A Note From Our Editor: July 2020

Life as we know it is starting to feel a little more like it used to as phased re-openings are rolling out across Canada.

Here in Ontario, I just went out for my first in-restaurant meal in almost five months and I have to say it felt SO great! I have been to the salon and the spa; met friends for a socially-distanced lunch and am considering a little travel getaway close to home towards the end of next month. Hotels I have really missed you! One of my last stays was at a very special property back in November, Iceland’s The Retreat Hotel at The Blue Lagoon (selfie snapped on site) and you can read my story about it and start plan for an Icelandic honeymoon as the country is now back open for business.

Weddings are another thing I am pleased to say are getting back on track and we are starting to see all kinds of amazing, creative and beautiful intimate celebrations being submitted for real wedding features. I just love this couple’s rustic country wedding complete with amazing llama farm photo ops. “Our wedding was originally planned in a banquet hall, but due to the COVID-19 pandemic it had to be postponed,” bride Kelsey shares. “We still wanted to get married on the date, as the day was special to us, so we planned a last-minute ceremony in my grandparents’ backyard—they live in the country, so the theme seemed fitting.”

This month our content has been focused a lot around throwing an intimate wedding—planning for it and executing it. We share why you should consider a micro-wedding and how to plan an amazing and meaningful celebration; inspire you with beautiful floral décor and an incredible styled-shoot by the creative team of Johanna Leigh Weddings & Events, A Good Day Inc. and Corina V Photography focused on smaller gatherings; detail safe ways to celebrate with your guests in the new wedding normal. We give some love to the newest wedding stationary trend, change the date cards and spotlight another trend that has emerged with 2020 weddings—planning two parties, a smaller one now and a larger bash next year or when it’s safe to do so.

One of our favourite events this July was Princess Beatrice’s surprise royal wedding. In a move proving royals are just like us, she and now-husband Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi didn’t want to wait to wed (their original wedding date was May 29^th) so they opted for the most charming, beautiful petite celebration on July 17^th with just 20 socially-distanced guests present, including the bride’s grandparents Prince Phillip and The Queen. See all the details we loved from this historic real wedding here and read up on Bea’s incredibly choice of vintage gown borrowed from HRH and why something old and upcycled is a great idea for your wedding day.

I am VERY excited to share the Fall & Winter issue of Weddingbells will be arriving on August 7^th !! The issue packed with beautiful inspiration from cover to cover. Sign up here for a complimentary copy delivered straight to your door!