Elizabeth and Peter’s wedding in Old TOwn Toronto

Peter loved Elizabeth in high school. Elizabeth never knew. Ten years later, they bumped into each other at a party and Peter confessed his affections. The rest is history—and a super gorgeous winter wedding, of course! We love how the bride, with the help of planner Tiffany Pratt and florist Blush and Bloom, incorporated personal touches that transformed Archeo Trattoria into a intimate and easygoing celebration in snow-covered Old Town Toronto. And we’re especially glad that the fabulous Brandon Scott Photography was on hand to capture it all!

What made the wedding special and unique?

Peter and I had many conversations about what we wanted our wedding to feel like. We wanted it to feel intimate yet easygoing. Romantic yet playful. Peter has a great affinity towards magicians, so we thought, why not have one at our wedding? A little left-of-center perhaps but so are we. He ended up being the perfect pairing for the dinner hour. And after dinner we had a caricaturist for our guests, which was a huge hit. The music took us into the early morning hours, our DJ (and close friend) spinning our picks and the fan faves. And what better to dance the night away in than a post-dinner outfit change: A flowy stark white dress with gold appliqué, perfect for busting a move.

Tell us about the gown and where/how you found it!

The gown is San Patrick from Becker’s Bridal. I spent several back to back weekends scurrying from bridal shop to bridal shop to find “the one”. Becker is one of the oldest bridal stores in the city, and along with that comes old school charm and service. Located in Toronto’s affectionately named “Greektown”, it ended up being serendipitous that I found my gown there given my husband’s heritage.

What were some touches added to make it personal?

I have always received much gratification from transforming nothing into something. DIY is my girl. It was important to me that I scatter my personal touches throughout many aspects of the day. I had two dear friends come together to create the invitations and menus. All of the vessels used for the flowers I collected over the course of 8 months from various antique and secondhand shops. Each one selected with care and purpose. The hanging branch over the head table was dragged home from the park by our house and the pieces of fabric dripping from it were each shredded by hand. It’s really quite amazing what you can do with some fabric and an active imagination! Luckily for me, I had the most incredible wedding stylist by my side to help make all my crazy ideas come to life.

What was the most memorable part of the day?

If I’m sharing just one, we had enlisted the help of a wagon drawn by two horses to transport wedding guests from the ceremony venue to the reception venue, approximately a half-mile trip. My family, Peter and I were the last to take this majestic ride. The temperature was just right: Cold enough to see your breath but absolutely still. Zero wind. Twinkly lights lit our way, and the sound of the horses’ bells marked our arrival. I have had a love affair with horses since I was a little girl and my special request of my parents was to make this part of the night possible (barring freezing temperatures and Toronto bylaws)!

Tell us how you met and became engaged.

We met in high school yet we were not high school sweethearts. Peter loved me from afar I like to think, carrying out the sought-after high school crush with discretion. It wasn’t until almost 10 years later, we bumped into each other at a party and I learned about this hidden affection (he flat out confessed he had a crush on me and my pixie haircut at the time). From that point on we got to know each other all over again with a certain teenage fervor that made complete sense.

We were engaged right after Christmas. We arrived at Langdon Hall (our favorite weekend getaway destination) to fluffy white snow, mild temperatures and a room that wasn’t quite ready. So we ventured out on one of the many trails around the property for a wintery walk in the woods. In this perfect moment, Peter got down on one knee and proposed. And in a frenzy of yes’ and happy tears, the ring fell in the snow and we dug, dug, dug until it made its way out and onto my finger. When we returned to the lodge, our best friends were there to celebrate.

Photography: Brandon Scott Photography // Planner: Tiffany Pratt // Florals: Blush and Bloom // Invitation: The Printing House (Custom Design by Lauren Poon & Pam Ratchet) // Cake: Chubby Bunny // Gown: Becker’s Bridal // Entertainment: Magician: Ray Chance // Bride Getting Ready Venue: The Ritz Carlton Hotel // Ceremony Venue: Enoch Turner Schoolhouse // Reception: Archeo Trattoria