An Eclectic, Urban Whimsical Wedding in Toronto

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