Sydney and Thomas first met on a rainy autumn night in 2015. They were both undergrads at the University of Toronto and were celebrating a mutual friend’s birthday at a local bar. By chance, they sat at the same table. There were other people there with them, but as soon as they started talking, they forgot they were there. It was easy, and when a conversation with a stranger is that easy, it means something.
A week later they had their first date. It was another rainy night, so they abandoned their plans to go out to eat and ordered pizza instead. Sydney and Tom talked for hours in a dorm room illuminated by candles and fairy lights, sharing who they were, the things they loved, where they’d been, and where they wanted to go. They were young and in that precarious time when you're figuring out the life you want to live. They both knew within the first few weeks of knowing each other that, no matter what paths their lives might take, they would be connected to each other. This was special.
They feel that they’ve had the incredible luck to grow up together over the past eight years. They each finished undergrad and professional school and started their careers. We’ve travelled across Canada, the USA, and Europe (Asia is next!). They moved into their first apartment. They’ve seen countless movies and musicals, explored museums and galleries, climbed mountains and swam in the ocean, sat by campfires under impossibly starry nights. They’ve become an inextricable part of each others’ families. They are each other’s family.
In June 2022, Sydney & Tom went on a trip to the West Coast of the USA, from Seattle to San Francisco to Los Angeles. They decided to go on a road trip from San Francisco to Los Angeles in order to see Big Sur, one of Sydney's bucket list items. On the first night of the drive they stopped in Carmel-by-the-Sea to spend the night. On a sunset walk along the beach, against a backdrop of bonfires and surfers and the first stars of the evening, they got engaged. Sydney said “yes” so fast that Tom barely made it down on one knee.
When planning their wedding, they had a bunch of things they were excited about and listed them out for me:
Tom grew up in Stratford and his family is deeply connected to the Stratford Festival; his parents have both worked there for decades - his mom as a director/choreographer for musicals, and his dad as an actor. His dad actually played the lead in the 2022 production of Richard III, the first big Shakespeare play in the theatre after opening.
Tom had Sydney's engagement ring designed and made by a local goldsmith who has made a lot of his family's jewelry over the years.
Sydney got ready with the bridal party in Tom's childhood home
Sydney wore a family heirloom ring on her right hand as her "something old" and her mom wore a navy dress as her "something blue.”
Tom's dad officiated the ceremony.
The flower girls are Sydney's younger cousins. Sydney was a junior bridesmaid in their parents' wedding fifteen years earlier.
Sydney's maternal grandmother made the wedding cake. She's an incredible baker and sugar artist and handcrafted hyperrealistic fake flowers out of sugar for the cake.
The Avon River in Stratford is next to the venue and has lots of beautiful (and sometimes vicious) swans. Their dessert at the reception is a pastry swan as a nod to them!
The day was perfectly planned and executed and represented the richness and depth of the relationship Sydney & Tom share. It was an honour to document this celebration for them and their families, and we wish them all the joy and happiness life has to offer!
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THE TEAM
Videography:
Bonsai Creative @bonsai.creative
www.bonsaicreative.ca
Photography:
JD Photography @juliedbaxter
www.jdphoto.ca/
Venue:
The Tom Patterson Theatre @stratfest
Florist:
Designs by Cate @designsbycate
Makeup Artist:
Dollface by Rita @dollfacebyrita
Hairstylist:
Brittany from Artline Salon
@hairartistry_ @artline_salon
Attire:
Tom's outfit:
Tux @shopsydney
Bowtie and Shoes @harryrosen
Sydney's outfit:
Dress @leaannbelterbridal
Earrings @mejuri
Veil @cassandrasilvestrobridal
Bridesmaid dresses @birdygrey
Jeweller:
Konrad's Gold & Gems @kundziu
DJ & Live Music:
@staceykaymusic
Cello: Ben Bolt-Martin
Violin: Andrew Chung
MB01UCVSN0ZIG3J