The Forth
The Forth is an elegant private restaurant in the heart of Danforth. Restaurant weddings are casual, fun, and very friendly affairs with a focus on simpler things. The Forth is a chic neighborhood establishment perfect for weddings and intimate affairs. The two-story venue allowed for cocktail hour to be upstairs and the reception to be downstairs. It also allowed for some fun birds-eye views of the dance floor later in the evening. The pod lights running along the ceiling even gave the effect of a starry night sky during the couple’s first dance.
Danforth Weddings
With so many large scaled multi-day events happening this month, I was really looking forward to a Danforth Wedding. The Danforth might be associated with the lively neighborhood Greektown. However crowds come for its international mix of restaurants, cafes, and bars. It is the perfect definition of Toronto’s hotpot culture. It also hosts many restaurant weddings for couples looking for something casual and different. The drawback, however, is its lack of parks and gardens for wedding portrait sessions. City traffic doesn’t always allow enough time to go somewhere off-site. So for most of my couples, we simply take a walk on The Danforth. Thanks to the advancement of Google earth, I can take a walking tour of the local area ahead of time and find key features that highlight the neighborhood. There are plenty of pretty spots. You just have to explore and look for them.
Filipino Traditions
Ceremony
This wedding was a Philipino and Greek fusion. The wedding ceremony at St Isaac Jogues Catholic Church was my favorite part of the entire day. It was a Catholic ceremony with Philipino traditions mixed in. They brought the Candle, Cord, and Veil to pay respect to their culture. I love this tradition because each element has a strong meaning behind it. It’s also a nice way to involve important loved ones into your ceremony. Traditionally the ceremony is very religious. So the Candle, Cord, and Veil are no different. For this wedding, they had a Catholic ceremony and asked their officiant to customize it to the occasion. Obviously he was happy to oblige. And as a result, the guests loved it.
The veiling ceremony bonds the bride and groom together so they are recognized as one. The veil lays over the bride’s head and the other side over the groom’s shoulder as a symbol of unity. This also represents a wish for good health and protection during their life as husband and wife. Similar to The Veil Ceremony, the Yugal or infinity shaped cord represents the couple’s bond and union. Finally, their sponsors will place the Yugal on top of the veil as the couple receives their blessing.
Reception
After the ceremony, everyone headed The Forth for the reception. The evening events included a first dance, cake cutting, and family speeches. The Money Dance was a fun way to add the bride’s culture into their wedding day. It kicked off the reception’s festivities and opens up the dance floor. The guests all take turns dancing with the bride and groom. As the guests dance, they pin money onto the couple’s outfits. It was a great way to get their guests dancing. And the money they received is a symbol of good fortune and a contribution towards their financial future.
For couples on a tight budget, this is a great inspiration wedding. It keeps things simple and intimate allowing you to focus more on each other instead of little details.
