Hello lovers! The new year is finally here and with it marks the arrival of the 2021 Love Actually Exhibit! Every year, Scarlet O’Neill curates this amazing collection of real wedding moments. I am so thrilled that this year one of my images was selected. It truly is an honour and a privilege to be among so many talented photographers! You can check out the whole collection here!
Putting Myself Out There
As some of you may know – I have a tremendous fear of rejection (UGH can we say PhD PTSD?!) It is always a struggle for me to put my work out there to be judged by others. I constantly feel like an imposter, and it prevents me from really showcasing my art sometimes! But this time, I decided to get over myself and my fear and take a leap! I’m so happy I did, because not only was this photo selected in the exhibit, but Wedding Bells Magazine also featured it on their website! (WHAAAATTT!?) I guess it pays to give old fear a good kick in the %$# sometimes!
As a photographer, I am forever capturing memories for couples, families & business owners. I have hard-drives upon hard-drives of immortalized moments, special occasions, and moments in time. I am so lucky that others trust me to immortalize their most precious memories. It is an absolute privilege and I am so grateful for what I do.
As a documentarist, it is my job to capture these moments in time. But as a photographer, it is always amazing to see your work recognized as art, especially in this difficult pandemic climate. This year’s virtual exhibit is a true reflection of the massive shift we, as photographers, experienced in the wedding industry. It’s been a very tough year, but the incredible photos in the 2021 Love Actually Exhibit demonstrate that Love Is NOT Cancelled!
“Love Me Till I’m Me Again”
I drive by the “Love me till I’m me again” installation all the time. It always evokes such a strong emotional reaction. Especially during the pandemic, which has been so difficult for all photographers, it really resonates. I knew that I needed to incorporate it into a wedding, especially a wedding that was impacted by the virus. I envisioned it as the backdrop for my couples many times. And then, one day, along came Glynnis and Alan…
The Story of Glynnis and Alan
Glynnis and Alan met online, in the US! They dated long distance before Alan decided to make the move to Toronto to be with his love! Originally, they both planned for a small intimate wedding in downtown Toronto. With only about 40 guests in attendance, it seemed like the perfect, intimate wedding. Alas, as we all know, by early October things were starting to look a little dire, even for the most intimate weddings. On top of all the restrictions, the couple’s family were not able to travel to Ontario. In light of the circumstances, Alan and Glynnis made the decision to go ahead with their wedding, but in a very different way. Instead of 40 guests, they narrowed their list to a mere 5: themselves, their officiant, one witness (Glynnis’ dad), and myself, their photographer (and the other witness!) It was beautiful.
A late afternoon ceremony at Preto Loft studios, The Marrying Lady officiated their small ceremony. With the soft afternoon light streaming in, their nearest and dearest friends and family joined Glynnis and Alan via Zoom. Tears were a plenty, but so was joy and celebratory drinks for the happy couple! Golden hour and early evening photos on the streets of Toronto followed their intimate ceremony…
You can check out the happy couple’s full collection here, but here is a little teaser!
Vendors:
Hair and makeup: Amber Bentley
Alan’s Suit: Indochino
Flowers: Quince Flowers
Officiant: The Marrying Lady
Ceremony: Preto Loft
Photos: Mint Room Studios
