Give me a pink wedding done right, and you can count me a happy camper. But add in a dash of modern design with peonies galore, and you better brace yourself for a pinning frenzy like you’ve never seen. It’s all thanks to an A-Team of vendors – Soiree Event Planning, One Plus One Design and Academy Florists, just to name a few. They crafted one heck of a day with Lani Elias and Paperback Films on the other end capturing, and we’ve got it all waiting for your swooning pleasure right over here.
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From the Bride… I wasn’t one of those kids that grew up dreaming about their perfect wedding day (do they even exist, or is it just me?). In fact, up until January of this year, I always thought we would elope. When we thought of all the people that couldn’t be with us on one of the most important days of our lives, we began to reconsider some things, and having a celebration back home no longer sounded like a bad idea. By the time we decided on a date, we had just under 5 months to make this happen, and we are so grateful to have had the help from our fabulous wedding planners at Soirée Event Planning. We envisioned a wedding that was cozy and not too overdone. We wanted our guests to walk into the reception venue, and feel like they were attending a big family dinner, rather than a luxurious wedding. We decided on a very special venue at the Terrace in the Park, because of its beautiful outdoor setting, that was perfect for our ceremony and cocktail hour, and its cozy indoor reception room that sat 116 of our guests very comfortably. We wanted the room to be simple, and inspired by spring. The room was filled with natural light, as it is entirely made of glass, and it gave the feeling as if we were all outdoors, dancing under the stars. After the speeches, the evening began with the chicken dance, due to a bet that was lost between a friend and I, in a very heated fantasy baseball match. A man in a chicken suit started the night off with everybody clucking and laughing away on the dance floor. It sure set the tone for the rest of the evening, as the dance floor was packed all night long. I really have to give all of the credit to the incredible Danny Kramer band!
One of my favorite things on the day was my Jenny Packham wedding dress. A friend of mine, Kelli, had sent me a picture of one of her dresses, and I completely fell in love with the style that this British fashion designer had to offer. I had been scouring Winnipeg for weeks, and I was running out of time. Of course nothing was catching my eye like the dresses I was viewing online. I didn’t give it a second thought though, since the closest store that sold the dress was in Minneapolis. I wanted something elegant that would compliment my Grandmother’s pearls, and nothing too poofy, or tight, so as I could dance the night away! My husband plays hockey overseas, and I had come home early in January this year to get to planning our special day. Days off are few and far between, but I got word of the possibility that the team would have 5 days off in the coming week, which is practically unheard of! I woke up one morning to a text from my husband that had asked if I wanted to meet him, some of his teammates, and wives somewhere in Europe, and as fate would have it, everyone chose London! There is no better place to find my dress, than from the Jenny Packham store itself! And alas, that I did!
Hands down, my favorite part of our wedding day was our ceremony. I still get goosebumps every time I think about it! Dustin and I got married under beautiful hanging votive holders filled with flowers that swayed so elegantly in the gentle winds. It was the most beautiful day in May. We wanted a ceremony that was short and sweet, but filled with as many personal touches as possible. We really wanted to share our love for each other with our closest friends and family, and at one point I turned to look at everyone, and didn’t see a dry eye in the house. It felt like everyone at that moment was giving us a great big hug. Dustin and I shared our own personal wedding vows, and showcased our time capsule box, to which we included all things wedding (even the dress I wore on our first date) to open on our 10 year anniversary. We walked down the aisle to some of our favorite songs, and signed the marriage certificate to Blue Rodeo’s, Lost Together. Every moment was filled with so much meaning. The most memorable part of the ceremony came right at the end, when we honored 12 of our closest family members with a rose and a hug.
Photographer: Lani Elias Fine Art Photography | Videographer: Paperback Films | Wedding Planning: Soiree Event Planning | Florals: Academy Florists | Flowers: Academy Florist | Wedding Dress: Jenny Packham | Wedding Cake: Jenna Rae Cakes | Wedding Stationery: One Plus One Design | Shoes: Jimmy Choo | Bridesmaid Dresses: Bill Levkoff | Makeup: Angie Zachary | Hair: Prep Hair | Band: Danny Kramer Dance Band | Groom's Attire: Ralph Lauren | Groomsmen Attire: EPH Apparel | Caligraphy: Julie Doan | Ceremony & Reception: Terrace in the Park | Linens: Planned Perfectly