Tell us a little about yourselves!
Rich and I met at the advertising agency we both worked at five years ago. Though we saw each other from afar every day, it was at a friends dinner party in 2019 where we connected over a plate of spaghetti bolognese. We’ve been inseparable ever since!
Why did you decide to get married where you did?
Toronto is the place we met, fell in love, built a home, and raised our puppy, an Australian Shepherd named Wrigley. After considering so many options for wedding venues, none really felt like ‘us’. We kept coming back to the idea of having an intimate wedding in the city that meant so much to our story. So we pivoted from more traditional wedding venues to designing a day that felt like an homage to our neighbourhood. We got married in a sun-filled studio space just a short walk from home, then boarded a school bus that took all our guests to our favourite wine bar for dinner. We ended the night at a bar closeby for more cocktails and dancing.
How many guests did you have?
37 guests – just our parents, siblings, and closest friends!
Tell us about your outfits.
I had multiple visions of what I wanted to wear, so I decided to not choose just one! I worked with Katarina Grey to design a custom dress made of raw silk for the ceremony. The fitted bodice allowed for a voluminous, structured skirt that perfectly fit the aesthetic of the studio space. Delicate ostrich feathers adorned the hem, which we purposefully designed ankle length for a little playfulness that also worked with the city vibe. I paired it with square-toed cream sling-backs from Neous. The second gown was a gold silk masterpiece from The Own Studio, perfect for the romantic, candlelit aesthetic of the dinner. And I just couldn’t stop at two! My third outfit was a vintage velvet suit I slipped on before walking to a local bar where we ended the night. In-keeping with his minimal, timeless style, Rich wore a custom black suit from Sydney’s paired with Prada shoes. To try and keep up with my outfit changes, he swapped his suit jacket for a structured Japanese work jacket for the afterparty.
What was the most important aspect for you, in terms of planning your wedding?
It was important that our wedding felt true to who we are. Everything was chosen based on what we love to eat, drink, and do, rather than following conventions or traditional expectations. Like during our cocktail hour – when we served our favourite Gold Standard breakfast sandwiches and COPs donuts alongside sparkling wine. And having my best friend (who also happens to be a professional life coach) as our celebrant was so special.
Were there any elements that were important for you to incorporate?
As our wedding was so intimate, we each wrote letters to our guests expressing how much they mean to us and how glad we both are to have them in our lives!
Any tips for couples getting married?
Only fill your wedding day with things that bring you joy and that you’re truly excited about. Include traditions that feel right for you and lose the ones that don’t!
Are there any vendors that you would like to tell us a little more about?
We worked with so many amazing partners! Though we’re both creative people, it was important for us to give freedom to our vendors to do what they do best and not be prescriptive – they’re the experts after all and we chose them for a reason! Carlos from NousNous was incredible. We fell in love with his photography style – it brims with life and true emotion. Lauren from Timberlost created the most stunning floral moments – from the hanging burst of fall foliage and fauna that hung over our ‘alter’, to the mosses and grasses that were scattered along the aisle, she understood our vibe and executed flawlessly! Bar Piquette was also incredible to work with – they were so excited about designing our menu (16 dishes!) and generously offered so many gorgeous natural wines to pair with everything. Our goal of having our wedding feel like a giant dinner party was brought to life, thanks to them!
Photographer : Carlos Ferreira @nousnousphoto | Ceremony Location : Neighbourhood Studios @neighbourhoodstudios | Reception Location : Bar Piquette @barpiquette | Cocktail Hour Catering : Gold Standard @goldstandardsandwich + COPs donuts | Celebrant : Ashley Marcinek @ashleymarcinek.coaching | Entertainment : GTA strings @gtastrings | Planner : Rachel Keller | Flora : Timberlost @timberlost | HMUA : Romy Zack @romyzack | Cake : Coco Cafe @cocos.to | Emily's Outfits : Katarina Grey @katarinagrey (Ceremony Dress), The Own Studio @theownstudio (Reception Dress) | Rich's Suit : Sydney’s Toronto @shopsydneys (Jacket) + Kapital | Engagement Ring : Rachel Boston @rachelbostonjewellery | Wedding Rings : Mejuri @meijuri | Emily's Shoes : Neous @neous | Rich's Shoes : Prada @prada