Romantic Estate Inspiration Every Princess Bride Will Fawn Over
An estate fit for a princess, an enchanted garden, a lace dress and flower magic from Hanaki Floral Design - this stunning styled shoot from Jacqueline Rae Weddings is nothing short of a fairytale. It perfectly combines traditional elegance with romantic details, leaving no detail left unturned. Head on over to the full gallery captured beautifully by Kristyn Harder Photography to get seriously inspired for your big day.
From the Photographer... Built in 1911, Hycroft Manor is a breathtaking mansion that was once the center of Vancouver’s social scene. It was known for its parties, which were attended by the city’s elite. In addition to its rich history, the buildings architecture and surrounding gardens are a sight to be seen. This is truly a magical place, which is why it’s still a sought-after venue for weddings and events today. As a wedding photographer, I believe there are two keys to a beautiful wedding portrait. A couple whose love shines brightly, and a picturesque setting surrounding them in their bliss. Add in the stunning details such as florals, a classic car and designer wedding gowns, and even more magic is made.
This inspiration shoot at Hycroft Manor came together with the contribution of some of the best vendors Western Canada has to offer, and a crazy-in-love couple who was preparing for their own wedding day just one week later. During a trip to Vancouver, I visited Hycroft Manor and was blown away by how beautiful the mansion and the grounds were. The architecture is classic and detailed, with the view of the front and the grand back staircase stealing the show for me.
In one corner I found the Heritage garden, blooming with assorted flowers, falling vines, and adorned with sculptures. The view terrace was the perfect spot for a reception to take place, and the Juliet balcony would be ideal for couple's portraits as the sun set. I knew I had to photograph here, and the words classic, elegant and heartfelt inspired what was to come. I met with Jacqueline Rae, a wedding planner based out of Calgary, who is inspired by French-European Design and classic details. She was the perfect person to bring my vision to life, and together we planned our trip to Vancouver a few months later.
From the Designer... Architecture plays a large role in our classic-focused designs and the Hycroft Manor provided a breathtaking aesthetic and history to build upon and complement. Combined with a curated team of valuing connection and utter-romance, our inspiration shoot came to life in the best-possible way. Emilee and Scott are two of the sweetest people we have ever had the pleasure of working with. They were so in love and looking forward to their own wedding day only a week later. We made the decision at the start to include a real couple as part of the project, since we valued real emotion, connection and joy to come through in photographs. Not only were Emilee and Scott easy to photograph because of their connection, but they made beautiful models too. Hanaki Floral Design created the most beautiful floral pieces, including the show-stopping bridal bouquet and the balcony adornment that provided the most beautiful backdrop for our bride and groom. A blend of centerpieces filled the tablescape with mercury glass compotes, added dimension and combined with delicate blooms and vines, added an organic and Ikebana approach to a classic design. Quaint place setting bouquets wrapped in cream-silk ribbon sat atop the guest menu and place cards. A custom car wreath was designed alongside a hand-calligraphed fabric banner from Debbie Wong Designs.
Debbie created the most-romantic stationery and calligraphy suite including linen menus and hand-calligraphed silk-ribbon placecards that sat on top of the delicate place settings. Paper details included a hand-drawn sketch of the Hycroft venue columns on fine vellum with a calligraphy invite suite underneath. Complementing the paper goods was hand-calligraphy love notes to the couple. Stesha Ho is a talented couture dress designer based out of Vancouver who creates custom gowns for her brides. She contributed two stunning gowns incorporating only the finest European lace and silk as well as hand-sewn beading which featured intricate, feminine details. Our Menswear included a classic black tux with a shawl lapel by Black and Lee and was tailored to our tall Groom. Joanna Bisley Designs provided the exquisite bridal jewelry including a heirloom hair-pin with pearls and delicate jewels and delicate clear crystal earrings with light ivory pearl navettes in a gold setting. The tablescape and event rentals were provided by Pedersen’s Event Rentals and featured beautifully textured White Panama Linen, Bone Coupe Plates, soft Blush Napkins, and Gold Nova chairs which allowed clear sight lines through the cane-back glass. A champagne coupe tower placed on a Shant blush linen added to the classic details of the event. Our classic car provided by Ritz Limousine was a cream 1939 Cadillac Stretch Limousine with suede interiors and peekaboo back windows adding charm and elegance to sweep our couple away.
