We made it! Today Julius & James has been published on Style Me Pretty, with the very kind assistance of Rebecca Chan Weddings and Events! The bride’s name is also Rebecca, and her new husband is Dan.

We met Rebecca and Dan last year after we had just moved into our new house in Hamilton. Rebecca was then finishing up medical school, following in the footsteps of her father. They were looking for a documentary, candid style of wedding photography, which is what we offer, with a romantic twist. We knew it was going to be a very lovely and thoughtful event, but we couldn’t imagine how lovely. Rebecca and Dan’s wedding embodies the unity in diversity that is today’s Canada. It’s one of the great privileges of being a wedding photographer that we witness wedding customs of people from all over the world. Toronto is one place on earth where these customs come together in many new combinations to create unique and personal events which are also embedded in tradition. This was one of those events.

Rebecca’s family came to Canada from Kerala, India and are members of the Malankara Orthodox Christian community. They moved from Newfoundland to the Sault, where Rebecca’s father practiced medicine. Dan’s family came to Canada from Guadalajara Mexico, where his father is a jeweler in Sault St. Marie. Their wedding combined Kerala Christian traditions with the matrimonial customs of Mexico. After exchanging rings and personal vows, Dan placed a simple gold pendant called a ‘Minnu’ – a leaf embossed with a cross, around Rebecca’s neck. This is an important symbol in the marriage customs of Christians from Kerala. Next he draped the “Mantrakodi” a special wedding Sari, over her shoulders and her cream coloured sari. In the Keralan tradition, the bride keeps the Mantrakodi her whole life.

Next, Dan’s aunt and uncle draped a white, braided lasso in the shape of a figure 8, brought with them from Mexico, over the shoulders of the couple. The lasso symbolizes the infinite nature of love, and the everlasting unity of marriage. They then said a prayer, and removed the lasso from the shoulders of the couple, draping it over Rebecca’s arm.

In addition to this wonderful combination of traditions, there was the fantastic energy and love that this couple and their family embody. You can see from the expressions on their faces that they are absolutely thrilled with each other. We have rarely seen proud parents so obviously content.

Rebecca and Dan wanted their couples shots to have a very urban feel, so we shot around Queen Street West, one of our favourite locations. During one funny moment, the couple were posed on the fire escape of Massey Hall as a tour bus drove by. Tourists began snapping their photos. Julius captured the moment. We love that kind of spontaneity and fun on a shoot!

Last but not least, the very talented Rebecca Chan, the wedding planner, curated and organized many lovely details which were a joy to shoot. Toronto florist Pink Twig created beautiful decorative art with flower and living plants, and Truffle Cake and Pastry created a mouth watering sweet table that looked too wonderful to eat. These provided for many of the lovely detail shots which you will see in this post. Wedding rings were created by the groom’s father.

We hope you enjoy these images.

Are you a hopeless romantic? Do you come from planet Earth? Wow! So do we! We’re sure we have lots of things to talk about, like shooting your wedding. Please get in touch!