It is such an honour when one of your best friends asks you to stand beside her on her wedding day as a bridesmaid. Double honour when she trusts you enough to be a bridesmaid and her wedding photographer. Obviously there were parts of the day that I just couldn’t shoot so a huge thank you to Isaac Sim for all of his hard work second shooting. All of the guys getting ready, the ceremony, so many candids, and a good chunk of the wedding party photos were all thanks to him.

This day was such a joy. Leading up to the wedding Sydney was so prepared and organized and the day went so smoothly. Everything was at the beautiful Rowena’s Inn on the River and it was such a fun experience. Phil + Sydney are two of the most generous people I know. They have such a heart for hospitality and when you meet their parents you can totally see where they got it from. Several times leading up to the wedding Sydney said that she just wanted her guests to enjoy themselves – good food and a fun experience were a priority and that was definitely reflected throughout the course of the entire day, especially in the fun touches like a popsicle stand! I am always laughing when I am around Sydney and getting to know her other bridesmaids better, it was clear that I am not the only one. She has the best sense of humour and we all spent most of time laughing so hard we were crying. It was so cool to see the generosity that she pours out on people reflected back on her throughout this process. I was blown away seeing the showers and parties that her other bridesmaids and friends planned. They went above and beyond and it was so clearly out of the love that they have for this girl. They spent so much time planning special details at every event and I loved getting to see and experience that. Phil cares about his friends just has much as Sydney and like her, his groomsmen have all been in his life for years. He is one loyal, thoughtful, fun guy and it is no wonder that he had six friends up there with him. These two had a big bridal party and based on the people I met at the wedding, they probably could have had more. I am so glad that they ended up being set up and hit it off so well a few years ago because I could not imagine my boo marrying anyone more perfect for her.

Phil and Sydney chose to do a first look which is always so special. Phil’s reaction to seeing his gorgeous bride is one of my favourites. We spent some time exploring the beautiful property and taking photos before heading back inside to refresh before the ceremony. This was one of the hottest days this summer and it was sweltering but these two totally rocked it!

If you know Sydney, you know that is a dog lover right down to her core. She is obsessed with her two dogs and wanted them involved in her day. Their younger pup was a little too energetic to be involved in the ceremony but Murphy (affectionately known as Moo) was the cutest little flower dog – he stole the show for sure haha! Because it was so hot, the ceremony was short and sweet. After the ceremony the guests enjoyed some refreshments and snacks while we took care of family photos and wedding party photos. But we made sure to finish in time to enjoy some delicious popsicles before the reception.

Finally, we headed off to the reception. We ate a delicious meal, listened to some heart-warming speeches, and danced the night away. Phil and his groomsmen jumped into the pool late towards the end, because the deal was that if Sydney got to have her dog in the ceremony, Phil got to jump in the pool. I was sad to see this amazing day come to a close but am so happy that these two are finally married. I am so honoured to have been a part of their big day and can’t wait to see them grow together. Congratulations Phil + Sydney!!

Venue + Catering: Rowena’s Inn on the River

Florals: Floralista

Bride’s Dress: Sposa Bridal 

Bridesmaids Dresses: ASOS

Bride’s Shoes: Nine West

Bridesmaids Shoes: Le Chateau

Groom’s Suit: Indochino

Hair + Makeup: Eva Terez Beauty

Popsicles: Johnny’s Pops

Second Shooter: Isaac Sim