Michael and Danica’s wedding unfolded like a well-loved film: gentle, nostalgic, and deeply felt. Set in Toronto, the celebration began in the groom’s family backyard and ended with a spirited dinner at the Art Gallery of Ontario. The couple entrusted Hastings & King with capturing the day on film. The result is a timeless series of personal connection, summer romance, and graceful detail.
Location: Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Style: Romantic, Timeless, Elegant
Time of planning: 6 months
Number of guests: 78
Setting: Backyard, Art Gallery
Season: Summer
Michael and Danica felt destined from the start. Early in their relationship, they bought an old home together and began shaping their shared future, brick by brick. The wedding, for them, was a meaningful way to honor that bond and build a shared name.
Michael proposed in Perast, Montenegro, during a short moment alone on a family-filled trip. As the sun set over the Adriatic, casting a pink glow over the water and mountains, he asked Danica to marry him in the town they had once fallen in love with together.
Inspiration
Danica described their approach as emotional and intuitive. “We didn’t have a theme or mood board. We chose every detail based on what made us feel something.” What came together was warm and romantic, filled with meaningful touches, from the use of vintage bentwood chairs and her grandmother’s tablecloths to the late 90s rom-com feel they kept referencing throughout the planning process.
Helping them bring this vision to life was their coordinator from Confetti and Co., who ensured every detail felt intentional without being overstyled.
The first and only wedding decision they made with certainty? Booking Hastings & King. That early commitment grounded the planning with trust and intention, and it influenced the rest of the experience.
Wedding Day
Bridal Fashion
Danica wore a gown by Danielle Frankel, a designer she gravitated toward for her blend of texture and timelessness. “Funny enough, I didn’t even know how popular she was. I just knew the dress felt like me.” She found it on a quick trip to New York with her mother, pairing the gown with a pleated Malfroy veil edged in Chantilly lace. A delicate gold and pearl anklet, a gift from Michael that morning, completed the look.
Her earrings were from Toronto-based jewelry designer Cadette, and her shoes were an Etsy find from ChristyNgShoes. Makeup by Tay Downes and hair by Katie Routledge emphasized natural elegance and a soft, feminine look.
Groom’s Fashion
Michael had a clear idea from the start. He wore a custom Suit Supply jacket in cream, styled with navy trousers, a concealed tuxedo shirt, and a silk bow tie by Brunello Cucinelli. His look came together with patent Loake shoes and cufflinks Danica had gifted him, engraved with their initials and a journal page from their early days.
"It came together to give an old Hollywood vibe, with a modern summer spin."
Ceremony
The couple exchanged vows in the lush backyard of Michael’s parents’ home, a place that already held so many family memories. They kept the setup natural and emotional, with soft arrangements by Rye Floral Co., bentwood chairs, and no bridal party — only selected witnesses.
The bride recalled how calm the morning was. She had stayed the night in the house after the rehearsal, so she simply woke up, got ready with her mother, sisters, and the flower girls, and watched the anticipation build around her.
Michael arrived in a classic convertible and greeted guests as they entered. When Danica stepped out and saw everyone there, she felt overwhelmed until her eyes met Michael’s. “We locked into each other… we were in our own little universe.”
"The wedding ceremony was the highlight of the day for us. Standing in the shade of the tree, feeling the breeze, holding hands and looking out at our loved ones. That’s a feeling we won’t ever forget."
Cocktail Hour
Following the emotional ceremony, the backyard transformed into a joyful garden cocktail hour with catering by The Food Dudes and rentals by Divine Furniture and Element Event Rentals.
Hastings & King continued to shoot on film, even incorporating the couple’s personal medium format camera, which they use to capture their own memories. Later, they used a large-format camera for family portraits, adding a historical quality to the moment.
Guests gave them a warm send-off as Danica and Michael drove off in the Mercedes. That short ride to the reception venue became a private moment of stillness. “Just husband and wife, hand in hand, wind in our hair, the old radio playing country music,” Danica said. “Our happiness was palpable.”
Private Moment
While guests arrived at the Art Gallery and enjoyed the second cocktail hour, Michael and Danica slipped away to wander through the space together. It was a quiet interlude before the evening unfolded. They took a few photos alone, framed by curves of sculpture and soft shadows, the hush of the museum lending a different kind of intimacy.
Reception & Decor
The celebration continued at the Art Gallery of Ontario, inside the Frank Gehry-designed Galleria Italia. The architectural beauty of the venue, with its wooden curves and golden light, provided a stunning contrast to the garden ceremony.
Upon arrival, guests jumped straight into a traditional bread dance — a nod to Michael’s Macedonian and Danica’s Serbian roots. The decorative bread, baked by Michael’s grandmother, was passed around during the Oro and Kolo. Danica and Michael broke the bread together at the end, revealing Michael as the one holding the largest piece. It was a playful tradition that crowned him head of household.
Dinner was served at one long table for all 78 guests. The setup was inspired by summer dinner parties: textured linen, vintage silver cutlery from Splendid Settings, and airy floral arrangements by Rye Floral Co. The flowers were ikebana-inspired.
After the four-course dinner and heartfelt speeches that had guests laughing and crying, the couple cut into a beautifully crafted cake by Gallz Provisions.
Their first dance was to Shania Twain’s “Forever and For Always,” a sweet nod to their Canadian roots. Midway through, they invited everyone to join them, and the dance floor filled in a blur of joy. Immigrant Muscle took over the DJ booth with funk, soul, and guilty pleasures that carried the party into the night.
Advice from the couple:
• Stay together, the day is meant to be shared, and your connection is what fuels everyone’s experience.
• Let your vulnerability shine, it will bring out open-heartedness and love from your guests that will fill the day with a magic like no other.
• Your wedding is not a performance, it’s an experience.
PHOTOGRAPHER Hastings & King | DAY-OF COORDINATOR & PLANNER Confetti and Co. | RECEPTION VENUE Art Gallery of Ontario | HAIR Bridal Hair Couture by Katie | MAKEUP Beauty by Tay Downes | FLORALS Rye Floral Co. | CATERING The Food Dudes | CAKE Gallz Provisions | RENTALS Element Event Rentals & Divine Furniture Rentals | DJS Immigrant Muscle | OFFICIANT XO. Life Celebrations
