real weddings

Jen and Nate wanted to warm up their winter evening wedding with a cozy, romantic atmosphere, so they chose a venue in Toronto, Ontario’s historic Distillery District, with exposed brick and wood beams and (importantly!) great food, added lots of candles in vintage holders from thrift shops, and voila! It was a relaxed, intimate, and fun party that was a reflection of the two of them.

The bouquets and floral arrangements, inspired by an English country garden, were created by Jen herself using flowers ordered online from a wholesaler. Other personal touches: Jen wore her mother’s veil (with a few adjustments to update it) and fur coat.

For their photo session, which took place in the afternoon before the wedding, photographer Rachel Simpson found a dramatic setting: an abandoned ballroom atop one of Toronto’s oldest luxury hotels. Jen and Nate didn’t see each other, though, until Jen’s walk down the aisle that evening, at which point they both cried.

“Feeling all the love in the room and getting to share it with the closest people in our lives… It was such an incredible feeling,” said Jen.

For more images from this wedding, visit the Galleries in our 2life Weddings App.