A bright and early summer morning spelled a day of good fortune on June 13, 2013, a particularly special day for Emily and Ernest, a Cantonese couple from Toronto. The special occasion, sure enough, was their wedding, and we at SDE weddings, Toronto’s premier wedding videography group, were delighted to play a part in preparing, filming and finalizing the wedding day media for their beloved wedding celebration. Ceremonies took place at the couples’ family residences, and Toronto’s famous botanical gardens, with the procession and reception held at Toronto’s Westin Prince Hotel, altogether an elegant choice of locations for what would be an all-too memorable day.

The events of early morning began with Emily donning a gorgeous wine-red Chinese wedding dress, an ornate silk Qipao, for the traditional door games and tea ceremonies performed for Cantonese weddings. In tandem to Emily, the many bridesmaids were, in morning fashion, already in a hustle and bustle to get every detail down perfect in preparation for the wedding day morning door games, a light-hearted custom where the groom must run a gauntlet of trials set forth by the brides’ dearest friends to prove his sincere love and devotion for the bride and wife to be. Sure enough, Ernest, ever true to his name, proved his love for Emily in earnest, and the customary tea ceremonies were next on schedule. Somewhat akin to a meet-and-greet, the couples’ families visit each other before the formal vows are given, in a sense, to congratulate one another on a marriage soon cemented. The bride reveal took place during this time, and our wedding videographers were present to capture this once in a lifetime moment, where bride and groom, in shared nervous anticipation, stoke themselves for the big wedding procession to follow.

Emily and Ernest shared their heartfelt vows amidst the backdrop of mother nature’s blessing, as the couple and their loved ones held a special photo-taking and video session in Toronto Botanical Gardens. In a metaphor, Emily and Ernest had a love that grew and bloomed into something beautiful, culminating in what would become their present wedding day. Come afternoon, the couple and their families and friends arrived at Toronto’s Westin Prince Hotel where ceremonies and receptions would take place. The couple arrived at the reception to full standing applause from the well-wishing congregation and our videographers to record this momentous shot as well. The reception proper was adorned in multicolor lanterns and sentimental pictures of Emily and Ernest together in joyful times. Bride and groom began their walk down an isle adorned with violet flower petals, and were happily wed in holy auspices just prior to a summer’s nightfall.

After the wedding ceremony, group photos and cocktail hour began. One by one, the newlyweds’ best friends made their speeches, wishing the newly married pair a life of bountiful happiness together, as Emily, deeply touched by this outpouring of love, drew a kerchief to dry up her own tears of joy. Emily and Ernest made the first cut of their wedding cake, and contained their stifled laughter as they playfully fed the first bites to each other. The first dance of the couple was also a memorable one, as the pair themselves took months of preparation and training to get the dance right. Clearly neither of them were hotfoots on the dance floor, yet their rhythm and cadence were bolstered by their deep love for one another, that their first dance, an impassioned tango in a dimly lit ballroom, was nevertheless a tremendous hit. The wedding night closed with an open dancefloor, a final entree, and wide-eyed grins from ear-to-ear on all the guests, and us too at SDE weddings, Toronto’s premier wedding videography and cinematography group. We hope Emily and Ernest have a wonderful life together, and wish them the best.

Photography Venue: Toronto Botanical Garden, 777 Lawrence Avenue East
Ceremony & Reception Venue: Westin Prince Hotel, 900 York Mills Road, North York
Photographer Information: Stephen Sager
DJ Service: DJ Sherwin
Wedding Officiant: Kevin Chan