We’re in the mood for spring flowers, so we can not get enough of this beautiful wedding photographed by Grey Collective member Brandon Scott Photography. The bride’s vision was based a painting of a rose by dutch artist Pierre-Joseph Redouté, inspiring an elegant and natural wedding with a focus on florals. So, naturally we are in LOVE with all of the floral details—the invitations, the table numbers, the cake and the amazing bouquet and centerpieces Coriander Girl. Your going to love this one!
What made the wedding special and unique?
The best part about our wedding was being surrounded by family and friends, and we were so thankful that many of our guests traveled a great distance to be there. It was really important to me that the wedding was in Sarnia; it was where I grew up my whole life and where Lee and I first met. The reception location was absolutely beautiful; the Sarnia Riding Club is right along Lake Huron, and you could see the sun setting over the water in the evening. We had our pictures taken in the nearby Canatara Park, which is where my parents had their own wedding photos taken. It was also really special to us to have my little sister sing during the ceremony, she brought tears to our eyes.
Tell us about the gown and where/how you found it!
Trying on dresses was such a fun part of preparing for the wedding! I went shopping back home so that I could bring my mom and sister with me, but I didn’t find exactly what I was looking for. A few hours of online browsing later, I came across a beautiful gown by designer Hayley Paige. It was strapless, sparkling, and everything I had been looking for. I searched out where I could find it in Ottawa, and called the only salon that carried the line. They informed me it had just arrived in the store that week, and I made an appointment right there. I brought along one of my bridesmaids, excited to have found what I thought was ‘the one’. When I arrived, the dress did not look at all how I remembered. Beautiful of course, but not what I could picture myself in. Then I noticed the gown right beside it. Another stunning Hayley Paige dress, it had thick jeweled straps with a keyhole back. It was the farthest from what I imagined, but something about it captivated me. I tried it on, and knew that this one was it.
What were some touches added to make it personal?
It was really important that the wedding was a reflection of us, and we were so excited to share all the things we love with our family. The wedding was styled based on an image of a rose by Pierre-Joseph Redouté, a painter from the Netherlands who completed many of his works in France, which was a blend of our heritages. This set the tone for an elegant and natural wedding with lots of floral accents. From creating custom envelope liners to learning calligraphy to hand-address the envelopes with gold ink, I spent a lot of time thinking about the little details and how it would all come together. On the guest signing table, we framed pictures of our parents and grandparents on their wedding day, which was a reminder to us of how lucky we are to be surrounded by loving families. We also payed homage to our history with the food, where we had a small dessert table with Belgian chocolates, English shortbreads, Dutch syrup waffles and French macaroons. My favorite part was the late night appetizers, where we had a fry truck parked outside for our friends to enjoy poutine. Sarnia is known for their fries by the water, and I was excited to share a little bit of that with our guests from out of town.
What was the most memorable part of the day?
Every part of our day was so amazing it is hard to choose just one memorable moment! Walking up the aisle and seeing my groom was one of the most emotional moments, I don’t think I stopped grinning the entire ceremony. After the speeches and our first dance, we were ready to get the party started! The DJ put on ‘Shut Up and Dance’, and we had fun pulling our friends onto the dance floor and soon everyone was out. It was an amazing day, and we love being able to look back on the pictures and our video to relieve the moments.
Tell us how you met and became engaged.
We met through mutual friends in my home town. After a few times seeing each other in a group of friends, Lee asked me out on a date. A few months later, I decided to go back to school and was accepted to the University of Ottawa. Lee made the 7 hour each way trip many times that first year, then decided to take the leap and move to Ottawa full time. We bought a condo, adopted a dog, and settled into our new life in the city. On our fifth anniversary, Lee took me to a nearby restaurant. After dinner, on our walk back home he insisted on taking a stroll through the park, even though it was January and the paths were covered in two feet of snow! He got down on one knee, snow and all, and asked me to marry him. My first words were, “yes, and can I put my glove back on now?” It was cold out! The moment we were home I took off my gloves and was blown away by the most beautiful ring I had ever seen, timeless and elegant and perfect.
Photography: Brandon Scott Photography // Flowers: Coriander Girl Toronto // Invitations: Minted // Videography: Derek Chan Films Toronto // Dress: Carrie by Hayley Paige, found at White Satin Bridal Couture Ottawa // Bridesmaid Dresses: Joanna August, found at With Love Bridal Boutique (Ottawa) // Catering: Maison St. Aubin // Rings: Tacori (his & hers), found at Howard Fine Jewellers Ottawa // Macarons: Quelque Chose Pâtisserie // Shoes: Jimmy Choo // Suit: Hugo Boss, found at Harry Rosen // Venue: Sarnia Riding Club