Countryside Estate Inspiration at Dundurn Castle
Canadian couples take note: you don't need to fly across the ocean to find the European setting of your dreams! Located in Hamilton, Ontario, Dundurn Castle is a little piece of the English countryside - tucked in a busy downtown core. It is the perfect spot for dreamy photos in the heart of the city and provided a beautiful backdrop for our English countryside editorial. Our talented team of local vendors was inspired by the colours, textures and scents of summer in the country. We were struck by the beauty of sweet cherries on the trees and the warm, caramel glow of sunsets in lush meadows. Imagining a beautiful bride running through a field in the English countryside set our hearts a flutter and we knew we had to capture that magic and share it with stylish brides and grooms-to-be. With this inspiration in mind, we chose a palette of peach, caramel and blush, which were a perfect warm contrast to the stone architecture of the castle. This mix of classic softness and modern, cool elements were carried throughout the editorial and gave it a beautiful depth. The sweetheart table, set in a tree-lined gravel lane, had a perfect view of the castle and the lush grounds beyond. We chose ivory linen with a soft blush runner and accented it with charcoal grey chargers, modern silver flatware and beautiful etched goblets. The stunning florals, golden miniature cakes and fresh local fruit added just the right warmth and texture to the tablescape. The paper goods coordinated perfectly in soft blush and metallic gold with sweet vintage stamps. Naturally, our blushing bride looked absolutely radiant in an off-the-shoulder gown and ethereal jewels as she explored the grounds. Our team loved being transported to summertime in the English countryside! We hope our editorial inspires stylish Dear Gray Magazine readers to share a bit of this feeling with their guests.
-Vivian Lyttle
I am sooo excited to say that you can find this shoot in the pages of the newest issue of Dear Gray Magazine!
Thank you to the incredible team who helped me put this shoot together and for making it as stunning as I had hoped!
Styling: Vivian Lyttle Events
Menus and place cards: Via Calligraphy
Florals: Fiorella Floral Design
Hair accessories: Frilly Bits
Hair: Sarah Baksh
Wedding dress: By Catalfo
Invitation Suite: Little North Company
Makeup: Love Me Makeup
Cake: Sweet Avenue Cakery
Decor: Simply Beautiful Decor
Jewellery: Kim Drosdick
Model: Zoe from Elite Models
Film Lab: Canadian Film Lab
The Very Best of 2016
2016 was my best year yet and I couldn’t think of a better way to introduce my new website and branding then by doing a blog post with some of my absolute favourite photos from the year.
My 2016 season took me to new places and I got to meet so many new and wonderful people. Creating amazing relationships with my thirteen incredible couples, their families and friends, and vendors was something I will never forget. I also got to shoot my first destination wedding in Playa Del Carmen, Mexico and then was asked to shoot a friend from college’s wedding in Princeville, Hawaii. Can we just say DREAM COME TRUE! Seeing as I hadn’t traveled in years, I was feeling pretty lucky that I got to visit one of the most beautiful places on Earth. I also shot at a lot of new venues in Ontario I’ve never been too like Langdon Hall in Cambridge (probably my favourite venue right now), Reif Estate Winery, and the Berkeley Field House, just to name a few.
I was blessed with amazing couples that all had amazing and different weddings where I fell in love with my job more and more after every wedding I shot. When I leave a wedding at the end of the day, my heart feels soo full and it makes me strive to do the best job I can do for my couples.
These photos are only a FRACTION of my favourites from the past year. There were waaaaay too many to blog but you will see some more full weddings soon! I cannot wait to see what my 2017 season has in store for me and I can’t wait to share it with all of you!
Some photos shot while working for Alyssa Alkema, Tia Kristina, Paula Visco, Livi Shaw, Robin Sharp, and Christine Picheca.
