May 13, 2016

I met Ashley and Greg two years before their wedding day. They are two of the most organized and analytical people I have ever met! They knew exactly what they wanted and I liked that. They made decisions well together and I have learned over the past 3 years of getting to know them that they also create a lot of DIY’s together too!

A lovely hand written note from the groom for his bride to be.

The bride’s beautiful dress was designed by Allure and purchased from The Bridal Suite.

The  gorgeous bride’s hair and makeup was courtesy of Julia & Julia Bridal.

The fearless duo got sucked into the never-ending world of Pinterest and before they knew it, they were recreating every little detail they admired. They loved everything rustic and vintage and near the end perhaps they realized how time-consuming it all was and Greg’s mom ended up taking over a lot of their ambitious projects.

The boys sharing a low key moment before the busy day begins.

And her face says it all. Overcome with love and emotion and fighting back tears.

“Some of our favourite moments are: Meeting with Greg at the Altar. Sitting for dinner at our own table and watching the sunset. The limo ride back to our hotel at the end of the night.”

That special first kiss as husband and wife. There’s nothing quite like it!

Overcome with happiness, the newly wed bride and groom turn and greet their guests as husband and wife for the first time.

Such a lovely shot of the bride with her adorable flower girl.

The beautiful venue, Holland Marsh Wineries, situated north of Toronto, was the perfect setting for this summer wedding. 

There was no shortage of picture perfect spots throughout the property to take some amazing photos of the gorgeous bride and groom.

Holding her dress…like a perfect gentlemen. She’s one lucky lady!

I love that Ashley & Greg wanted to incorporate some traditional lawn games to help keep their guests entertained. 

Some of the projects they undertook were creating bridesmaids dress shirts with fabric paint labels on each pocket. Ashley bought men’s shirts and labelled each one, saving on the cost of robes.  The couple also created personalized mason jar cups that would be used during cocktail hour and double as their wedding favours. They made it a bit more fancy by tying twine around the neck of the jar. For the boosta box, the couple used Ashley’s dad’s old suitcase and made the burlap “cards” banner together.

Greg’s mom was a crafting machine and made most of the chalkboards, game signs, burlap table runners, flower girl skirts, pew bows, and even “whipped” up some late night perogie’s for the late night snack bar. (As a Ukrainian myself – I know that it takes hours and hours to make perogies) Wow mom! Way to go! You are one talented and determined woman and I am sure Ashley and Greg are forever grateful for your dedication!

The attention to detail was evident everywhere you looked. These centerpieces for the guest tables were so pretty!

The beautiful cake, created by The Rolling Pin, was simple, yet elegant and topped with a lovely message about how Ashley and Greg felt about their wedding day.

“Our favourite detail was the marquee letters behind the sweetheart table that read “LOVE” and our Welcome Sign that was written on a window and held on the birch easel. I was also obsessed with my bouquet when it wasn’t even something I cared much for when planning the wedding.”

Ashley and Greg’s wedding day went without a hitch. The day was absolutely beautiful and their reception location was so naturally stunning. I was surprised at how country it feels even though you are only minutes from the city. Holland Marsh Winery is a perfect rustic barn nestled on a winery with stunning sunset views! What more could you ask for really?

And it’s a perfect, clear sky as the sun begins to set on this beautiful, wedding venue.

When I asked Ashley to describe the best part of her wedding day, this is what she said:

“Best Day Ever” is a term you constantly hear while wedding planning. I always just thought it would be a great day but I really did not expect it to be as magical as it was and it truly was the Best Day Ever. It’s so hard to put into words the love, excitement, nervousness and emotion you feel throughout the day. We spent countless hours looking at pinterest and over-analyzing every single detail that when the day came together better than we could have expected or imagined, it blew us away. All of the most important people come together just for you because they want the best for you; I don’t think we have ever or will ever feel more loved in our entire lives. Even our vendors made us feel like they were our friends and wanted what was best for us and not like we were another pay cheque.”

“We originally only wanted to do “Hey Ho – Lumineers” because that was our song and the whole time I contemplated whether it would be too fast for our first dance but thought I would regret it if we didn’t use it. A month before the wedding we ended up going to a dance class and heard “Tenerife Sea- Ed Sheeran” which we both instantly fell in love with. We ended up having our friend who is a DJ combine the 2 songs so we could have our slow song and not miss out on dancing to “our” song.”

Such a great group of people. The dance floor was always full!

I hear this a lot from couples and it makes me smile. I always feel special because I am front and centre at every couple’s most important day. I am engaged more than I ever am as a guest and I feel as though I have entered the gateway to the whale’s mouth so to speak. I learn of the family dynamics; the good the bad and the ugly, I sometimes have to mitigate special circumstances, I have to make people laugh and relax. I really have to quickly adapt and watch people in order to ensure that I document all the details and important people of the day but also get real emotion, all the while not knowing the people well or at all. So when I hear that a couple really had the “best day ever” I am fulfilled because I also know that I was the person responsible to capture it all and provide people with a tangible memory.

xx – april

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reception location: Holland Marsh Wineries // ceremony location: Holy Angel’s Catholic Church // officiant or priest: Father Peter // cake: The Rolling Pin // catering: O’Malley’s Catering // dress: Allure designer bought from The Bridal Suite // tux: Michael Kors rented from Andrews Formals // shoes: Ivanka Trump (bride), Ted Baker (groom) // accessories: Comb was borrowed from bride’s cousin. Earrings and Bracelet are from Artemis // flowers: Zoki Eclectic Floral Designs // hotel: The Trump Hotel // music: Almost Famouz // hair & makeup:  Julia and Julia Bridal // favours: Mason Jar Mugs from Michael’s and decorated by b+g // bridal party attire: Mori Lee // bridal party gifts: Bride and Groom paid for their dresses and bride made shirts to get ready in // invitations: Friend designed them and they were printed off at Vistaprint //videographer: DMS Productions // Coordinator:  Fidan Ismayilova // chairs:  The caterer  // rentals: Southern Charm Vintage Rentals; Empire City Trading Co. // budget: $40,000 // number of guests: 85