Claudia and Renato, originally from Mexico, have spent the last
decade travelling the world together. When they decided to tie the knot
in Montreal, they chose an appropriately international location to host
their guests, who came from as near as the Plateau and as far as Mexico,
South America, and Europe: the Expo '67's Jamaica Pavilion.
Here are some of our favourite highlights from the day:
Shooting
the wedding dress: we had a hard time finding enough room to shoot the
entire garment so we suggested hanging it from the balcony. Though we
knew the idea was sort of ridiculous—it's a white dress and what if it
got dirty?— Claudia was all for it! Her sister (and maid of honour)
Christina happily got down on her hands and knees and held the dress
while we shot it. It wasn't the most successful photo, but it really set
the tone for the rest of the day—we knew we were documenting a wedding
where anything could potentially happen!
The sky was a little foreboding, but the rain held
off until the outdoor ceremony was finished. Three pairs of couples
walked down the aisle—Claudia's parents, Renato's parents, and
finally Claudia and Renato, who wanted to symbolize their commitment to
each other as following in their parents' footsteps. We were especially
touched by this measure of respect and humility.
The day was filled with so much music and dancing!
The couple performed a series of folk songs with their friends. Several
members of Claudia's family performed Mexican and Peruvian folk dances
in full costume. An incredible Cuban band played through the night. Even
the cutting of the cake was accompanied by chants of "¡ Queremos
pastel, pastel, pastel !" ("We want cake, cake, cake!").
Need we really mention the food? Taco station. Mezcal. YUM!
And quickly:
The
props! Claudia's mother brought bags of toys, noisemakers, maracas,
masks and necklaces, which were handed out intermittently throughout the
night. Surprise! Here's another toy!
The bouquet and boutonnieres: all handmade by Claudia from what seems like either paper or dyed coconut leaves.
After
the marathon 13-hour shoot, we left exhausted but so happy, having
spent the day, welcomed more as guests than the invisible photographers.
Claudia and Renato, we hope you enjoy this preview! Thank you for
including us in your beautiful day!
Photos by Alison Slattery and Farah Khan.
©Alison Slattery. All Rights Reserved.
