Toronto Wedding Photographer: Mango Studios

Sara Cumming • Mar 19, 2017
Toronto Wedding Photographer: Mango Studios

Here at Kimberfire diamonds are our passion, and there is nothing more beautiful than seeing a diamond become part of an engagement or wedding ring. It is so rewarding to be able to play a role in our clients’ engagement and wedding day. Jewelry is just one of many aspects of the wedding industry and, through our blog, we enjoy meeting and learning about other companies in our industry. Our interviews also provide valuable information and tips from the experts to help you make the most of your big day.


Recently I had the opportunity to interview the team at Mango Studios, a Toronto wedding photography studio with offices in downtown Toronto and Miami, USA. Mango Studios is a tight knit team of award winning photographers and artists, with over a decade of wedding experience. They also photographed our CEO Jonathan Goldberg’s wedding last year and he was blown away by their impressive work.


Could you please give us a brief overview of Mango Studios and your services?

Mango’s goal is to produce beautiful and timeless photography for its clients. We aim to do this through a collaborative effort of creative artists and individuals who band together to leverage their own unique abilities to create better work together.


At Mango, we believe in teamwork, supporting and encouraging new ideas, and striving to be and do better every day. We all come from different backgrounds and have our own unique set of skills and creative frameworks. Together, we share an enormous wealth of knowledge and passion for photography. We are curators and creators of the most beautiful, timeless images. We are there to capture the most special moments in your life so you can cherish those photos forever. We have photographers who specialize in all areas of photography – from portrait and event photographers to interior and product photographers. We also offer a wide range of in-house design and custom framing services.


How did Mango Studios get started, and how long have you been in business?

Mo and Nancy first met in 2004 and have been inseparable ever since. Pairing Nancy’s visual talent with Mo’s business acumen, they decided to conquer the world together. They wrote down the letters of their own names and realized Mo And Nancy GOvindji shaped MANGO, and the rest is history. Mango has been capturing weddings and events for over 12 years!


What kinds of packages does Mango Studios offer?

We’ve got something for everyone. All of our packages have been created to offer the best options for your special day. Our packages start from six hours of photography all the way up to twelve, but everything can be fully customized to suit each individual client. We also offer time with photographers à la carte, meaning they can be easily added to packages. For the couple that wants to be taken care of from start to finish, we offer packages that include fine art albums, engagement sessions, and photo booths.


How did previous education and/or work experience help shape the Mango business model?

The entire team has a diverse background in both education and work experience, from the university educated to the self-taught photographer. We look for special people with a passion for the arts, who love people, and remain calm under pressure – all attributes necessary to shoot a busy wedding day. There is a degree of competitiveness to the team, and, as iron sharpens iron, every team member strives to do better in every shoot. We take turns designing with each-others’ images and reviewing shoots so that feedback can be circulated, and the quality Mango is known for can be achieved. What’s most important is that every member of our team is highly trained in-house. As a team, we believe in growing together and toward the best creative style to suit our couples’ needs.


How would you describe the Mango photography style?

Like any creative field, photography is always evolving. We believe a strong relationship between photography and design is the foundation to creating incredible images. This plays a huge part in our photographic style. We accomplish our unique approach of storytelling through this fundamental stage of getting to know you and your unique story. We focus on capturing every detail of your wedding day or event, while being sure to get candid moments and memories that will last forever. Trends come and go but what we’re after is a classic, timeless approach to creating images to withstand those passing trends, and that is how we groom our team.


What tips can you give to a couple who is looking for a wedding photographer?

Don’t be afraid to ask questions. This is a big decision and it’s important to do your research and make sure you can trust your photographer, and be confident and excited about the photos they take.


Some important tips are:


  • Find out what happens in case of an emergency and the photographer is no longer available for your day.
  • What do turnaround times look like?
  • Look at a couple of COMPLETE weddings to really get a sense of the work, not just a few photos of their best work.
  • Find out how long have they been in business, and if you know any friends/family/other vendors that have used them. There are plenty of novice part-time photographers that may be in business one year and not the next.


I see your company often travels to shoot destination weddings. What’s your process when shooting abroad?

Our team loves to travel, and each destination wedding brings with it a new and exciting experience. In terms of locations, we love travelling to new (to us) spots like the mountainsides of Florence, or the Island of Anguilla. We’re happy to say there are some locations now that are becoming old favourites like the One and Only Club in the Bahamas, or the Four Seasons in Hampshire, England. Like any local wedding, every destination wedding is unique and we treat the process of shooting it as such. We do our best to ensure lots of scouting online and in-person before the event day. One of the most important things when visiting a new country is to familiarize yourself with the light there. It can look wildly different from one country to the next and, as a photographer, understanding light is everything.


How do you help the couple and their wedding party feel comfortable in front of a camera?

We totally realize that not everyone feels comfortable and confident being photographed, and that is completely normal. Our job is to make sure that we capture your event perfectly, that your photos turn out amazing and that you have some fun along the way. Doing engagement photos is such a great way for the bride and groom to not only feel comfortable being photographed, but to also really get to know their photographer. We aren’t there to make you look posed, but more so to prompt you so we can get those perfect shots.


Mango Studios works with a team of photographers, artists and designers. How do you decide which team member works on which wedding?

Mango has a consistent photographic style across the board. Our in-house event coordinators meet with our couples to learn more about the details of their big day. Once we get to know our couple, the venue, and all the details of the day, we pair them with the photographer that we believe best suits the couple as well as the overall vibe of the wedding.


Being a huge dog lover myself, please tell me more about Bernie the Boston Terrier, your social director.

Bernie is a lover. If he could greet everyone who came through our doors with kisses, he would. He definitely likes to make his presence known around the studio, especially during lunch time when he can be a little nosey. As our social director, he keeps us sane during our busiest times and shows the whole team love after a long day. His likes: ping pong balls, balloons and bean bag chair naps. His dislikes: measuring tape and knit sweaters.


How big a part does social media play in your business?

Social media is such a huge part of our business! Long before a couple gets engaged, they often take to social media to search for vendors and get inspired. We are constantly on all social media channels, updating our content to reflect the Mango brand and showcase our work. It’s the great connector of our time. We love to use social media as a tool to connect with other amazing vendors in the wedding industry and couples around the world.


What is the most challenging aspect of working in the wedding photography business?

Truthfully, it’s the work/life balance. Weddings and events can take up most of our Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays during the busy months of May to October, and that can be a challenge for some. Our team is dedicated to providing our best work with the quickest turnaround times possible, so we’re also hustling Monday to Friday to deliver amazing images to our couples. We foster an environment that’s fun for our team with lots of amazing moments spent together on a regular basis.


What sets Mango Studios apart from the competition?

We’re storytellers first and foremost. Our approach is driven by each couple’s unique story, who they are, and their personal tastes and design interests. It’s driven by what music they listen to, where they eat and the places they travel. Each story is unique, and our approach is timeless and cool with a distinctly cinematic style. As a small boutique of photographers and designers, we treat each member of our team as well as each of our clients like family. From the moment you step into our studio, you will be greeted by a dedicated event coordinator who will walk you through the entire wedding photography process. We want to create an inviting atmosphere and take photos that truly capture our couples as the individuals they are.


Having been a part of so many weddings, what advice can you give to a couple to get the most out of their big day?

It’s going to be the most exciting day of your life, so savour and cherish every moment. Don’t sweat the small stuff; things most likely won’t go as perfectly planned but don’t get bothered by it. It’s going to be a very busy day, but do your best to spend some quality time together as husband and wife if you can. Take a few moments to stop, take a deep breath, and remember how special it is that every person in the room is there to celebrate you and your love!


Thank you so much for taking the time to share your company and insights with us.

Thank you, it’s been our pleasure.


If you are interested in learning more about Mango Studios or booking them for a wedding or event, please visit MangoStudios.com.

Sara Cumming - Kimberfire

Sara Cumming is the Jewelry Production and Social Media Coordinator at Kimberfire – a brilliant way to buy diamond engagement rings, fine diamond jewelry, and loose diamonds in Toronto, ON and across Canada. She holds a Bachelor of Fine Art from York University and a Diploma in Jewelry Arts from George Brown College. She is skilled in jewelry design using CAD software, as well as traditional goldsmith techniques. When she is not immersing herself in all things jewelry, Sara is a dog mom to Barley, her beagle mix rescue dog who loves a good tummy rub.

About Kimberfire

A brilliant way to buy high-quality engagement rings, diamonds, and jewelry. View and inspect your carefully selected diamond virtually (via Zoom), or in our offices in Toronto, Canada. We ship worldwide.

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