Toronto Chinese Wedding Videographer & Cinematographer | Sam + Jennifer | Venetian Banquet Centre
“Happy first day of the rest of our lives”, a line that is both lovely and curiously profound, shared by Sam to his beloved Jennifer in a letter addressed on the morning of their wedding day, runs deep into what makes and motivates our work here at SDE Weddings, Toronto’s top wedding videography and cinematography company. There’s something deeply endearing in sharing in a couples’ “first day” of their lives, a day that ushers in an entire timeline of future memories that they’ll face and experience hand-in-hand together. Simply being there and witnessing the formation and foundation of a life shared as one is something that is immensely humbling for us as videographers and cinematographers; and for anyone who experiences it, it is truly a moment that’s impossible to take for granted. For Sam and Jennifer, the day on which the first page of their storybook lives sprung serendipitously to life was on a bright and blossoming spring saturday on May 24, 2014. Amidst a bustling crowd of family, friends and well-wishers in attent to witness the flower of Jennifer and Sam’s love to finally unfurl and blossom anew. The couples’ holy vows and priestly blessings took place in Scarborough’s Chinese Baptist Church, with a lovely evening reception in The Venetian Banquet Centre in Vaughan to wrap up the first gripping paragraph of Jennifer and Sam’s story.
All photos courtesy of Chris Liehmann
Before the first day’s preamble however, our videographers and cinematographers made themselves present at the ‘prologue’ of what would be Jennifer and Sam’s wedding day. A few days earlier, a wedding rehearsal was performed with the couple and all vendors in attendance to make sure that everyone knew the part they were playing, and to guarantee that everything would go smoothly. Rest assured, the day’s events went entirely as planned. As a note to all those in the works of planning a wedding; the rehearsal, though seemingly trivial and optional, nonetheless added a lot to everyone’s wedding day itinerary: in where to be, what to do, and how to do it, so that the end result of the couples’ performance, videography and photography would turn out the best it can be.
Onto Jennifer and Sam’s big day. Filming began with the couples’ preparation sessions and an exchange of letters and gifts, simple appetizing hors d’oeuvres for the main course to come. Many of the morning’s touching scenes, including the letter exchange, can be seen in the accompanying highlight video. For wardrobes, Jennifer chose a humble white wedding gown for the walk down the aisle, but also fashioned on a shimmering red Qipao during the morning events. Sam as well chose a stately style to his wardrobe, with a demure grey suit and tie combination that affixed a gentleman quality onto the husband-to-be. Naturally, the bridesmaids and groomsmen chose matching attire, with colour tones that complemented the couples’ choices. In the end, the entire entourage looked stunning for the morning’s wedding formalities of traditional Chinese wedding door games and tea ceremonies between the families. Jennifer and Sam would finally share their solemn vows at Scarborough’s Chinese Baptist Church, and were warmly welcomed with a congregation-wide applause from their loved ones, families and friends alike. Photo and video-taking sessions were held afterwards, as the newlyweds shared an intimate afternoon atmosphere with the guests under a gorgeous clear-blue sky. All-in-all, a perfect end to a perfect procession.
The evening’s festivities were soon well under way as the newlyweds arrived from accross Toronto to The Venetian Banquet Centre in Vaughan, a spacious and elegant setting for the denouement to Jennifer and Sam’s first day. Chandelier lights dimmed slowly as Jennifer and Sam began the night with their first dance together, a timeless expression of love chosen by the couple as a further affirmation of their vows to one another. Something else that’s timeless is, of course, the way to anyone’s heart: their stomach. With ten complete courses of rare delicacies, the newlywed couple made sure to treat their guests to something special for their efforts. A traditional Chinese Lion dance was also performed, along with a same-day-edit video specially prepared by our videographers from footage taken earlier in the day. In a way, it was our little gift to the couple, in making their momentous day all the more memorable. The night would end only shy of midnight, with the guests’ jubilant energy fully exhausted and Jennifer and Sam left happily rejoicing a wedding day complete, and a new chapter of their lives opened. In short, we at SDE Weddings, Toronto’s premier wedding videography and cinematography group, were utmost glad in being a part of Jennifer and Sam’s special day, and wish the two a lifetime’s worth of many more stories to come.
Here is the same day edit from the wedding.
Ceremony Venue: Scarborough Chinese Baptist Church | 3223 Kennedy Rd, Toronto, ON M1V 4Y1
Wedding Planner / Day of Coordinator: Cheryl Kwan
Reception Venue: Venetian Banquet Centre | 219 Romina Drive, Concord, ON L4K 4V3
Photographer: Chris Liehmann
DJ: Digital Entertainment
Wedding Officiant: Hoang Ho
Make Up Artist: Christine Kwan & Tiffany Leung
Bride Wedding Dress: Bella’s Brides
Groom Suit: Garrison Bespoke
Wedding Decor: Diana Hung-Cheng
Wedding Cake: Wicked Little Cake Company