The Wedding Ring Magazine ONTARIO Spring Summer 2012

expert tips

JuLY 9th, 2011 :: St. Agnes Catholic Church + GOLF’S STEAKHOUSE & SEAFOOD, KITCHENER , Ontario

Family & tradition MEETS local talent & exquisite décor

Photography by Sweet Païr Photography (www.sweetpair.ca) Story by TheWeddingRing.ca Matt and Teresa’s first encounter was October 31, 2008 at a Halloween party.

Matt was dressed as Rocky (still Teresa’s nickname for him to date), and Teresa was dressed up as Mike Tyson. Their eyes literally met on the dance floor of their school pub. They saw each other here and there (mostly by accident) but in the summer of 2009, they happened to be at the same party. Matt spotted Teresa and called out “Hey Tyson!” They exchanged numbers, and a few weeks later, Matt texted Teresa: “Hey Tyson, it’s Rocky. Wanna go out for lunch?”

They’ve been together ever since. On September 11, 2010, Matt took Teresa on a fishing trip. Fishing is a huge past time in the Stern family, so Teresa agreed to go on this fishing trip. Unfortunately it was cold, wet weather and the outing involved getting up at the crack of dawn. Teresa forgot to bring her warm clothing so after five hours of fishing and catching nothing, she begged Matt to go back home. She couldn’t figure out why he kept stalling. They brought the boat onto the shore, and Matt said “Let’s go for a walk.” After the walk, Matt suggested that they go into town. The stalling continued when Matt requested that they sit by the lake (it was minus two degrees Celsius at this point).

They sat by the lake in their wet clothes and with cold fingers. Teresa was miserable, so she decided to close her eyes. Matt tried to cheer her up but nothing was working. With his last effort to make Teresa open her eyes, Matt whispered in a serious voice, “Please, just open your eyes if you love me.” And there is was, a big shiny rock staring Teresa right in the face. This was the moment that Teresa had been waiting for but it wasn’t exactly how she had pictured it. Her hair was a mess, her stance was all wrong, and her clothes were all wet. Then Matt asked her, simply, to marry him. Teresa’s automatic reaction was to charge Matt’s chest with her head like a Packers linebacker. Till this day, she doesn’t know

56 • The Wedding Ring Magazine | www.theweddingring.ca

GET LOCAL. PLAN FABULOUS!• 7

reality wedding stories

We wanted to infuse our traditions in our wedding. We wanted to include as much of who we are and what we grew up with as possible. a cream and tiffany blue band around it. We customized each of them so it was addressed to each of our guests. Inside we had cream inserts with brown and tiffany blue damask designs around the border. It had chocolate brown thermographed cursive writing.”

At first, Matt and Teresa found it tricky to find a venue. Matt’s family is very particular on food. “Not only do they appreciate quality, but they expect quantity as well.” One thing they knew for sure was that they wanted restaurant quality food. “Matt’s family had fond memories of family dinners at Golf’s so it was the perfect choice!

Amazing food, a great view of the river and with the reception space, it was the ultimate reception hall for our wedding.” why she reacted this way but after fully recovering minutes later, she screamed “YES!” and jumped into Matt’s arms. Teresa and Matt love telling this story to everyone.

Teresa says, “I love everything about Matt!! I love how Matt always knows what I am thinking without even saying it. We are on the same wavelength and we’re always reading each other’s thoughts. He always goes out of his way to make me smile and make sure I am okay...”

Matt says Teresa is his world. “I love doing everything with her!

I have never met someone as amazing, caring or loving as her.

She knows how to cheer me up when I’m feeling down and together we make the perfect duo. We can achieve any goal and just have fun with each other.”

Before they were officially engaged, Matt and Teresa had joked on several occasions about getting married on the day they first started dating, so they immediately began looking for the weekend around that July 3rd date until ultimately resting on the 9th.

The bride and groom exchanged vows at 2:30 in a ceremony at St. Agnes Catholic Church where Matt had received all of his sacraments (Baptism, Communion, Confirmation). Several family members had married at the church before him, and so for Matt, following in those footsteps meant the world. During the ceremony, they incorporated the cord, veil and candle ceremony, something passed on from the Spanish to the Filipino culture. 130 guests were in attendance, including a cousin from the Philippines.

Teresa wore a strapless, mermaid style, cream coloured Alfred Sung (Disney Princess Collection - Ariel) gown from LadyBug

Communicate with your partner and always keep smiling! We know it’s such a simple thing, but with all of the craze that wedding planning brings, it helps to really talk and listen to each other. Trust us, it’s harder than it sounds! And, don’t forget to do everything with a smile! It always lightens the mood especially during moments with lots of tension. Always remember, you’re with the one you love and that’s all the matters! Everything else will just fall in line.

The couple set the date for July 9th and decided to go for a traditional, elegant theme with a modern twist. They chose brown, taupe, gold and cream for their colours, with Tiffany Blue accents.

Matt and Teresa set their budget at $43,000, and, with Matt studying, Teresa did most of the planning. But they needed help in the home stretch, which is why Matt and Teresa hired The Prepared Bride. Owner, Jackie, met with the couple at Marbles and they immediately hit it off. “By the end of lunch, it was like Teresa was meeting with a friend she’d had for years,” they remember. As Jackie dug in, they remember it feeling like “the biggest weight was lifted off our shoulders. Teresa is so detail-oriented... It felt so good to know the most important event of our lives was in good hands.”

Matt and Teresa wanted to make sure that both their family and their cultural traditions (including Teresa’s Filipino background) were incorporated as much as possible into their wedding day.

Matt and his family had a big hand in all of the wedding logistics such as the venue and ceremony and Teresa’s family had a big part in the ceremonial traditions from her culture. “We wanted to infuse our traditions in our wedding. We wanted to include as much of who we are and what we grew up with as possible.”

Their stationary, including invitations, were made in the Philippines. “Our invitations came in a chocolate brown box and had 8 • The Wedding Ring

all photos, left and right page: www.sweetpair.ca

Bridal, adorned with beautiful beadwork. She punched up her wedding day look with five inch Tiffany Blue pumps. “The guests loved the shoes!” Matt and his groomsmen rented 2-buttoned tuxedos with patterned chocolate brown vests and ties. The bridesmaids wore matching chocolate brown dresses from Le chateau.

Matt’s sister was the Maid of Honour and his brother, the Best Man. The wedding party also included Teresa’s brother, their cousins and several childhood friends. Angela, Teresa’s high school best friend, made it all the way from Calgary to be part of the day. “This was the best present we received from our friends.”

The reception began with a 5pm cocktail hour at Golf’s, followed by dinner at 6:30 pm. The entire space (along with all of the day’s flowers) had been decorated by Julia Weddings. Teresa had pulled some images out of magazines to give decorator, Sophia an idea to go by. “Our reception looked even better than the picture...

When we were discussing décor, we really trusted Sophia to execute our perfect vision and with décor comes the element of flowers. We knew we could leave the flowers up to her as well and it would look as amazing as the décor.” They chose hydrangeas and white roses for their floral designs.

The cocktail room had chocolate brown table clothes and white chair covers with matching chocolate brown sashes and a crystal broach. Blue with up-lighting was situated throughout the space. The entire reception hall was draped with cream fabric. “Our tables were taupe with embroidered damask overlays. We had beautiful tall glass centerpieces with white roses and hydrangeas in them. We had golden chiavari chairs and matching gold charger plates. The entire room was lit by pillar and tea light candles and it shimmered off our crystal votives and crystal swag.

The mood was very elegant and romantic!”

The food was exactly what they’d hoped for. “You definitely get more than what you pay for. The prime rib has been top notch for more than 30 years and it is still as amazing today as it was back then. The food is perfectly cooked and not dry.

Their desserts are home made every day. The New York Cheesecake, scrumptious!

It’s a double win - high end quality and generous quantity… You can’t ask for anything more!”

After dinner, they treated guests to a gorgeous four-tiered cake from Jirina’s Bakery. It was half mocha with hazelnut filling and half vanilla cake with strawberry cream filling. “It was so delicious. I kid you not, there was almost no cake left at the end of the night!”

Matt and Teresa had a choreographed first dance,” explained Jackie. “The dance started off with Train’s Marry Me and then the record scratched and “Do You Remember” by Jay Sean came on. While Matt went over to the DJ to see what was “supposedly” wrong with the track, Teresa came over to me so I could help her put on her runners. As soon as we got her runners on her feet, they started dancing as though they were hip-hop masters. You could totally see Matt counting the steps in his head. It was super cute!”

They incorporated the Filipino ceremonial money dance after their first dance.

Matt wore a baraong [the traditional Filipino wedding attire] throughout the reception.

Looking back, Matt and Teresa say, “We wanted to infuse our traditions in our wedding. We wanted to include as much of who we are and what we grew up with as possible. We do believe that we accomplished this successfully and the best part is that all of our hard work infusing our cultures made it even more special, not only to our parents, and that means so much to us.” ■

Matt & Teresa explain Filipino Wedding Traditions...

Barong

• Matt's barong was made out of banana fiber, but it can also be made out of pineapple fiber as well, depending on what part of the country you're from. They can range from being very intricate to very simple. Barongs are the typical formal wear for males during wedding ceremonies. For the reception, Teresa’s dad also changed into the barong, to honour the tradition.

Money Dance

• In lieu of presents, the money dance showers the newlyweds so the good fortune may 'rain' on them. Bills are pinned on top of each other to signify the look of waterfalls. The money the couple collects is to help start their new lives together. Usually the amount you pin defines your relationship to the couple.

So, usually dads, grandpas, brothers would pin a high amount, then the uncles, cousins, then the friends. Also, this is the order of who the bride and groom dances with first.

reality wedding stories

They found Sweet Païr Photography on TheWeddingRing.ca and loved their candid shots. “Their photos are so artistic and modern, but always gave an ‘authentic’ and ‘old school and vintage’ feel to their photos. We really believed their style of shooting matched the theme we were going for with our wedding.” Matt and Teresa remember photoshoots with photographers, Olga and Vladimir, being fun. “We never felt nervous working with them. Our engagement session seemed like we were just hanging out for a couple of hours… For our wedding photos, they made our beautiful venue, ceremony and guests look even more fantastic in photos. The best thing was that the pictures looked just as fun as the wedding day itself and you could really feel like you were at our wedding through our story book album they made for us.”

{local talent} planning

• The Prepared Bride www.preparedbrideweddings.com

photography

• Sweet Païr Photography www.sweetpair.ca

reception venue

• Golf’s Steak House & Seafood www.golfssteakhouse.com

flowers & decor

• Julia Weddings www.juliaweddings.ca

wedding cake

• Jirina’s Bakery www.jirinasbakery.com

bridal gown

• LadyBug Bridal www.ladybugbridal.ca

Changing the way brides plan weddings • 57 GET LOCAL. PLAN FABULOUS!• 9

expert tips

by Adrian Peters of

FIRST DANCE

1. Make You Feel My Love - Adele 2. You're The Reason I Come Home - Ron Pope 3. We Are Man And Wife - Michelle Featherstone 4. Our Love Is Here To Stay - Louis Armstrong & Ella Fitzgerald 5. Only You Can Love Me This Way - Keith Urban 6. Marry Me - Train 7. Falling Slowly - Glen Hansford & Marketa Irglova 8. The Girl - City And Colour 9. You And I - Dave Matthews Band 10. Hold You In My Arms - Ray Lamontagne 11. God Gave Me You - Dave Barnes/Blake Shelton 12. The Luckiest - Ben Folds 13. The Blower's Daughter - Damien Rice 14. When The Stars Go Blue- Ryan Adams 15. Crazy Love -Van Morrison 16. Brooklyn Bridge - Lee DeWyze 17. Cinnamon Hearts - Matthew Barber

FORMAL DANCES 1. All To You - DJ Keo

2. A Mother's Love - Mark Masri ft. Jim Brickman 3. Simple Man - Lynard Skynard 4. The Perfect Fan - Backstreet Boys 5. Stand By Me - Tracy Chapman 6. Smile - Nat King Cole 7. Turn Around - Kenny Loggins 8. Mama's Song - Carrie Underwood 9. Forever Young - Bob Dylan 10. You Don't Have To Let Go - Jessica Simpson 11. My Girl - Rolling Stones 12. Daughter - Rufus Wainwright III 13. Like My Mother Does - Lauren Alaina 14. Walk With You - Edwin McCain 15. Lullaby (Goodbye My Angel) - Billy Joel 16. Landslide (live) - Fleetwood Mac ft. Stevie Nicks 10 • The Wedding Ring | www.theweddingring.ca

A&M Sounds (www.amsoundsdj.com)

Adrian Peters is the first to admit that no wedding is the same.

Songs that are a smash hit in the country or with a younger crowd might be different from one you'd play for a wedding in the city.

Adrian chose a few of his favourites from across the board to give every bride a song idea they can love.

1. Party Rock Anthem - LMFAO 2 On the floor - Jennifer Lopez 3 Moves like jagger - Maroon 5 ft. Christina Aguillera 4 Footloose - Kenny Loggins 5 Time of my life - Black Eyed Peas 6 I got a feeling - Black Eyed Peas 7.Valerie - Amy Winehouse 8. Sweet Home Alabama - Lynard Skynard 9. Don’t Stop believing - Journey 10. Dynamite - Taio Cruz 11. Do you love me - The Contours 12. Yeah 3x - Chris Brown 13. “MJ” anything (Michael Jackson) 14. Thunderstruck - AC/DC 15. Summer of 69 - Bryan Adams 16. Jump Around - House of Pain 17. Heave Away - The Fables 18. Give me everything - Pitbull 19. Club can’t handle me - Flo Rida 20. Sexy and I know it - LMFAO

expert tips

by The Harmonia Ensemble

Choosing your ceremony music also sets the tone for your wedding.

This list of favourites - traditional and not-so-traditional - gives you a head start on planning your ceremony set list.

Alternative to Traditional String Ensemble Choices O Sole Mio - E Di Capua Bella Notte - Disney movie “Lady and the Tramp” From the movie Love Actually -All you need is Love - Beatles I Want to Hold your Hand - Beatles What a Wonderful World - Louis Armstrong Can’t help Falling in Love - Elvis Presley Think of Me - Andrew Lloyd Webber Someone to Watch over Me - George Gershwin Moon River - Henry Mancini I’ll be there for you - Theme song from Friends Somewhere Over the Rainbow Processionals Pachelbel’s Canon (Pachelbel) Air (Handel) from Water Music Suite Jesu Joy of Man’s Desiring (Bach) Signing of the Register (Music to be played while marriage license is signed) Arioso (Bach) from Cantata 156 Jesu Joy of Man’s Desiring (Bach) Largo (Vivaldi) from the Four Seasons (Winter)

PHOTO: JASON SELLINGER

(www.theweddingring.ca/reviews-in-the-ring/the-harmonia-ensemble)

Air on the G String (Bach) Sheep May Safely Graze Recessional Wedding March (Mendelssohn) Trumpet Voluntary (Clark, sometimes incorrectly attributed to Purcell) La Rejouissance (Handel) from The Royal Fireworks Arrival of the Queen of Sheeba (Handel) Finale (Handel) from Water Music Suite Ode to Joy (Beethoven) Rondeau (Mouret), also known as “Masterpiece Theatre song” "As members of The Harmonia Ensemble, we encourage you to also consider music that fits your theme or holds special meaning to you.

If you contact us with 3 months notice, our composer-in-residence will arrange the music to ensure you have exactly want you want for your special day."

reality wedding stories

A MODERN DAY BLACK TIE FAIRYTALE AFFAIR July 2ND, 2011 :: DELTA LONDON ARMOURIES IN LONDON

Photography by In Bloom Photography (info@inbloomphotos.com) Story by TheWeddingRing.ca Derrick Haney and Nicole Malpage first met in high school, but it wasn’t until years later, that by chance, the pair ran into each other on a night out with mutual friends. “As soon as we saw each other again, sparks began to fly,” Nicole explains.

Derrick proposed on November 14th, 2009 during a romantic weekend getaway in Toronto. After a day at the ROM, followed by a surprise massage at a nearby spa, the pair headed back to their posh hotel room to get ready for a five star dinner at a restaurant Nicole had been dying to try. As Nicole primped in the bathroom, Derrick transformed their room, adding candles, rose petals, champagne and strawberries. As Nicole emerged, Derrick got down on one knee. Nicole remembers her excitement and told The Ring, “I said yes about a million times!”

From the moment they walked through the doors of the Delta London Armouries, Derrick and Nicole knew it was the perfect place for their ceremony and reception.

“You can’t help but fall in love with the location. We loved the romantic atmosphere, the exposed brick, and the beauty of the castle…”

Derrick and Nicole set the date for July 2nd, 2011, and began planning for a gorgeous, modern-day fairytale affair in warm, sunny weather. The planning process included some DIY elements that helped them put their personal stamp on the details of the day.

With a distinct vision in mind of what they wanted for their invitations, they opted to create their stationery themselves.

On the wedding day, Nicole had the full royal treatment. She got ready in Delta’s special Royal Suite that offers more space than most large apartments and came complete with fireplace, seating area, and raised King bed which rested within a turret style space. This is where she slipped into a long, flowing, a-line, strapless bridal gown with a vintage brooch accent at the waist and corseted back. Derrick gave her an exquisite diamond tennis bracelet which immediately brought her to tears. “The bracelet Derrick gave me was incredibly beautiful and thoughtful! It made our day just that much more special.”

The couple chose black and white as their main decor palette, “We wanted to create a black tie atmosphere with a touch of romanticism and elegance.” They used a deep red for their accent colour, which was picked up in elements such as their lush red rose bridal bouquets and the red flower petals that were sprinkled down the aisle runner at the ceremony.

Eighty guests were in attendance as the bride and groom exchanged walked down the aisle to songs they’d hand-chosen themselves. They each read vows they’d written themselves, an element which Nicole says was “more emotional than we ever expected!”

Photos throughout the day proved to be a bit of a challenge due to fickle weather. “The morning began with pouring rain. When I was getting my hair done, all of the women were making sure I didn’t look outside because it was raining so hard. It continued to be humid and threatening rain all day.” As if some kind of sign, the sky finally cleared during their ceremony, giving them a sunny window for the outdoor photos that they had hoped for. As soon as the very last outdoor photo had been taken, it started pouring again!

Derrick and Nicole were also fortunate enough to have a photographer well versed in stubborn wedding day weather. When they came across Carolyn at In Bloom GET LOCAL. PLAN FABULOUS! • 13

reality wedding stories

We wanted to create a black tie atmosphere with a touch of romanticism and elegance.

Photography, they immediately fell in love and knew they had to have her capture their wedding. “We loved Carolyn’s style and we also loved that she offered both posed and candid wedding photos. And the quality of her photos was outstanding!” When she wasn’t shooting, Carolyn was helping. “She was amazing to work with.... unobtrusive, friendly, and very helpful...she even helped pin my dad’s boutonniere onto his lapel. We couldn’t have been happier.”

Derrick and Nicole had fun with the details of the day, including the creation of a signature cocktail, aptly named Love Story. The drink consisted of their favourite ingredients; vodka, cranberry juice, and pineapple juice. “It was a huge hit with our guests!”

The couple also did extremely well at staying within budget, they were willing to splurge on the food - one of the most important aspects of their wedding. “We wanted to focus on making our guests feel special so we opted to spend most of our budget on food, the open bar and a beautiful venue.”

Keeping the guest list smaller, also helped with the budget. “Since we loved the idea of having an intimate wedding, we invited just close family and friends… We didn’t need to have a huge guest list to make our day special and keeping our wedding smaller meant we could splurge on a few more high quality things without blowing the budget.

It’s easy to go overboard on a wedding to make it the wedding of your dreams. My advice would be to choose a couple of things that you want to spend the bulk of your budget on (we chose food, open bar, and atmosphere), and try to keep the spending for everything else to a minimum. Your guests are there to celebrate with you - make sure you remember what is important.. - Nicole

Guests were treated to caesar salad that Nicole can only describe as “phenomenal” and bread with three flavours of butter. For their entrée, Derrick and Nicole chose chicken with a brie mushroom sauce and beef tenderloin accompanied by garlic mashed potatoes. For dessert, guests raved about the molten chocolate lava cake.

As self described “chocolate fanatics”, Derrick and Nicole incorporated chocolate into other aspects of their wedding day too. The late night buffet included a chocolate fountain with Oreos, fruit and marshmallows for dipping. It also featured their two tier chocolate wedding cake with a choice of cream cheese or Irish cream frosting from Razzle Dazzle Cupcakes, their favourite local cupcake shop.

In keeping with both their DIY and chocolate lover themes, Derrick and Nicole created their own favours. Guests took home hand-wrapped chocolate in a deep red box, tied with white satin ribbon. Because the couple decided on a Hawaiian honeymoon, they added a Hawaiian love quote inside each box for another personal touch.

For Derrick and Nicole, their wedding was about the food, drink, atmosphere and those personal elements that made their day special to them. Nicole’s advice to other brides, “It’s easy to go overboard to make it the wedding of your dreams, but choose a couple of things that you want to spend the bulk of your budget on and try to keep the spending for everything else to a minimum. Your guests are there to celebrate with you, make sure you remember what is important.” ■

reality wedding stories

A family affair

September 17TH, 2011 :: King’s Riding Golf Club in King City, Ontario

Photography by TJ Durnan Photography (www.tjdurnan.com) Story by TheWeddingRing.ca From the beginning of their eight-year long courtship, Nicole Moreau and Chris Flanagan knew that their relationship was something special. And despite that they had known each other throughout high school, even sharing mutual friends; it wasn’t until they were both about to embark on their separate journeys to college and university that they saw their bond as something more than friendship. And from that moment on, as Nicole explains, “our relationship just seemed right. We balance one another so well.”

They agree that their sense of harmony stems from a shared admiration and passion for one another. Chris loves that Nicole is so “full of life.” He explains, “That’s something I really love about her.” For Nicole, it’s “Chris’s sense of humour, confidence, and drive in life.”

18 • The Wedding Ring | www.theweddingring.ca

While on a trip to New York City on Canada Day in 2010, their relationship took a big step toward their future. Chris and Nicole were sitting in front of a lake in scenic Central Park, enjoying the beautiful views of the city and the park, when Chris proposed to a Nicole. She was surprised, admitting “I wasn’t really expecting him to propose then!”

Once her astonishment passed, Chris got the answer he had been hoping for.

The two shared their big news with loved ones and then set upon planning the wedding of their dreams. Above all else, they wanted a wedding that was reflective of who they are as a couple.

They began with the venue. After exploring countless locations - Nicole says, “I won’t even begin to guess how many!” - the couple decided upon King’s Riding Golf Club in the picturesque village of King City. The golf club sits on acres of lush green parkland, reminiscent of the Scottish countryside, and is crowned by a stone structure that speaks of the setting’s majesty. “King’s Riding had absolutely everything we were looking for. It

accommodated our number of guests, but still felt intimate.”

It was in such surroundings on September 17, 2011, that Nicole and Chris tied the knot. But not until after Nicole and her bridesmaids had accidentally arrived forty-five minutes early

Through careful planning, the pair added as many personal touches to the ceremony and reception as possible. They designed their invitations after buying paper stock themselves.

We wanted our wedding to be reflective of who we are. It was important to have a venue we loved and for the wedding not to become too big. We wanted to keep things simple but classic... and decided to pass the time by secretly watching the guests arrive from their limo!

With the support of their six bridesmaids and six groomsmen, along with 145 guests, the couple began the day that they had always wanted: “a big celebration with family and friends.”

Their photographer, Todd of TJ Durnan Photography, was suggested to them by Chris’s sister, Gillian. Nicole remembers, “As soon as I took a look at [TJ Durnan’s] website, I knew it was what we were looking for!” The couple loved Todd’s style of shooting. “We were looking for a photographer that had somewhat of a casual style… We both really love candid shots, so TJ Durnan was the perfect fit!” Nicole and Chris found Todd to be easy going and easy to talk to. “He made us feel comfortable – which can be a bit of a challenge for two people that don’t normally like getting their

They enlisted Nicole’s mother, an accomplished florist, to do everything from the bouquets to the boutonnieres. “She is so talented—the flowers were absolutely amazing,” agree the couple.

reality wedding stories

The golf club also offered two venues in one. “We really liked the idea of having the ceremony and reception at one location… The ceremony location was outside, which we loved, and there was an outside terrace, which gave guests the option of being inside or outside throughout the night.”

photos taken!”

Complimenting the stunning backdrop was the couple’s décor theme. With shades of purple, white, and green, Nicole and Chris were going for a “rustic, yet classic” atmosphere. “We wanted the décor to be a bit understated, but still well thoughtout.” Nicole wore an elegant Maggie Sottero gown and Chris, a dapper suit from Moores.

The wedding favours too, were full of personal meaning. “It was important for us to include the memory of our grandparents, who had passed away, in the wedding.” So, for their guests, they filled small burlap bags with forgot-me-not seeds, and affixed a small flower to the favour. They finished this touching tribute off by attaching notes to the bags that, “asked guests to remember all of their loved ones who could not be there to share in our special day.” To further honour those not in attendance, donations were made to charities that supported causes close to their hearts.

As for food, the Nicole and Chris left it to the experts at King’s Riding Golf Club. A cocktail reception featuring hors d’oeuvres, crudités and dips, artisan cheese platters, and more was followed by a full wedding menu. Guests dined on a spring salad topped with a berry vinaigrette and had a choice of roasted chicken breast stuffed with wild mushrooms, baconwrapped beef tenderloin, or delectable grilled salmon. Molten chocolate lava cake was served for dessert. “The food was absolutely delicious!”

For fun, and to tie in with their hopes that their wedding day would still feel like a simple family celebration, they gave the traditional late night buffet their own twist. The snack offered guests their choice of twelve assorted gourmet pizzas and samplings from a popcorn station.

At the end of the day, Nicole and Chris say they were truly happy with their wedding celebration. “We wouldn’t do anything differently… It was a perfect day!” ■

GET LOCAL. PLAN FABULOUS! • 19

fashion & style

URBAN MEETS GLAM PHOTOGRAPHY: Anne Edgar Photography (www.anneedgarphoto.com) MODELS: Samantha Czerlau , Erin Hall, Leslie Kokavek, Lindsay Stewart GOWNS & ACCESSORIES: Couture Threads (www.couture-threads.com) HAIR: Evolution Concepts in Hair & Spa (www.evolutionhairspa.com) MAKE-UP: Sonia Ryan & Co. (www.soniaryan.com) LOCATION: The Museum, Kitchener (www.themuseum.ca) Bouquets: Drimmie Florist (www.drimmieflorist.com) & Les Fleurs Floral Boutique (www.lesfleursfloralboutique.com)

The Urban Bride’s Guide to Achieving her Perfect Wedding Day Look

The team at The Ring, along with several wedding experts and four fabulous brides, headed to The Museum for one uber glam fashion shoot. With The Museums “Rethinking Art and Machine” exhibit as our backdrop, we created some incredible looks for the urban bride who can’t get enough glitz and glam on her wedding day.

Continued, page 22...

GET LOCAL. PLAN FABULOUS! • 21

fashion & style

Leslie wore this stunning Silaba gown by Manuel Mota (Couture Threads). With its mermaid fit and slight sweetheart neckline, this lace gown is ultra delicate and totally fit for a princess. For a touch of glam, Leslie wore a MMCrystal necklace and earrings by Laura Jayne (Couture Threads).

HAIR & MAKE-UP

Sonia made Leslie’s green eyes pop with champagne, granite and purple shadow and a soft brown liner. She used a soft pink on Leslie’s cheeks and finished her lips with a light, sheer nude and a touch of pink.

The team at Evolution created a soft and sweet updo, inspired by her gown.

FLORALS

Lisa from Les Fleurs Floral Boutique created this beautiful bouquet using commercial mums, garden thistle, skimmia berries, calla, lilies, roses, Italian ranunculus, and finished it with some fabulous feathers and crystals for a modern yet classic bouquet.

22 • The Wedding Ring | www.theweddingring.ca

fashion & style

This Pronovias ball gown by Benicarlo is both chic and romantic, with its lace-edged tulle, pleated Paris organza fabric, embroidered feathers and strapless sweetheart neckline (Couture Threads). For a truly romantic look, we paired it with a veil and jewellery by Laura Jayne (Couture Threads).

HAIR & MAKE-UP

Sonia Ryan created a sparkly eye with a bold, defined liner. She used a soft nectarine on Lindsay’s lips and finished it with a soft peach cheek, inspired by spring.

The team at Evolution wanted Lindsay’s hair to compliment her dress. They went for a soft and romantic wave, accenting Lindsay’s beautiful profile.

FLORALS

Lindsay’s bouquet from Drimmie Florist was all about the lavender, featuring lavender silverstone roses, grey dusky miller, seeded eucalyptus, lavender limonium, lavender blue agapanthus, lavender status, purple Italian ruskus. Backed with platinum satin ribbon loops and a silver glitter bouquet holder, and finished with a wrap of more platinum satin and pearl pins.

GET LOCAL. PLAN FABULOUS! • 23

PHOTO: www.renaissancestudios.ca

fashion & style

This Sonata gown by LaSposa is ideal for the modern bride who wants to look sexy yet elegant on her wedding day (Couture Threads). The fit and flare v-neck gown features spaghetti straps, a ruffled bust and skirt and ruched bodice with beaded application, adding just enough shimmer when it catches the light. Not to take away from her gorgeous gown, we paired this look with beautiful ‘bling’ earrings from MMCrystal and a stunning head piece by Laura Jayne (Couture Threads).

HAIR & MAKE-UP

The team at Evolution went for a soft look with a detailed chignon, the perfect compliment to Samantha’s fit and flare gown.

For her eyes, Sonia Ryan used burnt browns and burgundies with a touch of purple to bring out the green. She added coral and pink for a pop of colour on her cheeks and finished the look with a deep coral ‘Sherbet’ on her lips.

FLORALS

The soft pink bouquet from Karen at Drimmie Florist is a combination of an antique beige rose called ‘Quicksand’, with pale pink double oriental lilies (brand new to the floral industry!). This bouquet also features ivory roses, soft pink roses, with accents of seeded eucalyptus, white winter berry and buds from baby pink carnations. The greenery used was a variegated Oregonian, finished with Ivory satin and champagne satin criss crossed ribbon and pearl pins.

26 • The Wedding Ring | www.theweddingring.ca

fashion & style

This strapless Paloma Blanca gown (#4202) is ideal for the trendy bride who truly wants to make a statement on her wedding day (Couture Threads). The gown features a mermaid fit, sweetheart neckline, a sweep train in an organza fabric and unbelievable silk dupioni flowers throughout skirt . To accent Erin's waist, we added a pearl belt by LaSposa and emphasized her gown with a bold statement necklace and delicate earrings by MMCrystal. We finished her look with a veil by Laura Jayne (Couture Threads).

HAIR & MAKE-UP

FLORALS

For a burst of colour, this bouquet from Les Fleurs Floral Boutique features New Zealand peonies, garden thistle, Dutch parrot tulips, chincher arabicum, roses and Italian ranunculus. It’s exotic, fun and the perfect compliment to the Paloma Blanca gown.

Erin has a lot of hair, so the team at Evolution knew right away that a modern bun was perfect for her. They added a bit of height for an ultra sleek finish.

Sonia used purples, browns and golds to create a classic eye for Erin, adding individual lashes to help them really stand out. She finished with a bold, coral on Erin’s lips.

GET LOCAL. PLAN FABULOUS! • 27

fashion & style

fashionista bride 4 Wedding looks that Fashionista’s will Love Make-Up Artist and Creative Director, Sonia Ryan teamed up with The Wedding Ring, two dazzling models, one-sought after photographer, HRM Photography, and some sweet gowns and accessories to create four wedding day looks that were made for the modern, chic, city woman. Here’s how every trend-setting bride can style her wedding day look.

Continued, page 30...

PHOTOGRAPHY: HRM Photography (www.hrmphotography.com) Fashion Stylist & Make-up Artist: Sonia Ryan & Co. (www.soniaryan.com) Hair Stylist: Dee Lander (www.frankanthony.ca) Gowns: Petrov Bridal (www.petrovbridal.com) Location: Hotel Metro (www.hotelmetro.ca)

GET LOCAL. PLAN FABULOUS! • 29

fashion & style

The Eurydice by Cymbeline Paris is the perfect option for the modern, city bride who still wants to feel like a princess on her wedding day. With its sweetheart neckline, fitted bodice and beautiful bow, its chic yet sweet ($3036).

ACCESSORIES

Jessika’s look is complete with her Badgley Mischka heels ($225) and gorgeous La Coco Silver Pearl Strand ($44), available at www.stelladot.com/nanita.

FLORALS Lush bouquet was designed by Patzees Floral Scapes (www.patzees.com).

MAKE-UP “I brushed Jessika’s amazing skin with a warm glow that will look especially luminous and breathtakingly beautiful in photos. I applied a slight shimmery beige eyeshadow with a matte taupe and a shimmer golden brown for a beautiful sparkly eye. To finish her look I applied a honey peach gloss.” - Sonia Ryan

30 • The Wedding Ring Magazine | www.theweddingring.ca

fashion & style

With its asymmetrical neckline, ruched bodice, drop waist lace-up corsetted back and organza layered ruffled skirt, the Euriell gown by Cymbeline Paris is ideal for the bride who is all about the glam ($3220). Its removable slip is a fabulous option for the bride who wants a shorter, second look for the reception.

MAKE-UP

“Jessika’s glamorous look is perfect for the bride who loves sparkle and a whole lot of bling. I enhanced her natural beauty by bringing the focus of this look to her eyes. I defined her baby blues well at the lashline, surrounded them with warm brown eyeshadows and glossed her lips with a soft peachy pink.” - Sonia Ryan

ACCESSORIES

To complete the ultimate urban glam look, Jessika wears a stunning Metropolitan Mixed Chain ($218), a Bardot Spiral Silver bangle ($54) and adds shimmering glass pearls with the Soiree Pave Pearl Bracelet in Grey ($36), each available at www.stelladot.com/nanita.

The incredible feather and brooch bouquet is the ultimate accessory for this look, created

by WR Designs (www.wendyryckman.ca).

GET LOCAL. PLAN FABULOUS! • 31 GET LOCAL. PLAN FABULOUS! • 21

fashion & style

With its high neckline, lace bodice and nude net lining, the Egerie by Cymbeline Paris ($4186) reminds us of a Parisian fashionista, coming straight from the runway. It’s asymmetrical ruffle skit and open back makes it ideal for the daring bride who wants to make a bold statement on her wedding day.

ACCESSORIES

To compliment her Egerie gown, Jessica wears fabulous earrings and a statement ring by FAB and a trendy hair fascinator by Pomp & Plumage. Her Soiree Pave Pearl Bracelet in Ivory ($36) adds some sweet shimmer, available at www.stelladot.com/nanita.

THE LOOK

“I rarely recommend a bold lip with a smoky eye, but Jessica is the exception. Her gown is super sexy, so why not pull out all the stops? I applied a dark taupe shadow with a smoky slate shadow then added false lashes for a more dramatic eye without applying heavier eye makeup.

Pink bold lip gloss pulled this look together. “- Sonia Ryan

BLOOMS

The bride’s soft, extravagant floral bouquet was designed by Patzees Floral Scapes (www.patzees.com).

32 • The Wedding Ring Magazine | www.theweddingring.ca

fashion & style

This simply stunning St. Pucchi gown ($4054) is both dramatic and elegant, perfect for the fashion forward bride. This strapless A line gown features a gorgeous chapel train and just enough sheer mesh to make a statement on your wedding day. Jessica’s jewelry by FAB really pulls this elegant look together.

MAKE-UP “To give Jessica a more elegant look I intensified her lashline and applied subtle eye shadows for a sophisticated look. I brushed her cheeks with a warm peach and applied a pretty apricot gloss.”- Sonia Ryan

GET LOCAL. PLAN FABULOUS! • 33

MAKE-UP TRICKS

An Expert Tip by Angie Keller, Make-up Artist and Creator of Jacha Minerals

photo: FRESHIMAGES.CA

Temporary Eyelash extensions (aka false eyelashes) | It has become very common for a bride to ask for a natural look, and then add temporary eyelash extensions to add drama to the eyes, without having to use lots of makeup. A lot of brides have concerns that they will look overdone, or that the eyelashes will fall off during the ceremony.

fashion: tips

when in reality it is one of the hardest. If you want this look it is important that your makeup artist uses makeup that contains light reflecting pigments, and not ingredients that will look heavy on the skin. Blending is also a big factor in this look; the makeup has to blend perfectly on your face, your cheeks and your eyes. It’s all about enhancing the natural features, but in a subtle way. The eyes should remain neutral, and highlights should be applied to make the check bones and eyes really stand out.

TIP: When you book an artist for yourself on your wedding day, it is really important to encourage your wedding party to get their makeup professionally applied as well. A makeup artist is trained to even out your skin tone, make sure your liner is straight, choose eye shadows that work for you, and will you give you a perfectly finished look that will look great in photographs. Even if you all have a slightly different makeup look, your makeup artist will make sure you all still photograph well together. If only some of your wedding party get their makeup professionally applied, your pictures may not have the consistency you are looking for. If you still have the bridesmaid that wants to do their own, suggest that they stick to a similar eye shadow palate, or unless they have mastered the skill of smokey eye, try to encourage them to do a simple look. You just do not want bad smokey eyes or bright bold colours, taking away from your wedding day pictures.

If your makeup artist uses good glue and knows how to apply the eyelashes properly then you will never have to worry about them falling off. They are also applied right to your lash line, so again if applied properly, they will not be noticeable. If you want your lashes to appear fuller but look very subtle, try individual lashes, or a partial set of lashes applied only to the outside of your lash line will help make eyes look larger.

By applying a full set of lashes, you will get the most drama and your lashes will appear to have more volume and length. This is something I definitely recommend to all brides as they look amazing in photographs. ■

Smokey Eyes | The smokey eye look continues to be a popular trend when it comes to wedding makeup or makeup applications in general. It has become a lot more popular to do the smokey eye look, but with browns, purples, blues and greens to soften the look and make the eyes pop. The traditional black smokey eye is still popular, but the term smokey eye can be done in so many ways, that if you are looking for this makeup technique for your wedding day, a trial is recommended. You may picture a smudged liner as a smokey eye, and your artist may define smokey eyes as dramatic black and silvers, so it is a good idea to make sure your artist understands exactly what you mean when you say smokey eye. Bringing a picture to your trial is also recommended when you want a specific look, as your artist can easily achieve the look you are going for by providing them with a visual.

Bold Lips | It has also become more popular in wedding makeup application to do a soft eye, and a bold lip. This can be dramatic, yet elegant at the same time. It is also a great idea if you are looking to change up your makeup look throughout the day and evening, but do not have the budget to keep your makeup artist on site with you. You can wear a nice soft lip colour for the ceremony, add a little gloss or a slightly darker tint for the photographs, and then for the reception, you can make an entrance with a beautiful Jacha Minerals offers make-up bold lip colour in red, or pink artistry, their own line of cosmetor even fuchsia.

The Natural Look | Many brides are still looking for the natural look on their wedding day. In most cases this means, a natural even skin tone, soft blushing cheeks, natural hues on the eyes, and a soft lip. This may appear to be an easy makeup look to achieve,

ics, as well as make-up parties for the bride and her bridesmaids. Angie explains, “We help you find the perfect spring foundation match, teach you how to apply amazing new spring shadow colours, and find that beautiful lipstick colour you have been waiting for.”

PHOTO: WWW.CAPTUREDSOULPHOTOGRAPHY.com

destination weddings

A CLOSE-UP ON DESTINATION WEDDINGS AT MAJESTIC COLONIAL AND MAJESTIC ELEGANCE IN PUNTA CANA, DOMINICAN REPUBLIC • A WEDDING WEEK IN VEGAS - DW REALITY WEDDING STORY Continued, page 38...

Changing the GETway LOCAL. brides PLAN planFABULOUS! weddings •• 37 29

destination weddings

Majestic Colonial & Majestic Elegance Punta Cana

(www.majestic-resorts.com) Last year, the team at The Ring scoured the Dominican Republic for the best destination wedding resorts on the island.

During the tour, one of the biggest stand-outs was, by far, Majestic Colonial and Majestic Elegance resorts. But with two dozen other locales to review, we knew that a few paragraphs just wouldn't do justice for Majestic. That's why when Anne Warren was invited to return for the full bridal experience with a luxury, all-inclusive week at this incredible resort, she jumped at the chance. Needless to say, after a full week of fun, sun and everything-weddings, we're ready to tell you everything you need to know to plan a Majestic destination wedding...

TWO RESORTS IN ONE Punta Cana is not only home to some of the world’s most beautiful beaches, but also home to two of the most popular destination wedding resorts in the Caribbean: Majestic Colonial and Majestic Elegance. Combined, these sister properties host an average of 750 weddings per year (that’s an average of five per day during their busy seasons).

With that many weddings to plan and coordinate each year, the Majestic employs a team of five wedding planners as well the endless number of staff needed to make your destination wedding day run flawlessly. We had the pleasure of meeting and touring these incredible properties with Sandra de la Cruz, the lead Wedding and Event Coordinator.

A MAJESTIC WEDDING The Majestic Wedding Package, running about $1750 USD, is all about a gorgeous ceremony and all the details that come with it. That said, many destination wedding couples never see this fee because it's waived when you book fifteen or more rooms for seven nights - done easily with today's much larger destination weddings.

PHOTO, ABOVE: www.capturedsoulphotography.ca

PHOTO: www.steingardstudios.com

As soon as you book your wedding with Majestic, you’ll find yourself on an entirely new level of service. Brides and grooms automatically receive specialized assistance from their on-site wedding planner who will work with both your travel agent and yourself, to facilitate all of your wedding plans both prior to your arrival - and during your stay.

YOUR MAJESTIC CEREMONY To start, you’ll choose from one of their ceremony locations, including a white sand beach, a magnificent gazebo, a lovely on-site chapel, or even your own suite. To give you both separation and a touch of privacy for a beach ceremony, Majestic has the area separated from the rest of the beach with staff members on standby to make sure no one walks through the middle of your wedding in a polka dot bikini!

As the bride and groom, you can expect some sweet perks including early check-in and late check-out, a bottle of champagne in your room twice during your stay, complimentary room service, a romantic breakfast in your room and complimentary massages.

And if the resort has availability (a great reason to book ASAP!), you’ll also receive a free room upgrade during your stay.

38 • The Wedding Ring | www.theweddingring.ca

On your wedding day, you’ll have the services of a Civil Judge or Catholic Priest (the Majestic team can also help you arrange the services of the officiant of your choice, or you can bring your own) as well as a beautifully decorated wedding cake and tropical flowers for the table. Majestic also includes a tropical bouquet for the bride and boutonniere for the groom.

Other details you can expect are...

• Ironing of groom's tuxedo and bride’s gown • Sound system and simultaneous translation of the ceremony if needed • Marriage Certificate in Spanish • Marriage Certificate delivered

by DHL • Champagne for the group after the ceremony • Candle light romantic dinner for the bride and groom with champagne • Use of humid area at the Majestic Spa • Basket of fruits in your room during your stay UPGRADE & CUSTOMIZE DINING & DANCING But for any bride, the magic is in the upgrades.

Sandra told The Ring that just about every Majestic bride adds on to her package to personalize their wedding. With so many upgrade options to choose from, even their upgrades have upgrades!

The most popular upgrade amongst Majestic brides is the private reception and dance.

You can reserve a portion of one of their many restaurants at no additional cost, or you can reserve the entire space (in select locations) for your dinner. You can even reserve

PHOTOS ABOVE: www.capturedsoulphotography.ca

one of the poolside bar areas as a private dance club for your guests, complete with bartenders and a DJ. And of course, they offer décor packages to complete the look of your wedding, including chair covers, sashes, table runners and more.

Our favourite upgrade has to be booking the Presidential Suite for your ceremony and reception. This incredible space is large enough to accommodate 100 guests for a sit down dinner on the terrace, space for a ceremony, and breathtaking views that more than justify any upgrade price!

Sandra advises, “the first thing you need to do when you decide on a Majestic Wedding is to book your ceremony time and location as well as reception and dance locations.

Since the Majestic Resorts are so popular for weddings, dates and times get booked up quickly. As soon as you know what you’d like to do, book it.” While the Majestic resorts host an average of five weddings per day, they will limit that number further based on the size and scope of your wedding day. If the event is large enough, they'll limit the entire resort's wedding schedule to just your wedding.

WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHY When it comes to your wedding photography you have three choices; bring a photographer with you (giving you a week's worth of pro photos), hire someone locally (additional resort fees apply to all outside vendors coming to the resort), or employ Tropical Pictures, Majestic's on-site photography service. They offer various photography packages and work with Brightlight Videography. If you choose to bring a photographer as one of your guests (or if you hiring someone local), be sure to advise the wedding team at the resort.

ACCOMODATIONS The Majestic Colonial features 658 Junior Suites and Suites, all including an indoor Jacuzzi tub. Rooms are also available with direct access to the pool and an outdoor Jacuzzi. Select rooms include a private terrace with outdoor jacuzzi tubs and ocean views.

Others offer spacious suites for families.

The Majestic Elegance features 597 Junior Suites and Suites, also with indoor Jacuzzi tubs. Elegance offers an adults only section, the Elegance Club. Select rooms in Elegance offer outdoor Jacuzzis, direct access to the pool, lovely ocean views and a private terrace.

To protect each guest’s privacy and well-being, all rooms are equipped with presence

sensors to inform the staff of whether or not the room is occupied. Also, to help protect natural resources, the lights disconnect automatically when leaving the room and the air conditioning system regulates itself.

RESTAURANTS & BARS Your guests will never go hungry during their stay at the Majestic Colonial. We certainly didn't! With eight restaurants to choose from, there really is something for everyone - lobster dinners, asian food made in front of you (amazing show!), authentic Dominican cuisine, and so much more. There are also nine bars throughout the property including a sports bar, piano bar (LOVE!), beach bar, and our favourite - the fabulous pool bar! And truly, the open air lobby buildings are so expansive and gorgeous, you'll surely spend an afternoon or evening just relaxing and sharing drinks in the comfortable seating beneath those massive chandeliers.

Location, Location, Location Hot, Hot Hot! The Majestic Colonial and Majestic With tropical weather year round, the average Elegance Punta Cana is located in Arena temperature is 27 to 30 degrees Celsius. Punta Gorda (Playa Bavaro) about 30 kilometres Cana is always touched by a gentle and fresh away from the Punta Cana International sea breeze that moderates the warm temperaAirport. Most packages booked through tures. Remember your sunscreen! your travel agent will include transportation to your resort. This can take 60-90 minutes while you wait for other travelers and stop at other hotels. The impatient traveler who can’t wait to get to the beach can take a cab from the airport to the Majestic for roughly $40, putting them at the lobby within twenty to twenty-five minutes.

Required documents for civil weddings • Photocopy of birth certificate + translation in Spanish and legalization • Photocopy of passports (couple and 2 witnesses) • Single status declaration + translation in Spanish and legalization • Original divorce decree + translation in Spanish and legalization • Documents to be legalized by the Dominican Embassy (except passports) • Required documents for Catholic weddings to be sent upon request • Couples will bring all the original documents with them to the hotel.

MAJESTIC BRIDES AND GROOMS If you book your Destination Wedding at one of the Majestic Properties, you should expect to feel spoiled by beautiful rooms, amazing staff, incredible food and some of the best entertainment we’ve seen. The resort is large enough that you and your sweetheart can sneak away for an afternoon to enjoy one of the lagoon style pools that wind their way throughout the property. And most importantly, this resort truly knows how to put on a fabulous wedding! Planning your day from thousands of miles away can be a daunting task. That's why it's good to know that with Majestic staff, you have a team of specialists who are making your planning details their top priority. ■

PHOTOS BELOW: www.capturedsoulphotography.ca

GET LOCAL. PLAN FABULOUS! • 39

destination weddings

A Wedding Week in Vegas!

Chris & Becky

September 4th, 2011: Springs Preserve (www.springspreserve.org) & Caesars Palace (www.caesarspalace.com), Las Vegas Photography by Dudek Photography (www.dudekphotography.com) Story by TheWeddingRing.ca Although they were just eighteen years old when they started dating, both Chris Pallister and Rebecca (Becky) Routledge knew right away they would one day be husband and wife. Becky remembers, “There was no doubt we were head over heels… As the years went on and the adventures got better and better, our love for each other matured....It was only a matter of time before we tied the knot.”

Six and a half years later, on September 5th, 2010, Chris proposed. One of his lifelong goals was to build a cedar strip canoe. It took an entire year to build, but the boat was ready just in time to test it out with a backcountry camping trip in Algonquin Park.

Armed with a bottle of wine, the pair paddled out to the middle of the lake where Becky gave a toast under the stars. Chris laughs, “Then she asked if there was anything I’d like to say.” Expecting another toast, Becky was stunned (and nearly tipped the boat) when Chris pulled out a ring and said, “I have my boat, all I need is my wife.” Chris and Becky floated around the lake for the next two hours, not saying anything. “We were just enjoying the moment.”

Chris and Becky got to work on the wedding right away, dabbling into research here and there, but nothing felt right. Jokingly, Chris threw out a random comment and said, 40 • The Wedding Ring | www.theweddingring.ca

“Let’s just get married in Vegas.” Initially, Becky resisted the idea, envisioning the “Elvis impersonator, totally cliché wedding” that is often associated with Vegas. As long as she could remember, Becky had always dreamed of a classic wedding.

However after looking into some exciting places, Becky realized that Vegas actually had everything the couple wanted. It would be adventurous, memorable and the perfect way to compliment their free-spirited personalities.

Chris and Becky knew they wanted an outdoor ceremony and immediately fell in love with Springs Preserve, a cultural institution designed to commemorate the dynamic history of Vegas. A short drive from the strip, it offered 180 acres of botanical gardens, beautiful nature trails and exquisite galleries and museum spaces. For Chris and Becky, a ceremony amidst the lush greenery was the perfect spot to say I do.

Chris designed their eight page passport-style invitation, complete with a postcard from Vegas as the RSVP. With help from a local print shop, Chris and Becky created fun invitations that guests not only loved, but would later keep as souvenirs from their trip.

Choosing their photographer would prove to be much easier than finding their dream location. Both Chris and Becky grew up with Damian Dudek and after seeing his work on the wedding of a mutual friend, they had to have him for their wedding. The couple even went so far as to change their date from an early summer wedding to a September

We spent our relationship buying “experiences” for each other rather than gifts. We wanted our wedding to reflect this... Quality time spent with family and friends is worth more than anything. We wanted to give them an experience that we’ll all remember for a lifetime...

• Chris running after his bride to get the perfect shot of the Bellagio fountains, with Elvis’ “Viva Las Vegas” playing in the background • Bachelor and Bachelorette Parties on the strip (what happens in Vegas....)

• Guests exploring with helicopter and boat rides around the Grand Canyon • Relaxing at the pool at Caesar’s Palace before the wedding • The fact that everyone pitched in a hand to make the entire day just as perfect as we envisioned

event, just so they could have Damian shoot the wedding. “Damian has the rare ability to take amazing pictures in the moment, from the right angle, in the right light. You can tell how skilled he is because none of our guests remember seeing him shooting, yet he captured all of the intimate moments of our day.”

In keeping with their theme of ‘classic elegance’, Chris and Becky chose black, white, and grey as their decor palette. The bridesmaids wore their own black cocktail dresses and the groomsmen wore sleek grey vests with white collared shirts, perfect for a sunny day in Vegas. For a splash of colour, Becky and her girls carried yellow Calla lilies tied together with green tea leaves.

Their September 4th, 2011 wedding ceremony had a big guest list with sixty-five of their friends and family in attendance. Becky chose an elegant, strapless gown and accented her look with a gorgeous crystal headband for a bit of Vegas-style sparkle. After being pronounced husband and wife beneath the Nevada sun, the entire wedding party hopped into a bus and toured around Vegas, posing for fun shots at some famous tourist spots on the strip – Aria’s waterfalls, the iconic ‘Welcome to Las Vegas’ sign, and around Caesars Palace.

Damian described it as “a photographers dream!”

destination reality wedding

favourite things...

The reception gave guests the ultimate Vegas experience, held at the Forum Tower Emperor’s Suite at Caesars Palace (made famous by and inspired by the movie, The Hangover).

It was one of the big ticket items that Chris and Becky knew they wanted to splurge on. “The room has an incredible view of the Vegas strip, with two storey’s of floor to ceiling windows... We didn’t even have to decorate!” The suite had a full dance floor as well as a lounge area where guests could eat, mingle and relax.

Guests were treated to a catered meal in the suite. Because of the room logistics, dinner was casual, served buffet style. Chris and Becky had already chosen their menu from the hotel’s website. It included Kobe beef and crab cake sliders, cheese tortellini pasta with seared crimini mushrooms, toasted walnuts, and more. Since this was a destination wedding, there wasn’t an opportunity to do a tasting before the wedding, so Chris and Becky got to experience the menu for the first time along with their guests. This whole element of surprise throughout the entire day was one of their favourite things about choosing a destination wedding.

After dinner, everyone had a blast, dancing the night away, “We burned up the dance floor!

Most venues kick you out after 1am but because this was technically a hotel room, we didn’t stop dancing until 6am!” In honour of their guests, Chris and Becky decided to donate money to an organization Chris works with called Respect Haiti, which is organized by a local Toronto Firefighter and his Haitian friends, dedicated to rebuilding schools in Haiti and giving orphans an education.

For Chris and Becky, their Vegas wedding was the perfect start to their lifelong adventure together, “It took a lot of the planning and control out of our hands. We chose a ceremony and reception venue without every visiting it, ordered food that we never sampled, and got married by a woman we will never meet again.

It was amazing because on our wedding day we were just like our guests, experiencing the whole thing for the first time.” ■

GET LOCAL. PLAN FABULOUS! • 41

design palettes Lisa McCalla Grigorian, owner and photographer at LG Weddings (www.lgweddings.com) shot this gorgeous wedding at The Old Mill Inn & Spa (www. oldmilltoronto.com). Lisa specializes in creative, candid and contemporary wedding photography for Toronto and Southwestern Ontario brides and grooms.

Lisa told The Ring, “This wedding was so lovely and

unique because of its elegant, luxurious colour palette and Old English/Shakespearean theme. Every single detail was incredible.”

books, ribbon, lanterns, and even an a medievil style crown. The bouquet was a mix of purples and pinks which tied the bridal fashion in with the rest of the day.

For their November 13, 2010 wedding, the bride and groom, Erica and Robert, used shades of purple, pink and taupe in combination with ultra vintage props such as feather quills, parchment paper, hard cover

This wedding was actually shot for an episode of Slice Channel’s Rich Bride Poor Bride as well, making it even more unique. Love it! ■

PHOTOGRAPHY: LG Weddings (www.lgweddings.com) LOCATION : The Old Mill Inn & Spa (www.oldmilltoronto.com) SAVE ME! 42 • The Wedding Ring | www.theweddingring.ca

To keep the fires of creativity burning, cut out this page & save it in your ideas binder.

8 Reasons to ♥ An EXPERT TIP by Eph*ra Event Design (www.ephraeventdesign.com) There are countless reasons to love having a wedding planner on your side as you approach your fabulous day. After talking to the team at Eph*ra Event Design, Toronto-based wedding planning company about the many services they offer their brides and grooms, we made a list of some of our favourites.

can also make sure your contracts cover every detail.

You could easily forget to ask the venue to include cake cutting services, you might forget about corkage fees.

Worst (and most common) of all, you might assume the venue includes things that aren’t actually included.

4. Back & forth communication.

5. Final confirmations

1. Inspiration Boards and Design Palettes (see below).

Many wedding planners will create an inspiration board or design palette for you that combines your ideas, colours, textures, and wedding inspiration into one visual representation which will keep you on track every step of the way.

6. Planning event from start to finish (different from event venue planner)

2. A good planner will often make vendor recommendations based their experience.

We asked Alanna and Dawn at Eph*ra why a bride would hire a planner or wedding designer. They anwered, “Today’s bride has a demanding job (or two), or is in school and has other responsibilities.

Planning a wedding is no simple task and all the checklists in the world won’t alleviate the inevitable

3. Wedding planners are pros at negotiating contracts.

They can work the numbers with your vendors to get the services you need within the budget you have. They

stress and late night panic attacks that come with orchestrating such a monumental (and life altering) event... The question more accurately is; Why not hire a wedding designer/planner?”

7. Pass off all the stress 8. Bride can enjoy the process

THE Venue Event Coordinator vs. THE Wedding Planner

It’s easy to confuse an event coordinator at your venue with a wedding planner. Eph*ra says, “Many venues these days say they provide an “event planner” but it is important to remember that service is for the wedding day only and is focused on ensuring that things run smoothly from the venue’s perspective. The venue’s event planner won’t help you design your invites (or proofread them), design custom stickers for your guest welcome bags, ensure your carefully designed 7-piece centrepieces are arranged perfectly or find all the fabulous things for your reception like striped paper straws, vintage frames, chinese lanterns and the perfect guest bomboniere.”

Kate and Spencer were married on July 16, 2011 at the Burlington Golf & Country Club (www.burlingtongolfclub.com) that overlooks Lake Ontario. Alanna Stephen, of Eph*ra Event Design (ephraeventdesign.com) submitted this wedding to The Ring, knowing full well that Kate and Spencer’s detail-infused day would make a fabulous design palette for any bride in the market for some theme ideas and inspiration.

Eph*ra bride, Kate, had always envisioned a cute vintage chic wedding focusing on her favorite colours - yellow, grey and ivory. She explained, “I wanted the wedding cermony to have a whimsical feel - with soft harp playing in the background, yellow lemons lining the aisle... an old vintage signing table... love bird accents...” Kate and Spencer’s bridesmaids carried baby’s breath for a simple delicate feel. Kate carried soft pale yellow roses that matched the colour of the bridesmaids' dresses.

Alanna says the wedding was definitely one of the most detail-oriented ones Eph*ra has ever created. “The bride was very involved with conveying her vision of a fresh, frilly, cute, lemon-inspired wedding... It was our pleasure to take her vision, hone the details and deliver

photos, above: Jayme Van Geest Photography | www.jvgphotography.com

her dream wedding!”

Kate says, “I wanted to have a cute, fun, vintage look.

The [reception] room had chinese lanterns cascading in clusters from the ceiling to give the room height.

All of the tables had different centerpieces still keeping with the same idea and theme. Some tables had vintage birdcages, some had vintage frames with flowers and candles, and others had silver vintage tea pot settings.

Each table had different flowers to give the wedding a unique flare.” Linens were white with a light grey damask runner and yellow napkins for a pop of colour.

The Cupcake & Sweets area was set up with vintage frames hanging on the wall in different sizes and shapes, and a barn board sign as a fun way to call out the display. The cupcakes were mini daisy’s in different flavors for the guests to try. Kate says, their head table had many little details. “...candelabras from my parents’ wedding [and] a love bird runner...”

Eph*ra helped Kate and Spencer make sure that every design detail came together. Alanna remembers, “Little bottles of lemoncello were given as guest favours... we

used lots of vintage silver, personalized signs and bold fabrics... It took our team of two, over ten hours, to set up the reception (hang the lanterns, the frames over the cupcake table, place everything...etc)! This wedding definitely raised the bar for us!”

For Kate, with the help of Eph*ra, it was the perfect day. She says, “Everything turned out perfectly. My [Eph*ra] wedding stylists were so helpful putting all of my thoughts and ideas together. They did an amazing job!” ■ GET LOCAL. PLAN FABULOUS! • 43

design palettes This wedding, shot by KW-based Latte Productions, takes “Something Blue” to an entirely new level at the Holiday Inn in Cambridge.

Bride and groom, Nathalie LeBlanc and Randy Frey, used blue and white, with splashes of yellow, for their colour palette on this October 22, 2011 wedding day.

Nathalie and Randy created their own centrepieces using their palette.

Above, blue beta fish swim in glass tumblers filled with yellow pebbles. Since both Nathalie and Randy are huge movie buffs, they wanted to include some of their favourite films into their wedding day.

“We named each table after movies we had watched together while we were dating. We wanted the reception to be fun and include things that we both enjoyed.”

Yellow and white place tags hung from ‘Happily Ever After’ ribbon, pointing guests to their movie (ie.table). ■

PHOTOGRAPHY: Latte Productions (www.latteproductions.ca) LOCATION: Ceremony: Heritage College and Seminary (www.heritage-theo.edu) RECEPTION: Holiday Inn Cambridge (www.holidayinn.com)

SAVE ME!

To keep the fires of creativity burning, cut out this page & save it in your ideas binder.

44 • The Wedding Ring Magazine | www.theweddingring.ca

design palettes

Dana MacDonald and Craig MacDonald knew that black and white décor would perfectly compliment the ‘modern elegance’ wedding theme for their July 23rd, 2011 wedding day. Dana told The Ring, “I wanted to make a statement while still remaining tasteful. We used black, white and a deep purple as our colours and we incorporated a lot of bling.”

With chandeliers over the dance floor of the Embassy Room at Bingemans, strings of crystals draped from the head table and backdrop and crystals spread out around the centrepieces of every table, it was just enough to give the room some sparkle without going overboard. “We also added little touches of damask on the guest tables and in the backdrop for a little pop.”

Dana’s biggest inspiration was damask.

“It was what started the theme for my wedding and everything stemmed from there. I always knew I wanted an elegant black and white wedding with a pop of colour, and adding a bit of sparkle just made it that much more chic... It really fit in with our personalities.” ■

FLOWERS AND DÉCOR: Special Events and Flowers (www.specialeventsandflowers.com) CEREMONY: St. George’s Church (www.saintgeorge.ca) RECEPTION: Embassy Room @ Bingemans (www.bingemans.com) PHOTOGRAPHY: Latte Productions (www. latteproductions.ca) CAKE: The Cake Box (www.cakebox.ca) SAVE ME!

To keep the fires of creativity burning, cut out this page & save it in your ideas binder.

GET LOCAL. PLAN FABULOUS! • 45

design palettes

For Meghan and Dan Gerber’s August 27 2011 wedding, they wanted a country style wedding. “We are both from a farming background and we now own and operate Dan’s 90-cow family Dairy Farm Stone Lane Farms here in Oxford County. We met in Agriculture College so we figured our friends and family would enjoy a wedding that suited us perfectly!”

The pair used Sunflowers as centrepieces and as the

main wedding flower. They used old barn windows as their seating chart and collected corn, wheat and old milk cans from their farm to decorate the church and hall. They even left the church in their brand new 2011 tractor!

For a twist on their wedding cake, Meghan and Dan chose a Holstein cow spotted cake and guests took home Holstein cow sugar cookies as well as horse

sugar cookies. Photographer Alicia Riley had fun with photos, incorporating corn fields, a milk truck and two of Meghan and Dan’s home-bred cows into their wedding photos.

“Our love for Agriculture and the dairy farming industry inspired our wedding. This is what brought us together and what we look forward to waking up and doing together everyday!” ■

Location: German-Canadian Hunting and Fishing Club, Manheim, Ontario Photography Alica Riley Photography (www.aliciariley.com) Flowers: Catherine Wright Designs (www.stratfordflorist.com) Cake and Cookie favours: Shari Langis (www.sharilangis.com) CATERING: Bellzy’s Catering SAVE ME!

To keep the fires of creativity burning, cut out this page & save it in your ideas binder.

GET LOCAL. PLAN FABULOUS! • 47

expert tips

Fair Trade, ECO-FRIENDLY & Socially Conscious FAVOURS An Expert Tip by Alanna and Dawn of Eph*ra Event Design (www.ephraeventdesign.com)

At The Ring, we are always on the look-out for ways we can cut down our carbon footprint. And so are many of the fabulous vendors in The Ring, including Alanna and Dawn from Eph*ra Event Design.

Fortunately, this trend is continuing for savvy couples who want their bombonieres to convey a message and create an impact! Going green, or having an eco-friendly wedding helps teach friends PHOTOS (above and and family about giving back to the earth by using natural, environmentally friendly materials. These 'green' favors are made with earth friendly materials and make wonderful eco-friendly favors for your organic wedding. Here are some of Alanna and Dawn's favourite favours.....

#5) COURTESY OF Tea Forté

1. Grow-a-Tree kit from Ontario 2. A donation to a charity of your choice

(such as World Vision, Doctors without Borders or the Heart & Stroke Foundation)

5

13

15

PHOTO COURTESY Tenthousandvillages.ca

3. Carbon offsets for guests who travelled (davidsuzuki.org) 4. World Wildlife Fund adoption program (www.worldwildlife.org/gift-center) 5. Organic tea pyramids (photo: Tea Forté - teaforte.com) 6. Beeswax honeycomb candles (beau-coup.com) 7. Local product (jam, honey etc) with a personalized label 8. Personalized seed packets (beau-coup.com) 9. Bamboo coasters (weddingfavours.ca) 10. “Love” palewa stone paperweight (fair trade) from India (tenthousandvillages.ca) 11. Fair trade coffee beans in hemp packets (wholefoodsmarket.com) 12. Handmade (& fair trade) copper snowflake ornament from India (tenthousandvillages.ca) 13. Plantable wedding favour tags/cards (weddingfavours.ca) 14. Organic truffles (delightchocolate.ca) 15. Handmade (& fair trade) leather lotus key chain from Bangladesh (photo: tenthousandvillages.ca)

From Fun Photos to the Perfect Proposal Photography by Sylvia Pond Photography (www.sylviapond.com) Story by Sylvia Pond

expert tips

THE Surprise Engagement Shoot

After having some great conversations on Lavalife and feeling a connection Erica (yup Erica) asked Tim on their first date on June 20th 2010. They had great chemistry right from the start, making each other laugh and feel comfortable. And it’s a good thing that Tim is 6’7 because Erica needed a tall man to go with her 6’1 height!

After dating for over a year, Tim and Erica wanted some professional pictures and decided to book an outdoor portrait session for October 1st, 2011 with Sylvia Pond Photography. After discussing what type of photo’s they wanted, we chose Woodside Heritage Place for the first half of the photo shoot to get that green and earthy feel. We later ventured to downtown Kitchener for a more urban look for the second half of the shoot.

October 1st ended up being a very cold and windy day! We started shooting and having a fun time taking pictures while Tim tried to keep Erica warm with hugs. She even asked him for his jacket at one point to which he denied her … hmmm… “that wasn’t like him” Erica told me afterwards.

Tim and Erica had brought matching jerseys to take a couple pictures in before heading to location number two. It was good timing as my battery needed to be switched out and we all wanted to warm up… but Tim said he wanted more pictures in the park.

We went around the corner and he dropped his jacket on the ground. He was holding a small box in his hand!!! OMG I clued in! Quickly I changed my camera settings and starting shooting! My eyes started to tear up but I sucked it up and captured their moment. Erica was so surprised as Tim got down on one knee and professed his love and asked her to be his bride.

After wiping away her tears of joy and getting a good look at the ring now on her finger they embraced in a giant hug.

I gave them some time to enjoy their moment privately and they got changed into their jerseys. This was funny! Erica couldn’t stop looking at the ring! This part of the shoot was meant to be playful and fun but it was funny to watch Erica be so careful not to bump her ring. Well now this couple's portrait shoot turned into an ENGAGEMENT shoot!

We warmed up and headed downtown Kitchener for the rest of the shoot.

They were both glowing with excitement. After a few weeks of discussions, the date was set for October 24th, 2012 in Punta Cana (Dominican Republic).

I am thrilled to be able to join them as their photographer, along with about thirty friends and family members for the big day! ■

Sylvia Pond is a K-W-based wedding photographer. With over fifty weddings and hundreds of portrait sessions spanning from London to Toronto (not to mention some fabulous destination weddings) under her belt, Sylvia is never happier than when she's shooting fabulous local weddings. Sylvia tells The Ring, "I love seeing couples in love and sharing that blissful feeling with their friends and family. It’s the one day that is all about the bride and groom and I GET TO CAPTURE those memories! And every wedding is different. There are so many unique and inspirational moments!"

GET LOCAL. PLAN FABULOUS!• 49

expert tips

PHOTOS: IRINAPHOTOGRAPHY.COM

Just Because... I LOVE YOU

Photography by Irina Photography (www.irinaphotography.com) | Story by TheWeddingRing.ca This past year, Irina Photography introduced a fun and contemporary twist to capturing people in love. Owners and photographers, Irina & Mikhel, call the photo sessions Just because... I love you.

Irina and Mikhel explain, “We realized many couples are looking to celebrate their wedding anniversaries with these sessions because they allow for more of a setting where the couple can really feel connected.”

These new shoots are designed for couples looking to document their relationship with mood-provoking imagery. It's all about showcasing and celebrating your relationship.

In these examples, [photos, above] Kristyne and Kent used a Just Because session as a way to signify their one year anniversary. Irina and Mikhel recommend choosing a location that says something about you or has a special meaning. ■

Even though you get a taste of this style when posing for your engagement photos, the focus is almost entirely on the wedding at that time. Most engagement sessions have a strict goal of being part of the wedding detail and not always about the expression of bonded love.

Toronto-based photography duo, Mihkel and Irina of Irina Photography (www.irinaphotography.com), offers creative and journalistic wedding photography, capturing those natural and unscripted moments on your special day.

An Expert Tip by Make A

PHOTO: MAKEAMEMORY.CA

50 • The Wedding Ring | www.theweddingring.ca

Memory Photography (www.makeamemory.ca)

Candice Davidson of Make A Memory Photography (makeamemory.ca) shoots many weddings each year and says that contracts are the real key to keeping both the couple and their photographer on the same page. To make sure your memories are covered, Candice says your contract should include…

• The name of the specific photographer shooting your wedding • The photography start and end time (ie. when should he/ she arrive?). Candice notes that this isn’t always a requirement, “With me does not have to be determined upon booking, but at our final meeting six weeks before the wedding.”

• The description and pricing of the package you ordered as well as any extras and promotions you may be receiving.

• All additional charges, services, taxes, travel, etc... Make sure the total cost is on your contract so there are no surprises.

• An explanation of what happens if your photographer doesn’t show up.

• The deposit amount paid, the date, and the balance owing.

• Your name, address and phone number.

• The names and addresses of the ceremony and reception locations. Candice adds, “This can be determined at a later date if they don’t know all the details when they book, but it should be submitted no later than six weeks before the wedding.”

• Who gets the rights to the digital files once they’re delivered.

• Special requests, requirements and ideas that are important to you.

• Where and how your photos may be used by the photographer. If your images may be used in an online portfolio, Facebook, trade show or otherwise, you’ll want to know. “Having a flexible photographer is also important. In my contract it can be taken out if they choose to say no,” says Candice.

• Delivery date of your images. This can range from weeks to months depending on your photographer. “Personally, I guarantee delivery no later than six weeks after the wedding,” says Candice, who cringes at the thought of leaving her couples waiting forever to see their wedding photos. ■

not doing them. That being said, we do try to keep them to a minimum so we don't spend the whole day shooting traditional posed photos. We have a very organized booking system where all the posed photos are planned in advance so we can move through them as efficiently as possible to get back to the moments.

Images (above and left, as well as on page 52) show Brent Foster's wedding photojournalistic shooting style.

Brent Foster (www.brentfosterphotography.com) has worked as a news photojournalist and cinematographer in 15+ countries for some of the world's largest publications including The New York Times, LA Times, and TIME.com. War, poverty, famine, and even a day-in-the-life exposé of the Dalai Lama himself, are among the topics he covered throughout his news career.

Now that Brent has tied the knot himself and settled into Southwestern Ontario to offer wedding photojournalism for local and destination brides, staff at The Ring asked him to break down wedding photojournalism for Ontario brides. What does it mean?

What do you get? What's the difference?

Q: What is photojournalism?

A: Photojournalism, to me, is recording history on the fly. It's all about storytelling imagery, moments, and light. It's that combination that makes amazing, realistic, moment-driven images filled with details

and emotion that you may have not have otherwise even noticed happening on your wedding day. Clients often write me after they receive their images, and are amazed that I caught a particular moment as they hadn't even realized I was there. That's photojournalism to me… A quiet observer… A fly on the wall…

Letting images happen in front of the camera. A photojournalistic approach to a wedding is timeless, and not trendy or over-photoshopped. I try to approach weddings in a way that they won't be stuck in a particular era, and will remain classic for generations to come.

Q: How does PJ photography for a newspaper compare to PJ photography for a wedding day?

A: Working for a newspaper or magazine is very similar in a lot of ways to my approach to wedding photojournalism. Newspapers have deadlines, big expectations, and you are always in a high pressure environment where things are happening very quickly, and you're expected to deliver. Weddings are really the same. Clients hire you because they believe in your ability as a photographer, and they trust you to be there to capture the key moments in a day… the first kiss, the first dance, the little ring bearer who doesn't want to walk down the aisle…. I think the two really compliment each other, and a trained, educated, experienced photojournalist is one of the best options for brides to choose when considering a wedding photographer.

Q: How does your news background impact your wedding photography today?

A: My news background has been the perfect compliment to my wedding photography approach. From tight deadlines, to high pressure situations with fleeting moments such as covering the NBA Finals, to documenting conflict in the middle east, my news background has taught me to anticipate moments, tell stories through photography, and conduct myself in a professional manor.

Q: What's the difference between candid photography and photojournalistic photography?

A: Candid photography to me means single pictures of people doing things at a wedding. Photojournalism to me is an overall approach. It's thinking about moments, and telling a story from the time the bride is getting ready to the time they throw the garter or have the first dance… It's the details, emotions, moments, narrative, and record of history from the day.

Q: Does a PJ photographer typically also do the posed family and wedding party shots?

A: Definitely. When my wife, Tammy, and I were married, our parents would have been super mad if we didn't do the traditional family photos and wedding party shots. We encourage all bride and grooms to do the same. Parents, grandparents, and siblings love having them, and I think you'd really regret

Images (below and right) shot by Brent Foster throughout his news photojournalism career.

Q: Do photo locations/back drops really matter to PJ photography? (ie. the park tree vs the hotel lobby vs the local coffee shop) A: More often then not, I photograph in places where people least suspect. I look for things like amazing light, and textured backdrops, and wait for moments to unfold in the right places. Moments are awesome, but combine that with clean backgrounds, and beautiful light, and then you have an amazing picture.

GET LOCAL. PLAN FABULOUS! • 51

...continued from page 52

Photos, above: www.brentfosterphotography.com

Q: Would you say that most photographers offer a degree of PJ shooting?

A: I'd say most wedding photographers offer candids as part of their packages.

Or, they just naturally shoot them along the way. That being said, I think hiring an experienced photojournalist is a totally different ball game. These are photographers trained to wait persistently for just the right moment to tell a story in an image, collect details from the day, and constantly consider a narrative that will look amazing as a storytelling album when the day is done.

Q: How does a couple know whether their photog is truly a PJ photographer or not?

A: I would ask the photographer about their experience, education, and background as a PJ. Not all photojournalists have to come from papers or magazines to be good at what they do, but it's important as a bride/groom to educate yourself, and be sure they're right for you. It's equally important to us to find clients that are looking for this approach to their day. We don't want people looking at our camera and smiling all day during what could be amazing images.

We educate our clients about what to expect as much as possible prior to their wedding day.

Q: Mac or PC? A: Once you go Mac, you never go back. I am an addict sporting a iPhone4Gs, Macbook Pro Laptop, iPad and the biggest iMac possible for editing.... My wife, Tammy, thinks that Siri, the voice system on my iPhone may be my mistress... ;) Q: Favourite band: A: Well... as I write this, I'm in New Orleans at a wedding photographer conference listening to jazz. That being said, currently Fleet Foxes are on my regular rotation of the 5000 or so songs I have on my iPhone.

Q: Favourite other (nationally recognized) photographers in the business: A: Ben Chrisman, Our Labor Of Love, Jenna + Tristan Q: Favourite SW Ontario venues right now: A: Berkley Church and Cambridge Mill Q: Favourite SW Ontario photographers to recommend right now: A: HRM Photography (www.hrmphotography.com) and Jennifer Partington (www.partingtonphotography.ca) are two photographers that I refer clients back and forth with when my calendar is already booked.

On assignment: Brent Foster with Dalai Lama (below), photo by Shiho Fukada

52 • The Wedding Ring | www.theweddingring.ca

Your Wedding Day An EXPERT TIP by Jolie Papeterie

Wedding Day Essentials

• Feminine Hygiene Essentials • Mirror • Deodorant • Hairspray • Makeup (lipstick, cover-up, mascara, press powder etc...) • Safety Pins • Hair Pins • Extra pair of shoes • Extra pair of stockings • Band-Aids • Tweezers • Over-the-counter pain relief • Breath mints or gum • Antacids • Tissues • Toothbrush and dental floss • Clear nail polish • Nail file • Eye drops or extra contact lenses • Cell Phone • Important Phone Numbers (family, vendors, etc.) • Spot remover wipes or pen

The “Just In Case” Essentials

• Bottled Water • Light Snacks • Packing tape for emergency ‘hemming’ • Money or Credit Card • Crazy Glue • Sewing kit and scissors

expert tips

Stationery Designers Nicola and Stéphane from Jolie Papeterie Boutique (www.joliepapeterie.com) specialize in couture invitations that set the style and design of your wedding. After so many weddings, they’ve shared their expert advice on the ultimate wedding day checklist...

reality weddings

a fun fair wedding DAY September 17th, 2011 :: St. John Brebeuf church in Erin & Krystal’s families backyard, Fergus, ONTARIO

Photography by Amber Richmond Photography (www.amberrichmond.com) Story by TheWeddingRing.ca There’s a reason people say love happens when you least expect it. For Krystal Johnston, love was the farthest thing from her mind when she met Mark Vagg. So, when Krystal and Mark’s mutual friends wanted to set them up on a blind date, Krystal reluctantly agreed... with a few stipulations: it had to be casual, their mutual friends had to come along, and no one, under ANY circumstance could call it a date!

Dressed in her comfiest clothes (after all, it wasn’t a date) and expecting nothing more than some fun with friends, Krystal met up with Mark for a night at the movies. To her surprise, she felt an instant connection with him, “I can remember his eyes drew me in and there was just something about him... I found myself starting to grab for his hand and lean on his shoulder. I felt so comfortable with him and it felt like we had been going to the movies together for years.” When Krystal got home that night, she was shocked to realize that she couldn’t get Mark out of her mind. And the feeling was mutual. That night, Mark told his family he had met the girl he was going to marry, “I know it sounds cheesy but I knew it the moment I saw her. I like to think there is love at first sight - and we can prove it.” The pair has been inseparable ever since.

Mark and Krystal were engaged on October 23rd, 2010 and right away they knew their wedding would be all about family, friends and having fun. They chose St. John Brebeuf Church in Erin for their ceremony - not only because it was “cute and cozy”, but also because it was Mark’s childhood church. For Krystal and Mark it was special and sentimental - the perfect place to say their vows. Finding a happy medium on the weather (Krystal loves the heat and Mark is a fan of cooler, fall weather), they decided to compromise and settled on September 17, 2011.

The wedding day couldn’t have turned out better. The weather was chilly at first, but it quickly warmed up as Krystal made her way to the church. As Mark waited for his bride, he said he knew Krystal was on her way to the church because the sun suddenly came out. The couple was married in front of 130 friends and family members.

Krystal’s favourite part of the ceremony came at the end, when they were introduced as ‘Mr. and Mrs. Vagg’. She remembers, “I just wanted to giggle like a little school 54 • The Wedding Ring | www.theweddingring.ca

I like to think there is love at first sight - and we can prove it.” girl...I was so happy!”

As soon as the ceremony was over, Krystal and Mark, along with their photographer, Amber Richmond, and their wedding party, headed to the Fergus fall fair for some fun photos. Krystal admits that some of their family and friends thought they were crazy for going to the fair in their wedding attire, but Krystal, Mark and Amber knew it was the perfect place to take photos that would truly reflect their personalities. The group got some fantastic shots and had fun eating cotton candy and poutine, playing on the carousal and competing in the shooting water games. Krystal even milked a cow and the pair got “arrested” by the local police for some of their most memorable photos.

Amber, owner of Amber Richmond Photography, would prove to be not only a fabulous photographer, but an important part of the wedding day, “Amber being there was just like having another family member or friend there. She was great support...and a great balance for all of the emotions. I was really amazed at how she was not just a photographer; she was someone you can feel comfortable around... I felt like we’d been friends forever.”

Krystal & Mark’s favourite things about their backyard wedding...

• Krystal waking up on her wedding day and finding her Mom cutting up vegetables for their midnight buffet • Family photos on Krystal’s families gorgeous property • The bar that Krystal’s Granddad made for the reception, “Now we have the beautiful bar in our home” • Krystal’s Nana’s expertise in helping her choose the perfect flowers and her sister’s surprise wedding cupcakes • Family getting together to help decorate the tent and make the guest favours

It only made sense that the reception would be held at Krystal’s parent’s house in Fergus. With its beautiful gardens and the big corn field behind the house, it provided the ideal backdrop for their fall wedding. They used cornstalks to decorate around the tent and bales of hay in the entrance. For Krystal, it was a dream come true. “I have always wanted to have our wedding in my Mummy and Daddy’s backyard... Home where the heart is.”

Krystal and Mark chose deep purple as their colour because “it isn’t too girly and has a royal feel.” They decorated the tent with purple tablecloths and used big squares of thick drawing paper as white overlay. Along with mason jars filled with rocks, water and floating candles, they added mason jars filled with crayons for each table. Krystal loves going to restaurants where you can colour on the table so, guests of all ages got to colour at their seat. In the end, Krystal and Mark cut out the drawings and messages from guests to put in a scrapbook. They also decorated with purple, ivory and black balloons and lined the tent with white lights to add an elegant feel.

Krystal wore an extraordinary strapless slim A-line gown made of lavish lace. With its ruched Empire bust line, ornamented with hand-beaded embellishment, asymmetrical side draped midriff, and a chapel train, it was simple yet sophisticated.

The entire wedding was a family effort. Krystal’s dad made the podium for the speeches and her Granddad made a wishing well where guests could throw best wishes cards for the couple.

He also hand-carved the bar and Krystal’s Nanny, an expert on flowers, helped pick the small bouquets of white roses for the bridal party. They were finished with deep purple ribbon to tie in with their colour scheme.

Krystal’s sister, Kaileigh, an aspiring pastry chef, agreed to make the cupcakes under one condition - it had to be a surprise until the wedding day. Although Krystal is a “need-to-know kinda gal” and found it torturous not being part of all of the planning, she let her sister take full reins on the cupcakes. Kaileigh spent an entire year testing different recipes. The week before the wedding, Krystal was banned from her mom’s kitchen (they covered the kitchen door with a sheet of paper so that Krystal couldn’t peek). “When the day came we didn’t get to see our cake till 8pm, after our first dance. We even had to cover our eyes.” When the cakes were unveiled, Krystal and Mark saw a gorgeous white mini cake finished with purple ribbon and handmade edible flowers, along with four stands filled with chocolate and vanilla cupcakes. “I didn’t cry at the ceremony but I did shed tears when I saw what my baby sister did for us...it was a very proud moment.”

Because of their love of candy, Krystal and Mark made chocolate dipped sour keys for their guest favours. They managed to round up Mark’s mom and Krystal’s mom and sisters to help dip, bag and tag 600 sour keys. The sour keys were not only a hit with guests but the group had fun making them.

While Krystal and Mark say their wedding was a fun family affair, Krystal has one piece of advice for future brides, “The only thing I would do differently is to not stress so much before the wedding. All of it came together and in the end, it’s about the love of two people that want to spend the rest of their lives together, not what colour the tables are. As long as you love each other, your wedding will be perfect.” ■ GET LOCAL. PLAN FABULOUS! • 55

on local wedding professionals in The Ring ACCESSORIES

• Frilly Bits 905.902.6315 | frillybits@gmail.com www.frillybits.ca HAMILTON > REVIEWS • Lalysh Bridal Accessories 905.228.1441 | info@lalysh.com www.lalysh.com TORONTO > REVIEWS Urban Bride

BEAUTY: SPAS, HAIR & MAKE-UP

• Blackfriars Salon & Spa 182 Wharncliffe Rd. North, London 519.672.5858 | ryan@blackfriarssalonandspa.com www.blackfriarssalonandspa.com LONDON > REVIEWS • Jacha Minerals 647.801.3347 | jachaminerals@gmail.com www.jachaminerals.com K-W > REVIEWS Erika Snyder, Makeup Artist Evolution Concepts in Hair & Spa Excell Salon (Cecilia’s Hair & Spa) Ku’r Salon & Spa Side Street Salon Sonia Ryan & Co

CAKES

• Golden Girlz 289.244.3651 | goldngirlz@live.com www.goldngirlz.webs.com TORONTO > REVIEWS • Petit Paris 519.434.7124 | nicole@aubergerestaurant.ca www.aubergerestaurant.ca LONDON > REVIEWS Jirina’s Bakery JoRa Wedding Cake The Sugar House

CATERING

• Taste Fine Foods 599 Arkell Rd., Guelph 519.823.6700 | goodfood@tastefinefoods.ca www.tastefinefoods.ca K-W > REVIEWS • Orchard House Gourmet Catering & Chef Services 6A-650 Woodlawn Rd W. Guelph 519.766.4444 | jan@orchardhousegourmet.com www.orchardhousegourmet.com GUELPH > REVIEWS Indulge Natural and Organic Kitchen North Moore Catering Co. Oryan Catering & Event Planning

58 • The Wedding Ring Magazine | www.theweddingring.ca

CHAPELS

• Weddingfavours.ca 9 St. Andrew Street, Ingersoll ON 519.485.4222 | 1.888.328.6870 info@weddingfavours.ca www.weddingfavours.ca LONDON > REVIEWS

• The Rose Chapel 6675 Burtwistle Lane, London, ON (Hwy 4 & 401) 519.625.6022 rosechapel@stoneridgeinn.com www.rosechapel.ca LONDON > REVIEWS

• The Wedding Shoppe 57 York Street, London ON 519.457.6446 | info@theweddingshoppe.ca www.theweddingshoppe.ca LONDON > REVIEWS

• Ellis Pioneer Chapel 6705 Ellis Road, Cambridge 519.824.4679 ellischapel@sympatico.ca www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~canectm/ CAMBRIDGE > REVIEWS

DECORATORS, DESIGNERS

• Devine Wedding Design 65 Victoria Street, Mitchell 519.857.9889 | info@devineweddingdesign.ca www.devineweddingdesign.ca LONDON > REVIEWS • Fresh Look Design 519.635.6819 | fld@freshlookdesign.ca www.freshlookdesign.ca K-W > REVIEWS Cloydon Dreamdecor The Creative Bride Decorating Dreams Devine Decor Elegantly Unique Exclusive Events Julia Weddings Now & Always The Event Firm To Suit Your Fancy The Wedding Decorators

DESTINATION WEDDING SPECIALIST • Marlin Travel 1.866.790.7889 inquiries@absolutewedsite.com www.absolutewedsite.com TORONTO REVIEWS

• Destination Weddings by Dawn weddings@destinationsbydawn.com www.destinationsbydawn.com/ GUELPH > REVIEWS

DJs

• Music Central Entertainment 519.680.0698 | 1.888.537.6511 musiccentral@musiccentral.ca www.musiccentral.ca LONDON > REVIEWS Allegro Productions A&M Sounds Disc Jockey Service Maximum Music DJ Service Olympic Sound

FAVOUR IDEAS

• Candy Culture 519.719-4986 l info@candyculture.ca www.candyculture.ca LONDON > REVIEWS

FINANCIAL PLANNING

• Libro Financial 1-800-361-8222 I service@libro.ca | www.libro.ca 15 locations across Southwestern Ontario ALL CITIES > REVIEWS

FLORAL DESIGNERS

Belmont Flowers Drimmie Florist Jim Anderson Flowers Limited Kelly Greens Flowers & Gifts Les Fleurs Floral Boutique Sticks and Stems Floral Studio Village Vines

GOLF & COUNTRY CLUBS

• Cutten Fields 190 College Ave. E., Guelph 519.824.2650 x.229 | lynsey@cuttenfields.com www.cuttenfields.com GUELPH > REVIEWS • FireRock Golf Club 10345 Oxbow Drive, Komoka ON 519.471.3473 | jspivak@firerockgolf.com www.firerockgolf.com LONDON > REVIEWS • The Oaks Golf & Country Club 1552 Gideon Drive in Delaware 519.652.1760 | jim.evans@oaksgolf.com www.oaksgolf.com LONDON > REVIEWS • Pine Knot Golf & Country Club 5421 Hamilton Road in Dorchester 519.268.2986 | wallan@pineknotgolf.com www.pineknotgolf.com LONDON > REVIEWS • Stratford Country Club 53 Romeo Street North in Stratford ON 519.271.4212 x.231 jessie@stratfordcountryclub.com www.stratfordcountryclub.com K-W > REVIEWS

Golf North Properties

GOWNS ALTERATIONS

• Noccé Bridal Designs and Alterations 483 Main Street South in Exeter 519.235.0858 | bridalelegance@quadro.net www.bridaleleganceexeter.com LONDON > REVIEWS

GOWNS & BRIDAL ATTIRE

• Bridal Elegance 360 Country Hill Dr., Kitchener ON N2E 2K9 519.578.5896 l info@nocce.com www.nocce.com KW > REVIEWS • Couture Threads Bridal & Event Dressing 64 Wellington Street Unit 2 Stratford ON, N5A 2L2 519.273.2231 | www.couture-threads.com K-W > REVIEWS • La Crème 55 Wyndham Street in Guelph AND 1364 King Street North in St. Jacobs 519.763.2011 | 519.644.3275 lacreme01@hotmail.com www.lacremebridal.com GUELPH> REVIEWS • She’s So Beautiful Consignment & Bridal Boutique 416.659.5763 | info@shessobeautiful.ca www.shessobeautiful.ca HAMILTON > REVIEWS Elegant Affair Bridals Once Upon A Time Weddings

GOWNS, BRIDESMAIDS Pam Chorley’s Fashion Crimes

HOTELS FOR GUESTS & THE HONEYMOON

• Boardwalk Homes Executive Guest Homes & Suites 519.591.9323 | info@boardwalkhomes.ca www.boardwalkhomes.ca K-W > REVIEWS • The Walper Hotel 519.745.4321 x.112 OR 1.800.265.8749 cmcdonald@walper.com | www.walper.com K-W > REVIEWS

INVITATIONS, STATIONERY

• Hip Ink {Custom Invitations} Burlington, by appointment 905.541.7573 | invites@hipink.com www.hipink.com TORONTO > REVIEWS • Jolie Papeterie Boutique 905.220.0979 | info@joliepapeterie.com www.joliepapeterie.com TORONTO > REVIEWS

• Scribes’ Nook Inc. 519.725.0453 scribesnook@netscape.net www.scribesnookinc.ca K-W > REVIEWS • shecreates

226.338.4041 | cindyholland@shecreates.ca www.shecreates.ca K-W > REVIEWS

• Are award winners • Have multiple degrees & accreditations • Are members of selective organizations • Do regular charity work • Are teachers & mentors in their craft • Have appeared in television news & wedding segments

guide to reviews

• Sunningdale Golf & Country Club 465 Sunningdale Road West, London ON 519.660.8063 | www.sunningdalegolf.com LONDON > REVIEWS

• Uptown Designs 519.722.2462 | danika@uptowndesigns.ca www.uptowndesigns.ca

PHOTOGRAPHERS

CAMBRIDGE > REVIEWS Paperboat Creations Stephita Wedding Invitations and Stationery

• AmazonLens Photographica 905.517.1771 | information@amazonlens.ca www.amazonlens.ca HAMILTON > REVIEWS

JEWELLERS

• James O Poag Jewellers 94 Frank Street in Strathroy 519.245.1040 | 1.888.717.GEMS(4367) jenny@poags.com l www.poags.com LONDON > REVIEWS

LINGERIE

• ENVIE Intimates 4336 King St. E., Kitchener ON N2P 3W6 519.219.3111 | contact@envieintimates.com www.envieintimates.com

K-W > REVIEWS

LIVE BANDS • The St. Royals

416.575.5749 | thestroyals@stroyals.com www.stroyals.com

MINISTERS & OFFICIANTS • Celebrate Love & Life Weddings

519.574.5540 | eagleheart@rogers.com www.celebrateloveandlife.com

K-W > REVIEWS

Wedding Chapels & Officiants 519.743.3101 www.theweddingchapel.on.ca K-W > REVIEWS Country Wedding Gardens London Wedding Minister Pastoral Services of Guelph Romantic Wedding Ceremonies

MUSICIANS Amarone String Quartet The Harmonia Ensemble The Leith Quartet

• Andrew Paquet Photoraphy 416.907.4252 andrew@andrewpaquet.com www.andrewpaquet.com • Brent Foster Photography Windsor I London I Toronto 519.784.4674 info@brentfosterphotography.com www.brentfosterphotography.com LONDON > REVIEWS

• Heather Windsor Photography 905.243.6637 hello@heatherwindsor.com www.heatherwindsor.com TORONTO > REVIEWS • HRM Photography 519.208.4416 | 519.496.4822 info@hrmphotography.com www.hrmphotography.com LONDON & GTA > REVIEWS

• Feelings From the Heart

pat@theweddingchapel.on.ca

• Amber Richmond Photography 519.341.6479 | 647.227.9078 amber@amberrichmond.com www.amberrichmond.com GUELPH > REVIEWS

• Calla Studio 519.669.3993 | callastudio@bellnet.ca www.callastudio.ca K-W > REVIEWS

TORONTO > REVIEWS

Weddings of Love

• Alicia Riley Photography 226.268.0430 | alicia.riley@gmail.com www.aliciariley.com LONDON > REVIEWS

• Images With Attitude 519-936-8977 or 416-876-9641 info@imageswithattitude.ca www.imageswithattitude.ca K-W > REVIEWS • In Bloom Photography Southern Ontario and the GTA 519.209.4611 | info@inbloomphotos.com www.inbloomphotos.com LONDON > REVIEWS • Jessica Lin Photography 416.806.1585 | photo@jessicalin.ca www.jessicalin.ca TORONTO > REVIEWS

GET LOCAL. PLAN FABULOUS! • 59

guide to reviews

• Latte Productions Photography 519.496.5334 | info@latteproductions.ca www.latteproductions.ca CAMBRIDGE > REVIEWS • Lg Weddings 416.258.3117 | info@lgweddings.com www.lgweddings.com TORONTO > REVIEWS • Make a Memory Photography 905.638.4771 | candice@makeamemory.ca www.makeamemory.ca HAMILTON > REVIEWS • New Paramount Studios Ltd. 416.653.5103 | nps@look.ca www.newparamount.com TORONTO > REVIEWS • Nick Bicanic, Photographer 647-628-9043 I info@nickbicanic.com www.nickbicanic.com TORONTO > REVIEWS • Purple Door Photography & Videography 519. 841.8987 l purpledoor@rogers.com www.purpledoorphoto.ca KW > REVIEWS • TJ DURNAN Photography 519.588.1295 | todd@tjdurnan.com www.tjdurnan.com K-W > REVIEWS • Visual Roots Photography 20 Doan Ave, Woodland Beach, ON 705.361.3270 | info@visualroots.com www.visualroots.com TORONTO > REVIEWS Anne Edgar Photography barebonephoto Cameron Shaver: Digital Media Solutions Captivating Images Captured Soul Photography C’est Chic! Photography Dudek Photography Empirical Photographic Arts Erwin Loewen Photography Flower Child Photography Herakovic Photography iCandy Photography Images Photography IrinaPhotography LTC Photography Mango Studios Photobox Photography Ralph Heinze Photography Sheila Braam Photography Stan Switalski Photography Sweet Pair Photography Two Tone Studios

RECEPTION LOCATIONS

• Auberge du Petit Prince 519.434.7124 | nicole@aubergerestaurant.ca www.aubergerestaurant.ca LONDON > REVIEWS • Best Western® PLUS Lamplighter Inn & Conference Centre 591 Wellington Road South, London, N6C 4R3 519.681.7151 | sales@lamplighterinn.ca www.lamplighterinn.ca LONDON > REVIEWS

60 • The Wedding Ring Magazine | www.theweddingring.ca

• Best Western® PLUS Stoneridge Inn & Conference Centre 6675 Burtwistle Lane, London, ON (Hwy 4 & 401) 519.625.6022 | hotelinfo@stoneridgeinn.com www.stoneridgeinn.com LONDON > REVIEWS • Crosswinds Golf & Country Club 6621 Guelph Line, Burlington ON 905.319.5991 | 1.866.319.5991 info@crosswindsgolf.com www.crosswindsgolf.com TORONTO > REVIEWS • Elsie Perrin Williams Estate 101 Windermere Road West in London 519.432.7961 | www.elsieperrinwilliamsestate.com LONDON > REVIEWS • FireRock Golf Club 10345 Oxbow Drive, Komoka ON 519.471.3473 l jspivak@firerockgolf.com www.firerockgolf.com LONDON > REVIEWS • Golf’s Steak House & Seafood 598 Lancaster St. W., Kitchener ON 519.579.4050 | george@golfssteakhouse.com www.golfssteakhouse.com K-W > REVIEWS • Grosvenor Lodge 1017 Western Road in London 519.645.2845 | www.grosvenorlodge.com LONDON > REVIEW • The Guelph Country Club Limited 133 Woodlawn Road East, Guelph ON 519.824.2741 | vogel@tgcc.ca www.tgcc.ca GUELPH > REVIEWS • Hessenland Country Inn 519.236.7707 | 1.866.543.7736 hessen@hessenland.com www.hessenland.com HURON > REVIEWS • The London Club 177 Queens Avenue in London 519.434.6889 x223 dunger@londonclub.com www.londonclub.com LONDON > REVIEWS • Maltese Canadian Club 70 Charterhouse Cres. in London 519.451.9257 maltaclub@lweb.net www.maltesecanadianclublondon.webs.com LONDON > REVIEWS

• The Walper Hotel 519.745.4321 x112 | 1.800.265.8749 cmcdonald@walper.com www.walper.com K-W > REVIEWS • The Windermere Manor 200 Collip Circle, London 519.858.1414 I 1.800.997.4477 www.windermeremanor.com LONDON> REVIEWS Arcadian Court Arts and Letters Club The Black Forest Inn Bellamere Winery & Event Centre Berkeley Field House Bingemans Bob Rumball Manor Brantford Golf & Country Club Brookside Banquet Centre Cambridge Butterfly Conservatory Cambridge Hotel and Conference Centre Cambridge Mill The Carlu Casa Loma Charcoal Group of Restaurants Chicopee Ski & Summer Resort Concordia Club Dallas Delta Guelph Hotel & Conference Centre Delta Kitchener-Waterloo Delta London Armouries Eganridge Inn & Spa Elements & Wax Elm Hurst Inn Enoch Turner Schoolhouse Estates of Sunnybrook Fanshawe Pioneer Village Fantasy Farm George Brown House Graydon Hall Manor Hampton Inn & Suites by Hilton Hart House Hauser Hall Hilton London The Holiday Inn Kitchener-Waterloo Hotel & Conference Centre Idlewyld Inn Ivey Spencer Leadership Centre Liberty Grand Miller Lash House The Museum NithRidge Estate Weddings & Events The Old Mill Ontario Heritage Centre Opus Banquet Facility Rebel Creek Golf Club The Renaissance Parquette at the Renaissance Toronto Hotel Windsor Arms St. George Banquet Hall Conference & Events Centre St. Lawrence Market Waterloo Inn Conference Hotel The Waterlot Restaurant & Inn Westin Harbour Castle Hotel

We’ve done the research so that brides don’t have to. Who does what and why we love them... Options, specialties, pricing, samples of work, bride interviews and more...

Read interviews and reviews or post one of your own!

TENT RENTALS & ACCESSORIES

TRANSPORTATION

A Universal Limousine Service Brentwood Livery Canterbury Horse and Carriage Grandeur Limousine

TUXEDOS & FORMAL WEAR

• Collin’s Formal Wear 1.877.434.4184 Locations across Southwestern Ontario & Canada www.collinsformalwear.com ALL CITIES > REVIEWS

VIDEOGRAPHERS

• Hartery Productions 226.789.3733 | harteryproductions@rogers.com www.wix.com/ahartery9891/amandahartery LONDON > REVIEWS • N2 Productions 519.502.2804 | nick@n2productions.ca www.n2productions.ca K-W > REVIEWS • Willow Creek Studios 1.888.391.5828 | angela@willowcreek.ca www.willowcreek.ca CAMBRIDGE> REVIEWS Director’s Cut Videography JJJ Video Productions Inc. Lern 2 Liv Productions MatriMovie

WEDDING PLANNERS

• Eph*ra Event Design 647.295.0365 dawn@ephraeventdesign.com www.ephraeventdesign.com TORONTO > REVIEWS • Exquisite Affairs 416.409.0752 | info@exquisiteaffairs.ca www.exquisiteaffairs.ca TORONTO > REVIEWS • Happening Events 30 Concession St. West, Tillsonburg 519.983.8168 emybrubacher@happeningevents.ca www.happeningevents.c LONDON > REVIEWS • Jessica Laine Celebrations 905.866.8064 jessica@jessicalaine.com www.jessicalaine.com TORONTO > REVIEWS • The Prepared Bride 519.590.6310 info@preparedbrideweddings.com www.preparedbrideweddings.com K-W > REVIEWS • Project Ever After 416.725.9464 | info@projecteverafter.com www.projecteverafter.com TORONTO > REVIEWS • Simply Perfect 905.883.9525 | weddings@simply-perfect.ca www.simply-perfect.ca TORONTO > REVIEWS She Said “Yes” Weddings Simply Perfect

Style & Elegance Wedding and Event Coordination

WINE MAKING

• Vintner’s Cellar Waterloo 519.725.9463 vintnercellarwaterloo@hotmail.com www.vintnerscellarwaterloo.com K-W > REVIEWS

guide to reviews

• Roy-Al Rentals & Party Centre 74 Dawson Road in Guelph 519.823.1881 | www.royalrentals.com GUELPH > REVIEWS

• Each review in The Ring is based on industry knowledge, thorough research, interviews with the vendors, interviews with their past brides, personal viewing of work, and more.

• Reviews are on experts who are local, well-loved, and dedicated to making your wedding fabulous.

• The Ring is doing the research so that you don’t have to - one wedding community at a time!

reality wedding stories

Intimate, Antique, & Vintage InspireD July 9th 2011:: Ceremony & Reception at Bellamere Winery

Photography by HRM Photography (www.hrmphotography.com) | Story by TheWeddingRing.ca There must have been romance in the air at the 2009 wedding that Jennifer Sloszar and Carter Stevenson (separately) attended. Although they had known each other since highschool, sharing several mutual friends, they never really got to know each other until that wedding.

But when the two hit it off, their feelings grew fast and within a few months of dating, they both knew they had something special. In fact, Carter remembers the exact moment he fell in love, “It was in an Italian restaurant in NYC. At the time, Jen was living there and I was living in London (Ontario). We dated long-distance for six months, at which point we decided that it was time for Jen to move home so that we could make a go of the relationship.”

Jennifer, a self-described cheese fanatic, remembers the first time Carter told her that he loved her, he used cheese to spell it out. So it was only fitting that he would use cheese to propose. In October 2010 Carter spelt out ‘Marry Me’ with a cheese platter. It was simple, sweet and a true reflection of their senses of humour. Jennifer laughs, “I loved it….it was cheesy!”

Jennifer and Carter wanted an outdoor ceremony, so when they visited Bellamere Winery, they knew they had found their venue. It had a unique, rustic feel and they could hold their ceremony and reception at the same place. It would also perfectly compliment the ‘antique vintage’ theme that they were going for.

Not everything would prove to be so easy. When their invitation designer unexpectedly went over budget, nearly doubling what they had planned for, they knew they had to make up the difference. Jennifer and Carter decided to roll with it, creating their own programs and menus.

It ended up being a lot of fun and the two even ordered fans and put stickers on each reading, ‘Jen and Carter are so cool!’ The fans helped set the tone for the wedding, showing off their fun-loving personalities, “We don’t take ourselves too seriously!”

So, at 3 o’clock on July 9th, 2011, Jennifer walked down the aisle with her parents by her side as an acoustic guitarist played Cannon in D. The couple chose to keep their wedding party intimate, with two of their closest friends standing on either side, as maid of honour and best man.

The ceremony would be an experience that 140 guests wouldn’t soon forget. It was important for Jennifer and Carter to involve all of their family and friends in their nuptials, so, they placed 62 • The Wedding Ring Magazine | www.theweddingring.ca

Jennifer’s hair stylist, Laura McVeigh from Salon Entrenous, incorporated two hair styles into her wedding day, one specifically for her ceremony, and later had it re-styled for the reception with a fascinator she bought on Etsy. She wore an A-line gown with a slight sweetheart neckline, and a three foot train. “The cut and beaded pattern made it look a bit French vintage. The top layer was fine mesh, lace, embroidery and beading - the beading formed a pattern down the front of the dress. The train was just an extension of the top layer, meaning that you could see through it to the grass.”

For Jennifer and Carter, their wedding was all about the guest experience. They arranged for the London Tourism double-decker bus to pick guests up at the Hilton, where most were staying, and where the couple hosted brunch the morning after the wedding. The Hilton also handed out hotel room bags that Jennifer and Carter prepared, filled with water, aspirin, snacks, and a wedding weekend itinerary.

The reception, decorated in natural colours including browns, creams, ivories, golds, greens and peaches perfectly complimented their antique vintage theme. Jennifer and Carter sat at their own ‘sweetheart’ table and keeping with tradition, Carter surprised Jen with a plate of cheese spelling out “I Love You” at their table.

The couple had some help from family too. Jennifer’s parents created a hand-made candy bar, complete with handmade awning and even put together a slideshow for guests to enjoy at the reception. For a bit of modern day fun, they couldn’t resist booking a photobooth for their guests. Everyone had a great time taking silly photos and it was a fun keepsake from the wedding day.

Carter had known Heather from HRM Photography for years and when he showed Jennifer some of the photos from her website, she was sold. So much so, that they actually picked their wedding date based on when HRM was available. “Heather’s photos are creative and interesting and she captured our wedding in a beautiful and magazine-worthy way!”

Jennifer and Carter were also impressed with how far Heather would go to get those completely out-of-the-box shots that they wanted. When Heather suggested that they move a couch into the middle of a field on their wedding day, Jennifer and Carter were totally up for it. Not only did they

favours for a cause

For a fun (and charitable!) twist on the traditional ‘kissing game,’ Jennifer and Carter placed a cow bell beside a jar labeled, ‘Donations to Women’s Community House.’ If guests made a donation, they would ring the bell and Jennifer and Carter would kiss. The Women’s Community House was thrilled to have the donation, which the pair made as soon as they got back from their honeymoon.

have a good laugh but they got some amazing photos, right as the sun was setting.

The two knew that Melrose Bakery, a long-standing family run bakery in London, would produce a totally unique cake for them. The cake was so good in fact that Jennifer and Carter went back for a few tastings and tried tons of flavours. When they couldn’t decide on just one, they opted for four tiers, each a different flavour: Carrot with cream cheese frosting; vanilla with amaretto frosting; vanilla with lemon frosting, and vanilla with raspberry frosting. “It tasted delicious and the design was fantastic; ivory fondant with gold detailing, including a gold broach design on the top designed especially for us, which reflected elements of my dress.”

Jennifer even surprised Carter with his own black forest groom’s cake, in the shape of a Maple Leafs jersey (Carter’s favourite team).

Jennifer and Carter planned their guest favours months before the wedding. In March, they ordered small glass containers and picked up liters of maple syrup from the local sugar bush. The week before the wedding they filled each jar with syrup and clothespinned tiny envelopes to each jar, with guest names and table numbers on each, to double as place cards. For an extra special touch, they included a personalized note for each guest sealed in each envelope. They arranged all of the bottles of syrup on a table at the entrance of the reception, “The colour of the maple syrup complemented the wedding colours perfectly and set the stage for the ‘Pancake Breakfast’ we hosted the next morning.” The favour table was also decorated with old family wedding day photos, tying in seamlessly with their antique theme.

Both Jennifer and Carter agree that their wedding day was a surreal experience, “Our guests had a fabulous time and we had a lot of fun ourselves. It was everything we wanted it to be. We wouldn’t change a thing!” ■

reality wedding stories

their wedding rings in a small envelope, sealed with wax and passed them around during the ceremony so that every guest would hold their rings before the couple said ‘I do’. During the ceremony, they opened the envelope and exchanged rings. For Carter, it was one of his favourite parts of his wedding day.

Have you ever wondered how the experts that work with weddings, day in and day out, tie the knot themselves?

Are their weddings small and intimate or grand, lavish affairs? Are they “all wedding’d out” by the time it’s their turn?

feature story

HOW THE PROS

From a European getaway to a local, high end affair, here’s how four of our favourite wedding gurus tied the knot last year.

PHOTO ABOVE & BELOW, LEFT: www.taylorjacksonphoto.com

THE EXPERTS | Gown specialist, Brittany Bondreau of La Creme ~ Stationery stylist, Dannika Snow, of Uptown Designs ~ Floral designer, Nicole Drimmie, of Drimmie Florist ~ Photographer, Jessica Lin, of Jessica Lin Photography.

Brittany Boudreau from La Creme (www.lacremebridal. com) has helped countless brides find the perfect dress and accessories for their big day. On June 26th, 2010 Brittany had the chance to style her own wedding, held at La Hacienda Sarria in Kitchener.

WR: Do you think being a wedding expert helped you plan a wedding?

BRITTANY: Yes, It was very helpful to have the connections for supplies and other items needed for the wedding. We also had the opportunity to use items that we already had at the store. On the other hand, we had SO many options and connections for décor, clothing and ideas, that it was difficult to make the final decision on things, such as the bridesmaid dresses - they came in two weeks before the wedding, and were the FOURTH ones I had chosen!

WR: Did you DIY? DANIKA: YES! I did all of my stationery (invitations, seating chart, table numbers and programs) myself. I also did all the decorating and bouquets/flowers - with the help of my bridesmaids.

NICOLE: I am the DIY Queen! If I could do something myself I would. When I look back at everything I am so proud that I DIY'd!

JESSICA LIN: Yes, for the party in Toronto. It was almost entirely DIY, with much help from my sister Amanda (who made the pinâta, among other things), her husband Tim and her best friend Margaret (lots of help with food prep – yes, we even did the food ourselves!), and Nicole Drimmie (photos, right) is part of the team Drimmie Florist, a family-run floral shop in Elora (www.drimmieflorist.com). With over thirty years of experience in the floral industry, the Drimmie's have helped style everything from small-town weddings to celebrity soirees. Nicole was married on August 21, 2010 at her family home in Elora.

my close friends - Kym, Josephine, Shannon - who all contributed to the costume collection. We designed our invitations (both sets), made the tablecloths, did the décor, made most of the food for our international buffet.

Norman (my husband) even made a variety of mustaches and beards for the photo booth!

BRITTANY: Yes, most of the DIY was my Mom. She was at the venue for five hours on the morning of the wedding doing all of the finishing touches. She was my wedding planner/decorator extraordinaire! She spent hundreds of hours in the months leading up to the wedding making décor pieces and pulling together the look of the wedding... She made countless trips to visit our suppliers for items and ideas for the wedding. She even drove to the US to pick up the Eiffel Tower vases for the centrepieces when the supplier we ordered them from lost the order the month before the wedding!!! We also had to clean up at the end of the night and the day after.

Since most of the décor was ours, we had to take it all with us. We embellished the invitations with ribbon and crystals, created all of the programs (vintage books with the programs attached as an homage to my husband's love of reading), menus and place cards. We created table numbers - numbering bottles of wine with a diamond on top. All 400 black feathers were ours. My dad even spray painted barbeque picks black to make the feathers appear larger for the backs of the chairs.

PHOTOS ABOVE:: www.drimmieflorist.com

WR: Do you think guests had raised expectations for your wedding?

NICOLE: Yes, many people would comment on how excited they were to see my vision. Most people expected my decorations and flowers to be exceptional.

JESSICA LIN: I think they expected us to have awesome photos – I’m not sure how... Would they have expected us to run around the country doing them ourselves!? [A photographer friend shot their wedding, which worked out perfectly.]

BRITTANY: Yes! I knew that everyone wanted to see what my dress would look like as well as the rest of the bridal party, and if the overall experience of the wedding would fit with the theme of the store (which it did).

Expectations are always high when my Mom (co-owner of La Creme) has any sort of event, so I know that she wanted everything to be extra perfect.

WR: Even with all of your wedding experience, were there any surprises or mishaps along the way?

DANIKA: Not really, luckily. I kind of felt overprepared and I kept thinking something was going to pop up and stress me out, but everything turned out perfectly!

JESSICA LIN: The overwhelming kindness of people – family and strangers alike :) I couldn’t possibly have planned a wedding in a month from a different country, but I didn’t feel like anything was missing once everything was said and done. Also, even though I’ve seen many grooms get teary-eyed on their wedding day, it was the best thing ever to see tears in the eyes of MY groom during our ceremony :)

how the pros tie the knot

Jessica Lin (photos above), owner of Jessica Lin Photography (www.jessicalinphotography.ca) shoots everything from commercial photography to fashion shoots to weddings. On May 5th, 2011, Jessica traveled to Belfast, Ireland where she took many of the shots for her own wedding.

PHOTOS ABOVE, LEFT & ABOVE, RIGHT:: www.JESSICALINPHOTOGRAPHY.CA

Specialties BRITTANY’S THEME & FASHION: My theme was Paris and Black and White (with a touch of yellow). My dress, and the gowns for the Moms and Bridesmaids were, all from La Crème. I think the dresses, venue and 66 • The Wedding Ring | www.theweddingring.ca

décor had a vintage feel, with lots of candles and sparkle.

All accessories were from the store, as was my custom made headpiece. Confession: I did get the yellow shoes somewhere else- we don’t sell yellow shoes :) NICOLE’S FLOWERS: [My flowers were about] romantic elegance. I chose to have all white flowers with accents of natural greens. There was a vintage feel to everything we did. Every arrangement was different - we had collected vintage silver and glass vases to display the flowers on every table. My head-table was a masterpiece, I had fifteen floral arrangements all surrounding the main piece which was a 6 foot tall glass vase filled with white lilies and green cymbidium orchids.

JESSICA LIN’S PHOTOGRAPHY: Norman’s idea to spread out the photography throughout our trip let me Danika Snow [photos, below] is the Owner and Stationery Stylist at Uptown Designs in Waterloo (www.uptowndesigns.ca). Uptown Designs is a design studio specializing in custom wedding invitations, providing each client with personalized design service to ensure that your wedding invitation is unique.

feel like I would still have plenty of opportunity to be creative and get amazing shots the way I wanted to do them. On the actual day of our wedding, believe it or not, I felt so relaxed and happy... Ian did a great job capturing the day of the ceremony. Probably the most exciting part of our photography experience was the roadtrip around Ireland. I did my hair and make-up every morning before we set out, and then if we passed somewhere stunning, we’d find somewhere to park the car, pull on the wedding dress at the side of the road, set up the camera on the tripod, and run back and forth between being the subject and the photographer until we got a great shot.

And then we'd pack it all back up again and set off on our way... Some of my favourite images are the ones we took of each other.

DANIKA’S INVITES: I wanted something simple but classy so I went with a black pocketfold, a hot pink layer (border around the invitation matte), and used different fonts since I really didn’t want any designs on my stationery. ■ PHOTOS LEFT: www.angelasmithphotography.com

WR: Favourite part of the day...

DANIKA: My husband and I really just wanted everyone to have a good time at our wedding so we really wanted the reception to be fun. I’d say that would be my favourite... All the pressure is off and it was just time to have fun. I have to say I LOVED when we were getting our pictures taken as well.

NICOLE: My First Dance. I love every bit of it. My husband and I practiced for weeks before the wedding. I felt like a princess floating on the dance floor. I remember thinking all my dreams have come true!

JESSICA LIN: Dancing to Billy Joel in the chapel while they did up the paperwork, and kissing like there was nobody else in the world... I also loved my wedding day fashion. My beautiful dress was made by the lovely people at Cabaret Vintage on Queen West in Toronto. I think I’ve worn this dress at least 10 times now (not to mention packing it up in a suitcase a few times) and it still looks fantastic :) My veil and headband and all the hair pieces were done by Nicole of Oh Dina! She does beautiful work and was very brave to let us take these pieces on our adventure with us. My shoes and aqua bracelet were from Response Clothing (also Queen West). Norman’s yellow "Spain” shirt was from Exile in Kensington Market. All of these people were so helpful and lovely and dealt very well with our super-tight [one month] schedule.

BRITTANY: Other then the car ride from the church to reception (a vintage car, which was the first time we were alone as husband and wife), I had the best time during dinner! We had a sweetheart table so it was nice to sit together, surrounded by our friends and family in such a beautiful place. We put a lot of thought into our food and wine, and were actually able to enjoy it! The speeches were thoughtful, and the "fill in the blanks" that each table had to fill in to make us "kiss" were hilarious... I wish we could have dinner parties like that all the time!

The Hamilton-Halton Spring Wedding Show 2012 January 7th & 8th, 2012 Hamilton Convention Centre in Hamilton www.topweddingshows.com WELCOME WAGON January 18th, 2012 Best Western Brantpark Inn 19 Holiday Drive In Brantford www.welcomewagon.ca The Total Wedding Show January 20th to 22nd, 2012 The International Centre 6900 Airport Road In Mississauga www.totalweddingshow.com Stratford Country Club Boutique Bridal Show January 21st, 2011 Stratford Country Club 53 Romeo Street North in Stratford www.stratfordcountryclub.com 7th Annual Paris Bridal Gala January 22nd, 2012 Paris Fairgrounds 139 Silver Street in Paris www.itsyourwedding.ca

The Burlington Oakville BridaSHOW January 28th & 29th, 2012 Burlington Convention Centre 1120 Burloak Drive & QEW in Burlington www.thebridalshow.ca Stratford Spring Bridal Expo 2012 Feb 11th & 12th, 2012 Stratford Rotary Complex in Stratford www.devineweddingdesign.ca Wedding Expo Bridal Show March 4th, 2012 St Thomas Golf & Country Club 42325 Sparta Line, Union www.upcomingweddingshows.ca The Ultimate Bridal Show March 17th 2012 at the Living Arts Centre 4141 Living Arts Drive in Mississauga ultimatebridal.ca KITCHENER BRIDAL SHOWCASE March 18th, 2012 Kitchener City Hall 200 King Street West In Kitchener www.welcomewagon.ca Ancaster Wedding Show at Night March 23rd, 2012 at Ancaster Fairgrounds 630 Trinity Road in Jerseyville, www.ancasterweddingshow.com

• Late st

Wish Upon a Star Bridal Show March 25th, 2012 London Club 177 Queens Street www.upcomingweddingshows.ca

a .c

National Bridal Show - Spring January 27th to 29th, 2012 Direct Energy Centre, Exhibition Place nationalbridalshow.com

Conestoga Country Club SPRING Bridal Expo April 1st, 2012 at the Conestoga Country Club 400 Golf Course Road in Conestogo www.weddingsnorth.ca

feature story

The Ring's Bridal Expo 2012 January 7th & 8th, 2012 Brides unite @ the Waterloo Inn! 475 King Street North in Waterloo www.theweddingring.ca/bridalexpo

eddingRing W

** Show times and details are subject to change. Please check applicable websites for updates prior to the show.

tes • Th e Da

BRIDAL SHOW

ws & Show Ne

London Gay Wedding Show April 1st, 2012 Best Western Stoneridge Inn 6675 Burtwistle Lane In London www.gayweddingshow.ca The Original Wedding Soiree April 15th, 2012 One King West in Toronto www.weddingsforher.ca Special Bridal Show April 22nd, 2012 Ukraina Country CLub 3375 Gore Road Dorchester www.upcomingweddingshows.ca Toronto’s Bridal Show April 27th to 29th, 2012 Toronto’s Congress Centre 255 Front Street West In Toronto www.torontosbridalshow.com

GET LOCAL. PLAN FABULOUS! • 69

ideas & trends

Buy 1 DRESS AND WEAR IT 15 DIFFERENT WAYS Found at La Crème (www.lacremedecor.com)

One of the best inventions to happen to bridal party fashion in years is the bridesmaid's dresses introduced by twobirds (twobirdsbridesmaid.ca).

The dresses [photo, right] are really just one dress that can be worn (or more technically, wrapped) in fifteen different ways, making sure that every bridesmaid will feel confident and look incredible walking down that aisle, no matter their body type. Bridesmaids can change just about every aspect of the gown (waistline, neckline, back...) just by wrapping it a different way.

The twobirds dresses come in eighteen different colours and several gown lengths. Popular bridal shop, La Crème, carries the twobirds dresses and are finding that they're a hot ticket item.

Brittany, of La Crème, says bridal parties are loving the twobirds dresses. "The amazing thing is that they come in only two sizes: A and B. A is size zero to fourteen, and B is sixteen to twenty-four!"

And because of the always-perfect fit of the gowns, she admits, "There are rarely, if ever, any alterations!

They're even fabulous for bridesmaids who are expecting!" These where-have-you-been-all-my-life? dresses range from $270 to $370 at La Crème - depending on whether you're ordering short dresses or ballgown length.

Twobirds also recently introduced "Rosette" dresses (photo, right - in bottom corner), which give bridesmaids a fashion-forward gown that they'll love. The rosette gowns come in one to three layers of rosettes or an "all-over rosette skirt" and run $270 to $310.

"The key factor is that they are never the same dress twice... They really CAN be worn again after the wedding," says Brittany.

Making it truly the perfect gown, twobirds is also able to accomodate custom colours. "They are truly amazing - once you try them on and feel the fabric and how it drapes, you know there's nothing else like them!" Bandeaus are available to be worn underneath the top for added coverage, if needed. To see the dresses for yourself, visit La Crème. ■

GET CREATIVE WITH PHOTO LOCATIONS Brides, grooms and professional photographers are getting creative with photo locations. County Fairs (photo, upper, left by Amber Richmond Photography, amberrichmond.com) for wedding party shoots, graveyards (photo, lower left, by ALIcia Riley Photography, aliciariley.com) for Trash the Dress shoots, pools, beaches, parks, alleys, museums, industrial settings, coffee shops, retro style hotels, urban backdrops...

62 • The Wedding Ring Magazine | www.theweddingring.ca

Plan ahead to save the budget. Some items are difficult to find and expensive unless you are shipping in season.

For example if you need twinkle lights, shop right after Christmas. If you need black candles, purchase them from the Halloween aisle. Heart shaped accessories are abundant in February and pastel colours are everywhere for Easter.

- Melanie from Weddingfavours.ca

PHOTO: WWW.aliciariley.com

PHOTO: WWW.amberrichmond.com

From fun to funky and glam to vogue, nothing is off limits for photo locations anymore. If you have the time and the creativity, you can do just about anything with your photo session.

BUDGET TIP

TOASTS THAT BLOOM

ideas & trends

Add Wild Hibiscus Flowers to your signature drink menu to take your cocktail hour to a new level. To serve as a classic champagne cocktail, place a whole wild hibiscus flower in the bottom of a champagne flute, pour in a dash of the crimson syrup, and then top it up with your favorite bubbly.

All of the bubbles stream off the flower and slowly open it up. At the end of the drink you can eat the flower with its natural flavor being similar to raspberry & rhubarb. We found the Wild Hibiscus Flowers at THE WEDDING SHOPPE (www.theweddingshoppe.ca) for $12.99 (8.8oz jar). You can buy it online and in person at The Wedding Shoppe's London location.

PHOTOS: ABOVE & LEFT:www.makeamemory.ca

DELICATE DETAILS

Lace appliques, detailed hand-stitched patterns and all things delicate and dainty are back! Remember the doilies that you were given to you in your hope chest, likely passed down through the family? Take that thought, use different textures and then add a bit of glam - transforming this vintage decor and bring it up to speed. This year is all about multiple layers, intricate details, frills, bows, fringe, and lots of lace. Delicate details look fabulous in both dramatic colours as well as simple whites and creams. We found these sweet frilly heels (shown below) at Urban Bride Boutique (myurbanbride.com), as well as these equally lovely red heels (also shown below) with a bow. Love it!

photoS: www.contrastphotography.net

THEMED INVITATIONS

Gone are the days of mail-order, mass-produced wedding stationery.

JOLIE PAPETERIE BOUTIQUE (www.joliepapeterie.com) admits that they're busy custom designing stationery for brides who want something different, a design that tells their story or the story of their theme. Same sex weddings are the inspiration of the black, grey and red stationery design set seen above, by JOLIE PAPETERIE BOUTIQUE. A black and fuschia set (also seen above) paints a picture of the wedding style for another couple, also created by JOLIE PAPETERIE BOUTIQUE.

GET LOCAL. PLAN FABULOUS! • 71

expert tips

a fabulous day

Krista & Marty :: September 3rd, 2011 Pyramid Centre in St. Marys & Downie Optimist Hall in St. Pauls resume the party soon...”

My husband and I were told to just go and not worry about anything.

We grabbed our wedding cake, found our car, and headed out for the dark, ten minute drive to the other hall.

Photography by Lucid Musings Photography (www.lucidmusings.com) Story by Krista De Groot, Libro Financial Group We spent a lot of time choosing our wedding date.

Marty comes from a large family so summers are always packed with weddings. On top of that, our families both farm, so weather and cropping dictate when there’s time for life’s celebrations.

Finally, we set September 3, 2011 as our wedding date. It was outside of the busy wedding season, we thought that humidity wouldn’t be a problem, and nobody would be busy in the fields.

But as Mother Nature would have it, our day arrived and it was HHH – hot, humid, and hair! The humidex was over 40C… One last kick at summer!

We did what we could to stay in the air conditioning until the ceremony began. Our full Catholic mass took over an hour but besides some damp shirts, everyone enjoyed our beautiful service. My only nervous “weather moment” was when we stood on the altar to say our vows and faced the congregation. The back doors of the church were open and we could see a dark sky and winds picking up. Fortunately it blew over by the time we were pronounced husband and wife and had a few sticky, sweaty hours to take photos with our families and wedding party.

We arrived at the community centre for our reception with no indication of what Mother Nature might be brewing. Dinner was enjoyable, and then as we got into speeches - with everyone quiet and listening attentively - we could all hear the rumble of thunder outside.

Then it happened. The power went out. A knot formed in my stomach, but I wasn’t in panic mode 72 • The Wedding Ring | www.theweddingring.ca

yet. The same thing had happened at a friend’s wedding in July and within a half hour the lights were back on and the party continued.

Surely that would happen here too?

With no power for microphones or music, and it being too dark to open the bar, guests mingled or went outside to see the end of the storm.

The next hour was a bit of a blur, and I can’t tell you for sure what order things happened in. I could see the staff talking to our parents, our MCs, and our wedding party, but for the most part, we were being shielded from the bad news that kept coming. I heard there were no backup generators. We were told that the emergency lights only lasted forty-five minutes.

Ideas were coming out – let’s find another hall, let’s move to a shed or a backyard, let’s reschedule for another night. Someone heard that power lines were down all over town and there was no chance the lights were coming back on soon. We were told all 250 of our guests had to evacuate the hall… "Now!" While the lights were out, my amazing sister-in-law was on the phone with a family friend who is an Optimist Club member and key holder to the small Optimist Hall near my parents’ place. She found out the hall was available if we needed it and quickly made a return call to let them know we were coming!

My Dad with his booming voice made the announcement to our guests. “A small change of plans folks.

Please take your things and follow the convoy. We’ll

We were greeted by a handful of guests, orange plastic chairs, carpeted walls and faded baseball banners from decades past. I really wanted to cry, but somehow didn’t. I’m sure I was just in total shock… although to everyone else I appeared as though I was handling it well!

Our guests sprung into action – we’ll call it farm-kid “get er done” mentality. The contents of our bar were moved to a trailer fire brigade bucket style. Someone grabbed our guest book and another a few flower arrangements. Food for our late lunch and my garter all found their way to the new reception venue. Someone put up signs for guest arriving later on, instructing them where to go.

Quickly, the new (and much smaller) hall filled up with our guests. The DJ got the tunes going, a multitude of volunteer bartenders got everyone a drink, and the lights were dimmed. Everyone crowed around as we finished speeches and had our first dance as a married couple. Then the party really got started!

Despite being cramped and having no decorations, the night turned out to be incredible. Our guests continue to tell us it was the best wedding ever. Everyone got involved and has a story to share about what they did to help. Looking through pictures makes me smile; it’s obvious everyone is having an amazing time and ultimately that’s what we wanted for our wedding – a memorable and fun night that nobody will ever forget.

My message to brides: Go with the flow. At the end of the day it really doesn’t matter what the centerpieces looked like. Don’t stress about the little things because nobody remembers anyways. What your family and friends will remember is a happy couple who are obviously in love. They want to celebrate with you…. and the surroundings don’t matter one bit.

Libro Financial Group offers couples financial coaching and advice in a personalized and totally tailored setting (www.libro.ca).

Article by Simona Gagliostro, owner of Urban Bride Boutique (www.myurbanbride.com) She's known me for years… We've seen each other through the good, the bad... and everything in between! We were always a little bit competitive - she got her driver's license first but I was the first to nab the coolest executive assistant job ever. Now, I’m one of her bridesmaids and the spotlight is on her.

I have to admit, I loved the idea of being a bridesmaid! Walking down the aisle as guests wait anxiously for the beautiful bride, carrying a gorgeous bouquet of flowers, listening breathlessly for the first “I do’s”, and of course, smiling through tears of happiness and joy.

But last weekend I learned that there’s a lot more to it than holding a bouquet and smiling for photos. In reality, being a bridesmaid comes with some big responsibilities.

At first, it all seemed too overwhelming. All of a sudden I was in charge of making the bride relax, helping her slide into (and feel beautiful in) everything from the dress to the shoes to the flowers… It’s a lot of pressure. I'm going to bet that when most women agree to it, they don't expect to end up being both a veritable wedding planner and someone's emotional support system.

I'm not surprised that so many bridesmaids will tell you that the role can be awful.

But, when I thought about it, being a bridesmaid isn't awful at all, in fact, it’s just a lot of work.

With the right attitude, the entire experience can be truly enjoyable. I love that I'll be there through it all, from planning the showers to helping my good friend look her absolute best right before she walks down the aisle. Why? Because it means that I am one of the most trusted people in her life, and she knows that I will support and advise her on one of the biggest days of her life.

Sure, I could be plenty battle scarred when it comes to being a bridesmaid. But the truth is, I can't wait to be there for my childhood friend; from the first time I have to calm her down mid 'wedding crisis' to letting her know she's loved, as her friends and family send her off into her new life.

The way I see it, being a bridesmaid is one of the most heartwarming expressions of love and support that two friends can share. And that is what makes the entire thing worth it. ■

Urban Bride is a contemporary bridal accessory store in Cambridge, specializing in customizable accessories for brides and their wedding parties. After ten years of experience shooting weddings, owner Simona Cherler Gagliostro noticed that more and more brides were shying away from the traditional white accessories, opting for new colours and textures. Today, Urban Bride helps brides find the perfect accessory and make it their own.

reality wedding stories

RUSTIC BEAUTY IN A FOREST SETTING July 29th 2010 :: RECEPTION AT Maplewood Hall in the Dundas Valley Conservation Area WITH CEREMONY AT THE MAPLEWOOD HALL OUTDOOR CHAPEL

Photography by Jessica Lin Photography (www.jessicalinphotography.ca) Story by TheWeddingRing.ca Jonathan Lloyd and Janine Hollands met when Jonathan’s photography studio hired Janine, a freelance stylist, for a big project. While everyone else seemed to notice the potential connection, Jonathan and Janine must have been too immersed in their work at the time to think about love.

“Despite our friends trying to fix us up, we didn’t begin dating until three months later!”

wooden beams in the ceiling… It was so cozy-feeling. The walls were lined with large windows that had a gorgeous view of the forest… Plus we had already fallen in love with the outdoor chapel.” The couple loved the idea of their wedding backdrop being the fresh, vibrant, green of the forest – particularly in May. “And we wanted seasonal spring flowers.”

Once they began dating, the love connection was obvious. Jon told The Ring, “She is the most genuinely sweet and kind person I have ever met.” For Janine, it’s Jon’s ability to find pleasure in the simplest things in life that she loves. “He loves to be outside… Even when we’re running errands, he’ll try to find a way to squeeze in a nice walk so that we can enjoy a beautiful day.”

The wedding didn’t have a theme to start out with. They wanted a casual, relaxed day that allowed them to share the things they love with their family and friends. Janine wanted to incorporate the rustic feel of the woods, but the overall feel would be a vintage, romantic wedding day.

We both knew the beautiful forest setting would be perfect.

Jon proposed while on vacation in British Columbia. Just as the sun set over the ocean, the moment overtook him and he popped the question. “He wasn’t even planning on doing it so he didn’t have a ring… but the moment felt right so he went with it.”

Jonathan and Janine actually stumbled upon what would eventually be their wedding ceremony location while hiking the Bruce Trail years before their wedding day. “Even though we found the location long before our engagement, we both knew the beautiful forest setting would be perfect.”

They sent out invitations for their May 28, 2011 wedding date and booked The Outdoor Chapel at Maplewood Hall in the Dundas Valley Conservation Area. “We loved the rustic feeling with the huge stone fireplace and beautiful 76 • The Wedding Ring Magazine

For colours, Janine loved earthy browns and vibrant purple.

Even though some people tried to talk her out of those colours, she explained, “They’re colours we live with in our home and our wardrobes. It was very us… I knew it would look great!” Just as she envisioned, the purple looked great against the spring flowers, “…and it was really striking against the brown…”

“After choosing my dress with the fluttery fabric petals, I was drawn to feathers which lead to birds which lead to birdcages. Once we had a theme we found it much easier to make decisions on decor, invitations etc. There are so many choices available for weddings right now and this was a great way to narrow down the choices.”

Janine and Jon’s seventy guests received invitations which were designed by Citrus Press Co. on Etsy and then printed

by the couple – on paper they chose themselves.

Whether it was the stylist in her or just the inspiration of her own love story, Janine opted to do some serious DIY projects – beginning with her wedding day fashion. “I made all of our necklaces, my hairpiece and veil, my beaded belt, and my handbag… I’ve always like to make accessories and it was a great way to get exactly what I wanted!”

Janine and Jon’s DIY projects didn’t stop at fashion and invites.

For their centrepieces, the couple rescued two huge tubs full of pussywillow branches that a neighbour had cut down. They carefully dried and stored them (in their one bedroom apartment for nearly six months!) and arranged the branches in IKEA vases filled with river rocks for gorgeous centrepieces. They worked decorative birds - that Janine had painted herself - into each centrepiece.

Janine says, “As a finishing touch, we hung tiny birdcage tea light holders from the branches. I loved the results!”

The 4pm ceremony included a wedding party made up of friends, brothers, cousins and sisters – a true family affair. The men kept it casual in tailored suits that looked great and that could be worn again in the future.

Like many of their other wedding details, Janine was tempted to do her own flowers. “But everyone talked me out of it,” she admitted. So the pair hired Alice Squires of Lakeside Florals in Port Dover to do bouquets, corsages, boutonnieres, and various floral arrangements.

Janine says, “When I met with Alice for the first time I had a lot of ideas and pictures. She was very enthusiastic and had wonderful ideas of her own. Alice does decor as well as florals so we discussed the venue and the entire day as well as the florals.

I knew that she understood my vision for the wedding. It was a fantastic collaboration and she did a wonderful job creating the florals… She also let me create a base for the groom and groomsmen’s boutonniere’s that she added flowers to for the big day. It allowed me to tie together several elements of the wedding and get in another DIY project!”

After the ceremony, guests enjoyed a barbeque menu catered

by Marc Collin of Pierre’s Fine Foods, served family-style, in keeping with the casual, comfortable, friendly nature of the day. “The food and service were fantastic! It exceeded all of our expectations!”

Janine’s mom made a small cake for the bride and groom to cut into - for tradition and for a photo opp. But that wasn’t all that was sweet. In addition, the bride and bridesmaids had also made 300 mini cupcakes (another DIY project!) for guests.

reality wedding stories

Janine wore a soft tulle San Patrick Calais gown with a sweetheart neckline, fitted bodice, and full skirt. “The fabric on the bodice is pleated and ruched in a unique way which I thought was really pretty. I adored the fabric petals on the skirt...I loved the way that they would flutter as I moved. The dress was so comfortable and light I felt like I was floating around in a cloud.”

Diverse photographer, Jessica of Jessica Lin Photography, was hired to capture the moments and many DIY details of the day.

“We love her work and know that she enjoys shooting weddings… We felt good about hiring her because she really wanted to be there. In fact, she actually flew back from her vacation a day early, just to shoot our wedding!” The couple loved that Jessica is more focused on telling a story and not just collecting portraits. “We found it to be a huge bonus.”

Jon’s friend made a photo booth which kept guests entertained while the bride, groom and wedding party were posing for their photos. “Some people went back several times throughout the night. It was a lot of fun!”

For part of the evening’s entertainment (and as a bit of a surprise for the family), Janine hired Mayada and Banat El Sharq – the bellydancing troupe that Janine dances with – to perform for guests before dinner. “They put on a fabulous show… Everybody loved it!”

Guests took home maple syrup from Chambers of Villa Nova (a place the couple visits every year) that Janine and Jon had bottled themselves in tiny maple leaf containers. They hand made thank-you tags to go on each container.

At the end of the wedding day, Jonathan and Janine’s DIY projects not only satisfied their artistic personalities, but also saved on their budget. “We saved money in a lot of areas with our DIY projects,” they told The Ring. The least they spent was on their centrepieces. “We definitely spent the most on food and beverages,” they admitted. “It was worth every penny!”

Janine and Jon knew it would be a wonderful feeling to marry each other, but they say the day also reminded them of how much love they have in their lives – not just in their relationship.

“Our wedding was much more than either of us had expected it to be… So many people pitched in to help us with the wedding – often without being asked… We were completely overwhelmed by how amazing it was to share our love with our family and friends.” ■

“Think about what is important to you and how hands-on you want to be for your big day. Be very honest with yourself about how much time you have available to do DIY projects. They’re rewarding because they make your wedding very personalized, but it’s extremely time-consuming. An all-inclusive package might be best for some, but for us, it was worth the extra work to have a wedding full of personal touches.” - Janine

GET LOCAL. PLAN FABULOUS! • 77

FAVOURITE THINGS At The Wedding Ring we absolutely love going on the hunt for those cool, unique, fun finds that we know brides won’t be able to resist. Here are just a few of the many things that we think are must-haves for the ultimate wedding day.

BLING BY THE FOOT

What better way to begin Favourite Things than with the option to order bling by the foot?!

For the bride who wants to add sparkle to her décor, this decorative diamond ribbon is a great way to embellish cakes, bouquet handles, centerpieces, tables, chair covers and just about anything else you could think of. Pick some up at WEDDINGFAVOURS.CA for $1.80 to $3.80 per foot, depending on quantity.

EVERY PRINCESS SHOULD SPARKLE IN THE LIGHT

This crystal bracelet ($149, shown right) from COUTURE THREADS in Stratford (www.couture-threads.com) is sure to make any bride feel glamourous on her wedding day. Add sparkling earrings for $95 (shown left) and a Daisy Tiara Headband for ($189, shown above) and you'll surely outshine everyone in the room as you walk down that aisle.

SWEET SPRAY

[Below] With these Travalo refillable fragrance bottles, you’ll never have to worry about your liquid carry-ons again. Simply fill the bottle with your favourite fragrance, bring it onboard and your guaranteed to smell your sweetest at your destination wedding or honeymoon.

Comes in several colours including ‘his and hers’ pink and black. Found at Accent et Groove (www.accentetgroove.com), with prices ranging from $10.95-$19.95.

CRYSTAL CLUTCH

This crystal-encrusted clutch ($259) is the ultimate accessory to finish off your wedding day look. Found at Bridal Elegance (www.bridaleleganceexeter.com) it’s a pretty place to store your lipstick, tissues, waterproof mascara and any other wedding day essentials.

78 • The Wedding Ring | www.theweddingring.ca

CRYSTAL BALL SET

This diamond earring and necklace set is a gorgeous way to add some sophisticated sparkle to your wedding day look ($80.00). Found at ENVIE Intimates (www.envieintimates.com).

SOMETHING BLUE

[Below] For a pretty and practical way to add something blue to your wedding day, clip this heart-shaped jewel to your bra strap ($12.95). There nickel and lead free with genuine Swarovski crystals and the perfect keepsake from your big day. Found at Accent et Groove (www.accentetgroove.com).

GIRL'S BEST FRIEND

MINT FAVOURS

For a totally fun guest favour, these “Mint to Be" Bride and Groom Slide Mint Tins are sleek and stylish and come with cute little heart shaped mints. Found for as low as $1.94 each at THE WEDDING SHOPPE (www.theweddingshoppe.ca).

favourite things

A diamond necklace is a gorgeous way to add some sophistication to your wedding fashion. Accessorize with this totally glam crystal necklace by Zinzi for $299 and you’ll truly feel like a princess on your wedding day. Available at ENVIE Intimates (www.envieintimates.com).

ORGANIZATION WITH STYLE

We spend way too much time rummaging through our purses for everything from keys to cell phones. That’s why we adore these Tuck*Aways handbag organizer inserts (regular size $24.95 or large $26.95). Ideal for organizing and protecting your valuables, simply insert into your handbag, fill with your most important items and you’ll never have to search through your purse again! Available at Accent et Groove (www.accentetgroove.com).

TOTE, CHAIR and COOLER IN ONE

SHAPEWEAR FOR THE SPOTLIGHT

This one is ideal for the groomsmen in your wedding party. With its fun versatility, the Tailgate Backpack Cooler Chair ($49.99) is a great way to say thanks to the guys in your wedding party. Fashioned in heavy duty polyester and equipped for packing, carrying and relaxing, this unique 3-in-1 insulated tote makes transporting your goodies simpler than ever. Enjoy all your outdoor activities - from picnicking and hiking to park play and beach time - to the fullest when you sport this dual purpose backpack cooler and chair. And when play time is over, simply fold up this collapsible cooler for safe and easy storage.

Found at THE WEDDING SHOPPE (www.theweddingshoppe.ca).

(PHOTO, RIGHT) When the Director of Body Wrap got married last year, and his wife-to-be couldn’t find any smoothing underwear solutions to wear under her wedding dress, the team at Body Wrap set about creating Body Wrap Bride. The collection includes a high-waisted thong and panty, long leg thigh slimmer, body suit and slip with moulded cups, all of which come in both ivory and white, ranging from $30-$100. Found at ENVIE Intimates (www.envieintimates.com)

PRETTY PROPS

Whether you are looking for some shade from the sun or a stylish prop for photographs, these Paper Parasol’s with Bamboo Boning are the ideal accessory for an outdoor wedding ($11.98 each).

Bridesmaids and flower girls can carry them down the aisle in one of several colours. These parasols will bring a summery feel with them wherever they go!

Found at THE WEDDING SHOPPE (www.theweddingshoppe.ca).

KISSES WITH A TWIST

For a kiss that lasts forever, these glass kisses are a charming favour idea. Or, use them to dress up your candy buffet, hang them from twigs on your centerpieces or tie them with ribbon and place them on each plate. Found at WEDDINGFAVOURS.CA ($11.50 for 12 kisses).

BRIDESMAID DRAMA

MESSAGES IN BOTTLES

For favours that are made just for you, this hot new Personalized Glassware (as low as $2.54 each) is available at THE WEDDING SHOPPE (www.theweddingshoppe.ca). Have fun choosing your design and on the event day, you're sure to inspire heartfelt sentiments and love as your toast takes on an even more personal touch. Numerous glass containers to choose from.

Who doesn't love a little bridesmaid drama?! This dramatic and elegant feather hair fascinator will look gorgeous on your favourite ladies. This black fascinator is $120 from COUTURE THREADS in Stratford (www.couture-threads.com).

Other styles and colours, such as a gorgeous cream colour fascinator for $120, can be found in store (a great excuse for a shopping trip with the girls!).

GET LOCAL. PLAN FABULOUS! • 79

CHIC LIPSTICK PURSE

Accessorize in high style with this super chic black on white “Posh Polka Dot” Mini Purse. Every fashionista will want one of these for their own purse, whether to hold coins or hair accessories. The chic mini purse is a perfect fit for a lipstick or mini mascara. Great gift for the girls. Found for $2.68 at WEDDINGFAVOURS.CA.

Bridal Bottle Covers

These Bride Ring Bottle Covers ($6.99) are a cute way to dress up your favourite beverage.

Available in black, white and pink. Available at THE WEDDING SHOPPE (www.theweddingshoppe.ca).

CRYSTAL BUCKLES

These rhinestone studded buckles are a great inspiration for all sorts of bridal accessories and decorative items. Flower girl baskets, ring pillows, bouquets, chair bows, pew bows, hairbands, sashes, table rouching, centrepieces and even wedding cakes can be embellished and "Blinged Out" with these buckles.

Available at WEDDINGFAVOURS.CA (as low as $3.96).

BEAUTIFUL BROOCHES

These decorative brooches from WEDDINGFAVOURS.CA are a fun and versatile way to add some extra shimmer to your wedding day.

For just $7 each, you can dress up your bouquets, use them as cake decoration, for table ruching or to embellish your wedding day look. Love it!

FAN FAVOURITES

These Paddle Hand Fans are popular as party decorations, wedding favours, wedding props, or home décor. Keep your wedding guests cool this summer with an elegant Paddle Fan (as low as $1.75 each). Found at WEDDINGFAVOURS.CA, they come in 7 colours to suit any wedding day.

PEARLESCENT PAPER

Set the tone for your wedding day with these gorgeous invitation sets by Uptown Designs (www.uptowndesigns.ca). With pearlescent paper to add a little sparkle, and embossed graphics that will give your invites a textured look and feel. They are sweet and stylish, the perfect start to a fabulous wedding day. Prices for layered invitations start at $4 each, including RSVP cards and envelopes.

HALLS ADVERTISING FEATURE

Wedding Worthy Halls is designed to give you an inside look at some of the amazing wedding locations that can be found in Southwestern Ontario. Browse the profiles for the basics such as capacity and bar options, or read about some of the reasons these halls book quickly.

For reviews and more details on locations, visit TheWeddingRing.ca.

AUBERGE DU PETIT PRINCE IN LONDON

GROSVENOR LODGE

www.aubergerestaurant.ca

IN LONDON

www.grosvenorlodge.com PHOTO: WWW.JPARTINGTONPHOTO.COM

Long-time favourite, Grosvenor Lodge, is a 150 year old mansion with a long list of wedding day features such as a windy staircase, stained glass windows and a kitchen garden. Indoor or outdoor reception space, plenty of parking, a park setting in the heart of London.

519-645-2845 | INDOOR RECEPTIONS 60 (SIT DOWN) TO 100 GUESTS | OUTDOOR TENT RECEPTIONS UP TO 120 GUEST

Elegant intimate atmosphere where our extensive menu offers delectable choices made fresh daily. Six specialty rooms newly remodeled with a Parisian ambiance.

Impeccable personal service. Ceremony and Reception.

519-434-7124 | UP TO 75 GUESTS | PROFESSIONAL CHEF | FULL BAR SERVICE | ON SITE CATERING

BEST WESTERN® PLUS Stoneridge Inn & Conference Centre IN LONDON

www.stoneridgeinn.com Exceptional cuisine, innovative customized menus, three elegant banquet rooms with fabulous stone fireplaces, outdoor waterfall gardens, unique individual wedding packages, newly remodelled hotel rooms, century old “Rose Chapel,” personal Wedding Coordinator.

519-652-6022 | UP TO 120 GUESTS | FULL BAR SERVICE | ON-SITE CATERING

LOCATION LOCATION LOCATION Where you host your wedding day - whether it be in a heritage mansion, a crystal ballroom, or a tent beneath the stars - is a decision guaranteed to play an integral role in the overall style and atmosphere of your fairytale day. Choose the venue that’s truly perfect for you.

GET LOCAL. PLAN FABULOUS! • 83

PHOTO: WWW.HRMPHOTOGRAPHY.COM

BEST WESTERN® PLUS Lamplighter Inn IN LONDON info@lamplighterinn.ca

www.lamplighterinn.ca All-inclusive wedding packages for fifty to five hundred guests, Atrium ceremonies, elegant Ballroom, special accommodation rates, Wedding Planners on-site, customized menu selections, fantastic indoor photo shoot locations, décor options.

519-681-7151 | 50 TO 500 GUESTS | FULL BAR SERVICE | ON-SITE CATERING

ELSIE PERRIN WILLIAMS ESTATE IN LONDON

www.elsieperrinwilliamsestate.com Indulge in the luxury of having a century-old mansion to yourself for the entire day. Beautiful and timeless, A perfect locale for a wedding day. Reputation for upscale weddings, indoors and out.

519-432-6620 OR 519-432-7961 | INDOOR WEDDINGS FOR 80 TO 120 GUESTS | OUTDOOR TENT WEDDINGS FOR 100 TO 150 GUESTS

One of London’s most exclusive addresses for a dream wedding. Excellent grounds for photos, elegant manor house and a location close to the heart of the city.

Unique multi-room layout. Award-winning Chef.

Kristen Makey @ 519-675-5525 | UP TO 170 GUESTS | 125 GUESTROOMS | ON-SITE CATERING

IVEY SPENCER LEADERSHIP CENTRE IN LONDON

www.iveyspencerleadershipcentre.com

STRATFORD COUNTRY CLUB

IN STRATFORD jessie@stratfordcountryclub.com www.stratfordcountryclub.com A beautiful backdrop for any style of wedding.

Ceremony and reception location with fabulous menu and décor options, views overlooking the eighteen hole golf course, and an exceptional service team.

BERKSHIRE CLUB IN LONDON

www.sifton.com/residential/berkshire-club.html berkshireclub@sifton.com Up to 120 guests for banquets and 150 guests for cocktail receptions. Full catering and beverage service. Seasonal outdoor ceremonies.

519-471-4590 | 120 TO 150 GUESTS | FULL BAR SERVICE | ON-SITE CATERING

Choosing a club that is recognized as one of the finest in the country means reputation, history and elegance. High ceilings with natural light, fireplaces and personalized service means an unforgettable evening.

519.824.2650 | BALLROOM RECEPTION | 10 TO 200 GUESTS | FULL BAR SERVICE | ON-SITE CATERING ONLY

CUTTEN FIELDS formally known as The Cutten Club IN GUELPH

vanessa@cuttenfields.com www.cuttenfields.com 84• The Wedding Ring Magazine

519-271-4212 | 150 GUESTS | FULL BAR SERVICE | ON-SITE CATERING

FIREROCK GOLF CLUB

IN KOMOKA

www.firerockgolfclub.com

HESSENLAND COUNTRY INN IN ST. JOSEPH (ZURICH)

GOLF’S STEAKHOUSE & SEAFOOD IN KITCHENER www.golfssteakhouse.com

www.hessenland.com Combining history, countryside and European elegance for your wedding celebration. Gardens, gazebos, ponds, The Coach House Reception Hall and the newly renovated Garden Room- for all seasons.

1-866-543-7736 OR 519-236-7707 | COACH HOUSE 180 GUESTS | GARDEN ROOM 70 GUESTS | FULL BAR SERVICE | ON-SITE CATERING

Unique contemporary country club for seventy to two-hundred twenty seated guests. Large patio, three fantastic ceremony locations, gorgeous setting, great photo opps! Customized catering, choice of bar options.

519-471-3473 | 70 TO 250 GUESTS | ON-SITE CATERING | FULL BAR SERVICE

CAMBRIDGE BUTTERFLY CONSERVATORY IN CAMBRIDGE

www.cambridgebutterfly.com

PHOTO: WWW.decoratingdreams.ca

Stunning view of the Grand River. Outdoor wedding ceremonies available with two private reception facilities to choose from. All inclusive packages. A reputation for exceeding expectations for over 35 years.

519-579-4050 | 40 TO 250 GUESTS | FULL BAR SERVICE | ON-SITE CATERING

Butterflies, lush tropical foliage and cascading waterfalls create a romantic and truly unique natural backdrop for wedding ceremonies, photos and receptions. Available year round, rain or shine - specializing in winter weddings. Customizable menus and personalized consultation.

519-653-1234 | COCKTAIL RECEPTION 200 GUESTS | CONSERVATORY CEREMONY 120 GUESTS |SIT-DOWN DINING 90 GUESTS | ON-SITE CATERING | FULL BAR SERVICE

THE GUELPH COUNTRY CLUB LTD

PHOTO: www.dgphotos.ca

IN GUELPH

vogel@tgcc.ca www.tgcc.ca No limits in creating your dream wedding. 100 years of heritage with beautiful views. Booking includes entire facility. Everyone is treated like a member.

519-824-2741 | ON-SITE CEREMONY & RECEPTION | UP TO 120 GUESTS | FULL BAR SERVICE | CHOOSE FROM THREE PREFERRED CATERERS

GET LOCAL. PLAN FABULOUS! • 85

wedding worthy halls

The Black Forest Inn offers an all-inclusive wedding package, saving you time and stress. The package includes your DJ, décor, cake, photography and an in-house Wedding Coordinator. Find them on facebook.

519-664-2223 | UP TO 200 GUESTS | FULL BAR SERVICE | ON-SITE CATERING

THE BLACK FOREST INN IN CONESTOGO www.blackforestrestaurant.ca

PINE KNOT GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB IN DORCHESTER www.pineknotgolf.com Above and beyond your expectations. A picture perfect setting with amazing views from our raised outdoor deck. Pine Knot is well known for outstanding food and impeccable service. No additional charge for on-site ceremonies.

MARYHILL PLACE IN MARYHILL maryhillplace@gmail.com www.maryhillplace.com

519-268-2986 | 125+ GUESTS | FULL BAR SERVICE | ON-SITE CATERING

Newly renovated, ultra-modern, three spacious rooms, on-site food services, personal service for weddings in a truly elegant country setting for 20 to 400 guests. Ample free parking.

519-648-9837 | 20 TO 400 GUESTS | FULL BAR SERVICE | ON-SITE CATERING

THE OAKS GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB IN DELAWARE www.oaksgolf.com Picturesque setting surrounded by tall oaks, rolling greens and ponds, landscaped patio for cocktail receptions or ceremonies, elegant Banquet Hall for 150, exceptional cuisine, first class service, dedicated professional staff.

519-652-1760 | 140 TO 150 GUESTS | FULL BAR SERVICE | ON-SITE CATERING

WALPER HOTEL THE MALTESE CANADIAN CLUB OF LONDON IN LONDON

www.maltesecanadianclublondon.webs.com

IN KITCHENER

cmcdonald@walper.com www.walper.com

Beautifully decorated Crystal Ballroom with classical architecture, high ceiling and chandeliers is a gracious environment for celebrating your wedding day. Chefs prepare flavourful dishes, served by attentive staff. With over 100 years of experience, we understand what it takes to make your special day perfect.

519-745-4321 | UP TO 200 GUESTS | FULL BAR SERVICE | ON-SITE CATERING ONLY

Elegant hall for two-hundred and forty guests, large dance floor, décor package available, in-house catering for three to five courses, pre-dinner and late night snack selections, large bar, white glove service.

519-451-8563 | 240 GUESTS | FULL BAR SERVICE | CATERING

86 • The Wedding Ring Magazine | www.theweddingring.ca

wedding worthy halls

REVIEWS ON RECEPION LOCALES

Go to www.theweddingring.ca and use the search tool to find in-depth reviews on the top reception venues across Southwestern Ontario. You'll find room capacities, photo galleries, pricing, catering costs, and bride references, just to start.

Everything you need to know to find the ultimate wedding location is in The Ring.

GET LOCAL. PLAN FABULOUS!

SUNNINGDALE GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB IN LONDON

www.sunningdalegolf.com Professional Consultants, elegant hall for up to two hundred guests, décor options, customizable dance floor, state of the art sound system, award winning Chef, creative menus and full bar service.

519-660-8063 | 200 GUESTS | FULL BAR SERVICE | ON-SITE CATERING

LONDON CLUB IN LONDON

www.londonclub.com For exquisite cuisine, exceptional service and elegant ambiance... the London Club has it all! 177 Queens Avenue - London’s most prestigious address awaits your special day.

519-434-6889 | 5 CEREMONY & RECEPTION OPTIONS | 5 TO 160 GUESTS | FULL BAR SERVICE | ON-SITE CATERING ONLY

PHOTO: TRISH ROBERTS WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHY

WATERLOO INN IN WATERLOO

www.waterlooinn.com All inclusive “Wedding Reception Packages” plus guest rooms for intimate weddings of ten up to receptions for five hundred in the elegant Viennese Ballroom.

Experienced wedding planners: your perfect venue!

519-884-0220 | 155 GUEST ROOMS & SUITES | BALLROOM 100 TO 500 GUESTS | REGENT ROOM 240 TO 500 guests | 16 Conference Rooms | HOST OR CASH BAR | ON-SITE CATERING

PHOTO: WWW.JPARTINGTONPHOTO.COM

THE WINDERMERE MANOR IN LONDON

PHOTO: www.hrmphotography.com

www.windermeremanor.com

The prestigious Windermere Manor with picturesque grounds offers indoor/outdoor ceremony options and a personal on-site Wedding Coordinator. The elegant Grand Hall will exceed expectations. Forty-eight spacious hotel rooms and suites on-site.

519.858.1414 | 120 TO 150 GUESTS | HOST OR CASH BAR | ON-SITE CATERING

FANSHAWE PIONEER VILLAGE IN LONDON

www.fanshawepioneervillage.ca Celebrate your future with a step back in time. Choose a 19th century church or beautiful park with gazebo for your unique wedding ceremony, and a heritage barn or expansive grounds for your reception.

519.457.1296 | UP TO 400 GUESTS | ON-SITE CATERING

GET LOCAL. PLAN FABULOUS! • 87