This garden party-style wedding in Windsor, Ontario was full of bright colours and stunning florals. Everywhere you looked, the theme came to life, making the atmosphere feel fun and lively, with guests who dressed according to the colourful floral theme. The couple requested lots of use of film photography because they loved how it captures those candid moments and they were all about capturing real moments, not just posed shots. The kind of moments that’ll take them right back to this day whenever they look through their wedding album — and film makes this kind of candid nostalgia that much more effortless.

Getting Ready: The Girls

Once the bridesmaids were ready, it was clear that a special shout-out was needed for the coloured gowns they wore. They were absolutely gorgeous and fit Amanda and Connor’s garden party style wedding perfectly. After the girls were all set, the bride slipped into her ballgown with off-the-shoulder sleeves and big floral lace throughout the entire gown. She had originally picked a different one, but it didn’t feel quite right. When she found the dress, she just knew it was the one—and she was totally right. This one complemented the venue’s setting beautifully.

Getting Ready: The Guys

Meanwhile, at a nearby Airbnb, the groomsmen were getting ready. It’s always fun to see the guys helping each other with their boutonnières before they turn to me and ask if I know how to put them on. Their linen-style suits matched the garden party perfectly.

First Look & Vows

Amanda and Connor had been friends for years before starting to date in their third year of undergrad at different schools, which meant a lot of long-distance during covid. They got engaged in the spring of 2023, and knowing their story made their vows even more emotional. After sharing their heartfelt words and wrapping up photos with the wedding party, they were excited to head down the aisle and continue the celebration with their family and friends.

Ceremony

The venue was extra special to the newlyweds—it was the bride’s Aunt and Uncle’s tree farm, which made for the perfect spot for their garden party style wedding. They even cleared a space for the event as the ceremony and reception location was a completely treed lot just a year before their wedding. A beautiful touch in the ceremony area was a curved floral installation as their altar. The flowers were all done by the maid of honour, who also happens to be a talented florist. Another special detail was the live music from some relatives, with violin and piano playing in the background as the couple said, “I do.”

Reception

With an Aperol spritz (the couple’s signature drink) in hand, guests congratulated the newlyweds with hugs and cheers. Dinner was served buffet-style, with pastel candles, colourful hand-held fans, and bud vases decorating the tables, continuing the garden party theme. There was lots of laughter and heartfelt moments during the speeches, and then the couple cut into the buttercream-frosted vanilla cake, made by none other than the bride herself.

First Dance

With the cake freshly cut and quickly enjoyed, the newlyweds were ready for their first dance under the candlelight. Friends with disposable cameras scattered around the reception area snapped photos of the dance and all the fun that followed. As the garden style party got into full swing, the couple took a moment to sneak away for some sunset photos.

Sunset

As mentioned, our couple loved how film captures a moment. With a mix of digital and film photography, their portraits during golden hour turned out beautifully, featuring soft blurs, dynamic movement, and vibrant colors that perfectly suited their garden party-style wedding. After those intimate shots, they were ready to hit the dance floor and keep the celebration going.

Heartfelt Message from the Couple

“We had an amazing experience working with Sonia as she photographed our wedding this summer and an engagement session earlier this year. She took the time to get to know us as a couple and understand what was most important to us on our wedding day. She also had so many helpful tips and advice for us leading up to the wedding, including helping us get the timeline and pace of the day just right.

When we got our wedding photo gallery back, we were blown away. Her documentary-style photography was exactly what we’d been looking for and we couldn’t have been happier with how the photos came out! Sonia has a keen ability to capture special moments between people, not to mention her talent in composing a beautiful image. We would absolutely recommend SVP to anyone looking to have their wedding captured through real, candid moments.”

Sonia V Photography

Knowing when and how to capture those candid moments that will be cherished for years to come is our expertise. If you or someone you know is looking for a documentary-style photography team, we’d love to hear from you.