Tucked inside this gorgeous gallery from Catherine Mombourquette Photography are so many sweet details dreamt up by this adorable couple I couldn’t possibly list them all. It’s a day packed with pretty and so much personality – which basically means I’m in love with every single image.
From The Bride…I was definitely one of those girls who imagined their wedding day since childhood. And when I met Spencer at the age of 16, I finally had a face to put on the groom. I always wanted to get married at my parents’ home in Minto Ontario and thankfully Spencer agreed. One of our most beloved past times is taking pictures on the road where my family has lived for the past 50 years. We spent much of our time there together, growing up and falling in love.
We wanted to incorporate as many of our favourite things as possible into our wedding. We drew inspiration from Pinterest, magazines, friends, family, and other weddings we have been a part of. We designed the wedding to have an elegant garden party feel with lots of local natural touches.
Our goal for our ceremony was to deliver a service to our guests that we would enjoy sitting through. We wrote our own vows, hired The Leith String Quartet to provide us with beautiful music, and as only children – had both our parents walk us down the aisle. Moments we’ll treasure forever.
Cocktail hour on the lawn following the ceremony was complete with hors d’oeuvres, a signature strawberry bellini, and self-serve drinks kept cold in a cast iron bathtub.
We chose a neutral, soft, and elegant pallet for our wedding; not necessarily committing to one color but a pallet of colours that embodied our vision. Our floral team at From The Potting Shed in Cambridge Ontario, did a tremendous job interpreting our request for freshly picked field flowers that were used in our bouquets, boutonnieres, and centrepieces. My talented cousin Dana designed and hand painted our invitations and programs.
I paired the timeless vintage feel of my Mori Lee lace wedding dress (purchased from Sophie’s Bridal in Kitchener Ontario) with the soft elegance of neutral chiffon bridesmaids dresses by Dessy – it was perfection. Spencer never thought about a traditional black suit and when he saw the navy design by Calvin Klein, he was hooked. He paired his choice with cognac accessories for the groomsmen.
Our reception was held at a private family-owned barn (Shenandoah Farms also in Minto, Ontario) and was unique blend of trendy and rustic. I had a hard time convincing my mother that a barn could be elegant but we quickly changed her mind. With subtle touches of glam derived from gold tablecloths, gold trimmed plates, crystal chandeliers, and as many vintage accents as we could handle, our wedding had a style of it’s own.
I was especially proud of the way we incorporated Spencer’s love of hunting into our reception with a moose-inspired DIY Bar menu and elegant antler place card holders from Wedding Star. We also fashioned our speech podium out of an old log we found in the field behind my parents home.
Other important touches included a photo table that honoured “those who taught us to love”, and a visual and written display introducing our wedding party to our guests. My darling Nana homemade our favours of jam and honey as an ode to my family’s early strawberry farming and beekeeping days.
Spencer and I both love a great beer so we ordered kegs of our favourite microbrew from Stonehammer Brewery in Guelph Ontario. We made our own wine and added handcrafted labels that our guests adored as we unabashedly embraced our crazy cat couple side and put our “fur babies” on display.
After a delicious meal by St. Jacob’s Catering, we entertained our guests with a live band that played in the hayloft of the barn. Thankfully we have talented friends with connections and we were able to work with the musicians for the perfect playlist. Our guests had a great time and everyone was on up the dance floor.
One of the most important wedding elements are the photo memories that remain. We have had a wonderful time re-living our wedding day with family and friends. From our engagement photos to the wedding day, Catherine Mombourquette Photography captured the perfect moments with a keen eye, professionalism, and impeccable style.
Spencer and I are very proud of our wedding celebration; we could not have imagined a more perfect day, as it truly was all that we dreamed. A unique reflection of us, a great party for our most favourite people, and most important – the day we became husband and wife.
Photography: Catherine Mombourquette Photography | Floral Design: From The Potting Shed | Wedding Dress: Sophies Gown Shoppe London | Cake: Life's A Party | Bridesmaids' Dresses: Dessy Collection By Vivian Diamond | Catering: St. Jacobs Catering | Groom's Attire: Calvin Klein | Venue: Private Residence | Decor: William Sweet Floral | Decor Elements: Weddingstar Inc. | Music: The Leith String Quartet