Avant Documentary Photography » Wedding

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 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 | 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

Wedding | Best of 2009 Series | Tea Ceremony

admin — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 23:08:54 +0000

Tea Ceremony is a very common and important Chinese ceremony where the bride and groom has to hand a cup of tea to the parents and elder relatives. The ingredients in these tea are usually lotus seed and dates, which implies “Together for a hundred years” and “Having many children”. Parents and elderly usually (although not set in stone) to give red pocket and gifts to the new couple.

Here are a few of my favourite photos from the past year

Tea Ceremony

Wedding | Best of 2009 Series | Getting Ready

admin — Thu, 14 Jan 2010 23:27:14 +0000

Belated Happy New Year. New Year, new blog theme change and a new series of the old.

It has been a while since I posted on here. Just to quickly update everyone, during the past few weeks, I’ve been keeping myself busy taking family, baby and infant photos, take a look here as well as some product shoots. It has been a fun few weeks I’ve got a few more shoots lined up.

On reflecting 2009, instead of posting a one off best of 2009, I’ve decided to take this one step further and make it into a series. In the following weeks, I will post more and more photos. To kick off, I’d like to share some of my favourite getting ready photographs.

Getting Ready

Wedding | Fiona and Michael – Oct 3, 2009

admin — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 23:00:06 +0000

Chilly weather, rainy weather, road blocks, that sums up the day. However, all these unexpected events did not keep the bride and groom from being down. Instead the whole wedding day of Fiona and Michael turned out to be romantic, loving and full of fun.

Location: Markham City Hall
Location: Edwards Garden, Toronto Botanical Garden
Location: Yeung Ming Restaurant

Here are a few of my favourite photos from their wedding.

Picking up the bride

Pre Ceremony Detail

Traditional Chinese game playing

Bride and Groom after bride pickup

Carrying the bride

Bride in the car

Bride during makeup

Traditional Chinese Tea Ceremony

During the ceremony

Detailed shot of bride's ring

Passionate moment of bride and groom in Edwards Garden

The whole bridal party having fun

Bride and groom at Edwards Garden

Opening toast to all guests at the banquet

Traditional Chinese table to table toasting during the ceremony

First dance

Bouquet Toss

Winner of the garter toss

Thank you speech