Aleksandra + Roman

Last weekend was a busy weekend! Not only did I document Rose & Garry's wedding (slideshow which can be seen in my last post!), but I also had the pleasure of being along side Andreas to document the marriage of Aleksandra & Roman.

This was my first Serbian wedding! It was quite an experience - the ceremony has many differences to a 'traditional' Canadian Catholic/Anglican wedding.

First and foremost, the space in which marriage takes place is gorgeous (not that other churches are not)! One big rectangular room, alter in the middle, with a smaller ceremony done in near-privacy at the front. Unlike the Catholic church that I grew up attending (thanks to Catholic schooling!), guests do NOT sit and watch the ceremony! Everyone stands, semi-circle, around the back of the room - free to watch from any angle, with the only exception being in front of the alter. Lighting is very low and yellow, which makes it hard to find a great colour balance for images, but a photographer can also make this work to their advantage, with warm tones through out each image.

When the ceremony is complete, everyone congratulates the bride and groom, and slowly makes their way outside. Aleksandra & Roman then make their grand exit down the staircase, with the best man Jamie following close behind, throwing coins (for good luck and prosperity) at them while they step down on the way to their limo. Aleksandra & Roman decided to have their reception at the Liberty Grand, which avid readers of this blog will realize is one of my favourite venues in the city! Great cultured food, beautiful natural lighting, and a huge Serbian celebration all make for one hell of a great reception!

Toronto must be one of the most culturally diverse cities in the world - especially for a wedding photographer! Serbian, Indian, Outdoor, Catholic, Anglican, Jewish, and many more - from synagogues to golf courses to cathedrals, to white dresses and sari's, you would be hard pressed to find such a diverse city with such a diverse cultural and wedding community anywhere else!

All in all, this was a great wedding and a great experience! Check it out!

This upcoming weekend is the marriage of Jamie - the best man of Aleksandra & Roman's wedding! - and Teresa, who also happened to be in the bridal party. Some familiar faces will be refreshing - here's hoping the weather holds up!