Bonjour mes amis,

Here is the first Winding Violets wedding of the season! Tenay & Tony were absolutely amazing to work with, as I am sure you’ll be able to see in the photographs. We couldn’t have asked for two better people to open our 2011 summer wedding season with, thank you both. I believe we were also lucky, in that this was the first sun-kissed Saturday of the summer…oy the rain! Tenay and Tony’s wedding day neared perfection, but for one slight hiccup…the fire department crashed the reception. Tony, being a professional DJ with Red Roche, wanted to start the party off right: loud music, lights, and yes smoke machines. About 30 seconds into the first dance the fire alarm was ringing and the fire department came crashing through the back door of the Ambassador. Thank god we didn’t have to vacate, all 450 of us! Anything but a blight on the day, the visit from the Kingston Fire Department added some great colour to such a harmonious day.

Bon Appétit,

The Violets

FIN

Hello Everyone,

We are so excited to share our recent feature on The Wedding Co. blog with you. Just click the “featured on”  badge below to check it out. We owe a big thank you to Catherine Lash the Founder, Editor, and Creative Director of The Wedding Co. for featuring John and Krista’s Destination Wedding. For those who aren’t familiar, The Wedding Co. hosts Wedding Shows and acts as a liaise between industry professionals and the smart and stylish engaged couples of Toronto. Melissa and I have attended their annual Wedding Show held at the Carlu, an impeccable event, and we are looking very much forward to this year’s Spring Wedding Show at The Drake Hotel – Where Indie Meets Couture.  If you are in Toronto on April 30^th don’t miss out. We’d love it if you ‘d leave a comment on www.theweddingco.com for us. Thank you all so much for your continued support!

-The Violets

Hello Everyone,

We’ve been absolutely dying to share our first Destination Wedding with all of you! When we first learned we’d be accompanying Krista & John, on there romantic get away, we were over the moon excited and honoured to have been their choice. Things only got better as we were filled in on more of the details; not only would we be shooting in gorgeous Edinburgh, but in a historic castle no less! Dalhousie Castle dates to the 13th century, that’s right cats and kittens we are talking the Middle Ages. The castle is replete with turrets, suits of armor, and yes even secret passages.

Unfortunately we didn’t get to enjoy much authentic Scottish weather, just sunshine and warmth for the full week we were there. We weren’t even threatened with the slightest gesture of rain, an incredible blessing for the couple and a sure sign of good things to come.

The wedding day itself was incredibly laid back. With just a few friends and family, and the castle to ourselves, the intimate day unfolded at the pace of the bride and groom. Everyone simply followed suit, lovely. Congratulations Krista and John; it was an absolute pleasure to be there to share and photograph the beginning chapter of your lives together.

Bon Appétit,

The Violets

FIN

Bonjour!

As a wedding photographer you have to wear a lot of hats. Not only do you have to create beautiful editorial photographs that take time and creativity to set up (the dress, shoes, jewellery, portraits), but you also have to be ready to capture fleeting emotions and moments that are here and gone in the blink of an eye, or shutter : ) Every shoot that comes and goes we work harder and harder at dawning these hats with more precision, style, and feeling.

What I love so much about Jenni & Greg’s wedding are all the great moments, smiles, and tears we were able to capture. From Jenni’s embrace of her brother just having arrived at the church (his first look at her as a bride), the pride in her father’s eyes as he walks her down the isle, the excitement and anticipation in her eyes as she lays them upon her groom for the first time, his face all alight with delight as her takes her hands at the begininng of the ceremony (his soon to be wife), and my personal favourite, the bride welling up with tears as her father exhibits one of her handmade treasures that he has kept all this time, these are all real moments that were here and have passed.

Only a photograph can preserve these subtle and truly precious moments. I once read that a good photographer sees not only with their eyes, but also with their heart. Having some down time this winter has really given us pause to examine ourselves as a photographers, and we look forward with anticipation to seeing with our hearts even more this upcoming wedding season. Without further ado, here is Jenni & Greg’s lovely fall wedding.

Bon Appétit,

The Violets

FIN

Happy New Year Everyone!

We are looking so forward to all the wonderful couples we’ll have the pleasure of photographing this upcoming season. Having said that, here is the last wedding we shot this year; we couldn’t have asked for a better couple for our 2010 finale. Alex and Matt are incredibly fun people to be around, let alone photograph. Matt looked so debonair in his slim cut charcoal grey suit; a lesson to every groom thinking of renting, buying a suit and having it taliored trumps a rental everytime. Alex’s Mikaella gown really complimented her personallity, beautiful, elegant, and classic. Mikaella is a bridal line put together by the Toronto based Paloma Blanca. Paloma Blanca are a well respected and established bridal designer that has been designing and manufacting gowns in Toronto since 1937, go Canada!

Being a part of Alex and Matt’s wedding day was a supreme pleasure. Not only did we get some great shots of these two beautiful people for our portfolio, but we’ve also gained two priceless friends. Without further ado.

Bon Appétit,

The Violets

FIN

Hello & Merry Christmas,

Just wanted to leave all of you with some eye candy before our Christmas Holidays begin. Don’t forget to check back on Christmas day to see what Melissa is getting from Sterling this year!

This wedding was an absolute pleasure to photograph: a great couple, terrific scenery, beautiful venues, all bathed in some gorgeous summer light. We started the day photographing Emma as she got ready in her and Greg’s lovely new home. Then made our way to a beautiful old Cathedral that overlooks the village of Tweed, and end up at the scenic Trillium Wood Golf Club (just outside of Belleville). Greg’s Uncle manages the course, so we were given carte blanche á la golf cart. All we had to do was dodge the golfers and their whizing Titleists. Personally I think the risk was well worth it!

Bon Appétit,

The Violets

FIN

I absolutely love shooting weddings that have a consistent, almost thematic, vision and really reflect the couples personality. Andrew’s parents have a beautiful property in Sydenham, replete with farm animals, a beautiful barn, and lush gardens, all snugly nestled amongst rolling fields. Amy and Andrew were sure to take advantage of the property for their touching ceremony and casual cocktail hour. Amy’s dress matched the setting perfectly: very elegant, but also playful and a tad whimsical, great choice for a country wedding…love it!  I absolutely love these two and shooting their wedding was such a great experience, thanks for all the fun. Congratulations you two!

Bon Appétit,

The Violets

FIN

We don’t normally do sneak peeks, but we made an exception for Jenni & Greg. Jenni & Greg both live in London England and decided to make the leap over the pond to get married in Kingston, so as to be closer to family. Unfortunately, a lot of Jenni and Greg’s friends were unable to make the venture over for their wedding. This is our’s, and their way of sharing a little piece of their beautiful wedding day with them. Thank you both for being such amazing clients and friends. Your wedding day was gorgeous; literally not a cloud in the sky!

Bon Appétit,

The Violets

Shooting a wedding in Downtown Kingston has to be one of my favourite locations. Between the lovely foliage, the cute gardens, and the beautiful historic architecture, the sky’s the limit. And the skies did not disappoint, I don’t think a single cloud grazed the sky through the whole of Alix and Aaron’s wedding day. It was only fitting that Alix and Aaron get married downtown given that Alix’s lovely family, the owners of Fancy That & The Roundstone, are pretty much fixtures themselves…we love you guys : )

Needless to say, it was a tonne of fun photographing you two and your families. Congrats you two; we wish you all the happiness the skies can spare, and look forward to a long friendship!

Bon Appetit,

The Violets

FIN

St. James, Queen’s University Campus

Confederation Place Hotel, Downtown Kingston

Pam’s Flower Garden