claire & lauren
Ceremony & Reception Venue: Le Sélect Bistro, Toronto
Portrait Locations: The Well, Massey Park & Downtown Toronto
An Intimate Toronto Wedding at
Le Sélect Bistro
Not every wedding needs a grand entrance, a first dance, or a packed schedule to be unforgettable.
For Claire and Lauren, their September 27 wedding was about celebrating their relationship surrounded by the people who mattered most. With approximately 50 guests, no formal wedding party, and an intimate restaurant ceremony, they created a day that felt relaxed, personal, and true to who they are.
And honestly? There's something pretty wonderful about a wedding that doesn't feel the need to follow a rulebook.
A Quiet First Look Above Toronto
Their wedding morning began with a rooftop first look overlooking the Toronto skyline.
Before joining their guests, Claire and Lauren made time for something just for the two of them: a wedding portrait session around the city.
We started with the rooftop views, then headed to Massey Park for a little greenery before making our way to The Well, where Toronto's contemporary architecture offered a completely different backdrop.
One of the things I love about photographing weddings in Toronto is how much variety you can find within a short distance. From quiet green spaces to bustling urban streets, each location brought something different to their portraits.
And with the photo session happening before the ceremony, we had the opportunity to explore without taking time away from their celebration with family and friends.
A Little Parisian Charm at
Le Sélect Bistro
The celebration continued at Le Sélect Bistro, a French restaurant on Wellington Street West in downtown Toronto.
With its warm interiors, charming architectural details, wine cellar, and inviting patio, the restaurant offered a wonderful variety of settings for their wedding portraits.
More importantly, it provided an intimate atmosphere for a celebration centred on good company, meaningful connections, and sharing a meal together.
Before the ceremony, we made time for portraits around the restaurant and photographs with their families.
By late morning, their guests began arriving for the ceremony.
With around 50 of their closest family members and friends gathered together, Claire and Lauren exchanged vows in an intimate setting at Le Sélect Bistro.
There was no elaborate production or unnecessary formality. Just two people getting married, surrounded by a room full of people who came to celebrate them.
Following the ceremony, guests enjoyed cocktail hour while we captured family portraits and the moments unfolding around them.
An Intimate Ceremony Surrounded by Loved Ones
Instead of a traditional evening reception filled with scheduled entrances and formal dances, Claire and Lauren chose a relaxed lunchtime celebration.
The afternoon brought everyone together over food, conversation, and a thank-you speech.
It was a reminder that a wedding doesn't need to include every tradition to feel complete.
Sometimes, the most meaningful celebrations are the ones where couples give themselves permission to keep what matters and leave everything else behind.
One of my favourite things about photographing intimate weddings is how much room they leave for genuine connection.
With fewer moving parts and a more relaxed timeline, there's often more opportunity to be present, spend time with loved ones, and enjoy the experience without feeling rushed from one tradition to the next.
Claire and Lauren's wedding was a wonderful example of that.
From their rooftop first look and photo session around Toronto to their restaurant ceremony and intimate lunch, their celebration reflected what mattered most to them.
And that's exactly what wedding photography should preserve: not just what the day looked like, but what made it theirs.
