Get ready to pinch yourself, because this enchanted wedding is going to have you think you’re dreaming. Imagine your wildest wedding dreams, and then go a little bit bigger and you’ll get Jordan and Andrew’s special day. Just take one look at idyllic pear tree lined ceremony location, expansive vineyards, and did we mention there’s even a snow-white horse?! Richelle Hunter Photography beautifully captures the magic of the day. Watch the whole fairytale come to life in the full gallery.
From the Bride… Our intimate, sun-filled June wedding on the picturesque grounds of Gracewood Estate was nothing short of magical. Andrew and I couldn’t have asked for a better day to seal the first chapter of our romance. Our story begins on my first day at Western University. I walked into my intro to business class and there was Andrew, my 23-year-old (and utterly handsome) teacher for the year! (For those wondering, Andrew had a special two-year contract teaching first year business when he graduated undergrad). It was one of those cheesy, love at first sight moments, except only for one of us. I had a huge crush on Andrew all year, but it wasn’t until the end of school that we coincidentally ran into each other at a local bar where Andrew’s band was playing for the evening. To my surprise, he asked for my number at the end of the night and from that point onwards, we were pretty much inseparable. Nine years later, we married on the anniversary weekend of when we started dating.
We are very fortunate to live so close to the beautiful Niagara region and its many distinctive wineries. It’s where Andrew proposed to me on a perfect spring weekend. We knew right away that we wanted to get married at Kurtz Orchards, in Niagara on the Lake, Ontario. It was the one and only wedding venue we visited. The historic property sits on 40 acres of lush orchards and beautiful vineyards. Upon visiting the property, we instantly fell in love with the vast canvas in which we could bring our dream day to life and booked the venue just one week following our engagement.
What did you envision your wedding being prior to planning?
Our wedding was based on a series of dreams I had envisioned and brought to reality from start to finish: the massive pear tree-lined ceremony aisle, outdoor Victorian living room, sparkler-lit first dance, sunset vineyard stroll accompanied by a white horse, and late night acoustic performance under the stars. All was carefully crafted with love and passion. Our wedding was a true fairy-tale!
Tell us a bit about the attire!
I always knew that I wanted to incorporate romantic, feminine, and vintage components into our wedding. That said, I was very particular in selecting vendors that I knew could bring my vision to life. I had planned for months, but it wasn’t until I officially said “yes” to my Romona Keveza wedding gown, that many of our wedding colours and design elements fell into place. I had been to a few different bridal boutiques in Toronto, but it was when my mom and I along with my bridesmaids went to Kleinfeld that we found my dream dress. My mom spotted the dress first and gasped, “oh my gosh, this is it” and we both instantly were overcome with goose bumps. I fell in love with the Romona Keveza gown because of its mesmerizing and dreamy A-Line skirt constructed with tulle underlayers of blush, lavender and grey. The long sleeves, plunging illusion V-neck, and intricate sparkly beading was a truly swoon-worthy combination. I’ve never loved a garment so much in my life! I was also very fortunate to wear a custom-made Romona Keveza veil to match my dress. The designer created this one-of-a-kind piece for me with delicate floral appliqués to complement the soft colour palette in my dress. It was very special.
As for the groom’s attire, Andrew ordered a black custom-made tuxedo from Empire Customs, with a satin lapel and personalized in-seam design. We were both looking for timeless ensembles that we could look back on 50 years from now and still get butterflies about.
Walk us through your color palette!
The colour palette onward reflected accents from my gown, all in soft, ethereal tones. Paula, from Paula Lee Calligraphy, worked with me to create custom Victorian-inspired invitations on handmade deckled-edge blush paper. The stationery featured walnut-coloured calligraphy and a delicate personalized monogram intertwined with blooming branches. Each invitation was secured by a custom gold wax seal.
Tellie Hunt, from Hunt and Gather, truly captured the essence of our theme with her stunning floral artistry. Her signature work of naturalized and unstructured arrangements immediately struck me. Our florals consisted of an abundance of Roses, Peonies, Ranunculus, Lisianthus, SweetPea, and mixed foliage, in soft blush tones with the occasional pop of pink, and ample greenery.
Tell us about the ceremony details!
The ceremony was certainly the most special part of our day. In keeping with tradition, Andrew and I chose not to have a first look, wanting to make the first time we saw each other at the ceremony that much more special. Both of us were very happy with our decision as the built-up anticipation made reality so much more impactful.
With the sun sparkling down on us, my dad took me in his arm, and we began our journey to the alter under a canopy of pear trees. I was mesmerized by the natural, unobstructed beauty of it all. As we approached our family and friends, and my future husband in the distance, the love and emotion in the air was so intense I could not focus on much else besides not tearing up! Beautiful growing florals lined white chairs, an elegant jazz trio strummed the chords to Hallelujah, birds sang, we prayed, and Andrew and I shared our own personal vows to one another. I remember feeling such a strong sense of peace and happiness standing in front our exquisite flower-adorned arbour, across Andrew, and all our favourite people. I can’t put into words how meaningful our entire ceremony was, other than that it was a truly heavenly experience we both will whole heartedly cherish for the rest of our lives. We concluded our wedding with a flood of glistening flower petals reflecting the sun to the sweet sound of “Surround You” by Echosmith. Can I travel back in time?
And of course, the reception… give us the 411!
After the ceremony, guests headed to the courtyard where they were greeted with Black Currant Spritzers upon arrival. A Victorian-inspired lounge area complete with a French daybed, ornate candelabras, gauzy linens, and antique-framed paintings cast on the trunks of sweeping Austrian pine trees, offered a mesmeric old-world place for guests to sit and mingle. The once-upon-a-time outdoor setting was solely curated by my mom who ardently collects antique furniture and exquisite family heirlooms. She has an impeccable vision when it comes to creating magic!
When the reception started, guests were directed to their tables by a hand-calligraphed seating chart on a large antique mirror resting on an easel. Our tent entrance opened to an alluringly layered scene of nature and nostalgia. There were so many lovely details to be delighted by. Vintage crystal chandeliers, sparkling with the spirit of past celebrations, hung from high and wild foliage grew up tent posts to intertwine the worlds of the outdoors and indoors. Chiavari chairs pulled up to long tables that were adorned in linens with growing florals and trailing garland, blush-tapered candles, gold silverware, and taupe glassware edged in gold. Guests had views from all angles of the surrounding cherry trees and vineyards. We toasted and celebrated meaningful words from our families. Dinner was designed to incorporate lots of seasonal vegetables and for dessert, we devoured strawberry short cake with coconut whip, local sparkling from Kew Vineyards, and our all-time favourite *rosé from Henry of Pelham Estate Winery.*
Our wedding cake and cake pop favours were created by the outstanding Nadia & Co. The cake was a three-tier blush fondant, pink vanilla cake with *rosé* ganache and strawberries. (Strawberries were a recurrent theme as they were ripe and in season at the end of June!).
During golden hour, Andrew and I had our sparkler-lit first dance to ‘Kiss Me’, by Ed Sheeran. We had been going to dance classes for 4 months prior but did not foresee the large obstacle of dancing with a tulle-layered gown! Nonetheless, I got my ‘princess moment’, with a fairy-tale lift and spin while our family and friends cheered us on.
To follow our dance, we were greeted by Obi, the white horse, for a stroll through the vineyards at sunset. We danced the evening away and ended the night curled up next to fire pits, drinking champagne and singing our hearts out to an acoustic set list under the stars, by our fantastic band, The Mad Hatters. Our guests loved this intimate component to our wedding and felt as though the it was perfect conclusion to such a spectacular day.
What unique elements or DIY details did you include?
Two special elements really stood out for me on our wedding day; our storybook guest book & our custom napkins! One week before our wedding, my Aunt found a handmade story book bound and filled with vintage photos and love poems (including a marriage certificate from 1904 found inside one of the many secret pockets!) We used this as our
guestbook which was a special and meaningful touch that we felt captured our enchanted and romantic theme with the greatest sincerity.
Ordering custom linen napkins was also a worthwhile endeavour. We decided on 4 fun facts to print on our napkins and dispersed these during cocktail hour. Guests had a lot of fun searching for all the napkins and learning special and unique facts about us as a couple that they may not have already known! One of my personal favourites was, “Did you know that the first song Andrew ever wrote was titled, June 30? That’s how we knew our wedding date was meant to be”. It’s a true story. Andrew is a musician and wrote this song a decade before we even met. When we were presented with a few wedding date selections to choose from and saw June 30 as an option, we took it as a sign from the universe!
What was your favorite moment?
My favourite moment was when my husband, being a musician, surprised me with a serenade! After our speeches, he picked up his acoustic guitar and sang a personalized rendition of “Tenerife Sea” by Ed Sheeran. This, being one of the most meaningful moments of my life, was most definitely a favourite of our wedding day.
Another special moment was the presence of my late grandfather through a truly touching poem written by my Aunt, titled, ‘I’m With You’. The delicate, meaningful words she shared on behalf of my grandfather (Opa) such as, “My beautiful granddaughter, You shine so bright, That no distance is too far, And I’m with you”, spoke volumes and touched the hearts of every person in the room.
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Any advice for future brides?
This is a tough one!
In terms of vendors, videography and photography is something you don’t want to skimp out on! It can be challenging to pick and choose how to allocate your wedding budget, but these two vendors will create lasting memories that will allow you to remember and relive your wedding for a lifetime!
In terms of the whole day and planning process, it all goes by so fast. Take time to appreciate every step of the planning process, your dress shopping, and all the celebratory moments- no matter how large or small-along the way. Although it can be stressful, this really is such a meaningful and special time in a couple’s lives. Take a moment to breathe, and Soak. Up. Every. Moment.
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Photography: Richelle Hunter Photography | Videography: Outside In Studio | Florist: Hunt and Gather Floral | Wedding Dress: Romona Keveza | Cake: Nadia & Co. | Wedding Shoes: Badgley Mischka | Bridesmaids' Dresses: BHLDN | Bridesmaids' Dresses: Lulu's | Catering: Kurtz Orchards | Makeup & Hair : Fancy Face Inc. | Groom: Andrew Hines | Groom's Attire: Empire Customs | Officiant: Heather James | Wedding Venue: Kurtz Orchards | Bride & Creative Direction: Jordan Campagnaro | Bride Jewelry: Emi Conner Jewelry | Calligraphy + Stationary: Paula Lee Calligraphy | Ceremony & Cocktail Trio: Tiffany Hanus Trio | Custom Napkins: For Your Party | Hair Diadem : Justine M Couture Accessory | Horse: Sentineal Carriages | Planning: As You Wish Weddings | Reception Band: The Madhatters | Reception Decor : Simply Beautiful Decor | Veil: Romona Keveza
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