Intimate Park Wedding Ceremony + Portraits

All I could think about as I perused these especially intimate wedding photographs by Martina Wendland, was the line from the classic vows, "In sickness, and in health".  It must have been frustrating for this sweet couple, Nicole + Paul, to have to deal with an injury just days before their wedding, but the expressions on their faces belie nothing of consternation nor resentment at Paul's reliance on a crutch and need to sport a cast on their wedding day.  Instead, Martina captured Paul brimming with pride as he leans on his new wife for support, and Nicole bestowing affection and tenderness upon her husband.  For better or for worse right?

Martina described the elegant simplicity of Nicole + Paul's wedding day as follows, "We chose a spot in the park under a canopy of trees, the two rows of trees forming an 'aisle' and providing shade from the afternoon sun. After picking a casual bouquet from a downtown florist and having her hair done, Nicole walked to the park with her family and Paul met her there with his."  How calm and inviting their wedding day sounds!

Whether a couple is dealing with unfortunate circumstances leading up to their wedding day, or is struggling to plan a wedding of any size or style, I think Nicole + Paul's wedding photos remind us not to lose sight of the fact that at the end of the day, the marriage itself is sacred and deserves to be celebrated, protected, and cherished in a way that honours the purpose of why we throw a wedding.   

Credits // Photography - Martina Wendland Photography / Florals - Flowers on York / Hair - Pauline Koert of Pin Up Hair Studios / Officiant - Jen Denys from All Seasons Weddings / Venue - Lower Queen's Park, Stratford, Ontario / Film Lab - The FIND Lab //