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From Dragonflight Photography… This snowy shoot took place after the first snowfall of 2012 in Langley, British Columbia, which is just outside of Vancouver. Flowers, and table design were by A Perfect Proposal, and the stationery was by Dragonflight Photography & Design. The bride’s head piece was from La Vie en Rose, and her faux fur jacket was from Melanie Lyne Boutique. The bracelet was from Shine Jewels Fort Langley. The theme was “vintage meets modern snow.” 

Photography: Ashley Ferreira of Dragonflight Photography / Flowers + Event Design: A Perfect Proposal (aperfectproposalcanada@gmail.com) / Location: Campbell Valley Park in Langley, British Columbia / Invitations: Design by Dragonflight / Shoes: Uggs / Groom’s Attire: Guess / Wedding Dress: Maggie Sottero / Bride’s Head Piece: La Vie en Rose / Bride’s Faux Fur Jacket: Melanie Lyne Boutique / Bracelet: Shine Jewels Fort Langley / Models: Dolita Synder + Walter Synder / Cupcakes: Costco Langley Bakery (1-800 463-3783) / Crystal Cupcake Holder + Jeweled Snowflakes: HomeSense

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Post tags: A Perfect Proposal, Ashley Ferreira, Black, British Columbia, Campbell Valley Park, Canada, Design by Dragonflight, Dolita Synder, Dragonflight Photography, Guess, Homesense, La Vie en Rose, Langley, Langley Bakery, Maggie Sottero, Melanie Lyne Boutique, Shine Jewels Fort Langley, Uggs, Walter Synder, White Silver, Winter Wedding
Post categories: British Columbia Weddings, Canada Weddings, Photo Shoot

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From LéLé of Lé Soirées Weddings & Events… This was my favorite wedding of 2011 because it features the beautiful natural elements of British Columbia, my home.  The bride, Lara, is a school teacher and the groom, Trevor, is a geologist. When they first started dating, Trevor was away for months at time doing field work. To keep in touch, he would write Lara a letter every day, then mail her the stack of love letters every week. When they told me this story, my heart melted, so we decided to incorporate this love letter theme into their wedding stationery design. I created a personalized “stamp” for the couple, and this went on everything from their invitations and programs to their wedding favors. Elements of nature were also important to Lara and Trevor, as they love to camp and hike together. To highlight these elements in their decor, we used a lot of birch wood, moss, and succulents in their florals. We also gave each guest their own little succulent to take home with a gift tag that read: “love grows.”

From the bride… Upon first meeting LéLé, my then-future husband and I described the vision we were seeking. We knew what we wanted, but we did not know how to bring it together ourselves. We thought at the time that
LéLé knew what we were describing, and on the wedding day she proved that not only she did understand exactly what we were looking for, but she could achieve more than either of us could have ever dreamed in making our wedding a reality. Our wedding was the wedding of a lifetime. It was everything we could have hoped for and more. The decor was stylish and modern with some vintage appeals, uniquely west coast in its overall scheme. Every last detail was precisely cared for. Our wedding day was the most fun either of us have ever had, and we are constantly wishing to re-live it!

LéLé and her team ensured that we were well cared for and spoiled on our wedding day with every little detail. LéLé made sure that the day ran smoothly, but was poised, professional, and friendly in all of her interactions. We have been at other weddings where the planner seems to take over and not really care for the couple’s or family’s desires. LéLé did not do this, and instead she made herself known personally to all of our most important guests and ensured that they too were enjoying the festivities. Overall, I cannot really thank LéLé enough for all she did in helping to make our wedding dreams a reality. People were quick to remark that our wedding was the “best they had ever been to,” and we are sure that we will be hearing such welcomed praise for many years to come.

Wedding Photography: Vasia of Vasia Photography / Wedding Planning, Decor + Stationery:  LéLé Chan of Lé Soirées Weddings & Events / Reception Venue: Westwood Plateau in Coquitlam, British Columbia / Flowers: Gloria Cheung of Flower Factory / Bride’s Makeup: Charrisse Mae Makeup Artistry / Wedding Cinematography + Same-Day Edit: Capture the Moment Media / Dress: Galina Signature Collection via David’s Bridal / Veil: Alice Hart via Frocks Modern Bridesmaids / Flower Belt: David’s Bridal (Satin Sash in “Mocha” with a Second Veil Attached) / Necklace: Borrowed from a Bridesmaid / Earrings + Bracelet: Jenny’s Pearls / Shoes: Aldo / Bridesmaid’s Dresses: David’s Bridal / Cake: BC Cakes

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Post tags: Aldo, Alice Hart, BC Cakes, British Columbia, Brown, Capture the Moment Media, Charrisse Mae Makeup Artistry, Coquitlam, David's Bridal, Flower Factory, Frocks Modern Bridesmaids, Galina Signature Collection, Gloria Cheung, Green, Jenny's Pearls, Lé Soirées Weddings & Events, LéLé Chan, Vasia Photography, Westwood Plateau, White
Post categories: British Columbia Weddings, Canada Weddings, Casual Elegance

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From the bride… Chris and I met while playing on an Ultimate Frisbee team when I was living in London for the year. After five months of dating I had to return to Canada, but we knew we wanted to stay together. It was a year full of eight hour time differences, Skype conversations and flights back and forth before Chris could move to Canada. Four years later, Chris completely surprised me with his proposal. I thought we were going on a casual weekend biking trip around a few of the Gulf Islands. He had sneakily booked us in at a beautiful resort on Galiano Island. He popped the question and my first words were “Are you kidding me?” followed by a quick “Yes, yes, yes!”

My advice to other brides in wedding planning is to throw out any ideas of “rules” about weddings and focus on what is important to you as a couple. Chris and I knew we wanted our wedding to be a big party with a casual atmosphere. We knew that nature, music, wine and making as little environmental impact as possible were all important to us. We also knew that doing this all on budget was essential. We fell in love with Sun Lotus Guesthouse the moment we saw pictures of the site. A wedding in the forest where all our guests could camp overnight — it was our dream! We had lots of creative room to make this place our own and the owners even composted all the food leftovers for us!

I spent much of the year of wedding planning scouring Craigslist and local thrift stores. Collecting vintage flower plates for the dinner, converting flower print sheets into table cloths and painting old picture frames into chalkboards. My family ate more than their fair share of pasta so that we had vases for the flowers. Many of our friends helped out in imbibing bottles of wine to donate corks that we used to make name-card holders. I found free candle holders on Craigslist and other great deals at bridal swaps. Our good friend Jakub designed our invitations. Instead of mailing invitations and thank-yous or giving out party favors, we emailed them and then donated the cost equivalent to Canuck Place Children’s Hospice. Our tables were named after bands that we had seen in concert and we had quotes about love from one of each of their songs. We both have British heritage which we wanted to recognize so we chose to serve a Pimm’s Cup as our signature drink. It’s a popular summer beverage in England. The mint for this drink came fresh from the garden at the venue. We also had my brother carve signs pointing to important cities in our lives into pieces of driftwood that Chris and I had found along the beach. I wore each of my grandmothers’ engagement rings on my right hand so that they could be with us for the event. The speeches were very informal, and I still laugh about our guests’ unrequested, but appreciated, audience participation. We also had the guests write poems to read out to request us to kiss. Our wedding turned into more of a week-long celebration and it truly was so much fun. We couldn’t have done it all without the help of our family and friends and the amazing eye of our photographer, Jennifer Armstrong, who captured our day beautifully. We frequently look through the photos just to check that it all actually happened, and we feel so lucky that it really did!

Wedding Photography: Jennifer Armstrong Photography / Venue: Sun Lotus Guesthouse / Florist: Leaf and Petal / Catering: Parker Productions / Wedding Dress: Sposa Wedding World / Veil: Caroline Calvert / Bridesmaid Dresses: Alfred Sung / Groom’s + Groomsmen’s Outfits: Taylor 4 Less / Groom’s Hat: Goorin Brothers / Hair: Studio One Hair Professionals (250-709-2195) / Makeup: Matisse Day Spa

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Post tags: Alfred Sung, Blue, British Columbia, Canada, Caroline Calvert, Colorful, Duncan, Goorin Brothers, Green, Jennifer Armstrong Photography, Leaf and Petal, Matisse Day Spa, Parker Productions, Sposa Wedding World, Studio One Hair Professionals, Sun Lotus Guesthouse, Taylor 4 Less
Post categories: British Columbia Weddings, Canada Weddings, Casual Elegance, Do-It-Yourself Inspired

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From the bride… I grew up on the island and had a summer cabin in the Cowichan Valley. We looked at several places and were undecided.  The evening that we did all the tours of locations we went for dinner at a local pizzeria in Victoria.  Up on the wall was a massive picture of a water buffalo and a farmer – we asked the waiter where it was and it turns out it was Fairburn Farm.  Our minds were made up! We knew we wanted a rustic, natural setting, when we came across the farm it was perfection – although they had no flat ground and had never had a wedding where we wanted to have the ceremony and reception we had a vision.  We worked closely with Brett and Maryann (the owners) to prepare for the big day. They took on levelling the ground, massive amounts of gardening, renovating the B&B, and the result was a picture perfect location.

Photographers: Sweet Heirloom Photography / Venue: Fairburn Farm Bed and Breakfast / Flowers: Leaf and Petal / Catering: Bill Jones of Magnetic North Cuisine / DJ: Dustin Donaldson (friend of bride and groom) / Wedding Dress: Ivy and Aster from Frocks / Bridesmaids’ Dresses: J.Crew / Hair: Michelle Munkitrick (friend of bride) / Makeup: DIY / Tuxes: J.Crew / Shoe designer: Coclico / Wedding Planner + Coordinator: Amber Hiscock / Invitation + Graphic Design: Dan O’Leary + Tania McCormick (friends of the bride and groom) / Jam Favors: DIY by bride and her mother / Photobooth: Sweet Heirloom Photography

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Post tags: Amber Hiscock, Bill Jones, British Columbia, Canada, Coclico, Dan O'Leary, DJ Dustin Donaldson, Fairburn Farm Bed and Breakfast, Frocks, Ivy and Aster, J. Crew, Magnetic North Cuisine, Michelle Munkitrick, Sweet Heirloom Photography, Tania McCormick, Vancouver
Post categories: British Columbia Weddings, Canada Weddings

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From element photography… Where to even start with how much I loved, loved working with R + J. Their quirkiness and creative, easy going style had me hooked from the start! The day I received the email from Rio asking if I would be available to shoot their summer wedding I was jumping for joy on the inside (and grinning from ear to ear on the outside). I’m in love with Rio’s sense of style, her genuine personality, her passion for life, and her business Queen Boutique. I just knew her wedding would be nothing but exceptional! And she didn’t let me down .

Rio + Jason are from two amazingly different countries, but two of the best. Jason comes from Australia and met Rio while travelling and working in Canada. The two crossed paths one night at Flashbacks in Kelowna and tore up the dance floor. They hit it off instantly and have been inseparable ever since (Rio even included a framed note from Jason from the first night they met as part of the reception decor!).

Lovingly deemed “the other royal wedding” Rio + Jason said “I do” on a gorgeous sunny day at Spirit Ridge Resort in Osoyoos. Guest were invited to wear eccentric fascinators and stunning derby hats – so fun!! Rio + Jason spent the morning chilling out with each other. They helped each other get dressed and prepped for their wedding day. He helped her secure her stunning hair piece, she helped him with his tie, he zipped her into her gown, and she made sure his shirt sleeves were rolled up just right. These two are so, so sweet.

We set off for photos before the ceremony, just us and the lovebirds. It was such a great time trying out a variety of unique locations and we wrapped up in plenty of time for them to relax before they walked down the aisle. The ceremony took place on the rooftop patio at Spirit Ridge. Hugs and kisses were showered on them after their emotional ceremony, and champagne and appys were passed around as Jason’s brother toasted to the newlyweds.

A palette of yellows and army green covered the reception on the patio at Passa tempo. Fresh flowers came from Polka Dot Door, lanterns lined the patio, and wine favors were provided by LeVieuxPin. The guests rocked it, and I mean totally blew it out of the water in Rio’s home-made photobooth, complete with chandeliers! Everyone laughed till their bellies ached as friends shared stories of the couples’ antics and adventures through the years. And then they danced the night away under the stars. I throughly enjoyed every minute of this day.

Wedding Photography: element photography / Floral Design: Polka Dot Door / Event Design: The Bride and Mother of the Bride / Wedding Ceremony + Reception Location: Spirit Ridge Vineyard Resort + Spa / Wedding Dress: J.Crew / Gems: Queen Boutique / Hair Piece: Hats by Cressida / Groom’s Attire: Le Château / Desserts: Dolci Deli / Favors: LeVieuxPin

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Post tags: British Columbia, Canada Weddings, Dolci Deli, element photography, Hats by Cressida, J. Crew, Le Chateau, LeVieuxPin, Osoyoos, Polka Dot Door, Queen Boutique, Spirit Ridge Vineyard Resort +Spa
Post categories: British Columbia Weddings, Canada Weddings, Casual Elegance

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From Spread Love Events…When Jana asked Spread Love Events to help style her wedding we were thrilled. This gorgeous bride and dear friend of ours was marrying her university sweetheart and we were honored to be part of this special day. Working with Rebecca Amber Photography was amazing and as the photos show!

Jana and Colin are university sweethearts both originally from Ontario who began their love adventure while studying at the University of Victoria, then moving to Whistler B.C., Maui, and are now based in Vancouver, B.C. With friends and family traveling from across Canada and the world, Whistler B.C. was the natural gathering place for them and their guests. They were married at the base of the mountain in Creekside and the reception took place in the famous (and their favorite) watering hole Dusty’s.

Alongside Jana, Spread Love Events dreamed up details to enhance their celebration. We wanted to create a rustic and romantic atmosphere that would dress up the venue and reflected their personal style, while remaining true to the character of the space and their desire to cut loose. The ceremony took place at the base of the mountain and cocktail reception on the upper patio of Dusty’s. Guests enjoyed signature cocktails and a giant Jenga game while mingling before dinner. Dinner took place inside Dusty’s, where the space was transformed by intimate long tables and flickering mercury glass candle light. As they’d hoped, like many night’s before, Jana and Colin, and their friends and family danced into the night to the sweet tunes of the Hair Farmers.

From the Bride…When we were planning for our wedding we knew we wanted to get married somewhere that was special to us. After spending a few ski seasons bumming around Whistler, B.C. in our post-university years it seemed like an obvious choice! As for the venue, we chose our favorite local watering hole – Dusty’s.  It is the perfect mix of rustic and romantic.  Not to mention, it is nestled right at the base of Whistler Creek with a gorgeous view of Whistler mountain.  What was most important to us was to have a casual venue in a beautiful place – we wanted our guests to feel comfortable and ready to cut loose. We wanted a celebration and that is exactly what we got!  

As for all the details, Spread Love Events helped us soften the look of our venue with romantic florals and personal details. It’s one thing to dream up the vision you want for your wedding – imagining all the little decor details coming together and being perfect, however it’s another to have this actually come true. Sarah and Ashley of Spread Love Events made our wedding beautiful beyond words. Everything was thoughtfully placed and considered, but not at all overdone. From the florals, to the ribbon wands, our guest book table, to dessert layout, you name it….absolutely beautiful work. Our wedding was truly an amazing day and exactly as we’d hoped. We were so grateful to our friends, family and talented vendors who helped make it possible!

Event Planning + Styling: Spread Love Events / Wedding Photography: Rebecca Amber Photography / Floral Design: Celisa Florist / Venue: Dusty’s, Whistler B.C. / Music: The Hairfarmers / Wedding Dress: Isabelle’s Bridal / Bridesmaid Dresses: J.Crew / Groom + Groomsmen Attire: J.Crew + Rick Rayburn / Wedding Cake: Jessica Russel, Friend

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Post tags: British Columbia, Canada Weddings, Celisa Florist, Dusty's, Isabelle's Bridal, J. Crew, Jessica Russel, Rebecca Amber Photography, Rick Rayburn, Spread Love Events, The Hairfarmers, Whistler
Post categories: British Columbia Weddings, Canada Weddings

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From the Bride… Joel and I have a pretty sweet love story – we met in high school when we were about fifteen, dated for all of the eleventh grade, then stayed really great friends from then on. Ten years (Almost to the day!) of when we first started dating, we decided it was about time to try this dating thing again. I kind of always knew that Joel was the boy I was going to marry… I just had to convince him that I was the girl. It wasn’t that hard, and 14 years after our first date we were married!

Since I’ve been basically obsessed with weddings since I was little (making my younger sister Courtney be my pretend groom, dressing up dolls, piggy banks, and anything else we could find to pretend they were getting married), I was a bit worried that I wouldn’t be able to settle on anything when the time actually came. I had so many different ideas! When my family and I started going to Bodega Ridge years ago (the owner, Jesse and his girlfriend, Chris are like family), I knew immediately I wanted to get married there one day. It became my inspiration for a relaxed, FUN, outdoors, vintage-y wedding, which helped to narrow things down a bit.

For the next year and a bit, my family, best friend, Joel’s mom, and I crafted and collected our little hearts out! It was without a doubt the funnest year of my life – all thanks to my amazing, supportive, super positive, and always eager friends, family, and my (luckily) very patient groom.

Since we wanted to really spend time with our guests at the wedding, we kept it small (no more than could fit in the six cabins at Bodega) and invited everyone to join us there for the whole weekend. With everyone staying in the same place it really gave people a chance to just relax, have some drinks, play games, and visit. We went to Bodega a few days early to decorate and set everything up – thanks to the help of my tireless family. When most of the guests arrived on Friday, we were able to hang out, relax, and have a super fun welcome BBQ.

On the big day, after setting up the final details and decorations, we headed to our cabins to get ready for the big moment! I thought I would feel nervous, not be able to stop crying, or possibly faint…but all I felt was relaxed, happy, and so excited to finally marry my dream boy. The wedding itself was so fun and relaxed – just how we wanted it. During the ceremony, our niece and nephew did a reading from “I Like You” by Sandol Stoddard Warburg, and our dear friend Mark – who we had asked to do a reading or something – wrote and performed a wedding rap! It was surprising and amazingly hilarious – I think the JP was in shock! The rest of the day went as wonderfully as the ceremony – full of fun, surprising moments (like my bridesmaids turning our “Love story” into a Mad lib for part of their speech!), big laughs, and a whole lotta love!

We had a year (plus) to craft, craft away – and we took full advantage! The majority of the wedding was DIY including all the decor elements, favors, welcome baskets, hangover kits, signs, fans, table numbers, photo booth, wine, drink jars, guest book, pinatas, and much more! Various items were also found at vintage shops and garage sales. I would highly recommend having three crazy and talented sisters, one amazing best friend, the most supportive and loving parents, and an extremely patient groom when planning a DIY wedding – it will be the funnest time ever! Three words that sum up our big day: Best. Day. Ever.

Wedding Photography: Jarusha Brown Photography / Wedding Ceremony + Reception Location: Bodega Ridge / Rings: Tiffany & Co. / Wedding Dress: Christos via Blush Bridal / Groom’s Suit: Modernized Tailors / Pocket Square: Hanky via Grandfather of the Bride / Bride’s Shoes: Miz Mooz / Groom’s Shoes: Frye / Jewelry: Etsy / Flowers: Trincomali Farms / Pie Buffet: Mook Sutton / Catering: Mook Sutton of The Dirty Apron / Make-up: Jessica Anderson / Hair: DIY / Musician: iPod / Wedding Invitations: Jamie Anderson of Fort Design Co. / Décor: DIY / Wedding Favors: DIY (Homemade Jams)

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Post tags: Blush Bridal, Bodega Ridge, British Columbia, Canada Weddings, Christos, Do-It-Yourself Inspired, Etsy, Fort Design Co., Frye, Jarusha Brown Photography, Miz Mooz, Modernized Tailors, Mook Sutton, The Dirty Apron, Tiffany & Co., Trincomali Farms, Vintage Wedding
Post categories: British Columbia Weddings, Canada Weddings, Casual Elegance

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From the Bride…While we reside in Calgary, we chose to wed at the St Eugene Mission Resort, nestled in the British Columbia Rocky Mountains and close to my hometown of Kimberley, British Columbia. My family may have had an advantage, but with guests from Hong Kong, Australia, England and Toronto, it seems travel would have been inevitable for the groom’s side. It made us feel so very loved to have people come from all corners of the globe for our wedding!

We chose a whimsical garden-party theme (think English country garden with ladies in hats) with a peacock color scheme of blues and purples. The venue, with its ivy-covered stone facade, natural tree lined aisle and mountain setting, provided the perfect backdrop to our ceremony. The wind was a welcome relief on a hot summer’s day and had the added benefit of ruffling peacock feathers and keeping lush leaves in perpetual motion.

Our reception was held in outdoor tents at the resort. The dinner featured local BC wines from the Okanagan Valley, and locally sourced bison rib eye steaks as well as handpicked huckleberries from the nearby mountains. All the reception decor was DIY – with the help of some lovely relatives and friends. My sister and MOH designed and executed the head table backdrop single handedly, my mother made the ring bearer’s pillows by hand, and one of my bridesmaids designed the entire candy buffet.  We brought our own string lighting and strung it up inside the tents, and I created my own Manzanita branch centerpieces with hanging votive candles and little perched millinery birds. The whole wedding was more work than I ever imagined, and more perfect than I ever dreamed.

Ceremony + Reception Venue: St. Eugene Golf Resort / Wedding Gown: Martina Ilana / Earrings: MeadowbelleMarket / Birdcage Veil: Sassy Millinery / Bridesmaid Dresses: Thread / Bridesmaid Fascinators: Gildedshadows / Groom’s Attire: Paul Smith / Tie: Handmade from tailor in Thailand / Make-up: Friend, Sharah / Hair: Pat Johnson / Floral Design: MJ’s Floral Designs / DJ: Just Music / Caterer: St. Eugene Golf Resort / Wedding Photography: FRESH Photography / Guitarist: Don Glasrud / Cupcakes: Sweet Revenge Bakery

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Post tags: British Columbia, Canada Weddings, Don Glasrud, FRESH Photography, Gildedshadows, Just Music, Martina Ilana, MeadowbelleMarket, MJ's Floral Designs, Pat Johnson, Paul Smith, Sassy Millinery, St. Eugene Golf Resort, Sweet Revenge Bakery, Thread
Post categories: British Columbia Weddings, Canada Weddings