Archive for Brianne Cail

A Colourful, Romantic Wedding At UBC Boathouse

Real Weddings

Posted March 31st, 2016 | 10:00 am | By | No Comments

Vibrant-Romantic-Wedding-In-British-Columbia-Ceremony-Facing-Bride

Sangita and Daryl wanted their wedding to be whimsical, vibrant and full of romance, while still keeping it relatively simple. The pair used white, gold and lots of bright flowers to bring this exotic vision to life at UBC Boathouse. “Our florist really captured our vision and designed a colourful and breathtaking event,” says Sangita. “Our floral arch with white draping was so romantic.”

Sangita says her favourite moment was walking down the aisle and seeing Daryl. “Having the love of my life look at me that way and see so much love in his expression was definitely the highlight of my day,” she says.

The couple celebrated with their guests and their DJ at cocktail hour and kicked off the dance party with a mix of Indian music and their favourite dance hits. “Daryl and I love entertaining so there was no better feeling than dancing all night long with all of our close friends” Sangita remembers.

Sangita Bath & Daryl Ware-Lame, July 26, 2015, Richmond, British Columbia.

Photography courtesy of Ophelia Photography.

Vendors
Ceremony and reception location: UBC Boathouse
Bridal gown: Lazaro from Bisou Bridal
Traditional Indian dress: Well Groomed 
Groom’s suit: Seville Tailors
Cake: Neets Treats
Caterer: Maharaja Catering
Wedding planners: Margot Watt from Petite Pearl
Music: DJ Brad Prefontaine
Hair and makeup: Glammed Artistry
Florist: The Flower Factory
Stationery: Wedding Paper Divas

A Magical Cove Wedding In Newfoundland

Real Weddings

Posted January 29th, 2016 | 11:45 am | By | No Comments

magical wedding in newfoundland - bride and groom

In the days leading up to their big day, Marthe and Jesse joked about arranging for humpback whales to be at their wedding, so the pair was shocked when a pod was spotted playing in the harbour just as they were about to tie the knot.

The couple held their celebration in English Harbour, just outside of St. John’s, with guests staying at hotels, cabins and inns nearby. “We had a number of guests who had never been to Newfoundland before and almost none of our guests had been to English Harbour,” Marthe explains. “It felt so wonderful to be surrounded by our family and friends, all together in this almost secret cove.”

At dinner, listening to both of their fathers give the most unique, heartfelt and beautiful speeches made the entire day extra special for the newlyweds. “Sitting at the head table with Jesse, and seeing all our friends and family surround us, was pure magic,” recalls Marthe.

Marthe Bernard and Jesse McKeown, August 8, 2015, English Harbour, Newfoundland. 

Photography courtesy of Jillian Willcott.

Vendors
Ceremony and reception location: English Harbour Arts Centre
Bridal gown: Michelle by Truvelle
Bridal party attire: Bloomingdales
Groom’s suit: The Kooples and Holt Renfrew
Cake: Two Whales Coffee Shop
Caterer: Aqua Restaurant
Favours: Newfoundland Chocolate Company
Hair: Fogtown Barber & Shop
Rings: Era
Wedding planning (including florist): Kiloran McRae for Fishers’ Loft

A Romantic Rocky Mountain Wedding

Real Weddings

Posted December 4th, 2015 | 11:14 am | By | No Comments

A-Lovely-Mountain-Wedding-in-Banff-Alberta-Bride-and-Groom-Forest

Alicia and Daniel always shared a love of the Rocky Mountains so they couldn’t think of a better place to hold their wedding. “We wanted to treat our guests – many of whom traveled from China – to a true Rocky Mountain experience at the iconic Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel,” explains Alicia.

The celebration began with a beautiful outdoor ceremony where the couple exchanged vows on a mountain-view terrace. “Daniel and I are quite goofy by nature, so we wanted to have a bit of fun in our ceremony while incorporating many touching tributes and special Chinese traditions, which included cutting locks of each other’s hair to bind with a ceremonial thread,” says Alicia. “Needless to say, I cut a little more of Daniel’s hair than he had hoped!”

After the ceremony, the couple donned their running shoes and headed up into the mountains for a hike with their photographer to capture some photos in their gorgeous surroundings. “It was so much fun, I didn’t want it to end,” says Alicia. “I’m glad we had a good amount of time to enjoy with each other and the wedding party to let thinks soak in before the reception,” she adds.

Alicia says the highlight of her day, besides getting to marry her best friend, was seeing the look on Daniel’s face when he saw her walking down the aisle for the first time. “It made me forget everything around me,” remembers Alicia. “His reaction was incredibly sweet and it was what I had been anticipating for a long time.”

Alicia DanWu and Daniel Zhang, June 20, 2015, Banff, Calgary. 

Photography courtesy of Nicole Sarah Photography.

Vendors
Ceremony and reception location: Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel
Cake: Cake Creations
Wedding Planner: Mountain Bride
Music: Bow Valley DJ Service
Flowers: F2 Floral Fashion
Bridal jewellery: James Allen (rings) and Tiffany & Co. (necklace)
Bridal shoes: Jimmy Choo

A Lovely, English Garden Wedding In Vancouver

Real Weddings

Posted December 2nd, 2015 | 10:23 am | By | No Comments

Lovely-English-Garden-Wedding-in-British-Columbia-Cherry-Blossoms

Aylee and Solomon envisioned tying the knot in an English garden reminiscent of the backyard at Aylee’s childhood home. “We envisioned an ethereal and romantic look, but wanted it to have a bit of an edge,” says Aylee. The couple decided on a ceremony and reception at the Four Seasons Hotel Vancouver and a colour palette of pale pinks, white, silver and navy helped to bring their wedding vision to life.

Self-described foodies, the couple worked with the Four Seasons catering team to develop an amazing spread for their day. “They created a highly unique and delectable menu inspired by dishes from our favourite Toronto restaurants,” says Aylee.

After dinner, Aylee and Solomon hit the dance floor with their guests for an evening of revelry. The last song of the night was particularly special. “For the very last dance of the night, Solomon and I slow-danced together surrounded by a circle of wedding guests linked arm in arm. The love from our family and friends was palpable!” Aylee remembers.

Aylee Fox and Solomon Azouz, February 22, 2015, Vancouver, British Columbia.

Photography courtesy of Blush Wedding Photography.

Vendors
Ceremony and reception location: Four Seasons Hotel Vancouver
Bridal gown: Barbara Allin from Becker’s Bridals
Groom’s suit: Calvin Klein
Wedding planners: Filosophi Events
Music: String trio from Musical Occasions and Side One Band
Hair: Hair by Jacob
Florist: Flowerz
Stationery: William Ashley

How To Cut Wedding Venue Costs

Planning

Posted October 21st, 2015 | 12:28 pm | By | No Comments

One of the first (and most crucial) decisions you’ll have to make after becoming engaged is deciding where the wedding will take place. This can also be one of the most costly parts of wedding planning. To help save you a few dollars, we asked experts across Canada to shed some light on the best tips and tricks to keep your wedding venue budget in check.

PLANNING
Lindsay McCormick, the coordinator at Cecil Green Park House in Vancouver, stresses how important it is to keep in mind what you need instead of focusing on what you want. This can easily be done if you plan ahead and list what your top priorities are. To avoid additional costs (and get the most out of what you’ll be paying for) make sure you do some research before committing to a venue. Understand the venue entirely: what it includes and doesn’t include. You’ll also need to figure out if you’re going to have both the reception and the ceremony there. When you’re going to look at a venue, even for the first time, it’s important to have in mind what you’re looking to get out of it, from the capacity to the catering. “You can place items on your wish list, but prioritize,” says McCormick. “The right vendor doesn’t necessarily have to be the most popular and expensive, but ensure you trust them,” Getting an estimate beforehand, with taxes included, will help you decide which venue is right for you.

TIMING
Booking further in advance has its benefits, but don’t completely write off booking a little closer to the date as cancellations do happen. “As the date that you want gets closer, the pricing could get more flexible because the venue will want to fill that space,” says Leanne Ruest, the director of sales and marketing at Eagles Nest Golf Club in Maple, Ontario. If you’re willing to put off selecting a day to get a discount, it could be worth the risk, just don’t wait too long.

FOOD & DRINK
Before you book a venue make sure you know what’s available to you when it comes to catering. Some venues only allow internal catering, while others let you bring in food. Both have their cost differences, however it’s important to keep in mind that other fees for extra staff or equipment can arise. Review portion size options, as well as the price difference between plated dinners and a buffet-style meal. Gillian Hoff, the events manager at Design Exchange in Toronto, suggests bringing in your own alcohol if possible so you can be more in control of the pricing as well as what’s bring served. “At the end of the event you can return what wasn’t used and get a refund,” states Hoff. Just remember you may need a special occasion permit to serve your own booze and keep in mind that your venue may also charge corkage fees. Not fully committed to a dinner reception? Natalie Ho, the manager of sales for Oliver & Bonacini Events and Catering in Toronto suggests considering a mid-day wedding. “Try having a lunch or brunch with your guests,” she advises. “Guests tend to consume less alcohol during the day and the food served for these meals can run a little less expensive.”

GUESTS
The more guests you have, the more your wedding is going to cost. Period. If you’re trying to keep a tight budget in check, consider hosting a small post-ceremony dinner with your closest friends and family and then invite additional people to an after-party where you’ll only be dolling out cash for drinks and snacks. Still scrambling to save? “Edit your guest list and exclude children,” says Erin Lister the weddings and special events manager of Elm Hurst Inn and Spa in Ingersoll, Ontario.

SEASONS
If you’re not set on a summer wedding, there’s a huge opportunity to save on venue costs. Off season for most spaces runs from January through March. These months tend to have reduced prices compared to the peak times between April and November. December weddings sound festive, but keep in mind you’ll be competing with holiday parties and that can cause prices to climb. The days of the week can even affect the price — book a Friday or Sunday rather than a Saturday and you’re sure to save a bundle.

Looking for wedding venue inspiration? Check out our list of Canada’s Loveliest Venues.