These Sweet Wedding Day Moments Will Make You Teary-Eyed

When it comes down to your wedding day, we can all agree that what really matters is spending time with the people (or person, should you choose to elope!) you really love. After all of the stress of planning is over and the big day actually comes, you'll want to savour each moment and truly be in the present. Luckily, you can relive these memories through your wedding photos; this is why it's so crucial to have a good wedding photographer.

Veteran romance shutterbug Scarlet O'Neill knows a thing or two about romance. Which is why she's curated the annual Love (Actually) photo exhibit at the Gladstone Hotel in Toronto for the past four years, showcasing some of the most heartfelt shots from wedding photographers across the city.

This year, Weddingbells had the honour of choosing three of the thirty photos included in the show. We've featured them here along with seven others from the 2020 Love (Actually) collection. We hope these pictures will inspire you to truly be in the moment during your own wedding day, and be ready to embrace what the day is meant to celebrate: love! Be warned: you might want to grab some tissues.

The Wedding of Daryl & Sarah "Daryl & Sarah had plans to have an outdoor wedding at their cottage and really did not have a back up for weather. There was rain in the forecast for most of the day and they were both quite stressed leading up to the wedding. When the day arrived they did indeed have some rain in the morning. As the day went on it got lighter and less grey," says photographer TJ Tindale. "Unfortunately Daryl had lost his parents in previous years. This photo was taken when Daryl’s sister began talking about their parents and how they are looking down on them today. In that moment the sun came out and lit up the whole cottage; it was pure magic. Daryl and Sarah felt complete comfort in knowing his parents were there with them."

The Wedding of Erin and Steve "Instead of having a flower girl, Erin and Steve opted to have Erin’s grandmother walk down the aisle throwing glitter at the guests with each sweet step she took," says photographer Robyn Russell. "It was the perfect way to introduce the happy couple before their ceremony commenced at the Gladstone Hotel."

The Wedding of Allison and Rob "Allie, the bride, is walking past photos of all the wedding days of her family members, as she is making her way to her own special day," shares photographer Lauren Valvasori.

The Wedding of Maddy and Sean "This image makes me feel all the excitement of a wedding," shares photographer Scarlet O'Neill. "We were just finishing up their portraits which was basically just us heading from where they got ready to where they were getting married. We adventured all over Queen West and then as we arrived at the Great Hall, we noticed waiting up in the window was all of their family and bridal party; all waving and cheering for them. Sean threw him arms up in the air with delight, Maddy was laughing whole heartedly and everything just felt so good. Those are the moments I hope every couple experiences on their wedding day."

The Wedding of Nicole & Matt "There are so many incredible moments to capture when a loved one sees the bride on her wedding day," photographer Amy Buck says. "This moment captured the pure joy and excitement on Nicole's dad's face as they prepared to walk down the aisle together."

The Wedding of Darnelle and Meghan "The emotions on a wedding day are undeniable, knowing you're finally going to marry the love of your life," explains photographer Agnes Wyrot. "As soon as their ceremony song came on, Darnelle couldn’t contain himself as he waited for Meghan to walk down the aisle."

The Wedding of Oliwia and Tom "The cobblestone streets of the Distillery District can become quite the unassuming adversary for a bride. Oliwia’s long veil caught on to many of the little nooks and crannies but she handled it with grace," says Lisa of Streetcar Design Co. "In this moment the veil snagged once again walking through the bustling alleys and Oliwia effortlessly adjusted it. Sometimes tiny little mishaps are the most beautiful."

The Wedding of Elle and Quade "Elle’s twin sister carved out a 20-minute window in the morning for everyone to slow down, meditate and even have a sage smudging ceremony to get everyone present and grounded," shares photographer Sara Monika. "It was so beautiful to witness, and I think it’s a beautiful way to slow down the day and make sure everyone involved has a chance to take everything in!"

The Wedding of Josh and Christina "Christina and Josh chose to have a first look on their wedding day, but that didn't stop the emotions from flowing during the ceremony," says photographer Caitlin Free. "Walking down the aisle, Christina's tears started pouring down her face. As she got to Josh, her mom was right by her side to help wipe away her tears before giving her away."

The Wedding of Kate and Andy "Kate wanted to do a first look with her Dad, before she went off to see her groom," says photographer Jennifer See. "Dad waiting patiently with a handful of tissues ready in each hand, and definitely needed them when seeing his daughter for the first time on her wedding day!"