Ricarda’s Wedding | Toronto, ON | Anita & Steven
Anita and Steven’s Ricarda’s wedding in downtown Toronto was the perfect wedding to kickstart my 2022 season! From Houston, Texas, the couple decided to host their special day in the Great White North. Friends and family accompanied them on the trip, as well as some that were local from Toronto. Their vision for the day was to encapsulate the city-vibes Toronto had to offer with the scenic backdrops of the CN Tower and architecture the city is famous for, while celebrating the fusion of their Canadian and American backgrounds.
Anita and Steven’s story began at a supermarket in Houston where they met. Steven, originally from Toronto, and Anita, a born and raised Texan, had a spark during their first encounter and eventually decided they would spend the rest of their lives together. It was Steven’s kind-hearted eyes that Anita admired, as she cherished reading his emotion through his eyes and body language. On the flip side, it was Anita’s smile and joy that Steven admired, as her energy and happiness radiates onto him and he’s able to positively feed off that.
Their day began at the Hilton Toronto hotel, where the couple was in separate rooms getting ready for the big day. Anita was surrounded by her bridesmaids and flower girls, while Steven was getting ready with his groomsmen and ring bearer.
We then met at Osgoode Hall for their First Look and it was such a sweet moment to capture. The smiles and tears were so moving, as Steven laid his eyes on his future spouse. Their wedding party was on the sidelines enjoying this special moment and soon joined them for their portraits.
The wedding party and the couple parted ways, and that was when Anita, Steven, and I were able to take a stroll along the streets of downtown Toronto to capture photos of them with famous landmarks including Nathan Phillips Square, the Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO), OCAD University, and Grange Park, which included some photos of the CN Tower in the backdrop! We were able to capture some awesome dynamic photographs of them wandering the streets of Toronto between each location, perfectly fitting the city vibes we were trying to go for.
Their ceremony and reception were held at the beautiful Ricarda’s Restaurant, famous for its jaw-dropping pillars. See the photos below for yourself – words just can’t do it justice! Their wedding captured it all from the adorable flower girls dropping each petal one-by-one as they made their way down the aisle, a hilarious and memorable First Dance, heartfelt speeches, and a hockey slap-shot “toss” (Steven’s version of the garter toss) – everything about the day was just so special.
Speaking of special, a tradition popular back in Texas was the cutting of the cake. I remember Anita sharing this story during their wedding in front of their guests. During the planning stages of the wedding, she emphasized how important this was to her wedding planner, Ashley from Velvet Bordeaux Events. Shai from Sweet & Shy Cakes did an absolutely fantastic job with their cake, which was topped off with a cute, life-like, miniature version of both Anita and Steven holding a USA and Canada flag, respectively. In Texas, the saying goes a little like this: “it ain’t a wedding without cake!”
That’s enough from me. Have a look at some of my favourite moments from the day!
Credits:
Venue: Ricarda’s
Planner: Velvet Bordeaux Events
Florals: Luxe Designs
Decor: Luxe Designs
Cake: Sweet & Shy
Hair & Makeup: Jazmin Veliov Makeup & Hair
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