A LIL’ BIT OF AN AWESOME AIRSHIP37 WEDDING WITH A Brit & A Blonde Photography

Yvonne and Kevin got married at Airship 37. Toronto photographers A Brit and A Blonde.beautifully captured the stylish urban downtown wedding.

You state in your blog, “What you won’t find are tacky pics, tacky links, tacky this and tacky that. No tacky photos taken by tacky photographers of brides sitting in front of tacky fountains. Yep, this blog is 100% fountain-free, so if they’re the kind of photos you like, please look away now…” By announcing this creative assertion on your blog you are setting the tone for the type of work you do. Can you describe how this manifesto has shaped your work and the responses you get from your clients?

A Brit & A Blonde started because when Jason and I got married 5 years ago – we had a seriously difficult time finding a photographer for our wedding. We were just seeing portfolios of overly staged, cringe worthy, contrived poses. It was not us or our style at all. We both worked in ad agencies at the time – and photography had always been a hobby of ours – we made a bold decision to quit our cushy ad jobs as Mad Men and become the wedding photographers that we couldn’t find. We hoped that other couples in Toronto would dig our approach to do wedding photography differently.

The unique composition of your photos is striking. Is this something you focus on, creating visually striking photos with not the most obvious choices of how to frame a picture?

Awww shucks! Thanks that is super sweet of you. I think a big part of it is we have an extremely different background than most wedding photographers. We didn’t go to photography school and learn all the rules. So we create our own look and colour outside the lines.

You describe Airship37 as follows, “Airship37 just next to the Distillery District is a wonderfully blank canvas that you can really make your own.” Can you describe what your impressions of Airship37 were and its potential for a photographer to shoot a wedding in.

The location is really wonderful. Just outside the Distillery District. It is a great space that can comfortably fit a large wedding – which is not easy to come by in Toronto. We have shot a few different wedding there and each one feels completely unique and has its own vibe. The cocktail area is great for mingling. The Airstream outside in the outdoor area is such a fun touch. The possibilities are endless – every time we have seen it, it transforms into the vision of that couple. And for a photographer that is pure perfection.

The wedding pictures of Yvonne and Kevin’s wedding look fun and playful, while still being elegant and stylized. How was all this accomplished ?

That is our secret ingredient. We want to provide our couples with a variety of moods and feelings in the images. Not just one note.

What three words would you use to describe the photographs from this Airship37 wedding?

3 words that is tough – this is not a cop out but I would pick “Yvonne and Kevin” – it is them through and through. They were our muses that day and the images are a reflection of who they are and what they are all about in all their fun and awesomeness.

The picture of the guests looking at the photographs on the wall conjures so many emotions as it seems to be a precious moment where the wedding stood still and there was time for quiet reflection. What are your thoughts on this photograph and what were you thinking when you took it?

The photo wall meant a great deal to Yvonne & Kevin – it showcased their favorite images of themselves and their families through the years. When I noticed a big group of guests looking up at it, and they all happened to be perfectly positioned in front – that is a moment when as a photographer the clouds part, the sun starts shining and you hear the “ahhhhhh” sound of the photography gods and you click the shutter button.

The set-up the wedding in the photographs appears to be a combination of luxurious minimalism with poignant accents that created a stunning setting for the wedding. What were your impressions of the setup and how did that translate to your beautiful photographs?

Yvonne & Kevin opted for a circular ceremony set up, which is quite different. And worked really beautifully with the space. So they were surrounded by friends and family. Although they had a lot of guests, this allowed it to feel quite intimate. Yvonne did a lot of the décor/details herself. She is a DIY queen. Which adds a lovely personal touch to the day and the images.

The photos you took in the Goodherham Lounge have a distinctly different quality to them than the ones taken in the Hangar. And again the exterior shots have a distinct, fresh look to them as well. You tapped into the different lighting scene and look of the spaces. What are some of the ways you bring out the unique qualitites of spaces you are in?

As wedding photographers we are always in different places and spaces. We know that our couples have specifically chosen these spots to celebrate their big day – our goal is to harness the natural light or lighting and show what it felt like to be there that day. The venue and locations are a big part of the mood and tone of the wedding.

You captured some fun, spontaneous moments with the guests at the wedding, capturing expressions of joy and wonderment. Is this something you are looking for?

We shoot in a photojournalistic way – so we are acting as flies on the wall – always looking around to see what moments are happening. And at a wedding, there is never any shortage of sweet, funny, touching, heartfelt, awesome, moments. You just need to keep your eyes open. Some moments will be small moments, some will be big moments, some will be once in a lifetime moments, and some (and my personal faves) will be moments between the moments. They are all equally important parts of the day that all add up to tell the story of that particular wedding.