Toronto Wedding Photographer

Eden and Moses' Intimate Wedding at the Beautiful R Garden Boutique in Pickering (Eritrea meets Nigeria!)

Hello all you lovely souls! Today am sharing the wedding of Eden and Moses!

Fun fact: These two are from cultural backgrounds that are the very representation of the cultures I grew up around. The bride is Eritrean by heritage and the groom is Nigerian. Having been born in Nigeria of Eritrean Heritage myself, I had to tell myself: Wow! What are the odds!

These lovely people were truly made for each other. I have to say I am quite lucky with the clients I have worked with in my career. Many are truly some of the most wonderful people one could meet. I first met Eden while covering another wedding a few years back. She was the wedding planner for that wedding and it was great to connect with another Eritrean wedding vendor! As fate would have it, years later I would cover her own wedding!

I started off the day at the Toronto Don Valley Hotel where Eden was getting ready along with her family and friends. At the same time my second shooter on this day (The lovely Shubila K) covered the groom getting ready with his family at his home. After the getting ready we all headed to the church ceremony that took place at the Calvary Church on Pape Avenue. It was a beautiful ceremony that started off with the main ladies of both sides lighting up a candle in unity. Moses’ brother officiated the ceremony and one of Eden’s friends sang the most beautiful song while Eden walked down the aisle in what was one of the most emotional moments I have ever witnessed!

After the beautiful ceremony we all headed to Pickering for the reception. It ended up being a bit of a rainy and humid day. The intimate wedding reception happened under a white tent. Wedding Designer Tristan of Luxe Design T.O created a beautiful vignette of white and green decor with hints of peach. One can never go wrong with these colors. Super Elegant!

The bride and groom had two entrances. The first entrance in their main wedding outfits and the second entrance happened after they both changed into the most amazing turquoise green Nigerian outfits! Eden’s Gele (Nigerian Head wrap) fit was so well done. She truly looked like a Nigerian Queen! There were lots of beautiful speeches to toast the bride and groom and of course lots of dancing!

To end the evening each table had takeaway slices of cake in a box (made by Hephzibah Delight - which is owned by Moses’s sister) and wow were they delicious!

As much as I loved their beautiful wedding day. I have to say I really enjoyed capturing their Melse (Traditional Eritrean day after the wedding ceremony) on Day 2 of their wedding weekend. The most beautiful light appeared for their portraits and I had the freedom and time to create some beautiful portraits with no interruptions. We took their photos in one of the gems of Scarborough: The Cedar Ridge Creative Centre. The portrait session was followed by their reception at a location in Riverdale.

Vendors (Hover over the names for the links):

Planner: Weddings with Nia

Bride’s Makeup at Wedding and Melse: BBM Beauty

Cake: Hephzibah Delight

Main Shooter: Karimah Gheddai (Me!)

Second Shooter for KGP: Shubila K

Decor: Luxe Designs T.O

Video and Live Streaming: F10 Studio

Singer at the Church: Hallelujah Ghide

Eritrean Food: Minia Catering

Nigerian Food: Heritage Afro Caribbean

Photobooth: Snaps N Co

Tent Rentals: Tent X

Wedding Venue: R Garden Boutique in Pickering

Wedding DJ: DJ Shorty

Melse Portraits: Cedar Ridge Creative Centre

If you would like to book me for your 2023 Wedding or Event then get in touch HERE!

Colorful Florals and Green Velvet Ring Box with couple's monogram -  photo taken by Toronto based Eritrean photographer Karimah Gheddai Photography
Colorful Florals and Green Velvet Ring Box with couple's monogram -  photo taken by Toronto based Eritrean photographer Karimah Gheddai Photography
Wedding Details from the intimate Eritrean Nigerian Canadian wedding
wedding dress detail shot toronto R Garden Boutique
Invitation suite Green, red and orange
Colorful Floral Bouquet - Green Orange White Yellow and Peach
Ring in bouquet photo by Karimah Gheddai Photography
Wedding details featuring the invitation suite, beautiful bowtie shoes
Eritrean Bride getting ready at Don Valley Hotel in Toronto photo by Toronto African Photographer Karimah Gheddai
Eritrean Bride getting ready at Don Valley Hotel in Toronto photo by Toronto African Photographer Karimah Gheddai
Eritrean Mom wearing a zuria fixes her daughter's wedding dress during her getting ready on her wedding day
Eritrean Bride getting ready with her Mom at Don Valley Hotel in Toronto photo by Toronto African Photographer Karimah Gheddai
Eritrean Bride has help from her sister in putting on her shoe on her wedding day
Brother helping groom put on his cufflinks
Groom's brother helping him get ready for his wedding
Wedding Ring and florals
Groom reading letter from bride
Bride is emotional after reading letter written by her husband
Wedding singer sings as the bride walks down the aisle
Ring Exchange at Nigerian Eritrean Wedding in Toronto Canada by Eritrean Toronto based photographer Karimah Gheddai
Wedding Portraits at The R Garden Boutique
Eritrean Bride - Photo by Toronto based Eritrean Photographer Karimah Gheddai
Wedding bouquet Photo of Bride
Intimate tent wedding at R Garden BoutiqueGreen White Peach Orange Decor by Luxe Designs T.O
Groom holds bride's dress as they walk during the wedding portraits session in Pickering
Intimate tent wedding at R Garden Boutique Green White Peach Orange Decor by Luxe Designs T.O
Green White Peach Orange Decor by Luxe Designs T.O
Green White Peach Orange Decor by Luxe Designs T.O
Wedding Cake with orange and white floral details
R Garden Boutique Wedding Pickering Green White Peach Orange Decor by Luxe Designs T.O
R Garden Boutique Wedding Pickering
R Garden Boutique Wedding Pickering
R Garden Boutique Wedding Pickering Ontario Eritrean Nigerian Wedding
R Garden Boutique Wedding Pickering Ontario Eritrean Nigerian Wedding
R Garden Boutique Wedding in Pickering Ontario Eritrean Bride Nigerian Groom
R Garden Boutique Wedding Pickering
Eritrean Bride and her friends - Photo by Toronto Eritrean wedding photographer Karimah Gheddai
Eritrean Wedding Toronto Entrance
Eritrean and Nigerian Food at a wedding in Pickering
R Garden Boutique Wedding Eritrean Nigerian Wedding
Nigerian Wedding Toronto Pickering traditional outfits - Photo by Karimah Gheddai Photography
R Garden Boutique Wedding in Pickering Ontario Eritrean Bride Nigerian Groom
R Garden Boutique Wedding
Weddings R Garden Boutique
R Garden Boutique Wedding - Mom with Bride Nigerian and Eritrean Outfits
Toronto Nigerian wedding photographer
toronto NIGERIAN wedding photographerNigerian Eritrean couple toronto Wedding - Photo by Karimah Gheddai
Eritrean Nigerian Couple's Melse Wedding Photos taken at Cedar Ridge Creative Centre in Scarborough by Eritrean Photographer Karimah Gheddai
Cedar Ridge Creative centre Wedding Photos
Eritrean Bride with beautiful traditional hairstyle at her Melse Portraits at Cedar Ridge Creative Centre in Scarborough
Cedar Ridge Creative Centre wedding photos in Scarborough - Toronto Eritrean Wedding Photographer Melse Kappa Kaba
Cedar Ridge Creative Centre Wedding Photos
Karimah_Gheddai_Photography_Nigerian_Eritrean_Canadian_Wedding
Eritrean Bride and Nigerian Groom in Traditional Eritrean outfits for their Melse Portraits in Scarborough Ontario. The Kappa or Kaba is a traditional gold embroidered outfit that is worn at an Eritrean wedding - Cedar Ridge Creative centre
Melse Photos Toronto Eritrean Nigerian Wedding Kappa
Melse Photos Toronto Eritrean Nigerian Wedding Kappa
Eritrean wedding photographer toronto Kappa Photos taken at Cedar Ridge Creative Centre
Melse decor toronto
Eritrean Wedding Decor Toronto Melse
Melse Decor Toronto
Toronto Eritrean Wedding
Eritrean Food catered by Minia Catering in Toronto for the Melse (Traditional eritrean wedding celebration)
Eritrean Bride with her mom at the Melse
Cedar Ridge Creative Centre Scarborough Portraits

Thank you for stopping by and spending a part of your precious day looking through my blog post. I am always honoured and grateful!

I hope to see you back here, or even better in person as we work together!

Until next time have a great one!

If you would like to book me for your 2023 Wedding or Event then get in touch HERE!

Josephine and Kwabena's wedding at the La Primavera Event Centre in Vaughan Featured on Today's Bride Magazine!

Hi Everyone! Welcome to 2023! Ahhh I cant believe I am actually saying that, 2023 wow! Time sure is moving quick!

Today I am featuring Josephine and Kwabena’s Wedding! This stunning event and cross border love story is currently featured on the latest issue of Today’s Bride Magazine (Canada’s leading Bridal Magazine!), which is now out in newsstands and stores all over the country! Thank you so much to this amazing publication for honouring us with a feature!

Karimah Gheddai Photography Feature

Josephine and Kwabena are teenage sweethearts (which is very rare to find these days) and I can’t say enough great things about these two. Just by being a part of their wedding, I could see how much love they have for each other and the people around them. I mean their wedding party consisted of eighteen people (if you include the bride and groom)! Each one of those wedding party members was willing to go above and beyond for the bride and groom that day. I mean they stood outside in the freezing cold for two hours with the utmost patience as we took their wedding portraits.

As well, the wedding guest list was over 400 people and it was a sight to see all of the guests welcome the bride and groom for their reception entrance!

I have shot at La Primavera Banquet Hall in Vaughan twice now, and I love this venue! They have a beautiful garden in the back that is absolutely gorgeous in the spring and summer, however as it was not yet spring at the time of the wedding, everything was not as green. Our initial plan was to take images at humber arboretum but after doing a quick site visit a few days before the wedding it was a total no go due to the lack of greenery and the general mushy conditions throughout the site (I highly recommend photographers do site visits to avoid having to work in unfavourable conditions). In a scramble, we needed to find a photo location nearby that was spectacular for photos. Well the location I found (after like 4 hours of searching) was sooo great and quite private which was nice for a really large bridal party and the extended family members that arrived at the portrait shoot. I was very happy with it!

I would like to give a special shoutout to my second shooter on this day; Shubila Khonga. I am truly grateful for all her assistance. We had to work with a large wedding party and she was a great help to me in keeping things moving along. I have worked with Shubila on a number of weddings and she is always motivated in her work. Please do check out her instagram and website and show some support!

One other person I would like to shout out is Loretta K. She was instrumental to the success of this wedding and the genuine love she has for the couple was so easy to see. Also I was so appreciative of the respect she afforded myself and my team, even making sure to save me some Jollof Rice at the traditional event!

Vendors:

Venue: La Primavera Event Space

Planner: Loretta Karikari, Matilda Karikari, and Josephine Adansi ; Coordinator- Vivian Amoah, Loretta Karikari and Matilda Karikari

Getting Ready Robe: Alice’s Secret @alicessecretng

M.U.A: Avaya Noelle @avaya.noelle

Josephine’s Gorgeous Dress: Amandalinas @amandalinasofficial

Cake: Cakes by Mavis @cakesbymavis

Hairstylist: Arthur Hair @arthurhairbridal

Bride's shoes: Badgley Mischka @badgleymischka

Groom's Suit: Suit Supply @suitsupply

Bridesmaids outfits: R’s Modern Fashion @r_modernfashion

Groomsmen outfits: Men’s Warehouse

Traditional outfits: Chevelle O. @chevelle__o

Decor: Luxe Soiree @luxesoiree

Florals: The Silk Gardener @thesilkgardener

M.C: Emcee Ebone @Emceeebone

DJ: DJ Shorty @djshorty6

Menu Cards: Jaleesa Reddick & Josephine Adansi

Portraits: Vaughan City Hall and Civic Centre

Bride’s MUA for Traditional Ghanaian Events: @beatbyashanti

Bride’s Hair for Traditional: @allurebyhk

Bridesmaids' Makeup: @eminentallure, @avaya.noelle, @a.onthebeat

 
 

If you would like to book me for your 2023 Wedding or Event then get in touch HERE!

Beautiful Ghanaian Canadian American wedding at the Vaughan Civic Centre - Taken by Toronto African Wedding Photographer Karimah Gheddai
Toronto Ghana Wedding African couple Orchid Bouquet and Marc Jacobs Daisy mischka badgley wedding shoesPerfume bottle - Mischka Badgley Shoes Toronto wedding African
Beautiful Ghanaian Canadian Bride in gorgeous getting ready robe captured by Toronto Eritrean African photographer Karimah Gheddai Photography.
Wedding details featuring a veil and gorgeous shoes - wedding photography by Toronto based wedding photographer Karimah Gheddai
Black Bride in Beautiful Custom getting ready robe - Ghanaian wedding
First Look at Element Hotel in Vaughan. Wedding photography by Toronto African Photographer Karimah Gheddai Photography. Ghanaian Wedding
Vaughan civic centre wedding day photo location for beautiful Ghanaian couple Josephine and Kwabena - Taken by Toronto based African photographer Karimah Gheddai
Wedding Portraits at the Vaughan Civic centre
Bride at Vaughan Civic centre for Wedding Photos
Karimah Gheddai Photography La Primavera Event Centre Toronto Mississauga African Ghana Wedding Photographer
Towering white cake at La Primavera Event Space in Vaughan
Wedding at La Primavera Banquet Hall in Vaughan. Groomsmen take a photo on the stage with the couple. Photo by African photographer Karimah Gheddai
Beautiful Ghanaian Wedding at La Primavera Banquet Hall captured by Karimah Gheddai Photography. Photo is of the bride and groom with the bridesmaids and bride on the stage
Ghanaian Wedding in Toronto
Guests joyously welcome bride and groom to the hall at La Primavera Event Space
Emotional Moment - Bride Sheds a tear as her maid of honor gives a speech

Thank you kindly for stopping by my blog and going through another one of my posts! I am always so happy and grateful to get to share my work and this wedding really was a joy to capture!

Thank you to again to Today’s Bride for showcasing this wedding on their latest issue! To know my work is now all over the country is just such an amazing thought!

Until next time have a great one!

-Karimah

If you would like to book me for your 2023 Wedding or Event then get in touch HERE!

Jamad and Loyan's Wedding at the Royal Ambassador Event Centre!

Hi Everyone!

Happy Fall! I am so happy to be starting off the Fall season with this blog post featuring the wedding of Somali Canadian couple Jamad and Loyan. It was definitely one of my absolute favourite weddings of last year. Planned by Weddings With Nia, It was a wedding certainly deserving of a standing ovation, and that she did get (by the bride and groom, guests and us vendors) at the end of the evening! Thank you to my lovely second shooter Shahzia for assiting me on this day! I am also super excited to share that this wedding was featured on the latest issue of Munaluchi Bride Magazine which was just released the other day! How cool!!! It’s awesome to see representation from Canadian Vendors (and black/ African vendors at that) on an international magazine focused on multicultural weddings. You can read the whole issue by clicking HERE.

Vendors:

Planner: Weddings With Nia

Location: Royal Ambassador Event Centre

Bouquet: Zuhoor Designs

Decor: Bliss Beginnings by Baneen

Tablescape pieces: Roselle and Co.

M.U.A: BBM Beauty

Hair Stylist: Estylez

Floor: North Floor Vinyl

Videographer: Inft Films

M.C: Zaki Zeeko

I am now booking 2023 weddings and would love to work with you! Get in touch today!

If you would like to book me for your 2023 Wedding or Event then get in touch HERE!

Munaluchi Bride Fall 2022 print magazine feature karimah gheddai
Somali Bride getting ready looking at the mirror
Getting Ready Photos of Somali bride. Beautiful red robe. Wedding dress with details
Getting Ready Photos of Somali bride. Beautiful red robe. Wedding dress with details
Wedding Dress Details and bride's getting ready shots in red robe
Toronto Ethiopian Wedding Photographer Toronto African Wedding Photographer Toronto Muslim Wedding Photographer Toronto Black Wedding Photographer Toronto Somali Wedding Photographer
Toronto Ethiopian Wedding Photographer Toronto African Wedding Photographer Toronto Muslim Wedding Photographer Toronto Black Wedding Photographer Toronto Somali Wedding Photographer
Somali Bride at Royal Ambassador Event Centre by Toronto African wedding photographer Karimah Gheddai
First look at the Royal Ambassador banquet hall in Caledon, Ontario. Somali Bride and Groom. Red Bouquet
Wedding photos at the Royal Ambassador banquet hall in Caledon, Ontario. Somali Bride and Groom. Red Bouquet
Somali couple has elegant Wedding at Royal Ambassador Banquet Hall captured by Karimah Gheddai Photography

Thanks for joining me on another one of my blog posts! It’s always a joy to have you here. I hope you come back, or better yet that we get to work together soon!

If you would like to book me for your 2023 Wedding or Event then get in touch HERE!

Rania and Ekow's Engagement Shoot at Mint Room Studios!

Salut Everyone! It has been a while but this week I am happy to share images from this most stunning e-shoot that I got to do at a really lovely location back in January!

The week that I did this engagement shoot turned out to be one of the coldest weeks in Toronto's history, so even though we initally had plans to do this shoot outdoors, we were not about to freeze out in the frigid weather. My clients Rania and Ekow requested I suggest an indoor location and so I suggested the beautiful Mint Room Studios! I had heard about Mint Room Studios on a photography group on facebook and thought it might be cool to try out. I have to say I am already totally in love with this studio and you will know why once you see the photos!

We had the "Ballroom Studio" booked for this shoot (one of their 4 studios) and I was pleasantly surprised to see that there was so much natural light coming into the room though the large windows. I can now say that it has easily become one of my favourite studios ever!

It was a pleasure to work with these two for their e-shoot and I absolutely love how they coordinated amongst themselves with the African Print dress and accessories. Also the engagement ring Rania was rocking is my oh my just "out of the ordinary" stunning!  

Location: Mint Room Studios

Rania's Dress: Beni Boo Styles

Rania's headtie, Ekow's Bowtie and pocketsquare: All made by talented Rania herself!

If you would like to book me for your 2018 engagement photos then get in touch HERE!

Okay so that bring me to the end of this blog post! If you are getting married soon and are looking for an engagement photographer then do get in touch!

Until next time, A bientot!

-Karimah

If you would like to book me for your 2018 enagagement photos then get in touch HERE!