MARRIED AUGUST 13, 2021
THE BEGINNING
How did you two meet?
Kyle and I met at one of his Hockey Games, eleven years ago. At the time, he was playing for the London Knights and I attended one of his games with a friend. He had been suspended, so he was sitting on the sidelines, a few rows in front of me. We connected on good old Facebook shortly after, and the rest is history!
THE PROPOSAL
How did Kyle pop the question?
In 2018, we headed to Nashville for New Year’s Eve with some friends! On December 30th, we went for a Hike in the Smoky Mountains at the National Park, along with two of our friends. Honestly, from the minute our one friend said that he was coming on the hike, I instantly wondered if there was more going on (since our friend is no hiker!). With the absolute perfect setting behind him, Kyle got down on one knee and proposed!
THE PLANNING
What made you choose St. Marys Weddings as your wedding venue?
Wedding planning started soon after we got back from our trip, and the venue selection came first. The St. Marys Golf & Country Club was our very first tour. When we met with Ashton and Matt, Kyle and I immediately felt comfortable, taken care of and at home. Right away, they gave us all the info we needed, and we felt like we didn’t have to ask any questions, since they made everything so simple for us. We toured another venue shortly after our visit with SMGCC, and we felt like we were having to ask so many questions - and the only reason we knew to ask those questions was because of what Ashton covered in her tour! Choosing The Hideaway was the easiest decision we made in all our wedding planning. Also, SMGCC literally does EVERYTHING for you, and that kind of full service was exactly what we were looking for.
Who did you work with for your decor and floral?
Our wedding planning process took longer than expected, with COVID hitting right in the middle. Our design plans also evolved over this time, but Kim from Above & Beyond Event Design & Decor was SO accommodating in making this happen. Kim played off the concrete floors and wood beams in the Hideaway, bringing our modern industrial theme to life through incorporating muted blues, greenery and metal accents.
For our floral design, we worked with Lyric Flowers. We had one meeting with Lanny, where he showed me pictures of what would be in bloom on our date, and what would work with our vibe. From there, I put all my trust in Lanny and Jay’s hands, and the whole look turned out so much better than I could have imagined.
Throughout the whole planning process, SMGCC, Above & Beyond, and Lyric Flowers all worked together as an incredible team to bring our dream wedding to reality. It is amazing to be able to find a venue that has such solid preferred decor and floral vendors, who work seamlessly behind the scenes, so that you don’t have to be the middleman at all.
What other vendors did you work with?
The other amazing vendors we worked with were Maria Denomme who captured our stunning photos, Jessica Lynn Films who did an unbelievable job on our wedding video, our friend Jamie Baldwin Music who kept the party going all night, and Grandma’s Oven who created our beautiful naked wedding cake.
THE ATTIRE
Who designed your wedding dress?
When it came to the dress search, I had the BEST experience at The Modern Bride in Guelph. I headed into the shop with a vibe and a designer in mind. I was able to pick out 10 dresses with the help of their team, which gave me such a good mix between my style and what the stylist thought would look best on me. There were a couple musts on my list - the first being a dress I could dance in all night, and the second being a dress I would be comfortable to sit in. As soon as I put on the ninth option, a Georgia Young Couture, I instantly started crying (which I thought would never happen!). The dress had just been brought into the shop as a new sample, and no one had tried it on yet. It was totally not what I thought I would end up loving, but I couldn’t imagine a more perfect dress to wear on our day.
What did the rest of the wedding party wear?
The floor length blue bridesmaid dresses came from The Dessy Group, an online Bridal Boutique. The girls all live in different places, so the virtual option made it so easy to pick out a style that was most flattering for each of them, and it was especially easy for ordering during COVID. The suits for Kyle and the groomsmen came from Collins Clothiers in London. They picked custom suits that were a deep navy, paired with black accents that complimented the modern vibe of the wedding.
THE BIG DAY
How did your day unfold?
On the morning of our wedding day, the girls and I had our hair and makeup done at mine and Kyle’s home in London, while the guys got ready at a nearby hotel. Once me and the bridesmaids were all ready, we headed to the venue for touch ups in the Bridal Suite. The Boho Photo Bus showed up early, so that I could take some candids with my girls before our guests (and the boys) arrived, and then Kyle took some shots with his guys once me and the bridesmaids were out of sight.
We decided against a first look, as we wanted to have our special moment when I walked down the aisle. And it really was the best moment seeing Kyle for the first time that day. He was so emotional! Following a beautiful ceremony, our guests enjoyed cocktail hour and photo favours from the Boho Photo Bus. For the reception, we spread speeches out over dinner, which kept the crowd entertained, and which the St. Marys Team coordinated ever so smoothly. The food was a huge hit! Our guests were raving all night, and then again when our late night poutine bar came out.
What are some of the moments from your day that stand out?
The moments that stand out to me were all of the small intimate moments that I shared with my husband that day. Whether it was during our first dance when we both took deep breaths and relished in the moment, or during our sunset photos when we were able to enjoy time just the two of us - those were my most cherished moments.
How would you describe your wedding experience?
SMGCC made our day unforgettable, through their detailed and organized planning beforehand, their impeccable coordination, and the care they put into every moment on the day of our wedding. I wanted minimal stress throughout the entire process of planning, and even with being a COVID bride (we had to postpone our wedding from 2020 to 2021), SMGCC provided such an enjoyable experience. Taryn was our planner, and we loved working with her. She kept us calm and on track the whole time, always happy to answer any question or adjust for any change we had. On the day of our wedding, Hailey coordinated all of the vendors and staff, the details and the timing. From Ashton, to Taryn, to Hailey, to the entire St. Marys team - they were all amazing at what they do, right down to little details like having a box of hors d’oeuvres packed up and ready to go for us to enjoy during newlywed photos, a beautiful set of custom cookies waiting in the Bridal Suite, and checking in on our families throughout the day (not just us and the wedding party)! Beginning to end - our whole experience was absolutely incredible!
