It was by chance that I had the opportunity to photograph this Auberge du Pommier wedding. Originally, Igly and Melissa planned to marry at the Columbus Event Centre. However, due to the COVID restrictions and limitations in place at the time, they had to come up with alternative options. They had to think outside the box and prioritize what was most important to them on their special day. For them, it meant a smaller, more intimate wedding at the lovely Auberge du Pommier restaurant in North York.

Their Intimate Auberge Du Pommier Wedding in Toronto

Instead, they decided to have a small wedding with only their immediate family members at Auberge du Pommier restaurant in Toronto. I had never photographed at this location before and was excited to capture some new and creative images.

Additionally, they have decided to skip the getting-ready photos and meet me directly at Alexander Muir Gardens in Toronto for their photo session. To be honest, I was a little nervous because I had yet to meet them in person before. We had not taken any photos or worked together before this session. The chosen time for the session was mid-afternoon, which posed a challenge in arriving at the location on time and finding a parking spot to start the session.

I arrived early at the park and noticed we would be dealing with an extremely sunny day. Although we appreciate great lighting, too much sun can be too harsh for a photo session.

The Photo Session at Alexander Muir Memorial Gardens in Toronto

Once I saw my couple, all my worries and panic-filled feelings disappeared. Igly was a tall, handsome guy in a modern suit, while Melissa had a fantastic dress, perfect makeup, and tastefully chosen wedding flowers. They were panicking more than me because they had never done any professional photos before. I noticed this and wanted to make the atmosphere as smooth as possible. We started planning the location where we would work in the next hour or two, as we had planned.

I worked at this location years ago for Stephanie and Constantin’s wedding. From what I remember, the weather was very similar to today, with full sun and harsh lighting. On Igly and Melissa’s wedding day, there were no other bridal parties at Alexander Muir Memorial Gardens. However, I made sure to start working in the locations where I had previously seen most of the bridal parties go first. This way, if any other bridal parties came after us, we would be finished in those areas and would not have to compete for the most popular locations.

I noticed that the sun was becoming increasingly hot. So, we shifted to some shaded locations where we captured more natural and personal photos of Igly and Melissa. Initially, they both felt a little hesitant and shy in front of the camera, but after the first 15 minutes, they both became more comfortable. This allowed me to take some great photos with enough time, location, and scope to capture their personalities.

Auberge Du Pommier Wedding Ceremony

As soon as my couple got into their transportation car, I noticed two wedding parties arriving at the park. I thought to myself that the timing was perfect. Each party had about 20-30 people, so arriving later would have caused a lot of stress for all of us trying to navigate around the park and avoid people in the background.

We were able to reach Auberge du Pommier quickly as it wasn’t far from the park. Igly and Melissa’s wedding dinner was set up in a beautiful private room, and their wedding ceremony was planned to take place on the covered terrace at the back of the restaurant. Although the area where we were going to work was small, it was appropriate since they had a limited number of guests. The ceremony was elegant, short, and sweet. When there are few guests, it becomes very easy to capture each of their emotions and connect the dots about who is which relative and their relationships.

After the wedding ceremony was over, we captured pictures of all the family members present. Then, we proceeded to the dinner area. Before going inside, I ensured we took group photos of all the wedding guests in front of the Auberge du Pommier restaurant.

Intimate Wedding Dinner at Auberge Du Pommier

A single long table was arranged for all the guests, with my couple seated in the middle, allowing them to socialize with all their guests. I was hired to stay after the wedding ceremony, which gave me some extra time to capture the ambiance of their table and the first few courses of the dinner reception.

I learned that Igly and his family are from Albania. As I am originally from Macedonia, a neighbouring country, I had a lot to share with the wedding party. I also found out that one of Melissa’s parents had a Hungarian background, and I was able to share some things with them as well.

Before I left, after we had captured the feel of the wedding dinner, I asked Igly and Mesissa to step outside and take some pictures with Auberge du Pommier in the background. In these images, I could see how happy and pleased they were with how the entire day unfolded for them.

I was thrilled to capture Igly and Melissa’s short but intimate wedding day at Auberge du Pommier as they wanted it. Thank you both for smiling with me and sharing your special day!

Credits to below wedding professionals and locations that helped Melissa and Igly’s wedding to be one-of-a-kind.

If you want to see another intimate wedding in Toronto check Erika and Andrew’s 1 Hotel Wedding.