 2010 | Benny and Cedric

admin — Sun, 13 Jun 2010 20:38:02 +0000

Here’s a quick video of our photoshoot last week of Benny and Cedric in air soft outfit. The time lapse video was captured on my old Canon 5D at 15sec per shot from pretty much setup to tear down.

20100605 Benny and Cedric’s photo shoot in timelapse. from Chris Pun on Vimeo.

Click into Vimeo to watch the HD version.

Toronto Wedding Fusion Slideshow | May 2, 2010 | Alice & Carl

admin — Tue, 11 May 2010 21:58:11 +0000

Here’s a fusion slideshow from Alice and Carl’s wedding on May 2, 2010. More wedding photos can be viewed from the previous post or my facebook gallery. To view the HD version, click on Vimeo at the lower right corner of the video.

May your marriage be full of love.

Location: Hai Shanghai, Toronto, On.

Toronto Wedding Photos | May 2, 2010 | Alice & Carl

admin — Sat, 08 May 2010 16:30:17 +0000

May 2nd was the first wedding I shot this year and it was just a privilege to start off this year with a lovely couple Alice and Carl. We first shot the engagement photos in early April and within a month, the day finally arrived. Both the ceremony and the banquet were held in Hai Shanghai Restaurant in Toronto. All night long, the event was filled with a lot of love and fun, with their best friends as bridesmaids and bestmen/groomsmen, many wonderful speeches were made.

Here are some photos from that day.

More photos from their wedding on my facebook page

Location: Hai Shanghai, Toronto, ON

Wedding | Best of 2009 Series | Banquet

admin — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 01:22:38 +0000

This is the last post of my Best of 2009 series. This last post is pretty special because usually after a long day after all the morning festivities (preparation, tea ceremony, pickup games etc), ceremony, portrait session, the banquet is the last event of the day and usually fatigue starts to kick in. However, through the fatigue, as photographers, we find that even if we’re physically tired, our creativeness never slows down. As always, the series of events that occur during wedding banquets are usually very emotionally touching through speeches and exciting that keeps us going like the Energizer bunny. And yes, Energizer is one of the many brands of batteries that I use.

Here are some of my favourite photos from decorations, cake cutting, first dance, games to bouquet toss, all from 2009.

Guests arriving at banquet hall

Banquet decoration of the head table

Cake cutting

The cake after cake cutting

Bride and Groom's first dance

The ring, during the first dance

Bride and Groom's first dance

One of many games for the new couple

Bouquet toss by the bride

A very cool but non traditional bouquet toss by the bride

Bouquet toss by the bride

Wedding | Best of 2009 Series | Wedding Portraits

admin — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 03:53:41 +0000

The next installment of the Best of 2009 series is wedding portraits. I love doing documentary and reportage photo shooting throughout the bride and groom’s day, capturing every moment that happens. Each time, I’m also assigned a task to take some loving and romantic photos of the newly weds. Here’s a few of my favourite wedding day portraits from last year.

Happy bride after the ceremony

Bride and Groom in front of church

Bride and Groom for a posed photo after ceremony

Bride and Groom with a gentle touch

Bride and Groom walking across a bridge

Eye contact between bride and groom

A kissing moment during a rainy afternoon

Bride playing with her veil in the woods

Affection between bride and groom in woods

A silhouette of bride and groom

Selected photos were taken from various locations in Toronto, Markham, Oakville

MingPao Ad | Bridal Supplement | Feb 8, 2010

admin — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 01:23:57 +0000

Today Ming Pao Toronto released their second ever bridal magazine as a supplement to their daily newspaper. This is the second year which I have purchased an ad space in this magazine. A month ago, one of their marketing staff asked me to submit a few photos for them to use for an article regarding outdoor photography, this includes pre-wedding bridal photos as well as engagement photos. I provided three photos, one from Guild Inn, one from Main St, and one from an alley in Downtown, Toronto

Here they are.

Ming Pao Toronto Magazine Cover 2010

Ming Pao Toronto Magazine Story 2010

Wedding | Best of 2009 Series | Ceremony

admin — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 23:45:32 +0000

The fourth part of the Best of 2009 series is going to focus on some ceremony photos. During 2009, I went to a lot of new churches, venues, and other event centers. As a photographer, it’s always fun and exciting to explore new places to photograph in. Whatever we do, we try to capture the most romantic photo for the couple. During ceremony, I never use flashes (although I’ve recently fell in love with off camera flashes), all ambient light. Here are some of my favourite shots from 2009.

Bride entering

Father of Bride unveiling Bride

During Ceremony

Kisses after ring exchange

Wedding | Best of 2009 Series | Details

admin — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 23:46:01 +0000

Here comes the third part of the Best of 2009 series. What is interesting is that the first two years of documenting weddings, I was not spending as much much attention to details as I should. This past year, I changed my mind and started paying more attention to such things such as the Chinese qua, dress, the shoes, the bouquet and all the things the bride and groom spent so much time and heart on.

Here are a few of my favourite detail shots from 2009.

Traditional Chinese Qua for weddings

Wedding Gown

Bouquet

Traditional Chinese wedding shoes

Wedding High Heel

Wedding Ring

Wedding Cake