Katherine Nelson, Author at Weddingbells

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An Eclectic, Urban Whimsical Wedding in Toronto

Real Weddings

Posted May 22nd, 2019 | 1:34 pm | By Katherine Nelson | No Comments

Viktoria Liepold and Eric Kiely met at an anime convention in 2010. In 2014, the pair was visiting Hôtel de Glace in Quebec City when Eric surprised Viktoria with a ring presented in a custom Legend of Zelda treasure chest. A month after their engagement, a pre-construction condo unit caught their eye, so the couple decided to delay their wedding to prioritize their dream of home ownership. After four years, three months and 16 days of engagement, Viktoria and Eric’s wedding day finally arrived. “That’s 1,569 days total,” Viktoria remarks.

With so much time to plan and dream about their wedding, Viktoria and Eric wanted to make sure it was an affair worth waiting for. Devoted film lovers, the couple chose Malaparte at TIFF Bell Lightbox as their wedding venue because of the film-inspired décor throughout the space, including its old Hollywood gallery wall and Robert DeNiro and Meryl Streep mosaic tiles in the bathrooms. They also had a branded, red carpet backdrop for guests to enjoy. “We called our wedding theme urban whimsical,” Viktoria shares. “The venue has a very modern, sleek vibe, which we juxtaposed with dreamy florals, soft lighting and fun graphic design.” Carrying this whimsical, celestial theme into the florals, White Oak Flower Co. crafted unstructured, alien-like designs using smoke bush, echinops, and other florals in blush and gold tones. “The tablescapes were spectacular, complete with romantic candles, unique arrangements and iridescent hurricanes that gave the impression of rainbows against the sky,” Viktoria says.

Rather than decorate every inch of the large venue, Viktoria and Eric decided to create special points of interest that would draw their guests’ attention. “We incorporated many of our shared fandoms into the décor, including The Simpsons, Star Wars, Sailor Moon, The Legend of Zelda and Battlestar Galactica,” Viktoria recalls. A focal point of their reception, the couple had a decal mounted on the wall behind their cake that read, “You don’t win friends with salad.” “This was a nod to The Simpsons,” Viktoria explains. “It created a colourful, buzz-worthy backdrop that our guests were photographing all night!” The couple included many other details to showcase their love for spaced-themed shows, like their Simpsons-themed bar, menu, directional and seating signage, and Sailor Moon wands held by Viktoria’s bridesmaids.

In a nod to Viktoria’s Greek roots, a Greek dance troupe performed three traditional dances from her family’s region of Greece. “My mother was scheduled to have hip surgery, but she was so moved by their performance that she got up and started dancing alongside them,” Viktoria explains. “She blew the professionals away!”

Viktoria Liepold and Eric Kiely, June 30, 2018, Toronto, Ontario.

Photography courtesy of Geoff Fitzgerald.

Vendors
Reception venue: Malaparte
Bridal gown: Sottero & Midgley
Flowers: White Oak Flower Co.
Stationery: Nina Hang
Makeup: Kat Von Pire
Cake, favours and macaron towers: Bobbette & Belle
Groom’s tux: Hugo Boss

A Beautiful, Laid-Back Wedding On Ward’s Island In Toronto

Real Weddings

Posted May 15th, 2019 | 2:08 pm | By Katherine Nelson | No Comments

Caitlyn Ryall was leaving an event at Toronto’s Design Exchange when Sabs Feigler stopped her in the doorway to chat. “We lingered a bit and I left to catch a train at Union Station,” Caitlyn explains. “Next thing I know, I see Sabs running through the station after me. He asked me out and I gave him my number. The next day, he confirmed it would be a ‘date date,'” she says. Caitlyn and Sabs’ first date lasted 12 hours, starting with breakfast before a trip to the zoo, stop at Ikea, dinner at Bellwood’s Brewery and walk in High Park.

In February 2018, Caitlyn and Sabs got married in a city hall ceremony in Copenhagen, Denmark, where they currently live. Following the intimate ceremony abroad, the couple wanted to celebrate with family and friends back home in Toronto. The pair decided to hold their 60-person reception at the Toronto Island, where they shared their first kiss. “We love the campy nostalgia of the Ward’s Island Clubhouse,” Caitlyn shares. “I wanted the exposed beams with lots of globe lights, and Sabs wanted to be close to the water. Our guests from out of town enjoyed riding over on the ferry and were pleasantly surprised by the hidden gem,” she says.

Caitlyn and Sabs mixed minimalist Scandinavian design elements with unique thrift finds and homemade touches to give their décor a warm aesthetic. The day before the wedding, the bride prepared the pale blush and apricot flower arrangements, bouquets, boutonnieres and other décor elements with the help of her University friends. “I arranged a mix of florals and greenery from a wholesale florist as well as a few buckets from a local organic flower farm,” Caitlyn says. “The colours were the perfect transition from summer to fall, and felt like a fresh take on all of the peach weddings out there,” she remarks. After the wedding, the couple donated the flowers to Casey House, a hospital in Toronto, in memory of the bride’s uncle. “It was lovely to extend the life of the flowers enough to bring a few more smiles to the faces of the residents there,” Caitlyn shares.

Looking to embrace the venue’s fun and relaxed atmosphere, the couple hired local Toronto indie band “In Drift” to play original music throughout the evening. “It was a bold move picking a band that may not suit the taste of everyone at the wedding, but we were so happy we did,” Caitlyn says. “They brought t-shirts and CDs and stayed to party with us until the end of the night!”

Caitlyn Ryall and Sabs Feigler, September 29, 2018, Toronto, Ontario.

Photography courtesy of Alice Xue Weddings.

Vendors
Reception venue: Ward’s Island Association Clubhouse
Wedding planner, flowers, décor, stationery, cake & desserts: Aeipathy Studio
Bridal Gown: BHLDN
Caterer: Uncle Smoke Cookhouse
Music: In Drift Music
Favours: Caramel apples from One Bite
Groom’s tux: Tiger of Sweden
Hair & Makeup: Emily Boros Rausch

A Vibrant Blue Styled Shoot Inspired by “Crazy Rich Asians”

Real Weddings

Posted May 10th, 2019 | 1:30 pm | By Katherine Nelson | No Comments

Inspired by the breathtaking nuptials in the movie Crazy Rich Asians, this styled shoot mixes eclectic florals with colourful geometric shapes to create a modern and luxurious reception setup. “The wedding in the film was un-apologetically over the top, modern and unconventional,” says planner and designer Marianne Noh of Dukes & Daisies Weddings & Events.

For the shoot, Noh incorporated contrasting natural greenery and contemporary design elements against the backdrop of Village Loft’s exposed brick walls. “At first, you wouldn’t think these elements would work well together, but they do!” Noh says. For centuries, blue and purple have been associated with royalty, luxury and elegance. In keeping with this theme, these colours appear in the tablescape, on the cake, in the wedding invitations and throughout the bride’s bouquet. “The shoot is colourful and minimalist, yet romantic, innocent and timeless,” Noh explains.

An extra-sweet detail was including a very special guest—a striking husky mix rescue puppy. “Of course, I had to include Puffin!” Noh exclaims.

See all the photos and the behind-the-scenes video for the incredible shoot below.

Photography courtesy of Hello Inspira.

Vendors
Planning & design: Dukes & Daisies Weddings & Events
Cinematography: Olivebox Creative
Venue: Village Loft
Hair & makeup: Windy Chiu
Dress: Jillian Joy
Flowers: Horae Flower
Stationery: Paperland
Cakes & sweets: Joni & Cake
Settings: Plate Occasions
Table linen & napkins: Gervais Party Rentals
Puppy: Finding Them Homes
Model: Mei Chen of Plutino Models

A Modern, Rustic-Chic Vineyard Wedding in Saint-Eustache, Quebec

Real Weddings

Posted May 8th, 2019 | 2:02 pm | By Katherine Nelson | No Comments

Tara Salloum and Ash Molaei met through work five years ago in Montreal. The pair dated long-distance for a year and a half before Tara, who was living in Montreal, dropped everything and moved to Toronto. The couple, who own a digital marketing agency together, were visiting an Italian vineyard on a press trip when Ash popped the question. “I was feeling quite sick and jet lagged, and Ash suggested we go for a walk,” Tara recalls. “Overlooking the vines and the property, he got down on one knee. My best friend was hiding in the bush taking photos!”

With guests coming from around the world, the couple went with simple décor so that the focus of their wedding could be on family, friends and food. “I was adamant about having long farm style tables, which the venue had never done before,” Tara says. “Rather than centrepieces, we ran eucalyptus across the tables to ensure that guests could have proper conversations,” she continues. Instead of a traditional guestbook, the bride wanted to do something more interactive. “I reached out to Fujifilm, who donated Instax cameras,” Tara explains. “Guests took photos, printed them and added a written message.”

As an entrepreneur herself, the bride found it essential to work with local female vendors for her wedding. “Our DJ, pastry chef, dress designer and florist were all amazing women who’d started their own businesses,” Tara shares.

During the outdoor ceremony, the couple had their two dogs walk the rings down the aisle. “We’re obsessed with them, and needed them to be part of the wedding somehow,” Tara shares. “The moment our puppies realized it was mommy and daddy at the end of the aisle was so precious!”

Tara Salloum and Ash Molaei, August 5, 2018, Saint-Eustache, Quebec.

Photography courtesy of Francis Fraioli.

Vendors
Ceremony and reception venue: Rivière du Chêne Winery
Bridal gown: Rime Arodaky
Flowers: À la vie au vert
Cake: Chocolata
Bridesmaid dresses: Show Me Your Mumu
Groom’s tux: Surmesur
Hair: Hair by Nolan
Makeup: Makeup by Emily Angel

A Colourful, Camp-Inspired DIY Wedding in Toronto

Real Weddings

Posted April 30th, 2019 | 2:38 pm | By Katherine Nelson | No Comments

Aimé Blanchette and Scott Hogan met over a decade ago through mutual friends, having grown up in hometowns only 20 minutes apart. After over a month with the ring, Scott proposed to Aimé while they enjoyed a wine and cheese picnic on a camping trip at Murphy’s Point. He wanted the location to be perfect.

Initially, the nature-loving couple wanted to get married at a campground, but as a florist in the wedding industry, Aimé felt this would be too difficult. “We quickly realized that with the size of our wedding, this would be a logistical nightmare,” Aimé explains. Luckily, Aimé discovered Black Creek Pioneer Village. “We were so happy to find a venue where we could focus on mother nature and pay homage to our outdoorsy side,” she adds.

The couple focused on mustard yellows and DIY décor to complement their venue. “We wanted our wedding to ooze fun and I think we were able to achieve that,” Aimé says. Their favourite detail was the wooden arch hand crafted by Scott, a carpenter with his own side business. Along with the arch, Scott made various signage including the table numbers, card box, welcome sign, seating chart and chalk boards. The groom also built different games, including a bean bag toss and connect four, for guests to enjoy during the cocktail hour. “He put his heart into these items and it truly showed,” Aimé says.

Throughout the evening, Scott and Aimé took time to stand back and watch their guests celebrate their special day. “It all came together,” Aimé shares. We’ll remember these moments forever.”

Aimé Blanchette and Scott Hogan, August 24, 2018, Toronto, Ontario.

Photography courtesy of J onny Delgado Bo sso.

Vendors
Ceremony and reception venue: Black Creek Pioneer Village
Bridal gown: Maggie Sottero from Kleinfeld at Hudson’s Bay
Flowers: Stôk Floral and Design Inc.
Hair: Bull Chic Beauty
Makeup: Leah Babineau
Groom’s suit: Indochino
Officiant: Enduring Promises
Carpentry: Wood Yard Designs