I blinked my eyes shut, opened them up and BAM...the 2018 season is wrapped up with a nice bow. And not only that, but the holidays are around the corner and the time has come to start rolling out my very favourite posts: the year in review series!!

I'm kicking things off a day early today with a roundup of my favourite DRESS MOMENTS from the whole year! A veil that flies out behind her, a unique and elegant low-back moment, everything tulle and shimmer and in motion -- coming at ya!! 

Starting with this epic twirl for Kate and her Hayley Paige gown...



And this incredible silhouette for Michelle's IGAR gown at Orchardview:



I still can't even talk about Brittany's Hayley Paige gown at sunset, with its infinite volume and subtle blush tones that take my breath away. 



Sarah, you are a bridal vision with this perfectly tailored gown and train:



This next photo is close to my heart for a few reasons. One: the stunning Maid of Honour, Cat, is a dear friend. Two: this candid moment shows her fluffing out her best friend's Hayley Paige veil, showcasing the gorgeous lace detail that matched Kate's dress perfectly. 

Cat was one of the most attentive and supportive maids I've ever encountered, it was a delight to see <3 



Amanda's off the shoulder detail -- flawless!! This style suited her so perfectly. Gown is from the Ti Adora collection.



Loving the open back and sparkle elements of Chelsea's destination wedding gown. She was SO elegant, and if you need a refresher of this gorgeous Antigua wedding, here you go!!



Whitney's Winter wedding look is to die for, and got so much love on Instagram after I shared photos of their City Hall wedding this past January. And if you're wondering where she picked up this classic number, it's from Club Monaco! Genius. 



UGHHH, one of my favourite dress-on-the-hanger shots from this season: Anna got ready in this insanely cool loft space in Toronto. The window ledge was tailor made for this photo -- I'm obsessed. Keep scrolling to see Anna wearing this beautiful gown!



Oh hi, B. Still not over it. 



All hands on deck to get Karen ready to go meet her soon-to-be-husband! 



This heavenly bridal prep space meets Kelsey's spaghetti strap gown -- just wait until you see her wearing this in a few more scrolls...



Mary Clare had to find not only a dress that looked good standing up, but that fell perfectly to the ground each time she'd crouch for a photo with her two kiddos! Perfection.  



Now that's a veil moment... It hasn't been long but in case you'd like a refresher on Kristen & Nathan's luxurious wedding at the Westin Twenty Two, I've got you.



Jaymee's veil also caught a little height in this photo and it's one of my faves from their wedding day at the Horticulture Building. 



Oh Miss Kaylie, how could we forget... Looking so elegant in her Hayley Paige gown at an Evermore sunset. Missing everything about this day!



Living for this lace detail on Susanna's gown, hung up in the guest house at Le Belvedere!



Zero words, only heart eyes for Kate in this photo. 



Speaking of Kate, Kate Wallace is looking like a PRINCESS in this royal wedding gown. This Herb Garden wedding was truly one of my faves from the Summer!



Back detail for days... Michelle, I miss you. Why do you live so far away?



Another Hayley Paige gown waiting patiently for her wearer...



And a front view of Chelsea's incredible bridal details in Antigua...



Who could forget this blush gown by Mori Lee from Sinders Bridal House? Celina's wedding at Andaz was the perfect way to kick off the wedding season this year! 



Krissy, you didn't think I'd forget about your lacey open back number in MEXICO, did ya? Still having dreams about this Grace Loves Lace gown that looked like it was made just for you. 



Oooh, off-beat for a wedding dress, but killer for a styled shoot planned by Wild Ivy Events!! This boho "bride" looked so magical all day. 



Catherine is giving me Gatsby-glam vibes from this ornate cutout detail -- take a peek at their wedding day to relive it. 



It's even better off the hanger... Here's Susanna with a full length dress shot just next to the best view from Le Belvedere. 



Oh, and here's Maeghan by that view you requested...



A simple, minimal, yet gorgeously detailed shot of Brittany's Hayley Paige gown on a bodice (borrowed by her amazing wedding planner, TOAST Events!). I've never photographed a dress on a bodice before, and I hope it's not the last time!! 



Kristen's faux-fur addition kept her cozy for this mid-October wedding day. Such a good idea if you're planning a Fall wedding to consider something like this!! 



Still can't get enough of this off-the-shoulder moment... 



Okay there is officially no dress ever that has soaked up this much sunshine for a photo... Meghan's gown had SO many layers and I'll never forget how much we laughed trying to get them all organized as she got dressed in this Andaz Suite. 



It looked even better on though... Love this girl with my whole heart!! 



A little swooshing by the ceremony arbor never hurt nobody... Love this photo of the beautiful Catherine:



Okay, pause for a moment to admire the way Sarah's hair comb by Sarah Walsh Bridal matches her Cristiano Lucci gown!



A magical hook in a fireplace? That makes for a heavenly dress moment always. Looking back on Michelle & Patrick's dream wedding in Kingston over here. 



How is it possible that Kelsey found movement in her gown while every hair on her head was perfectly still... It's entirely likely that she's an angel. 



Speaking of angels, my beautiful friend Anna whom I miss terribly and can't WAIT to see at Christmas:



Y'all know I have a thing for rolling racks in a bridal suite... 



I'll end this post with one of my fave dress shots ever, which begs the question: how many bridesmaids does it take to carry a Hayley Paige gown...?

'Tis the season folks, and I'm going to keep these posts coming! I'm SO pumped about a few new additions to the year in review series line-up, including behind the scenes and a twist on the "cutest pups" post this year. 

STAY TUNED!! xo

You've caught me at a weird time.

My entire world right now is existing on the border between crazy-out-of-my-mind-busy and literally NOTHING scheduled on the horizon. Allow me to explain. On Friday morning, this bright-eyed and bushy-tailed ball of nerves will be hooked up to an IV and wheeled into the OR for a quick but terrifying surgery: an adult tonsillectomy. 

I've had recurring tonsillitis for 10 years now, which means every so often (and with less and less time between each incident...), my tonsils swell up so massively that it essentially blocks my airway and prevents me from opening my mouth. CUUUUTE. 

The only way to fix it is to go in to the ER, have a nurse practitioner spray acid into my mouth and slice the back of my throat open until hot tears stream down my face (Okay, the acid is a numbing drug and the size of the incision is about 5mm, but still. NUHTHANKS.) I've had that super fun party-for-one about 5 times over the last decade, and hopefully it's over for good. These badboys are coming out along with their besties, the adenoids. 

Remember this wedding? 

Well I had that procedure done only 18 hours beforehand, and was on IV antibiotics right up until the very second I had to drive to Brockville to meet Michelle for her bridal prep. It was the closest call to date and I am not okay with that possibility happening in future seasons.

Since the recovery time is 3 weeks and I have now officially ended my wedding season, I'm free to have the surgery and spend my days in pain/bed and without a voice. And if you're thinking, didn't you just launch a podcast? You would be correct. I sure did, and I've recorded three full episodes ahead of time so that content can still be coming out while I'm giving my best performance as Ariel.

I'm writing this post to keep you in the loop for a few things:

1. Now you know why I've disappeared from Instagram (although sneak peeks from this wedding last weekend will continue to roll...)

2. A little motivation for you all: the stuff we manage to get done during times of stress (ex. before a vacation!) reminds us how hard we CAN work on any given day. If you're behind on a few things, work like you're going into surgery for a few days and you'll be right as rain, babe. 

3. Podcast episodes will continue to drop, so please make sure you're subscribed! Episode 3 and 4 are lit, don't miss them.

4. The year in review blog series will begin on December 1st! I've been busy compiling my favourite photos from each category (weddings, engagements, florals, ring shots etc.!) and will be slowly sharing 7 posts throughout the month. It's one of my FAVE times of the year, so get excited for that! And to catch up on last year's series, click here!

5. If you email me in the next day or two, please note that my out of office is already on even though the surgery isn't until Friday. You might get this bounce-back, so don't be alarmed:

Hey there!

This is not my favourite type of out-of-office to be sending out. Usually I get to brag about jetting off and shooting a wedding in paradise, or enjoying a day at Le Nordik to celebrate the end of wedding season, but this is no such out-of-office. 

Instead, you can essentially consider me deceased because I'm recovering from having my tonsils removed; something they RARELY do to adults because of the pain. Yeah. Super fun, right. #CoffinEmoji

I won't be dead for long, though. I'll be answering emails in bed sporadically, but please also excuse any spelling mistakes or excessive exclamation points and write them off as side effects from too many pain meds. I'm really painting a nice picture for ya, here. You're the best clients ever and I'm SO thankful for your continued support always. I'll be back to my old self and taking on clients again come mid-December!!

Laura

xo

See you on the other side! (Not literally, I hope...

he doctor's say there's only a 1% chance...) 

As the season comes to a close I can't help but get a bit emotional about all of the incredible memories that were made in 2018. Jaymee and Graham's wedding feels like the perfect one to highlight something that I've come to appreciate more than ever: beauty. On this spectacular and luxurious day, there was so much beauty. It was in the sparkle of her shoes, in the sunlight during our time together shooting portraits, and it was certainly in the elegant reception executed by The Design Co.

This wedding has been much anticipated after many sneak peeks on Instagram! Jaymee & Graham, the day is finally here! Dig in to a collection of my very favourite photos and enjoy!  

Heavenly!

















Jay, this is my FAVE photo of you from the whole day <3 




























While guests were enjoying the cocktail hour...






Jaymee, Graham, and I were making the most of Lansdowne at sunset. So stunning!!






After the cocktail bar had closed, the drapes were drawn to reveal the most elegant reception space in the Horticulture Building. Trust me when I say, Hort has never looked this done up!! Chandeliers and greenery hanging from the ceiling, and candles on every possible surface -- it was incredible to witness. 







A head table made of mirrored glass? Obsessed!


























Jaymee & Graham -- what an incredible last minute addition to my 2018 calendar! Thank you SO much for trusting in me to document your gorgeous wedding celebration. I hope your first few weeks as husband and wife have been everything you've been dreaming of! All my love!

THE CREATIVE TEAM:

Design & Coordination: The Design Co.

Hair: Jet Black (Gillian)

Makeup: Meghan Harvey

Bride's Dress: Vera Wang

Bride's Shoes: Jimmy Choo

Bridesmaids Dresses: Nordstrom

Menswear: Harry Rosen

Invitations: Paper Studio

Florals: The Design Co. Florals 

Cake: The Girl With The Most Cake

Venue: The Horticulture Building

Rentals and Furniture: Plate Occasions, LouLou Lounge, Creative Edge Studio, Wedecor, Amy + Jen Decor

Draping: Sage Designs

Photography: Laura Kelly Photography

Catering: Sur-lie Restaurant

DJ: Oxygen Entertainment (DJ Ray)