• Real Weddings

Please share details about the wedding/event/shoot from the bride or vendors. The more details the better.

We got married September 15, 2018 near Squamish BC. It poured rain that morning, but it still ended up being the perfect day. 

Our ceremony and reception was held at Cheakamus Centre. We fell in love with the lush green forest, bright blue water and winding trails the minute we stepped on the property. We had originally wanted an outdoor wedding, but after seeing the reception venue we changed our minds. The floor to ceiling windows of the Environmental Learning Centre provided shelter from the rain, but gave a tree house feel. 

Our ceremony began in the afternoon in the middle of a rain storm, which ended up working out in our favour. It created moody lighting and made the space feel more intimate. We chose a Japanese Sake ceremony to honour my Japanese heritage. It symbolized the joining of our three families. My parents, my husband’s parents and the new family he and I were creating. The soft sounds of the rain in the background really set the tone. We wrote our own vows and chose string covers of our favorite songs for the ceremony. Surprisingly one of my favourite moments was when my Husband leaned in for our first kiss and accidentally dipped me right into our arch. I don’t remember the last time I laughed that hard.

We had a cocktail and appetizer hour for out guests while we got our photos done. We also had a number of lawn games set up to keep everyone entertained. 

A lot of DIY went into our big day. Some of my favourite projects were the giant marquee love letters my husband made, the vintage couch I refinished for our photos, the seating chart my father in-law-made and our handmade donut wall. We also incorporated our nerdy side into the festivities. Our cake topper was a quote from Star Wars and we also had quotes from our favourite TV shows set up around the venue. 

Our colours were blushes and neutral tones. It was really important to me that my Bridesmaids feel just as beautiful on the big day as I did, so I opted for mis matched dresses. Each girl wore a totally different style, colour and fabric. I’m really happy with how it turned out, it made each girl stand out and look her best. 

I knew my dress was the one before I even saw myself in the mirror. My Maid of Honour picked it out and she nailed it. I never saw myself in a blush dress, but I loved how the colour made the lace detail and beading pop. The back of the dress was my favourite part. The soft scalloped edges of the train combined with the elegant low back gave me the look I was hoping for.

The flowers at our wedding put the space over the top. Every surface of the venue was covered. My favourite part were the wreaths we had hanging from the ceiling. The lush greenery combined with the fairy lights made the space look like an enchanted forest. Our florist nailed the romantic feel we were going for. It was so hard to see it all taken down at the end of the day, but we made sure to send the flowers home with our guests.

Our first dance was a blast. My husband and I took a few dance lessons because we wanted to do something different than the classic swaying side to side. We chose “The Girl” by City and Colour. Our routine started off slow and ended fast paced. I don’t think many of our guests saw it coming. We were nervous, but we pulled it off!

The biggest surprise of the night was the show my Bridesmaids put on. They choreographed a routine to a collection of ABBA songs and had the whole crowd going. It was amazing.

The biggest surprise for my husband was the garter toss. I snuck at Smirnoff ice under my dress ahead of time and “iced him” in front of all the guys. He was a good sport about it, downing the whole thing on one knee.

The night flew by and ended with a sparkler sendoff. It was the perfect way to end the night, surrounded in a shower of glittering lights and people that mean the most to us.