Some weddings are all about a big production, and others are about bringing your favourite people together and making the day feel personalized to just you and them. Mazia and Shayaan's wedding at SARA Restaurant in Toronto was the latter, and I loved how thoughtfully they approached every part of it!!
After the couple prepared for the wedding together in their home, we started the morning with portraits at St. Andrew's Playground, just a short walk from SARA . I loved having a little time with them before the ceremony began, because we were able to talk in anticipation for the function, and I hope the shoot helped them settle in!
When we spoke prior to the big day, Mazia and Shayaan had mentioned they were drawn to the energy in my work, so I wanted to bring that into their photographs, too. So alongside more intentional portraits, I played around with movement into some of the shots, adding on some intentional blur with a slightly lower shutter speed and a twist of the camera. That trick can be magic sometimes, especially once you add a flash to it! (scroll further down to see that)
I'm a big believer that not every photograph needs to be perfectly still or razor sharp to be an impactful image. Sometimes a little movement in the photo actually makes it a million times better in unexpected ways!
After portraits, we made our way over to SARA for the ceremony, where all the guests had been mingling and waiting for the couple's arrival. Being able to walk in with the couple, I was able to catch the intimacy of the families meeting the couple at the entrance to greet them... and then the candid coverage began!
Mazia and Shayaan held their ceremony on the patio of the restaurant, surrounded by their immediate family and closest friends. Unfortunately, due to possibility of rain, there were tents placed up as a precaution that blocked the beautiful balcony view that SARA offers, but we got through it nonetheless!
An aspect to the ceremony that I thought was very special was that many of Mazia and Shayaan's close family and friends had a personal part to play in the day. Before the vows, Mazia's brothers and Shayaan's sisters shared speeches, and then Mazia's dad was the one to officiate the ceremony with his own thoughtful speech.
After the ceremony concluded, everyone moved inside for cocktail hour. While the adults enjoyed a glass of champagne and caught up with one another, the kids had their very own little corner near the front of the restaurant, complete with colouring activities to keep them busy :') I thought this was such a sweet touch, and it was very clear the littlest guests appreciated the addition as well.
Nearing the end of the cocktail hour, we were faced with a decision on where to do the family portraits. Due to the rain, we decided to pivot from the original plan of doing it outdoors to shooting them upstairs. Wedding days don't always follow the plan exactly, and that's okay! Sometimes you have to switch things around a little, and I want to be able to work with what's happening rather than have everyone stress over making things perfect. Even so, the portraits turned out beautifully, so much so that I think the rain might've been a blessing in disguise.
The afternoon continued with lunch upstairs, which I didn't photograph but was lucky enough to enjoy (the food was incredible of course!)
If you're considering SARA Restaurant for your own wedding, Mazia and Shayaan's day is a lovely example of how a celebration there can be the perfect place for an intimate, personalized experience.
As a photographer, it's great to see a venue that gives a wedding room to unfold in different ways. Moving between the spaces within and around SARA created the needed variety in Mazia and Shayaan's gallery!
