YAO DAN & MICHAEL | Toronto Healthcare Heroes' Micro Wedding

Yao Dan & Michael stepped into their wedding at a very busy time of COVID. Both are frontline healthcare professionals working tirelessly so that we and our families are well and safe. Although this season has definitely brought them many surprising changes to their original plans for what they envisioned for their special date; they were still excited to make the best of every moment. With many of their friends and families, local and overseas, weren’t able to join, we’re sure everyone was just as happy for them. We know that loved ones are waiting in anticipation for the day that lockdowns will lift and they will be able to join them in celebration face to face again! So it was with great joy that we can see them finally tying the knot and seeing their smiling eyes behind their masks.

After the cutest first look witnessed by their closest friends we headed over to their church where their marriage would be bound and sealed. After reading their lovely vows Michael’s mom had a surprise of her very own. It was a long lost letter that Michael had written to Yao Dan in grade school sharing when he first fell in love with her. The pastor asked him to read out the letter which filled the sanctuary with raw young emotion, romance and a lot of laughter from family and friends. It was fun and hilarious and carefully crafted. Michael wanted to share this letter when the relationship became serious, as love should not be taken lightly and this was definitely the moment. Yao Dan and Michael are certainly the sweetest couple who will create many more fun memories to come! Thank you for having us to capture this beautiful union!

CHARMAINE & EDMOND | Toronto Nature + Ravine Elopement

Charmaine and Edmond our second COVID couple this year had their beautiful wedding in quaint ravine that was surrounded by a surreal dreamy backdrop. As we descended to the bottom of the valley we were welcomed by the florals and foliage that blanketed the slopes. At the bottom were trees swaying in the wind and the river peacefully flowing around us. If that weren’t enough, our bride prepared a beautiful bohemian themed decor that included an intimate tent, dream catchers, and at the centre where they exchanged vows and their first kiss stood their chuppah with cake and champagne to pop! As they shared cake and drinks the moment of laughter and joy rang true. Their family and close friends from Hong Kong even zoomed into the moment through video so not to miss the newly wed’s union! This may not have been the day they initially envisioned, but even with COVID turning everyone upside down, they were still able to have so much fun planning and sharing this special moment together.

Photography: EC3 Moments
Videography: JunLokLok
Decorations and Florals: Miss Paper Cut & Chuppah.ca
Boutonnieres & Corsage: Botany Floral Studio
Dress & Suits: Wilderly Bride
Cake: 7cake Boutique

VICKY & MICHAEL | Micro Wedding

Vicky and Michael’s 2020 wedding during this COVID season was not at all expected when they had planned every fine detail of this wedding the previous year. Yet even with the virus bringing the entire world to a grinding halt, their love for one another continued to move them forward over mountains and through a pandemic, to say “I do”.

With much excitement to start their married life sooner rather than later, they pressed on through planning the wedding with what mattered most. Fortunately, Vicky is a wedding planner and a makeup artist, so there was a lot of DIY. She had professionally applied her own makeup and beautifully curled her hair in the morning. They had handcrafted the cherry blossom trees as their backdrop at the house for the tea ceremony. The beautiful bouquets and boutonnieres were handmade by the talented Vicky as well! She acted as multiple vendors in one during this process!

Growing up receiving so much love and sacrifice from their parents, they cherished the opportunity to show respect and love to their parents by holding a traditional Chinese & Vietnamese tea ceremony that brought so much light and joy into this moment of time. Families and friends had even sent them edible gifts to their house to spread the love and joy!

They then made their way to their church to say their vows, exchange their rings, and seal their commitment in love. It was topped by their first kiss that silenced the entire church - literally. Although the pews remained empty, the bandwidth on their phones data spiked from all the family and friends who had attended by video chat. The support and love from everyone filled the entire church creating an energy that will continue to grow in anticipation for their public celebration with everyone face to face next year – Stay Tune!

Photography: EC3 Moments
Venue: St Mary of Angels Church
Cup Cakes: Cake Star

MELISSA & TAI | Toronto Edwards Garden and Intimate Chinese-Vietnamese Wedding

Food and fitness goes hand-in-hand together, would you agree? Best thing yet, Melissa and Tai are both foodies! Melissa loves all thing ramen and Tai digs for fried chicken. In fact, their first meeting revolved around food at the monopolized fast-food chain McDonald's. As a 17 year old student at the time, Melissa worked at McDonald's where her manager was dating one of Tai's friends. Tai, who was 19, would visit the restaurant often with his friend and coincidentally Melissa was on shift. With a little introduction, these two began their love story soon after! As a couple now, they explore the city for food and also spend time together at the gym! What a great balance! 

Melissa and Tai's wedding was an intimate size which only surrounded by immediate families. They started off the day in their traditional Chinese wedding attires for the tea ceremony. They poured tea for their parents and older siblings in exchange for words of blessings and marriage wisdom! Below you will find a glimpse of joy and excitement that the couple shared with Melissa's mom during the tea ceremony, while she was gifting them with words of blessings, so cute! Next, the civil ceremony took place with family witnessing this special moment when the couple exchanged their "I Do's". And of course, we cannot forget the cutest ring bearer in his adorable outfit; puppy! After some family portraits, we moved onto Tai's parent's resident where the second set of tea ceremony took place. The couple also changed out of their traditional attire into their modern wedding outfits. A surprise first look also happened and Tai saw his stunning bride for the first time in her beautiful wedding gown! She was absolutely gorgeous! 

We moved to Toronto Edwards Garden for the bridal portraitures with the bride and groom - can we get more of this?! Yups, it was just Melissa, Tai, Warden and I for 2 hours! Photographers, I know it's amazing and lucky we got to spend that length of time with our couple! :) Couldn't have asked for more! We walked, we posed, we talked, and we even joked about how there should be some air conditioning or fan under the dress since it was such a hot day, IN MAY! Oh, and we were asked for a photography permit on the premise; good thing we had it! Always carry your photography permit with you when one is required on the premise!

Melissa and Tai's wedding was intimate and family-oriented; we loved and enjoyed it so much! Thank you Melissa and Tai for having us share this special day with you and your loved ones and capturing the moments for you!  

VENDORS:

Photography: EC3 Moments
Venue: Toronto Edwards Garden
Make-Up and Hair: Toronto Beauty Group

REBECCA & IAN | Toronto Mildred's Temple Kitchen Wedding

Rebecca and Ian met at the University of Waterloo during a night class together. Ian sat beside Rebecca and the love grew from. It is something about school that brings two people together and making their love story the ever more sweet! After graduation, they moved back to Toronto and their relationship grew stronger than ever! It was during a trip to Europe, while they had a layover at New York and Ian got down on one knee to ask Rebecca the question! This made their trip so much more memorable! Rebecca's family is from Taiwan and while visiting her family, they decided to do some pre-wedding photos at the local studio. Some of these portraits were shared on their wedding day.

Hotel X Toronto opened just a few weeks before their wedding and they made reservations to have a room for preparations to be done there. We may have been the very first to have wedding photos there! :D You can see what a gorgeous view they had that morning! In front of the windows, we had some portraits of Rebecca in her stunning dress! Isn't she just so gorgeous? Rebecca's father help covered the veil over her as a symbolism to send his daughter off. That moment shared was so sweet and intimate between a father and daughter on this special day. The sweet sister of Rebecca's presented a gift to her and wished her with much blessings to the start of her marriage! Rebecca's sister also bought a bottle of Moet champagne to celebrate with the newly weds alongside their parents! 

Rebecca and Ian participated in the Chinese Tea Ceremony at the hotel, as a form of respect to their parents. It was a heartfelt moment where Rebecca's mom teared a little while blessing the couple and said to Ian "Take care of my little girl". Later Rebecca and Ian fed each other boiled eggs; and that day we learned that eggs symbolize fertility in some Chinese culture. 

Mildred's Temple Kitchen was such a beautiful venue for Rebecca and Ian's wedding and the decorations that they chose added a great touch to it. Their wedding was focused more on spending time with people and less on themselves. They went around to everyone at the table, whether individually or together, to spend some time with their guests in engaged conversations, laughters, and even selfies throughout the night! Everyone surrounded the couple on the dance floor for their first dance, followed by a Father-Daughter dance, Mother-Son dance and finally the dance floor opened! Music by DJ Rich moved everyone on the dance floor even the bride and groom showed off some dance moves too! Rebecca and Ian are very considerate of others; ensuring that their guests are having a good time by keeping them accompanied. You can tell that their guests enjoyed and had a great time celebrating their wedding! Thank you Rebecca and Ian for having us capture this special day for you! <3