I’m going to be totally honest: I have never read the Lord of the Rings trilogy, nor have I seen the movies. But that hasn’t stopped me in the slightest from falling head over heels for this little gem of an e-session planned to perfection by WuLaLa Weddings & Events and captured beautifully by Sandy Tam Photography. It’s an enchanted forest take on all things fantasy with some crazy gorgeous Lord of the Rings inspired details thrown in for good measure. See it all here.
From WuLaLa Weddings & Events… When Mei-Yan and Chris first met with Sandy, they shared with her their love for Lord of the Rings. They even dreamt of a Lord of the Rings themed wedding, but dismissed the idea because it would have been over their budget. With this in mind, when it came time to planning their engagement photo shoot, we decided to fulfill their dreams.
As homework, Sandy and I got together and watched all three Lord of the Rings movies. We took elements from the movie that encompassed romance and fantasy to create our interpretation of an enchanted forest. We wanted the shoot to carry a fantasy feel, something like Lord of the Rings, but not too literal. From the movie, we also borrowed a quote that makes my heart flutter each time I read it: “I would rather share one Lifetime with you than face all the Ages of this world alone.”
We knew Kortright Centre for Conservation would be a great location for our enchanted forest because of their lush greenery. We found the perfect spot with tall pine trees that stretched for more than a quarter mile. We could not have asked for a more prefect backdrop.
The shoot was designed to be fresh, romantic and earthy. The color palette for this shoot was based on the couple’s wedding colors: blush pink, gray and purple. Coquette Studios did a phenomenal job with the florals, creating a beautiful curtain of purple orchids and light purple alstroemeria that hung from the trees. A beautiful acrylic chandelier was brought in from J Company Designs, garnished with pink peonies, spray roses and spirea greensand asparagus fern, adding that touch of romance. To keep with the Lord of the Rings theme, without it being too literal with elves and hobbits, we added crystal potion bottles, old books and replica Lord of the Rings jewelry! I am in love with the Elven necklace that Arwen wore in the movie. Wearing a romantic flowing gown with long loosely curled locks decorated with a beautiful floral crown, Mei-Yan looked stunning next to her handsome beau, Chris, in a gray suit jacket and navy trousers.
From The Bride…When Chris and I started a relationship together, the thing that drew us closer was a similar love for anything fantasy and enchanted. One of our first dates was watching Lord of the Rings as a marathon (the extended edition, or course!). After getting lost in the world that J.R.R. Tolkien created, we realized we had something in common. We shared a desire to live life to the fullest by exploring the beautiful world we live in. The next 10 years we spent our time traveling, both locally and globally. We got to see so many breathtaking sceneries and fell in love with everything earth has to offer. Chris even proposed to me on the mountaintop of Lake Louise in Banff, Alberta. We were surrounded by blue skies and never-ending greenery. Our engagement was magical. We begun to dream about how we could incorporate that feeling of enchantment into every aspect of our lives… including our wedding.
Then we met photographer, Sandy Tam, who listened to our dreams and helped us make them a reality. She introduced us to a team of talented wedding specialists who all worked very hard to make some true magic happen. On the day of the engagement shoot, makeup artist, Fiona Man, began the preparations by applying shades upon shades of fairy-like shimmery eyeshadow. As I fastened the zipper on my gorgeous dress coordinated by wedding planner, Lisa Wu, I caught a glance of myself in the mirror. I never felt so beautiful before. I was led to the set of our engagement shoot and tears welled up in my eyes. This was the “enchanted elven forest” that we imagined all along – and more! White candles lit up the pathway in between trees, strings of pink and purple orchids seemed to hang down from the sky, and a suspended floral chandelier tied in all the elegance. Special added touches were Lord of the Rings props and replicated Lord of the Ring jewelry. We couldn’t believe that our vision had come to life. Now when we look at our stunning photos, we’re inspired to continue living life in a magical and beautiful way.
Photography: Sandy Tam | Venue: Kortright Centre For Conservation | Bride's Dress: Forever Love Wedding Design | Floral And Hair-piece: Coquette Studios | Make-up Artist: Fiona Man | Potion Bottles: Anthropologie | Wedding Planner & Stylist: WuLaLa Weddings & Events