Hello my lovely humans!
This one is going to be a long one, so please bare with me(or skip what I have to say and look at the photos, it’s okay, I don’t judge)
Your ol’ pals Allan and TJ got to take an adventure to North Bay a few weeks back in order to document the wedding of one of my longest and most soulful friends Rayne and their soon to be husband, Chris.
Now months and months before the wedding Rayne had told me it was going to be a two day affair with the wedding being day one and a big after-party being day two, but my god was I not prepared for what the term “After-Party” meant. This weekend was one of the most jam packed, trail-blazing weekends I have ever been a part of.
We began our adventure on Friday where we met Chris and Rayne at a private residence where they were hosting the ceremony for the day, a beautiful backyard venue looking out on very scenic lake and pinned down by a huge, vibrant lighthouse. One of the most picturesque ceremony venues I have ever had the pleasure of working.
After TJ and I picked our jaws up off the ground we gave our heads a shake and realized we have a job to attend to, TJ bolted over to commune with the boys and I got to spend a bit of quality time with two old friends; Rayne and her best friend Cameron. Swapping a few memories while Rayne finished up her make up, we were joined by Rayne’s parents for some laughs, some reception rehearsal and finally for mom to help with the dress!
The boys took up a few games of pool, a few shots and Chris got to open up a super secret gift from Rayne before the suits went on. A bit of nervous laughter and light-hearted banter bounced off the walls as Chris’ dad helped him straighten his tie, check all the seams and finally, help him attach his cufflinks.
The couple had decided to do some of their bridal photos before the ceremony to try and hurdle over any nerves and anxious energy that they may have been feeling, and much to our excitement, that meant taking a boat to the lighthouse! Although the rain was misting through the air while we stood out on the island, both Chris and Rayne put a brave, “It’s not cold and wet out here at all,” face on in order to get some incredibly passionate and moody bridal portraits.
Through water speckled glasses, TJ and I tried to keep our excitement at bay but eventually we had to let these two well hydrated soon-to-be’s get back to the task at hand, but not before I decided to do something(unsurprisingly) dumb.
After Chris, Rayne and TJ consoled me over the death of my poor, innocent drone; we set back to get these two to the ceremony where a cavalcade of guests were already starting to arrive!
We could not believe the glamorous outfits that were coming down the stairs as the guests began to arrive, everyone was dressed to impress and boy did they ever. Above the incredible outfits, we noticed the immense amount of happiness, celebration and genuine excitement from everyone as they found their seats and focused their palpable energy towards Chris and Rayne.
The soft drizzle created a peaceful backdrop which gave the entire ceremony a lovely calm and intimate feel. (Which matched Rayne’s vision board perfectly, I must add.)
This ceremony was filled to the brim with a magical kind of love. Feeling the constantly growing cloud of emotion between the guests, the families, the bride & groom (and even maybe TJ and I) was a sensation that I never grow tired of. Being able to witness and feel just how much these two are invested in each other, how much they are able to balance their loud and quiet types of love, being able to see their parents absolutely elated about expanding their family; it was nothing short of pure.
Ahem… Anyway, enough crying for this old man, it was time to put my ear plugs in and watch all of these young folk party their asses off.
Once the ceremony wrapped, that passionate energy turned from “Who needs a tissue?” to “Who needs a drink?”
The reception was held at Churchills, which was an incredibly elegant, blast from the past eatery. The vibe was so quaint and welcoming with a lot of warm lighting, dark wood and soon to be heavy pours.
The venue was packed with all of these beautiful humans, so the dance-floor was literally surrounded for Chris and Rayne’s first dance, which only added to the love and support that these two are oh so deserving of. Met with some ooh’s and ahh’s during their phenomenally choreographed dance, it was met with a room shaking amount of applause, woops and woo’s as Chris bent in for a flawless dip to his bride.
Now I must preface, one of my first ever REAL clients was Rayne’s dad, Mark. When I was still a student I had worked with Rayne a couple of times doing school assignments, and just playing around with my soon to be career path. Mark needed some new headshots done and Rayne had suggested that he come with her one of the times she was working with me, and he delivered some of the best, most hilarious headshots I’ve taken to this day. So what happened next was of absolutely no surprise to me, and likely no-one else that knows Mark well enough. This man never ceases to get the crowd into an uproar with his incredible antics, and tonight was no different.
As the night progressed, the ties got a little looser, the heels came off and this group of suited up individuals became an energetic dance troupe in a matter of hours. An incomparable amount of energy filled this small room and everyone who hit that floor ate and left NO crumbs (That’s what the kids say still, right?)
Day 1 was a resounding success but I had to take my ringing ears and sore neck back to the hotel room to prepare for Day 2, and boy am I glad I packed my extra strength pills.
Day 2 thankfully started a stones throw away from our hotel room on an extraordinary cruise boat called Chief Commanda, and although the weather was a little more rocky, wet and wild; it didn’t dampen anyones party hard attitude as they grooved along to the on-board DJ and the motion of the ocean… er.. lake.
We even took some time on the bow of the ship recreating a famous scene from a famous movie that Rayne apparently has never seen.
After some more dancing, some more laughing and some amazing food; we made our way back into port so we could all start prepping for the main event of the weekend, The Under the Sea Rave.
When I tell you that I was absolutely blown away by the setup that Chris and Rayne had developed, I think I would be underselling it. I’ve never been to a rave before in my life, but this was just truly awe-inspiring on so many different levels. Guests were encouraged to dress up in costume, and everyone went wild with their costumes, the effort put into this party was an easy 10/10 by everyone involved. I’m not going to spend time explaining every single thing that happened, I’m just for once going to let the photos do the talking for me.
Chris and Rayne, this weekend was an absolutely unforgettable experience for me and I am so happy that I got to do it. I am always and forever humbled that my job allows me to document so many different types of lives and loves. Thank you for including me, thank you for trusting me and most of all— thank you for creating such a vibrant space to allow everyone around you to let loose, grow and be exactly who they want to be.
Rayne on a personal level, you have been one of my day one supporters and I cannot thank you enough for that. From breaking into abandoned factories with Cameron to take edgy, angsty “fashion,” shots, to always being the first friend with a kind word when my mental health was waning. You are an immense wealth of love, light and kindness; you make every single person you come in contact with better for having met you, and I love you dearly. Thank you for always believing in me.
Chris, although we just met this weekend, watching you for two days made me realize that you would and have done everything in your power to ensure the people in your life are cared for, happy and understanding of their value in your life. Thank you for being an incredible partner to my friend, and thank you for welcoming TJ and I into your life with open arms. You deserve every smile that comes across your face for the rest of your days.
Thank you both endlessly, it was a pleasure and an honour.
Much love,
Allan (& TJ)