Chelsey and Jordan’s Kortright Centre Wedding was my last wedding booked from the National Wedding Show. Chelsey had won a big prize at the show, which included some of my photography services.

Long story short, the disruptions of the pandemic delayed their wedding plans, so we had to move their wedding day three times. In the meantime, we had the chance to connect and get to know each other better during their fall engagement session at Riverwood Conservancy in Mississauga.

The Kortright Centre Wedding in Vaughan

Chelsey and Jordan’s wedding day took us to several locations, but I wanted to write about their Kortright Centre wedding specifically. It was my first time shooting there, and the experience we had and the photos we captured were so impactful that I felt the venue was worth dedicating the entire title of this blog post.

For this wedding, I enjoyed working with Jacquie as a 2nd photographer. She’s been helping me out on and off for the past 11 years, so it was great to work with her again for this one. The day started with me photographing Chelsey getting ready at her parent’s house while Jacquie was with Jordan and his groomsmen at the Holiday Inn hotel. After the getting ready photos, we headed to St. Joseph’s Church in Mississauga for the ceremony.

Our next stop was the Kortright Centre for Conservation in Vaughan, where we had planned to take family photos and capture some beautiful shots of the bride and groom with their bridal party. The day wrapped up with the reception dinner and party at Chateau Le Jardin in Woodbridge.

With all the different locations, there was a lot of coordination involved, and Jacquie and I knew we had to stay on top of everything to ensure the day went off without a hitch.

The Start of The Day, Getting Ready Photos

When I arrived at Chelsey’s parent’s house, I was impressed by how quickly the makeup and hairstyling were done. Usually, I have to wait for the bride to be ready before we can start taking photos, but this time, Chelsey was all set and ready for me! I got there early enough to capture the final touches from the makeup artist before we moved into the main bedroom for the “getting into the dress” photos.

Before that, I photographed Chelsey’s two flower girls with fantastic images of how they play with her veil and admire her wedding dress. With everything running smoothly, I had plenty of time to photograph all the details Chelsey had prepared, and we were ready for the next part of the day.

Chelsey’s mom helped her into the dress, and I captured some really emotional moments between them. We had two reveals planned: the first was her dad walking into the room and giving Chelsey a warm, emotional hug, and the second was Chelsey walking down the stairs to her bridesmaids, who were waiting for her.

It’s incredible to see when people genuinely share the bride’s happiness and help elevate her joy even more. After capturing all the images we had planned, I left the house and headed to the next location: St. Joseph’s Church in Mississauga.

Church Wedding Ceremony for This Kortright Centre Wedding

While I was working with Chelsey, Jacquie had the opportunity to capture some fantastic photos of Jordan and the groomsmen. There is only so much space in a hotel room for creative pictures, especially of groups, so Jacquie took the guys outside to get more natural, documentary-style shots of them walking around and having fun.

Once I arrived at the church, Jacquie, Jordan and the groomsmen were already there. Quickly, we update each other on the progress of the photos and what the next move will be. Jacquie got ready to welcome Chelsey and the bridesmaids when they arrived. Then, I headed inside the church to start photographing my favourite part—the unposed, documentary-style shots of the wedding ceremony.

With everything running smoothly and on time, the ceremony began as planned. It was amazing to see the joy on Jordan and Chelsey’s faces as they finally got to share their marriage with family and friends. After having to postpone three times, “the third time’s a charm” really rang true for them.

The Photo Session at Kortright Centre for Conservation in Vaughan

Excited to have already checked off two locations out of four, I arrived at the Kortright Centre for Conservation in Vaughan. I parked the car and quickly headed to the spot where we would take the family photos.

While I focused on the posed images of Jordan and Chelsey with their families, Jacquie captured some behind-the-scenes moments of everyone waiting for their turn. Jacquie was only scheduled for six hours, so she left shortly after that.

And just like that, I was on my own again, ready to take some great shots at the Forestry Path. After we finished the family photos at the Cathedral of Trees, the family members headed out. I then took Chelsey, Jordan, and the bridal party around the visitor center and toward the Forestry Path for more photos.

It was mid-August, and the temperature was cooler but bright enough to work with my couple and the bridal party inside the forest. I was thrilled to get all the shots Chelsey had in mind, including the bridal party photos, some intimate couple shots, and giving the videographers time to do their part. Perfect, I thought. There’s just one more thing to do.

The Wedding Reception at The Chateau Le Jardin

I knew arriving at the Chateau Le Jardin and setting up everything would be a rush. Once arrive at the venue I parked right in front of the hall assigned to my couple and offloaded all my equipment. I had photographed other weddings at this location several times before, so it was easy for me to navigate around.

I quickly set up my lighting and got to work capturing the venue’s decorations and detail shots. With no help this time, I knew I had to get everything done before the couple arrived. There were also a few people who hadn’t made it to the Kortright Centre, so I needed to photograph them as soon as they arrived.

Just as I finished the detail shots, Chelsey asked me to head outside, where I captured some beautiful photos of their grandmothers and took fun, lively group shots with their friends. Now that everything I needed to capture was checked off, I could immerse myself into the party time of their wedding day.

The energy was electric, and my goal was to capture that vibe. The dance floor was packed, and everyone was having a great time, with smiles all around. After photographing the cake cutting, my coverage was almost over, so I invited Chelsey and Jordan outside for some nighttime photos.

Nighttime Photography on a Full Moon

They knew my passion for nighttime photography, so they were eager to join me. Charlie, one of the videographers, came along as well. There was a full moon for these two, and the atmosphere outside was beautiful and intimate. I was able to create a couple of unique signature photos for them before wrapping up.

It’s incredibly rewarding to be able to deliver exactly what your couple wants and even more. Over the last 25 years, I’ve learned to always aim high and treat each wedding as if it were a million-dollar booking. I’m thrilled I could give Chelsey and Jordan for their Kortright Centre wedding the images they dreamed of, along with a few extra surprises.

Thank you, Chelsey and Jordan, for sharing your smiles with me and making your dreams come true.

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

Here is another wedding in Vaughan with great reception experience, Lauren and David’s wedding at Chateau Le Parc.