Vancouver Island Farm Wedding from Dallas Kolotylo Photography

 

 

From the Bride... Growing up, I was never one of those girls who fantasized about their dream wedding. Honestly, I didn't think I'd get married for quite a few more years, until I had more traveling under my belt and seen more of the world. But then I met Ben and realized I wanted to do those things with him. So when he asked me to marry him shortly before I was to leave for South America, naturally I was stoked and answered with a resounding yes, even though that would mean planning the bulk of a wedding from a different continent. Fortunately, I was traveling with my future maid of honor. Despite a constant fight for a steady WiFi signal from hostel bunks and cafes, we were able to bang out a lot of the details.

I don't mean to brag but there isn't a single thing I would change about our day — nothing. Here's why... The few weeks leading up to the wedding really set the tone for the day. Courtney, my childhood best friend and maid of honor, was able to come out west a month before the wedding. To say we had a blast would be a considerable understatement. (Although I won't lie — we didn't want to see another mason jar, shred of lace or piece of twine for quite some time after that.) The following weeks were non-stop awesome times spent with old friends and new from all over the country. The day itself went down without a hitch. Us girls (Courtney, my best friend and now sister-in-law Jill, my favorite cousin Paisley and my other sister-in-law Kiri) had a chill morning at my sister-in-law's, drinking Caesars and gettin' all pretty, which this group of girls rarely does. When we went downstairs to meet the boys for photos, my jaw hit the ground. Ben and I both owned VW Beetles, and they are definitely at the top of our list of loves. During the planning phase we had tried really hard to find someone who would rent us a beetle for the day, which I thought was to no avail. And here I was staring a light pink 1965 Beetle. Very rarely am I speechless, but I was then. I felt slightly inadequate with my gift of suspenders and deck of "52 things I heart about Ben." But we exchanged notes, my heart melted a little bit, and off we went for photos! Being photographers in the business ourselves, photos were a big deal. We knew Dallas and Sabrina were up to the challenge. We had such a blast driving all over the city in our vintage VWs getting wicked shots. And they even managed to get us to the ceremony early.

Managing to say my vows without crying was a shock, let me tell you (I've always been a crier), and the rest of the evening was a blissful blur. Everything about Sea Cider was awesome — the ocean view, sheep bleating in the fields, the sunset and lots of top cider. They were also great about incorporating our many personal touches into the venue. From then on, our friends and family ate and drank to the sound of Jon & Roy and finished up the night doing what I love best — dancing. I never really knew exactly what I was supposed to want out of a wedding; all I really cared about was what feeling we and our guests walked away with. When it was over, Ben and I both wanted to do it all over again. Every time I look through our photos, it all comes flooding back.



Wedding Photography: Dallas Kolotylo Photography / Ceremony: Kingdom Hall of Jehovah’s Witnesses / Reception: Sea Cider Farm & Ciderhouse in Saanichton, Vancouver Island, British Columbia / Event Design: DIY + Sea Cider Farm & Ciderhouse / Event Planning: DIY by the Bride + Her Mother / Floral Design: Kenmar Flower Farm / Wedding Invitations: Wide Eyes Design / DJ: Sheldon Ipsen / Wedding Dress: Victoria Bridal Boutique + Extensive Alterations by Lily Kennedy / Bride's Necklace: A Gift from her Grandmother / Bridesmaid Necklaces + Bride's Earrings: Violette Boutique / Bride's Rings: Kristin Coffin / Hair: Whitney Bakovlejev / Makeup: Kahlia Adams / Men's Suits: Studio Suits / Groom's Shirt: Zara / Groom's Tie: Fox & Brie / Groom's Ring: tinahdee