I was honored to shoot Tiegan and Eryk’s wedding at Erin Estates in Erin, Ontario. Full of lush greenery, the beautiful venue was perfectly suited to the couple, providing a fairy tale backdrop for a magical wedding. I met Tiegan and Eryk through a mutual friend, and I knew their wedding would be something special. From living in New Zealand and Australia to sky diving and swimming with sharks, these two are always up for an adventure - and know how to put on a party!
The day started with the bride and groom getting ready with their parties. Eryk’s friends were there to support him and keep him laughing while Tiegan and her party got ready in the big suite availalbe at the Erin Estate, her vibe she was going for was boho-whimsical. There was so much love in the room, with everyone near and dear to the couple there to make the day that much more special. Once the finishing touches were put on the bride (by the same makeup artist I had at my wedding!) we were ready for the first looks.
That’s right - looks.
We captured first looks with the bridesmaids, groomsmen, Tiegan’s parents, Eryk’s parents, but not with the bride and groom - Tiegan wanted to save the big reveal for the moment she walked down the aisle. Now you might be wondering how many first looks you should have, and my answer is as many as you want! A first look is such a special moment, and there’s no rule saying it needs to be reserved for the bride and groom. In fact, there’s no rules to your wedding at all. Your day is your day! And as your photographer, I’ll be there from the initial planning stages through to the dance floor to help you plan your experience, and to make sure it’s everything you imagined it to be.
With Vance Joy playing in the background and bubbles in the air (and the flowers!), Tiegan and Eryk played rock, paper, scissors to decide who would share their vows first - like I said, the only rules to your wedding are the ones you make! The couple exchanged vows, with Tiegan sharing a song she'd got made all about their love story. Tiegan puts a lot of herself into everything she does, and it really came through on her wedding day.
After the first kiss it was off for family portraits. The couple spent so much time with their family that we only had a few minutes to capture pictures of the bride and groom, and you know what? That’s fine! It was important to Tiegan and Eryk that they were there for everyone who had come to support them - mothers, fathers, sisters, nieces, nephews, for Tiegan and Eryk the day was about their family just as much as it was about them. When I shoot a wedding it’s not about running around to make sure we get every shot according to plan, it’s about your wedding - whatever that means to you. Sure, having an outline of the day is important, but as your photographer I also believe it’s important to be able to make changes and adjustments on the fly. Moments big and small.
After portraits came the speeches, another highlight for the newlyweds. They really wanted to hear what their family had to say, even putting off their sunset photoshoot to make sure everyone had time to speak their heart, which was no problem at all. It was important that their night was everything they wanted it to be, and sometimes that means making adjustments on the fly. To me that’s what a good photographer does - goes with the flow and makes sure the newlyweds are having the time of their lives.
After the first dance Tiegan threw on her denim jacket for the sunset photo session. As the night came to an end (following an amazing dance floor, of course) we took a few more pictures around the fire - just like we had during the engagement shoot - to bring Tiegan and Eryk’s adventure full circle.
