Our First Annual DVI Gala

Two weeks ago, we hosted the first annual DVI Gala at our home; in the comfort of our lush, green backyard. We sent out many invitations, and were so excited to have 5 couples join us. This party gave us the perfect opportunity to get to know all of our clients without being a wedding vendor, what a change from a traditional wedding or event for us.  It is nice to actually be able to take the time to chat without a camera in our hands. We entrusted our great friend Amanda Verhoeve to help capture the details of a very fond memory.

Getting Acquainted

Our ideal couple knows that personal connection is so important when it comes to your Toronto wedding photographer, and they value this opportunity as a way to get to know us better before the wedding and continue to grow it afterwards. After all, we also capture maternity and family sessions!

We’d love to introduce you to our guests; we were thrilled that Hannah and Aaron, our dear friends, could make it. Hannah is our kids’ piano teacher and a recent DVI bride. Katie and Sean are getting married this weekend, but managed to fit our gala into their busy schedule! Katie had the most hilarious experience with our little man, Easton, where he let a fart out (an adult-sized one), and blamed it on the photographer. He was beyond proud, and all the laughs helped break the ice. The natural chemistry in their engagement session still makes me smile every time I see their faces.

We got to meet Hillary and Rodney for the first time; they’ve just recently been married and had another photographer who happened to be busy on their date for their big bash next year. Rodney should have received the Best Dressed Award, which we will be starting next year among others (Best Engagement Story, etc.). Kristen and André are getting married at the Elm Hurst Inn next year as well (we get to shoot there twice next year, lucky us!!!), and they were lucky to have two events in the same teeny tiny town on this date.

We are still in the planning stages of Ryan and Robin’s Toronto Island engagement session, and this event gave us the perfect opportunity to get to know them a little better. My favourite part of the evening was when everyone exchanged proposal stories. From sneaky surprises to canoe rides in a beautiful sunset on lake Simcoe, we loved every single one. However, our own is still my favourite. As a Toronto wedding photographer, the proposal stories we hear are really creative and romantic, and we can’t wait to hear more…

Great Food, Better Company

The company of our  DVI couples was fabulous, and the food from To Your Door, To Your Plate was phenomenal. Honestly some of the best I’ve had, and we know who’s catering next year’s event! When I sat down at the table, ready to eat (to be honest, I was starving after putting so much work into the evening), I was terribly nervous, but at the same time feeling soooo blessed. I felt extremely honoured that each of these couples took a few hours out of their busy lives to spend with us, and get to know us and our family better. The kids loved being part of the evening, and have been talking about it since. I love the fact that my kids now know who I’m talking about when I mention some of these couples.

We were planning on staying outdoors all night, but it was the first chilly night in late summer, so we ended the evening in our own living room. While there will definitely be some changes for next year as this year was our first and a learning experience, it is amazing to know that we impacted our couples in this way. We’ve gotten more thank you’s than we can share, and we know that DVI couples are just the best.

The DVI Experience

The DVI experience is about so much more than just your wedding photos. Want to join the next year’s event? Send an inquiry, so we can get you booked on our calendar and start the fun process!

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The Vendor Team

Toronto Wedding Photographer | Dianne Velthove Imagery & Amanda Verhoeve Photography
Favours | Miles Ellis Co.
Stationery Design | Etsy
Stationery Print | GA Printing
  1. […] her advantage. He didn’t mind one bit! We had the chance to get to know Robyn and Ryan at our first annual DVI gala already, as well as their consultation. This session trumped all of those, however, so we […]

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