Anita and Ben had known each other since childhood through their families, but rarely spoke or spent time together. At a mutual friend’s birthday party, they discovered they had both recently purchased homes in the same townhouse complex and started talking. Talking led to dating, and dating led to a Valentine’s Day proposal.

The Proposal

Before dinner, Ben surprised Anita with roses and a leather-bound book filled with photos of their recent trip to Tokyo. On the last page, Ben had taken a light drawing photograph using a flashlight to spell out “will you marry me?”

The Big Day

The couple’s wedding venue needed to have enough space to fit their 500 guests. The Shaw Conference Centre fit the bill and also featured a wall of windows and a large balcony to showcase spectacular views of the River Valley from both inside and out. The huge guest list also made the Chinese tradition of toasting individual tables more challenging for the bride and groom. “It was quite a rush,” says Anita, “but a very fun and entertaining experience.” Frozen yogurt and gourmet doughnuts were a sweet ending for a perfect day.

Favourite Moments

Anita: “My favourite moment was walking down the aisle and seeing Ben. I also really enjoyed talking to and seeing as many guests as I could during cocktail hour.”

Ben: “Favourite moment was when Anita was walking down the aisle.”

Engagement Ring Cut

Oval

First Dance

‘Primetime’ –Janelle Monae ft. Miguel

Newlywed Advice

“Don’t worry about what other people want or think. You can’t please everyone; do what you want and what makes you happy or else you may regret it.”

Looking Forward to Most Now Being Married

The newlyweds now look forward to settling down in their new home, traveling, having fun and “just spending the rest of our lives together as a family.”

Honeymoon

Santorini, Madrid, Barcelona, Lisbon, Paris

After meeting at a concert, Nicole and Jordan bonded over their love of art, movies and animals.

The Proposal

Jordan tapped into his artistic ability and love of comic books to execute the perfect proposal—he designed a custom superhero themed website that told the story of his relationship with Nicole and how special she is to him. Nicole teared up as she scrolled through the website and in the end, when she reached a photo of the ring, Jordan was down on one knee with the ring in hand.

The Big Day

Nicole and Jordan’s wedding was infused with unique details. From Nicole designing the wedding invitations to having her shoes custom painted by a local tattoo artist to Jordan ordering comic books as party favours to choosing a portrait booth for guests in lieu of a photo booth—the couple’s personalities were evident in all aspects of the celebration.

Favourite Moments

Nicole’s favourite moments included celebrating with closest family and friends, in addition to seeing all the planning effort come together for a perfect night, while Jordan’s favourite moments were the reception entrance to the John Cena theme song and hearing his favourite rock/metal songs throughout the evening.

Engagement Ring Cut

Cushion

First Dance

‘Everlong’ (Accoustic) – The Foo Fighters

Newlywed Advice

“Don’t get caught up in what Pinterest and TV shows tell you your wedding should look like. the perfect wedding is your wedding. Insert your personalities in unique ways! That is what your guests will remember.”

Looking Forward to Most Now Being Married

As Mr. and Mrs. Karlson, Nicole and Jordan look forward to adopting more animals together, renovating their home, and catching up on the latest movies.

Honeymoon

Las Vegas, NV

The Proposal

Classic romance captures the essence of Silvia and Dean’s love story. On New Year’s Eve, Dean escorted Silvia to Rouge—her favourite restaurant and the place they fell in love—to enjoy a delightful three-course meal. With proposal plans made in advance, the couple was seated at the restaurant’s most intimate, private table where just before dessert Dean pulled a ring box out of his pocket and surprised Silvia with the question of her dreams, “Will you marry me?” Of course, she said yes.

The Big Day

Inspired by a Ladurée Macarons ad, Silvia and Dean’s wedding embodied the class, elegance and sophistication of French lifestyle. The couple selected The Rimrock Resort Hotel as their venue because its simple elegance and beautifully romantic atmosphere neatly complimented the unique décor details such as gorgeous hand-painted props on the dessert table and colourful florals that represent the couple’s favourite macarons.

Favourite Moments

Silvia: “This is hard to answer as I had so many favourite moments. If I had to pick one, it would be when the curtains were pulled back and I was about to walk down the aisle and seeing Dean waiting for me. It was a very special moment for me because I couldn’t believe how lucky I was to become his wife.”

Dean: “We finished our photo session with Nathan hours earlier than we anticipated, which allowed us time to eat soup, sandwich and truffles. In that moment I realized that this was our first meal as husband and wife.”

Engagement Ring Cut

Princess Solitaire

First Dance

‘Make You Feel My Love’ – Adele

Father-Daughter & Mother-Son Dance(s)

Bride & Groom Dance with Parents: ‘Bridge Over Troubled Water’ – Simon & Garfunkel 

Newlywed Advice

“Hire Evelyn Clark. It will save you a lot of headaches and it will allow you to enjoy the moment of getting married. Also, rent a Rolls Royce. You won’t be disappointed!”

Looking Forward to Most Now Being Married

Newlywed, Silvia looks forward to building a home, traveling and raising a family, and Dean looks forward to waking up every day to the woman who drives him to be a better person.

Honeymoon

Paris and Nice, France

Leanna and Mark thank Stephen Hawking for introducing them; a mutual friend had lent Mark The Grand Design earlier in the year, and used the book to set up the fateful encounter.

The Proposal

In February 2013, the couple faced the challenge of a long distance relationship when Mark moved to Edmonton for work. Leanna jumped at an elective in Edmonton, but was devastated when it was cut short–signaling an early return to Calgary. Mark drove her to a secluded spot in a park to comfort her, and Leanna’s tears changed from sorrow to joy when he proposed under a moonlit sky.

The Big Day

Leanna and Mark wanted a venue that would showcase the beauty of their hometown, Edmonton. After an emotional tea ceremony (Leanna’s relatives flew in from China to bless her with her grandmother’s gold bracelet), Leanna walked down the aisle to “Cinderella’s Waltz” on the Empire Terrace of the Hotel MacDonald. Guests enjoyed an evening of food and classical music in the Wedgwood Room–Mark played violin with his brother accompanying him on the grand piano, and their emcee surprised everyone with an operatic performance. Guests left with chocolate-covered Oreos decorated with the Chinese symbols for “double happiness.”

Favourite Moments

Leanna: “It’s hard to choose a favourite! The private tea ceremony with the heartfelt blessings we received from both set of parents brought us all to tears. I loved all the speeches and performances during the reception, especially when Mark surprised my parents by performing the Butterfly Lover’s Concerto and everyone watched with admiration. But perhaps the most surreal moments was walking through the terrace doors with both my parents to Cinderella’s Waltz, and I was in awe of the beautiful weather, stunning view, and perfect décor – but when my eyes focused on my handsome groom, it was the moment that everything felt so real.“

Mark: “The whole wedding was memorable. One of the most striking moments was hearing the arrangement of Cinderella’s Waltz that I had chosen for Leanna’s entrance, watching her walk down the aisle towards me with her parents, and finally taking her hands as I led her to the front of the terrace. In addition, the feeling of overwhelming joy and relief after exchanging our vows and our pronouncement in front of all our closest family & friends was surreal.”

Engagement Ring Cut

Round

Newlywed Advice

Remember that this celebration with friends and family is ultimately is about your love and commitment to one another. The wedding day that you planned for eons will go by quickly – I would invest in a photographer and videographer to capture these precious moments and create art for you to enjoy for years to come.

Looking Forward to Most Now Being Married

The newlyweds look forward to living in the same city again and enjoying the simple things that are easily taken for granted.

Honeymoon

Asia

Timing is everything which is especially true to Ashleigh and Jonathan as they only knew of each other in high school, shared the same circle of friends, yet connected four years after graduation which was when their love story began.

The Proposal

Florence, Italy, an incredibly romantic location, is where Jonathan planned an intimate and private proposal. From horseback riding through vineyards, to shopping and dinner, followed by music and candles under a gazebo, Jonathan asked Ashleigh to dance. Half way through the song he got down on one knee and asked Ashleigh to be his wife!

The Big Day

An elegant wine theme was chosen given their love for Italy and wine. To complement the theme the venue had wooden beams on the ceiling illustrating a romantic feel with cork decor and rustic barrels. The couple wanted their guests to enjoy wine tasting during cocktail hour and for dessert was a beautiful display of macarons. The Blatchford Air Hangar at Fort Edmonton Park was the perfect venue to fit all of their guests not to mention the sizeable dance floor that was filled the whole night!

Favourite Moments

Ashleigh’s favourite moment was after walking down the aisle as man and wife, she got to share a private moment and hug her husband.

Jonathan’s favourite moment was seeing Ashleigh walk through the doors. He was mesmerized by how beautiful she looked and couldn’t stop smiling.

Engagement Ring Cut

Round

First Dance

‘Who I am With You’ – Chris Young

Newlywed Advice

“Our advice for newlyweds planning their wedding is to enjoy this journey. Sometimes it does get stressful but try to remember that at the end of the day it’s about the two of you and the only thing that matters is that you’re happy.”

Looking Forward to Most Now Being Married

Their honeymoon and travelling together.

Honeymoon

Belize or Costa Rica