Romina & Mike's Humber River Kayaking Engagement Session :)

There's no better way to enjoy this time of year than being outside in nature - everywhere you look it's a stunning reminder of the cycles of the seasons, and a feast for the eyes. When I found out that Romina & Mike enjoy kayaking together, it seemed like the perfect thing to do for their October engagement session! We spent a couple of fabulous hours paddling along the Humber River before exploring the paths in the surrounding area.. the colours were spectacular, and Romina & Mike did an amazing job navigating to get into just the right places for some great images (not always as easy as it sounds with a current!)

Every corner we rounded rewarded us with a new gorgeous view :)

 This little marsh area was one of my favourite spots..

We were lucky enough to see a few herons as well as egrets, swans, and lots of ducks :)

And then a little wander through the woods - no sign of the pair of deer I saw earlier (of course!),
but lots of other prettiness :)

Romina & Mike: you two were awesome! We loved your "let's do it!" attitudes, as well as how sweet the two of you are together :) Keep practicing that slow motion kiss - it'll come in handy on your wedding day! 

xo

Jessica + Norman

Kayak & Canoe rentals: Toronto Adventures

Kayla's 2-year-old Rainbow Bridge Adventure :)

Little Kayla has grown up a lot since the last time we photographed her - like most toddlers, she loves to run, spin, jump, and giggle, and her vocabulary would put most grown ups to shame ;) She also loves rainbows. Mommy thought the rainbow bridge in the Don Valley might be a fun spot for our photo session, and she was right - Kayla's reaction to seeing the bridge for the first time was utter glee.. I'll be surprised if she's not asking to go back on a regular basis ;) I love this first shot of her as she rounded the corner and starting racing towards the bridge! And rainbow umbrellas were the icing on the cake :)

 She made us all dizzy spinning around and around swinging her umbrella, but somehow
never stumbled (thankfully!)

 She's also got a keen eye for nature - after spotting a racoon napping near the bridge over the river, she also spotted a really big (and very dead) salmon washed up on the rocks. After pointing it out to all of us, she mentioned that he'd "got himself in quite a predicament" - which had us all in stitches!

Kayla had her own ideas about the "cute matching shoes" picture ;)

 Kym & Adam: we had so much fun with you two and Miss Kayla! Thanks for having us tag along for your rainbow bridge adventure day!!

xo
Jessica + Norman

Eleanor & Liam's Gorgeous Fall Wedding at the Enoch Turner Schoolhouse :)

When I first met Eleanor & Liam, I noticed that they're one of those couples who - even though they've known each other for years now - are always holding hands or have their hands on each others knees. I love that about them :) For a couple like this, the joy in their wedding day has nothing to do with pretty details, and everything to do with a room full of love and your soul mate beside you. So months before the actual wedding, I knew it would be an amazing, fun, and heartfelt day. As it turns out, it also happened to be stunningly beautiful :) Here are some of my favourite images from this fantastic day..

The guys were very relaxed in the "getting ready" stage - and that was without even dipping in to the lovely bottles of rose gin that the groomsmen got as gifts ;)

 Looking good and ready to go - complete with a sword that's been passed down through Liam's

 family since the war of 1812! (more of that sword later..)

 There's something fantastic about bookshelves full of real books that people have actually read -

this one ran the length of the wall and seemed the perfect background, since it's a common love of theatre that brought Eleanor & Liam together in the first place :)

I love these reactions - especially Dad's!

We took these gorgeous ladies down to the Distillery District, where they turned heads
everywhere they went :)

 I'm so in love with these images of Eleanor on the little bench under the hearts!

If you thought that got a lot of attention, you should have seen the large crowd that gathered to watch as a piper led Eleanor, her dad, and the ladies from there to the Enoch Turner Schoolhouse for the ceremony! Thankfully they were kind enough to mostly stay out of the pictures ;)

an amazingly grand entrance :)

A post-ceremony photo with all the guests out front of the schoolhouse..

 I absolutely adore how the golds and oranges of the bridal party pop against the red brick
and blue woodwork!

 The beautiful hall, all ready for dinner - believe it or not, Eleanor had a ladies' night the night before and they did all these floral arrangements themselves! :)

 If guests wanted to see the bride & groom kiss, they had to get up and sing something for everyone - this might seem like a tall order, but it turns out this was a room full of very talented performers!

And here comes the sword! Not only great for cake-cutting, but also for the spirited Highland
dancing that followed!

Eleanor & Liam: I can't imagine a more perfect wedding day for the two of you :) It was a beautiful reflection of the genuine warmth and thoughtfulness that characterizes not only the two of you, but also your families and friends as well - may you have many many years of happy days together!

xo
Jessica + Norman

Venue: Enoch Turner Schoolhouse

Maureen & Matthew's Comic-Themed Wedding at the Glenerin Inn :)

Looking back at Maureen & Matthew's engagement session in the Distillery District that we did around Christmas last year, I noticed something: my first impression of the two of them was that they were super-snuggly, and couldn't stop laughing. So it should come as no surprise that their wedding day was full of laughter and kisses in almost equal measure :) These two super-fans share a love of many similar interests, so they decided to go with a couple of those when planning their wedding.. when I asked if they had a theme for the day, the answer was "Comics & Candy" - and there was lots of both! I think what really set the tone for the day was Maureen's spectacular silver Vans, and Matthew's Marvel-themed pair to match :) Here are some of the highlights of one of the sweetest and most fun weddings I've ever seen..

 The couple chose the Glenerin Inn in Mississauga as their venue - not only a beautiful set of buildings, but there was some gorgeous fall foliage surrounding the property :)

First Look: I love how palpable the anticipation is at this moment of the day! And I especially love both Maureen & Matthew's expressions when they first opened their eyes :) 

 The fantastic shoes, plus Maureen's bouquet included origami flowers that she had made out of comic book pages, and was wrapped in her grandmother's rosary - I love those personal touches!

We were then joined by the rest of the Bridal Party, plus the Moms of the Bride & Groom..

 And this guy! Too cute for words!!

Guests started to arrive for the ceremony shortly after..

I love this about Maureen & Matthew: even though they'd already seen each other, and had spent the last couple of hours doing photographs together, they still both burst into tears as soon
as their eyes met as Maureen came down the aisle :)

Maureen's nephew read an excerpt from Dr. Suess' "Oh! The Places You'll Go!", which was perfect :)

 After the ceremony, we snuck back out to do a few fun photos before dinner..

Maureen painted this Deadpool sign herself, and they also wrapped all the little candy-filled pots in comic pages. There was a table with bowls of candy lined up in a row, right next to the Jenga blocks that guests signed with their happy wishes. The Princess Leia & Darth Vader flutes
were made by Maureen's aunt :)

The top layer actually had a comic strip printed in icing, which was pretty awesome - and the cupcakes were Wolverine and Deadpool (both delicious!)

 It's a toss-up who had more fun - the kids or the grown-ups ;)

Maureen & Matthew: you two had a day that was entirely, perfectly, you. It was fun, and sweet, and heartfelt, and most of all, full of love :) We are so happy for you, and wish you many years full of more of the same!

xo
Jessica + Norman

Venue: The Glenerin Inn
Hair Stylist: Reni, Studio 91
Cake: For the Love of Cake
DJ: Jeff, Impact DJ
Photography: Jessica + Norman, Jessica Lin Photography

Leslie & Rommel's Too Cool For School Wedding Reception at Daniels Spectrum :)

{In case you missed Leslie & Rommel's intimate ceremony at City Hall, click here to view those images}
Once they tied the knot, this fantastically fun couple threw a party to remember at Daniels Spectrum - an amazing new venue in downtown Toronto. The decor vision was pulled off by Kristina Chau of Not Your Average Party, who planned an event that suited Leslie & Rommel perfectly. These two wanted to have a super relaxed, really fun night with great food, and that's exactly what happened :) Here are some of my favourite images from the night, starting with some shots of the gorgeous floating lanterns and parasols that hovered above the guests..

First dance - full of laughter and a couple of tears :)

 Both Leslie & Rommel's mothers made lovely speeches during dinner..

some fun candids of the evening as it progressed..

Leslie's dad sang a lovely rendition of "What a Wonderful World" :)

And then we hit the dance floor!

 don't forget the photo booth!

Leslie & Rommel:  I can't imagine the two of you having a more perfect night! Everyone had so much fun (including us!) and I'm sure you'll be hearing stories for years :) Thank you so much for having us there with you to capture it all, and for being so flippin cool!

xo

Jessica + Norman