I once heard that a bride is not to do any manual labor while her mehndi designs are still visible on her hands or feet. Whether this is true or not, I can’t really say – but I can say that it would definitely make for a great tradition! Along with the tradition, I find the intricate patterns SO beautiful – which is just one of the many reasons I love when it is incorporated in weddings like this gorgeous Canadian soiree, planned by Marry Me Productions. You can see all the other reasons I love this wedding in the full image gallery, courtesy of Union Eleven Photographers!
Mark and I spent our first date sitting under a tree, laughing, talking and sharing a basket of strawberries on a warm summer’s afternoon. Fast forward six years…we were married under a canopy of trees on a late July afternoon and toasted each other right after the ceremony with pink sherbet and strawberries. We didn’t know it then, but our first date couldn’t have foreshadowed our wedding any more perfectly!
I always knew I wanted an outdoor summer wedding. So much so, that I didn’t even consider a rain plan! But in the end, it didn’t matter. We were blessed with the most exquisite summer’s day — warm and fragrant with a cool refreshing breeze, lush green pastures, and a gentle summer sky that just enveloped us completely.
With nature as our backdrop, we set out to make our wedding an interfaith, intercultural celebration of love and life, of old and new – and ultimately, of us. Both Mark and I had either lived or travelled extensively around the world at different points in our lives so we wanted to incorporate various cultural elements into our wedding. Our wedding planner Stacey Price helped weave this vision together seamlessly. We had readings from poets Tagore and Neruda. Our ring bowl was engraved with a quote from Ghandi. We used Japanese chiyogami paper to embellish all our wedding stationary. An eclectic musical selection rang throughout the ceremony, cocktail and reception. And bits and pieces of South Asian tradition touched almost every aspect of our wedding. Even our officiant, Lynne Langille got into the spirit and wore a beautiful, kelly green-coloured saree!
But more than anything, our guests were the most awe-inspiring part of our wedding . We had guests come from all over – Europe, Asia, Africa and from across North America – New York, California, Michigan, Mexico, British Columbia, Alberta, Quebec, and Ontario. It was one of the most magical feelings to look out and see 110 of our family and friends come together to celebrate our marriage — many of whom had supported us on the road that led to the Stone Steps where we were married at Stanley’s Olde Maple Lane Farm.
As newlyweds, we danced and dined in the South Lawn Tent at Stanley’s Farm, surrounded by love, laughter and light.
Photography: Andrew Geddes, Union Eleven Photographers / Flowers: Flowers Talk / Wedding Planning & Coordination: Stacey Price, Marry Me Productions / Location: Stanley’s Olde Maple Lane Farm / Invitations: Wedding Paper Divas / All Other Wedding Stationary: Paper Studio / Ring Bearer Bowl: Paloma’s Nest / Hair: Stefania Capovilla / Makeup: Seema Haider / Henna: Dimple Shah / Cuisine: East India Company / Cake: Gillian Guttenberg