A Retro-Chic Wedding At The Drake Commissary In Toronto

For Rachel and James, a romantic, vintage wedding was a natural choice for their venue, The Drake Commissary in Toronto. "The venue's retro atmosphere went amazingly well with the awesome turquoise, vintage 1956 Ford Customline car we rented for the big day," Rachel shares. "The colour really popped in the photos."

For flowers, the couple enlisted the florists at Blush and Bloom to create their floral arch and decor. "They did an amazing job with my bouquet and the matching floral arch for the ceremony."

The bride and groom ensured they included meaningful touches into their celebration. A favourite detail was their wedding rings. "James and I made our wedding rings with gold from a chain and pendant his mother gave him when he was 12," Rachel explains. "We thought it was a nice way to add significance to the rings and include his mother, who is no longer with us, both in the ceremony and our daily lives."

The couple's son, Oliver, took centre stage at their wedding. "He stole the show when he walked down the aisle with his Dinotrux sticker book," Rachel says with a smile. "When I walked down the aisle with my dad, Oliver can be heard saying 'Mommy looks like a princess!' Moments like that are what will stay with us for a lifetime."

Rachel and James' Instagram-famous French bulldog, Vi, was also a part of the wedding. "She has over 25K followers on Instagram, so we did a fun poll where her followers voted on what outfit she should wear for the wedding," Rachel recalls with a laugh. "It ended up being a custom-made gold leather harness, and I sewed on flowers to match the wedding flowers!"

Rachel Simpson and James Tobin, August 26, 2017, Toronto, Ontario.

Photography courtesy of Rebecca Wood.

Vendors
Ceremony venue: Olga Korper Gallery
Reception venue: Drake Commissary
Wedding planner: Lexington & Co.
Bridal gown: Sarah Seven from White Toronto
Groom’s tux: Gotstyle
Flowers: Blush and Bloom
Stationery: Rachel Simpson
Hair and makeup: Anna Nenoiu
Music: DJ Odario