For Amanda and Brandon’s fireworks wedding with a tropical glam theme, I had the privilege of capturing the transformation of their dream into reality at one of my cherished venues, Edgewater Manor, in Stoney Creek.
Amanda later told me that I was one of the 14 photographers interviewed and made it to the top of their list. Their decision was further solidified when Bastin from Edgewater Manor recommended me after inquiring whether they had a preferred photographer they worked with.

Amanda and Brandon had a long list of photos they wanted to take, so Amanda created a PDF list of the specific shots she wanted to capture. Additionally, since their guests were important to them, they decided to hire Erika as a second photographer to cover the cocktail ceremony. At the same time, I worked with the couple and the bridal party.

How This Tropical Glam Fireworks Wedding Began

Amanda and Brandon chose an outdoor area for their summer wedding ceremony. Their first look was planned to take place by the water to complement their tropical theme with a minimalistic yet colourful selection of flowers. In the initial stages, Brandon considered arriving on a seadoo to their first-look photo location. Of course, he was to wear a coverall to protect his tuxedo; however, this idea was later abandoned. What a fun idea, though!

They were excited about having fireworks at their wedding from the beginning of the planning process. A surprise event for most guests would take place at the Edgewater Manor wedding ceremony area. For this purpose, they have hired John, the owner of Sky Jewel, with whom I have worked multiple times at Edgewater.

Amanda and Brandon mentioned that their fireworks display would last approximately 5 minutes. I was looking forward to capturing the beauty of the event, and I wanted to make sure everything was prepared on my end so that I could document it without any unexpected issues.

Getting Ready for This Tropical Glam Wedding

As Amanda prepared in the bridal suite at Edgewater Manor, Brandon and his groomsmen were getting ready for the wedding at their house. Erika travelled to their location to capture some fun and creative images of Brandon and his groomsmen. Meanwhile, Amanda, her bridesmaids, and her mom were preparing in the Edgewater Manor bridal suite.

The weather was beautiful, and everything went according to plan. The maid of honour, who is a professional photographer, was taking videos in a documentary style. Before putting on their dresses, we took some natural photos outside while they were in their robes. This helped to ease the tension of the day and capture some sweet moments with my bride and her bridesmaids.

Armed with Amanda’s shared shot list, I captured the moments while drawing inspiration from her ideas and adding my own creative touch. Amanda’s stunning wedding dress and veil provided plenty of inspiration to work with.

The First Look by The Lake

When Brandon arrived at the venue with his groomsmen, we were all set for their reveal and first look. Knowing this would be an emotional moment, we positioned the couple close to the lake while the bridal party stayed further back. Erika and I positioned ourselves strategically to ensure we were not included in the photos, allowing the couple to enjoy and cherish the special moment.

Inspired by Amanda’s shoot list, Erika and I captured some of our favourite wedding photos that summer at this specific wedding. To make the images complete, the couple brought their dog to them, and we took some adorable pictures with the three of them by the altar at the outdoor wedding ceremony at Edgewater Manor.

Once we finished with the wedding couple and all other bridal party images, Amanda went inside with Erika and her bridesmaids. At the same time, I stayed outside with the boys in anticipation of the wedding ceremony preparations.

Tropical Glam Wedding Ceremony

The tropical theme complemented the setting of the wedding ceremony. The palm trees in Edgewater Manor’s backyard matched well with their flower selections and minimalistic decoration. If you didn’t know the location of this wedding, you would definitely think that it was a Caribbean wedding with its beautiful blue skies and incredible views. Amanda and Brandon chose coconuts for their signature cocktail drink, which were nicely displayed and available to their guests after the ceremony ended.

The wedding ceremony was beautiful, emotional, and happy. There were tears, smiles, and laughter all around. After the lighting of the candles and the prayers, which were part of Amanda’s West Indian heritage, we made sure to capture some more important photos as Brandon carried her over his shoulders, leaving the ceremony area.

At that moment, they paused, and I managed to take a group photograph of all the guests at their wedding ceremony, with the couple and the bridal party in the middle. “What a fantastic way to conclude the wedding ceremony,” I thought to myself.

Coconuts as a Signature Drink for The Cocktail Hour

The cocktail ceremony was unique, happy, and glamorous. The couple chatted with their guests, feeling at ease and not worrying about their photos since we had already taken care of them. I captured candid moments while Erika focused on capturing detailed shots of the interior and setting up for the upcoming wedding reception.

Because it was summertime, it was too early to begin sunset photos. However, I would ask them for those soft, golden hour photos later during the dinner reception. Time flew by as Amanda and Brandon enjoyed spending time with their friends and family. The couple’s wedding cocktail hour went by quickly, and soon, we were ready for their reception.

The Wedding Reception

After their grand entrance, I shifted my focus to preparing for the fireworks while also keeping an eye on the sun for sunset photos and noting its location for when it would dip behind the hill, casting a shadow over the lake. Erika had already left as she was hired only for the get-ready photos and the outdoor ceremony. Now, I had to ensure coverage of the speeches and the atmosphere in the reception area.

If you aren’t experienced with covering weddings, this might be too much for one person to handle. However, it was great since I prefer not to sit down during the downtime when guests are having dinner. It would be difficult for me to stand up after being on the move all day. As the sun set quickly, we went outside for our sunset photos and captured some soft images during the golden hour.

Both Amanda and Brandon seemed much less stressed after all the excitement of their wedding day. During our photo shoot, they were smiling and enjoying each other even more than before. My focus was on the light and their body language while they were taking care of their emotions in the photos, as well as all the other cute interactions between the two of them. It was wonderful to work with people like Amanda and Brandon.

The Wedding Fireworks and Why You Should Do Them if You Can

Fireworks on your wedding day are the perfect way to end the special day for you and your guests. Whether you can afford it depends on your priorities and budget. Nowadays, the cost of a fireworks show for your wedding day has decreased compared to before. It’s still an expense, but if you allocate your budget properly, you can definitely make it work.

Another thing to consider when doing fireworks is whether the venue location can get a permit for them. Edgewater Manor is one of the few wedding venues permitted to provide fireworks for their guests. For Amanda and Brandon’s wedding fireworks, they have hired John from Sky Jewel. I always make it a point to confirm the plan for the night’s fireworks show with him before setting up my lighting.

Once we finalized our action plans, I was all set for the grand finale. Photographing fireworks may seem relatively straightforward, right? Well, if you ensure that the exposure is correct, capturing the fireworks is somewhat easy. You just sit down and click. However, if you add people into the shot and try to properly light them and expose the fireworks, it’s a whole different story and requires a very different approach.

Additionally, because Edgewater Manor is located on the edge of Lake Ontario, the angles available for me to include the couple and the fireworks were quite limited. I had to either position my cameras very low or take a step back to include Amanda and Brandon in the frame.

How This Fireworks Show Get Back to Us More That We Expected

With all the plans in mind, the DJ invited the wedding guests outside while I positioned the couple in a place that would be best for everyone. The following 5 minutes went by quickly. Thanks to my preparation in advance of the fireworks, I was able to capture some amazing photos and document the wedding day beautifully.

I wrapped up the day’s coverage with some beautiful nighttime photos at Edgewater Manor. I took different angles than I usually do at this venue, wanting to give this couple a unique and memorable ending to their day. Guess what? The unique approach to the entire day, their complex planning process and the work of all wedding vendors have earned a place in The Wedding Ring Spring 2023 magazine.

This recognition is well-deserved, and I want to give full credit to Amanda and Brandon for their hard work. I also want to acknowledge the effort Erika and I put into capturing these gorgeous memories for them. Truly fantastic teamwork all around! Amanda and Brandon: A big thank you goes out to both of you, your friends, and your family for creating and enjoying a wedding worth remembering.

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

Here is another wedding with fireworks show, Joe and Nicole’s wedding at Piper’s Heath Golf Cub in Milton, ON.