Gillian + Michael | Wedding at the Spice Factory | Hamilton Wedding Photographer

Now, don’t get me wrong, every single wedding I photograph is special to me. But Gillian + Mike’s day, oh it’s something else. I first met Gill at my very first Canada Photo Convention in Vancouver, in 2015! She is also a talented wedding photographer and we hit it off right away! You can see her work here! We spent the entire week together (and Alisha!) and have kept in touch since! When Gill and Mike reached out to ask me to photograph their wedding at the Spice Factory in Hamilton, Ontario they hadn’t even booked the venue! We set up a facetime date and I could barely wrap my mind around the fact that they wanted to fly little ol’ me to Hamilton to capture their day!

If you know Gill and Mike then you know that they are two of the kindest, thoughtful, and warm people you’ll ever meet. I landed in YYZ and they met me at my hotel with the biggest hugs and the sweetest welcome gift. It was technically my first time meeting Mike, but it didn’t feel like it! I spent Friday getting my bearings, wandering around downtown Hamilton, and visiting a few of the many waterfalls within the city. (DUH.) That evening was their rehearsal, where I was welcomed into their families with hugs, delicious food, and nonstop laughs.

You’ll notice a theme very quickly as you scroll through their wedding at the Spice Factory. With a wedding hashtag like #maketheuniverseglow, you can bet there was no shortage of celestial elements to their day. From incorporating their zodiac’s constellations into the gorgeous stationary, to planning a moonlit ceremony, the telescope on the patio for late night viewing, and the most unique moon-globe guestbook, being a part of their wedding day truly felt like you were a part of something much, much bigger.

I have too many favorite moments to count, but here’s a few to keep your eyes open for throughout the day…Gill’s first look (and shot of sambuca) with her dad, wedding party portraits at the gorgeous Dundurn Castle, a stop at Smalls Coffee for pre-ceremony espresso, the ring-warming ceremony that passed their rings to each guest throughout the ceremony, DJ Muffled Suitcase who spun vinyl, late night pulled pork via a food truck on the patio, and the most epic selfie ever with all their guests! Needless to say, I didn’t want the night to end, even with an 8 am flight back home the next day.

Shoutout to the talented group of vendors who made this day so special :

Venue : The Spice Factory
Florist : Hello Midge Flower Co.
Catering : Dora’s Catering
Wedding Dress : Jordan De Ruiter
Suits : EPH Apparel 
DJ : Muffled Suitcase
Videographer : Pocket Change Productions
Stationary : Chelsea Peters Illustration
Makeup : JC Creative
Hair : Styles by Steff
Rings : Anice Jewelry