I believe the Casa Loma Weeding is a dream for every little girl who dreams someday of finding her prince charming and getting married in this lovely castle in the heart of Toronto.
Although that is undoubtedly a dream for little girls, it can become a reality for many brides who want their dreams to come true.
Casa Loma weddings are unique and breathtaking in many ways.

Casa Loma Wedding in Winter

From the stunning charm of the castle to the ability to make it truly unique, this place has so much to offer a couple on their big day. Kelly and Phil did just that, turning the castle into something personal and perfect for themselves and their loved ones.

In order to start from the very beginning of this love story, I have to mention how I met these two love birds. Kelly and Phil came to my booth at Modern Bride, where we exhibited in the winter of 2022. They were drawn to my vibrant photos and how connected my couples seemed.

In our initial Zoom meeting, both expressed their needs and wants for their Casa Loma wedding. During our meeting, their wedding planner, Sarah, joined us to ensure she takes notes and documents for future actions. I had actually met Sarah long before this meeting, as she has worked with my wife at Indigo.

Kelly is no stranger to planning events for others, and when it came to her own wedding, she wanted to hire someone who would handle every detail as carefully as she would for her clients. That’s why Sarah was there—to ensure everything was just right.

How The Engagement Photo Session Help This Wedding

Once we decided that we would work together, the planning started.
The first part of getting to know each other was the engagement session. At the wedding shows, I offer a ‘show special’ that includes a complimentary engagement photo session as part of the collection that the couple chooses. For me, it’s essential to connect with my clients. I want to ensure we’re capturing the memories they want rather than only what I may think they want.

Especially during the pandemic, it felt important for all of us to get out and embrace the joyful moments life brings. Kelly and Phil chose to have their engagement photos taken close to home. Living in the heart of Toronto gave us easy access to any location we wanted without driving all over the city.

We had such a great time taking photos around their building, in the Distillery District, and at Corktown Common. We even captured some unique shots at Underpass Park, near where they live, and visited the spot where they adopted their dog. You can see their engagement photos on my Instagram.

That session really helped us shape our approach for their wedding day, and I can honestly say that the success of their wedding photos was thanks to the connection we built during the engagement shoot.

Casa Loma Wedding Planning

If you’ve never been to a wedding at Casa Loma, I will be honest – getting there can be pretty hectic. It’s always busy and a bit stressful. The library, where the reception was supposed to be, was open for public tea until 3 p.m., making it hard for me to set up my equipment ahead of time. Knowing I’d need extra time to get my lights and gear ready and couldn’t even start setting up until I got access to the venue, I arrived way earlier than usual.

Erika, my second photographer, showed up at the same time, but I didn’t have time to find her or coordinate with her right away. Casa Loma was still open for public tours to make things trickier, so moving between different parts of the castle was a bit of a maze with all the crowds.

Before heading to Phil’s room for his getting-ready photos, Erika went to Kelly for her prep shots while I met Phil and his immediate family. We took a few family photos, but there wasn’t much of Phil getting ready since he was already set to meet Kelly.

We had planned a first look, and Phil and Kelly were eager to finish it before their guests arrived and saw them.

Casa Loma First-Look Photos

While Erika was finishing up Kelly’s photos, I wrapped up with Phil and took him to the library, where they planned to have their first look right in front of one of those big windows. As Phil waited for Kelly, I went to check on her progress. It was perfect timing because Kelly was about to do a reveal with her dad and brother. Erika and I captured that, and then I headed back down to be with Phil.

Their first look at Kelly and Phil’s Casa Loma wedding was incredibly intimate and emotional. Rather than trying to snap a bunch of shots from every angle, I had Erika on one side while I stayed in front. This gave them space to just be in the moment without us directing or interrupting—completely private and natural.

It was helpful that Sarah was with us constantly, so she assisted Kelly in fixing her makeup after some tears of joy messed up her makeup.

The Photo Session at Casa Loma

It was February, but there wasn’t any snow on the ground. The day was bright and sunny but cold enough that staying outside for long wasn’t an option. From their engagement session, I knew both wanted to do as little posing as possible. So, in just 20 minutes, Erika and I gave two of them a fantastic selection of photos that showcased their Casa Loma wedding in perfect light. Between the stunning architecture, great angles, and perfect backlighting, we got exactly what Kelly and Phil wanted.

Once we couldn’t feel the tips of our fingers, we went inside for the family photos. Both sides of the family were already waiting in the library, and after some warm hugs, we got started. Once those were done, we moved over to the Conservatory. The setup there was gorgeous, and you could feel the excitement building.

Kelly and Phil wanted to take photos with their friends here before going to their bridal suite for our vanity photo session of their bridal party and very close friends.

The Vanity Portrait at Casa Loma

Kelly had mentioned early on that she wanted a vanity-style portrait of the bridal party, including their friends and significant others. I had seen the bridal suite and thought it would be perfect for that kind of shot. However, I was a little anxious about our time and whether everyone would cooperate.

Once we arrived at their bridal suite, I did not waste any time. I started planning how I wanted that portrait to look. I carefully arranged the sofas and chairs I used to build the photo. Luckily, Kelly and Phil’s friends were great—they were super helpful and made it easy to pull the shot together. Once everyone was in place, they gave me their full attention, which made it possible to create a beautiful, vanity-style portrait that captured exactly what Kelly had envisioned.

Feeling good about how it turned out, I headed downstairs to set up my lights while Erika stayed in the suite with Kelly and some of her friends.

The library looked incredible, especially the centrepieces. Instead of flowers, Kelly had stacked books in the middle of the tables—a nod to her and her friends being part of a Shakespeare theatre group. It was such a personal touch and really special to her.

There was also an artist there, sketching a portrait of Kelly and Phil dancing in the library. I couldn’t believe that something like that was possible. By the end of the night, the painting was done. It was amazing to watch that come together so quickly.

The Wedding Ceremony at the Conservatory

The Conservatory was absolutely enchanting, filled with hundreds of candles that created a fairytale ambiance. Kelly and Phil had been a bit worried about having their ceremony scheduled for 6 p.m. in the winter. They had seen so many beautiful daylight Casa Loma weddings in the Conservatory. Having it at night, they did not know how I could capture it. To make sure everything looked stunning, I set up off-camera flashes and balanced the ambient light with the flickering candles to highlight the magic of the moment.

With great anticipation, Kelly walked down the aisle, and this moment and the entire Casa Loma wedding ceremony looked magical. It was an emotional, magical, happy wedding ceremony with a grand exit, and the two walked as husband and wife.

After leaving the Conservatory, Kelly and Phil headed to the library to sign their marriage certificate. Then they joined their friends and family for the cocktail reception in the Great Hall. The atmosphere was warm and inviting. It felt like a cozy lounge with delicious finger foods, a fantastic drink selection, and classic movie projections playing on the walls. It really made the evening feel extra special.

The Unique Cocktail in the Great Hall

There was an exciting setup of games, puzzles, crosswords, and interactive activities that really brought a fun twist to the event. While the cocktail ceremony was in full swing, the Conservatory was being transformed into the reception party space.

Kelly’s man of honour and his band were going to perform for the party, and they were setting up the equipment with the photo booth guys and the mobile bar. Across from the band was a table I’ll share more about in a bit.

The castle was buzzing with energy, with people moving around to ensure everything was just right for the bride and groom.

The Wedding Reception Dinner at the Library

Once the cocktail hour wrapped up, Kelly and Phil welcomed their guests in a unique way. They opened the door from the Grand Hall to the library and walked together to their table. It was such a fun and memorable way to kick off their reception dinner!

The evening was filled with heartfelt speeches, delicious food, emotional moments, and lots of laughter. The atmosphere felt intimate. The lighting was perfect—not too bright, so you could still enjoy the cozy vibe of a chilly February evening. However, it was still just bright enough to see your food and chat with everyone at the table.

When the last course was served, Phil and Kelly thanked their guests and invited everyone to the Conservatory for their first dance. Erika and I were already set up, ready to capture all the fun.

After their first dance, the dance floor opened and stayed lively until 12:30 a.m. I’ve never spent so long on a dance floor, but I loved every moment, capturing all the joy and energy of the party.

Across from the band was a table filled with delicious gelato and Canadian poutine served by the Casa Loma staff. I saw it as an excellent opportunity for some dramatic nighttime photos of Kelly and Phil, but they were clearly more interested in dancing with their friends. I thought to myself that I’d get my chance with another couple at Casa Loma someday, and I kept snapping away, enjoying the vibrant dance floor.

Party Time at Casa Loma

I took the last photos of Kelly and Phil’s wedding when the artist revealed the painting to them at the end of the night. The joy on their faces was unforgettable as they looked at each other, thanked everyone, and headed out together.

This was the first wedding where I left after the bride and groom, and it felt special. Sarah, their wedding planner, was the last to leave Casa Loma, and I have to say, she did an amazing job. Thanks to her, the entire wedding was smooth and perfectly executed.

Thank you, Sarah, for your superb organizational skills. And thank you, Kelly and Phil, for the trust and confidence in choosing me for your Casa Loma Wedding.

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

Here is another elegant celebration at Casa Loma, Marisol and Sadmir’s wedding