The Perfect Toronto Wedding at Hotel X: A Conversation With The Couple, Cassandra & Brandon

Last May, at the beautiful downtown Toronto venue, Hotel X, this glamorous couple said I do. We recently sat down with Cassandra & Brandon to get the backstory behind their romantic wedding day, perfectly planned by Megan Wappel Designs (one of Toronto’s excellent event planners), and photographed by yours truly, 515 Photo Co. Here’s what they had to say.

515: How did you two meet?

Brandon: We met at work, Cass was my boss (for a brief moment!). We were on the road together a lot and started making a habit of going for drinks/dinners at local Toronto spots after our travels. Our most memorable date was  at The Saint on Ossington - this quickly transitioned into full blown dating. We had to keep our relationship a secret at the office (no-dating policy). Once we were outed, and our coworkers found out we were breaking the rules, I moved across the street to a competitor.

515: What do you love to do in your free time?

Cassandra: We have a Great Dane, Twiggy, who we love spending our free time taking on walks or playing with in our backyard. Most weekends you can find us up north at the cottage either on the golf courses in the summer or at our ski club in the winters!

515: Tell us about your proposal story?

Brandon: I wanted to propose to Cass at her cottage - her favorite place. I thought Thanksgiving would be an easy way to disguise my parents and a few close friends from being there and not draw any red flags. The day of the proposal, one of the toilets broke and we had to call the local plumber. It’s a small lake and Cass’s mother likes to share stories about her children. I was sitting in the kitchen and the plumber walks in and shouts “I heard someone is getting proposed to today!” Cass immediately shot me a look to gauge my reaction while her mother convinced the plumber that she was talking about a neighbor. I spent the rest of the afternoon trying to stay calm, but I was an absolute disaster inside. The evening came and we all went down to the dock to take pictures, and when it was just Cass and me, I got down on one knee and popped the question. I think Cass said “I KNEW IT!” before she even said yes!

515: What was your inspo for your wedding?

Cassandra: I was inspired by a very modern and chic look. I loved the really clean lines and white flowers with pops of greenery throughout the rooms to make the inspo a reality.

515: What is your favorite memory from your wedding day?

Brandon: Waiting for everyone to start walking down the aisle to kick off the ceremony. Everyone was in such a great mood! The weather was incredible. The guitar started playing the song “Sweet Thing” by Van Morrison. Once we were all up there, I’m waiting for my wife-to-be to come out. “Never Tear Us Apart” by INXS started playing as Cass walked down the aisle… Definitely not traditional, but she looked incredible and absolutely blew everyone away.
Cassandra: The entire day was everything I could have dreamed of but similar to Brandon’s it was once the music started and everyone began walking out. When I got to the top of the aisle with my dad, I locked eyes with Brandon at the end of that aisle. I am sure I have never smiled so big in my life and wanted to sprint to him. I could not wait another second to make him my husband!! Our vows were a close second though… B knows this, I love him more than yesterday but less than tomorrow.

515: Why did you choose your venue?

Cassandra: We were always really set on having a wedding in Toronto, it is home to us and love the energy of the city. Hotel X hit all of our must haves. A hotel was needed since lots of guests were traveling. Plus the entire hotel is stunning. The New Fort Hall had everything we were looking for from a décor standpoint. The all glass room felt modern and chic and being completely empty allowed us to decorate it exactly how we wanted and customize our décor. The rooftop was the cherry on top – the space was large, on the waterfront and had room for live music!

515: Why did you choose 515 Photo Co.?

Cassandra: 515 was always the only option for us – I had done a ton of research and always loved the aesthetic and romance of the pictures captured by everyone that worked there. Meeting the team sealed it for us as it felt like everyone wanted to get to know us and our vision!

We are so thrilled that Cassandra and Brandon chose us to photograph their special day, and we can confidently say that we captured Cassandra’s modern and chic inspired Toronto wedding at Hotel X pretty perfectly.

Photography: 515 Photo Co., Floral: Aube Studios, Venue: Hotel X, Tables: Divine Furniture Rental, Design, Graphic Design, Planning: Megan Wappel Designs, Dress: Powder Boutique, Tux: Garrison Bespoke, Hair: Shannon Petrolito, Makeup: Beauty by Sandra