Denée and David first met back in 2003 at a concert for a band called “The Music” in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Little did they know at their first encounter, that together they would move across the country several times until they made Calgary, Alberta their home.

The Proposal

David coordinated for Denée’s entire family to be in attendance as a surprise visit on her 30th birthday. Being surrounded by all of her loved ones also set the perfect tone for David to pop the question. We can assume that Denée’s engagement ring and marriage proposal may have been her favourite birthday gift of all time.

The Big Day

When Denée and David began to plan their wedding day they both agreed that their guests experience was very important to them, so they chose to have their wedding in the beautiful surroundings of Banff, Alberta. They invited all of their guests a night before the wedding to the Banff Avenue Brewing Company, which was the perfect opportunity to visit and mingle with guests in a causal and relaxed setting. Unlike most weddings, the couple chose to have their ceremony in the late afternoon and saved the morning to have their “first look.” They spent the rest of the morning touring Banff and taking formal pictures with their bridal party. Denée reminiscences back to the morning of her wedding day and shares “it allowed me to connect with Dave, calm my nerves and truly enjoy the rest of the day.” Their wedding day theme was elegant with a nod to rustic and vintage. To follow in family tradition Denée wore her great-grandmothers cameo ring which perfectly complimented her 1920’s feel. The bridal party braved outdoor photos on a cold day in January and wore full length fur coats to ward off the chill (all of which belonged to Denée’s grandmother and great-grandmother). Thinking back to their wedding day Denée and David share “we could not have imagined the day being any more perfect. It was amazing to be surrounded by 120 of our closest family and friends who travelled from all over Canada to share our special day, we truly fell in love!”

Favourite Moments

The “first look” was Denée and David’s favourite wedding day moment.

First Dance

Ron Hawkins – “Prairie Girl”

Newlywed Advice

Stay true to what you want, it’s your wedding day so make sure to enjoy every single moment. If you are having a destination wedding, hire local vendors, they know the area very well and you will be happy with the results.

Honeymoon

A delayed honeymoon somewhere in Europe.

Both Baylee and Keith graduated from the same high school in Red Deer, AB. However, they didn’t actually formally meet until five years after graduation when they were both serving at the local Earls restaurant.

The Proposal

It was exactly 3 years after their “first kiss” that Keith made the decision to ask Baylee to marry him. He arranged a surprise romantic hot air balloon ride on her 26th birthday. Unfortunately, as they were getting ready to depart for the surprise event, the inevitable happened. A phone call from the balloon company stating that due to wind conditions, the ride would have to be cancelled. Keith was devastated and panicked, he did not have a backup plan but he knew he wanted to ask Baylee to marry him and bad weather was not going to stop that from happening. He dropped to one knee right then and there, and asked the ever so important question. A quick “yes” followed and the rest is history.

The Big Day

Baylee and Keith love Canmore, and they knew they wanted to get married in the mountains, so their wedding ceremony and reception was held at Stewart Creek Golf Course. Being a Type A personality, Baylee did not overlook a single detail when it came to planning their wedding.

Favourite Moments

Baylee: “Walking down the isle towards my future husband (who looked so very handsome)….it was awesome.”

Keith: “Being announced Mr & Mrs Henderson for the first time.”

First Dance

Kenny Chesney-“You Save Me”

Newlywed Advice

“Hire a wedding planner as amazing as Rena LeMessurier.”

Looking Forward to Most Now Being Married

All the adventures that are waiting for us!

Honeymoon

Costa Rica

Running in the same circles, Alix and Josh had met a few times when hanging out with mutual friends, but it wasn’t until the two went on an official date that they realized there was chemistry—the rest is history.

The Proposal

Josh proposed to Alix during their time in California for Alix’s family reunion. The two were taking a walk along the scenic 17-mile drive when Josh got down on one knee and asked Alix to be his wife. After she said yes, the couple carved their initials on the wood bench where Josh proposed and plan to revisit that special spot someday.

The Big Day

Josh and Alix really wanted their wedding to be a reflection of themselves and their relationship so they incorporated personal details into the celebration and kept the atmosphere fun and less formal. The venue’s ideal location offered exquisite mountain scenery and perfectly captured the aura of rustic elegance.

Favourite Moments

Although Alix and Josh agree being surrounded by family and friends was the best part of the day, they each treasure their own special moment. Alix’s favourite moment was their first kiss as husband and wife, while Josh’s favorite moment was seeing his bride walk down the aisle.

Engagement Ring Cut

Princess Cut

First Dance

“Lost Together” — Blue Rodeo

Newlywed Advice

“Enjoy every moment you spend together and laugh often. Don’t let the stresses of wedding planning take a toll on your relationship – do everything together and enjoy it, as it only happens once and it will truly be the best day of your lives.”

Looking Forward to Most Now Being Married

Moving forward, Alix and Josh are most excited about doing the little things together and sharing life’s special moments as a couple.

Honeymoon

Destination: Cuba

Resort: Los Americas Melias

Sonya and Raul met for the first time at work. It was Sonya’s first job out of university, and Raul was assigned to help/mentor her and teach her the ropes of the industry. After spending every workday together for five months, Raul had an amazing career opportunity at another company, which he accepted to Sonya’s disappointment. They immediately missed spending all of those hours together on a daily basis, and realized their connection was much deeper then co-workers and they have been together ever since.

The Proposal

Raul proposed on Valentine’s Day in 2014 at the Rimrock Resort Hotel in Banff, Alberta. Although this is a common day for proposals, Sonya was completely caught off guard. They spent the day getting pampered at the famous spa at the Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel and then checked into their room at the Rimrock. Raul upgraded their room to the grand view suite, booked dinner at the five star Eden restaurant and filled the entire suite with roses and candles. Once he opened the door, Sonya saw a Tiffany box sitting on the table next to a bottle of champagne and thought they agreed not to do presents. It wasn’t until Raul grabbed the box and went down on one knee that she realized he was proposing. She burst into tears, said YES.

The Big Day

Sonya grew up in Alberta, but Raul grew up partly in Mexico, with family and friends all over North America, it only made sense to have a destination wedding. Specifically, they chose the Secrets Huatluco Resort & Spa as it is the closest resort town to Raul’s family and because they were impressed by the wedding venue spaces from a previous visit. The couple had a lot of fun mixing both Canadian and Mexican traditions into the ceremony to make a truly unique day and party. On the wedding day, the couple decided to go against tradition and met up for a private first look prior to the ceremony. Shortly after, they met up with their groomsmen and bridesmaids to take photos. The ceremony was performed by a close friend in English, as well as legally by a Mexican judge in Spanish so everyone could understand. Immediately following the ceremony there were sunset cocktails, a delicious 5 course dinner with speeches, and then dancing all night. The couple also coordinated a trip for everyone to visit the ranch where Raul grew up. Besides the wedding day, their guests say it was definitely a highlight getting exposed to some true Mexican culture.

Favourite Moments

Sonya: “My favourite moment was definitely the “first look”, where Raul and I saw each other for the first time. It was so special to be able to give each other an honest reaction when we first saw one another, and then spend the next few hours spending time with our bridal party prior to the ceremony. It made the ceremony much more relaxed and fun by the time it came around!”

Raul: “My favourite moment was actually the opportunity to spend an entire week celebrating with our family and friends instead of just the traditional day. We have family and friends from all over North America and it was so great to spend an entire week truly joining our families together.”

Engagement Ring Cut

Round

First Dance

‘Fields of Gold’ – Sting

Father-Daughter & Mother-Son Dance(s)

Father-Daughter: ‘Isn’t She Lovely’ – Stevie Wonder

Newlywed Advice

“It’s okay to write your own rules, and do what makes you happy as a couple. There are lots of people that will try to tell you that you HAVE to do this or you CAN’T do that, but you can do (or not do) whatever you heart desires because it’s your day!”

Looking Forward to Most Now Being Married

“We are really looking forward to our two-week honeymoon in Italy in September, going on lots more adventures together, and starting a family.”

Honeymoon

Italy

Chloe and Travis met on her first day in Lethbridge, AB after she moved there for school. He was friends with her cousin who invited them both out for dinner. Travis later posted a picture on his Instagram and tagged Chloe to ask her out on a date because he didn’t have her phone number. She hesitantly accepted and they have been together ever since.

The Proposal

Travis planned an amazing proposal! After a busy day of nursing school she came home to find her floor covered in rose petals and a sweet note saying to be ready for six o’clock. At six o’clock the doorbell rang and a limo was there to pick her up. It drove her to a local art gallery where Travis had an incredible display set up with flowers and letter blocks spelling out ‘Will You Marry Me?’ All Chloe remembers was crying throughout the entire proposal. Travis also planned for a good friend of theirs who is a Photographer to be there and capture the entire thing.

The Big Day

The couple attended a good friends wedding at Medalta (an innovative industrial museum, contemporary ceramic arts facility, art gallery, and community hub) shortly after they got engaged and fell in love with the space.  They opted for a first look before their ceremony even though Travis was against the idea – he wanted the big shock and surprise as Chloe walked down the aisle. She really pushed for the first look, knowing how nervous she’d be. In the end, they were both really glad they did the first look, “it was such an intimate moment for just the two of us. We also got some of our favourite pictures from it.”

Favourite Moments

Chloe: “Its so hard to choose! I truly enjoyed the whole day but I think my absolute favourite part was after the ceremony right before we started pictures when Travis and I just took five minutes together to soak everything in and realize that we were finally married!”

Travis: “Seeing Chloe in her dress for the first time. I cried like a baby.”

Engagement Ring Cut

Round

First Dance

‘You Make Me Feel So Young’ – Frank Sinatra

Newlywed Advice

“Hire a Wedding Planner! And vendors that you are comfortable with and trust! It will take so much stress away from your day knowing that you can count on all the people that you are working with.”

Looking Forward to Most Now Being Married

“Just enjoying our time together, Setting up our home and starting a family!”

Honeymoon

Big Fork, Montana – Marina Cay Resort

Kim & Riley met 12 years ago working summer jobs in the town of Invermere B.C. A mutual friend thought that they would make a great couple, introduced them and the rest is history.

The Proposal

Riley really wanted to propose on the frozen lake while ice skating in Invermere but the winter was surprisingly warm and the lake wasn’t really that frozen. Instead he prepared a nice dinner and popped the question on Valentine’s day in the town where they first met. 

The Big Day

Kim and Riley LOVE the mountains and all of Canmore’s breathtaking views. The Silvertip Resort has one of the best views overlooking the Three Sisters Mountains so they held their wedding at the property. Riley has many hobbies but one of his favourite is fly fishing around Elbow river and in B.C. They were able to find someone who knew how to tie fly fishing hooks and had him make all of the guys boutonnieres. It was a great personal touch and Riley and the guys loved the fact they could keep them.

Favourite Moments

Kim:“The first look, it was such a intimate moment between the two of us I will never forget!”

Riley: “Seeing Kim walk down the aisle and calling her my wife!”

Engagement Ring Cut

Princess

First Dance

‘Crazy Love’ – Michael Buble

Newlywed Advice

“Get a day of coordinator!!! it really helps to have someone there to tell you what to do and relieve any stress on the day of the wedding. 100% worth every penny!!! Not only did we appreciate all their hard work but so did our family.”

Looking Forward to Most Now Being Married

“Being able to spend a lifetime together and making new memories as husband and wife, it only took 12 years!”

Honeymoon

Belize & Costa Rica

Some of you may have never heard of a pop-up wedding. Let us fill you in! Pop-Up weddings are perfect for couples who don’t have the cash or for couples with other priorities, such as; travel, buying a home, starting a family etc. And because not all of us enjoy wedding planning, they are a great option for couples who don’t want to invest up to a year orchestrating an event.

Here enters Evented, an Edmonton based company, that specializes in pop-up style weddings and elopements. To introduce Blush to the idea of pop-up weddings, Evented partnered up with local wedding vendors to show our readers that you can have a beautiful and small wedding that entirely shows off your style, and the love between you and your partner!

They say the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach, but there’s something undeniably attractive about a man who can cook. Jessica met Steven at one of his famous dinner parties and soon discovered they shared interests in food, wine and travel. They ended up cooking together and trading recipes, which eventually led to a tropical engagement.

The Proposal

The couple booked an overnight catamaran expedition during their trip to St. Maarten, and Steven used the opportunity to propose on the deck under the twinkling stars. They celebrated with champagne and were serenaded by the gentle lapping of waves and the sound of terrible karaoke drifting over the bay.

The Big Day

Jessica and Steven chose to host their wedding at Emerald Lake not just for the spectacular setting, but also for sentimental reasons; when they first started dating they stayed at Emerald Lake Lodge on the recommendation of a friend who worked as an apprentice chef there, and Jessica had fond memories of camping at Yoho National Park as a child. After a beautiful day full of laughter and tears and an evening full of food and dancing, the groomsmen swapped their tuxes for their birthday suits and jumped into the frigid lake.

Favourite Moments

Jessica:“My favourite moment was walking down the isle hand in hand with my soon to be husband.”

Steven:“The first look. It was nice to see each other and bring some calmness to the day before the big moment.”

Engagement Ring Cut

Pear

First Dance

‘Higher Love’ Steve Winwood

Newlywed Advice

“Do what is right for the both of you, don’t worry so much about what everyone else thinks you should do and hire the right vendors! It was wonderful to have Julianne Young Weddings help us with all the planning and the staff at Emerald Lake Lodge were so accommodating. We worked with them to create three wonderful hors d’oeuvres for cocktail hour and they were a big hit with the guests – along with the east coast oyster bar, and the late night poutine take-out containers.”

Looking Forward to Most Now Being Married

The newlyweds now look forward to exploring new destinations around the globe together.

Honeymoon

Osoyoos, B.C | Resort: Watermark Beach Resort

Photography: ubackdrop

For Lillian Bowdring, helping brides sparkle truly runs in the family. The owner of The Bridal Boutique runs three busy bridal salons with the help of her daughters, Lyia, Dorothy and Kara. Lillian has been in the bridal business for over 20 years; she started as a buyer for a major bridal store and eventually decided to set up her own shop. “It was important to create a boutique that provided wonderful customer service and a memorable bridal experience,” says Kara.

The three girls grew up wanting to be princesses, so it was no surprise they wanted to help their mom treat brides like royalty. Lyia runs The Bridal Boutique in Calgary, Dorothy has just opened White & Ivory in WEM, and Kara does marketing for all three boutiques.

“Our boutiques are a true reflection of each of our individual personalities,” says Kara. The flagship store in Edmonton carries a variety of designers from Eddy K and Essense of Australia to Pronovias and Martina Liana.

In 2015, Lyia opened a store in Calgary to easily accommodate the large number of brides driving up to Edmonton. The Calgary location carries Hayley Paige, Lazaro, Rue De Seine and Katie May to cater to the fashion-forward bride. Dorothy recently launched White & Ivory in West Edmonton Mall to carry gowns that are affordable yet glamorous.

Blush recently caught up with the ladies for a Q&A session:

What is your favourite bridal look at the moment?

Kara: Daringly low backs are everything! [That’s] probably why I chose one for my own wedding.

Lyia:  Sleek and sexy looks that are red carpet worthy!

Dorothy: The high neck and long sleeve combination of lace and sparkle.

Lillian: Separates with skirts that are tulle, tulle and more tulle.

Which celebrity’s style do you admire?

Kara:  Olivia Palermo- simple, classic and chic.

Lyia:  Kim Kardashian- clean lines, and everything Lanvin.

Dorothy: Kylie Jenner- Always a trendsetter.

Lillian: Kris Jenner- “Momager” and always fabulous.

What is it like working so closely with family?

Kara: We couldn’t ask for anything more than working with each other. We are truly blessed.

What is your advice to brides to help them find their dream dress?

Kara: Our advice to brides when looking for ‘the one’ is to firstly do your homework and research by determining a budget and sticking to it! Try not to be afraid to step outside of the box, and–most importantly–remind yourself to enjoy the whole experience.