Downtown Winter Wedding // Hamilton, ONtario

It was cold. And it snowed. A lot. Like a lot a lot. Downtown Hamilton was in whiteout conditions and the streets were deserted. It didn’t matter. Everyone showed up. Holly and Justin got married.

The venue, 33 Bowen, is a historic building with an event space on the upper floor. I loved the vibe and it is a great wedding venue but, for a photographer, it poses some lighting challenges. Every photo was taken using on-camera flash bounced off the ceiling. I consulted some more seasoned photographers regarding the lighting scenario and they gave some solid tips to dealing with the light-blocking horizontal beams and reddish-brown colour-cast (shout out Sam Hurd and other Epic members). It was certainly a test this early into my career and I’m very happy with the end results.

I’ve known Justin for several years now. He’s a glue guy. He’s friends with everyone and everyone loves him. He’s a bringer of good times. So it was an honour to be asked to be at the wedding as a friend and as a photographer. Holly was beautiful. I’m sure she made Justin’s heart race when she walked down the aisle. She’s quiet but she certainly knows how to have a good time.

The wedding was top notch. Let’s just say that no one went home thirsty. There was ample bumping n grinding (fuck R Kelly). And everyone forgot about the terrible weather.

Highlights for me: Meeting Hugh and seeing Justin and Holly loving parent life. Catching up with some old Toronto friends. Adulting with my wife and without our child. Dancing with her to some Chronixx. Justin’s epically funny speech. Seeing two wonderful people being celebrated by their friends and family.