Robert noticed Justine long before they met. He noticed the quiet, cute and composed young lady on the bus, and was introduced to her by a friend on the same bus route he had first noticed her on. Initially Justine was not impressed by his attempts to make her laugh and they parted ways. He persisted along anyways, adding her on Facebook. One day she saw that he had an extra ticket to Mother Mother, and she offered to go see the show with him. That was the start of their friendship and within a few weeks, she fell for his silly jokes, sweet gestures, and adventurous approach to life.

The Proposal

Early on in the relationship, Robert had converted Justine to a love of Disney that could hardly rival his own. So he planned a trip to Disneyland – his favourite place on earth – that’s where he decided would be the perfect place to ask Justine to be his wife. Though initially planning to propose in front of Cinderella’s castle, Robert had to improvise when they took one step onto Main Street and saw the castle was under construction. After a morning packed with rides and a Cajun lunch at the Blue Bayou, Robert chose an unassuming moment after sharing a dole-whip in the afternoon sun to propose in the garden in front of the Walt and Mickey statue. He asked someone to take their picture and pretended he was looking for something in his bag. He got down on one knee, looked up at Justine with a knowing smile and asked her to marry him. She tearfully accepted after the initial shock. “You couldn’t have found a sappier pair of lovebirds in Disneyland for the rest of that day,” shared Justine.

The Big Day

The couple wanted a venue in or around Edmonton, with natural beauty in the space, that would accommodate their requested menu for Cajun food and beignets. They fell in love with the Freemason’s hall at first sight, with its 1930s appeal, beautiful architecture, and vintage ballroom. “The staff were friendly and ultimately went over and above to accommodate our requests for the wedding day. Jenn was a joy to work with leading up to the wedding day.”

Music played a special role in Justine and Richard’s day. From arranging epic Disney score music and theme songs to greet their guests in the entrance foyer to the reception, playing 1920s jazz, cajun, and zydeco music during their cajun cocktail hour and dinner service, to arranging a selection of classic and modern rock must haves for their dance – their wedding reflected their deep love of music. An impromptu decision to walk back to their room at the Fairmont Macdonald from the reception not only provided them with one of the most romantic memories of the day, but also an impromptu raucous round of applause from the post- concert crowd as they passed by The Starlight Room, one of our favourite venues to go see shows. “It was serendipitous, hilarious, and made for a wonderful memory for two avid rock fans,” shared the couple.

Favourite Moments

Justine: “Exchanging our marriage vows, our first moments together after the ceremony, and walking hand in hand to the hotel after the reception. Every sweet moment stolen away for the two of us was so precious to me.”

Robert: “My favorite moment was at the end of the night, walking to the hotel instead of cabbing it. Downtown Edmonton was magical! We walked by a concert being let out and were cheered wildly by the crowds, we were honked at encouragingly, perfect strangers connected to us in a way that truly made the city feel alive! The city smiled upon our good fortune having found each other and come together.”

Engagement Ring Cut

Round

First Dance

“Simply Simple” – (Acoustic Version) by Mother Mother

Newlywed Advice

“Remember who you are as individuals and as a couple and plan an event that reflects what you want and who you are. Plan away, but remember what the experience is all about- your love. Plan together! Above all else, have a rule to not care about any detail once the day arrives, and just focus on the experience and savouring the moments you share!”

Looking Forward to Most Now Being Married

“Continuing to build our lives together, chasing our dreams, and every new adventure together!”

Honeymoon

Oahu, Hawaii

“Love at first sight does exist,” says newlyweds Kara and Adam. The pair were first introduced at a friends gathering after they had individually been asking about one another. Once the hello’s were said and a date set, their love story began to unfold.

The Proposal

The proposal was nothing short of a fairytale. Under the star filled sky in Paris, Adam proposed to Kara in front of the Notre Dame Cathedral along the Seine. This pair loves to travel, so deciding on forever in the city of love could only be described as picturesque …and amazing.

The Big Day

Having a non-traditional celebration after their nuptials in Jamaica was the perfect way to celebrate with their family and friends, and a modern and fun venue with incredible architecture was a must. The newlyweds love to visit different architectural marvels around the world and decided the Art Gallery of Alberta was the perfect spot right in their hometown of Edmonton.

Favourite Moments

Kara’s favourite moment of the day was having everyone she and her husband love together in one room, and locking eyes with Adam knowing that they were right where they were supposed to be. Adam’s favourite moment was being left speechless after seeing his gorgeous bride during their private first look.

Engagement Ring Cut

Round

First Dance

‘Stepping Out’ (Chilled Out Mix) – Kaskade

Newlywed Advice

1. Be sure to hire a wedding planner! It takes away the stress of having to do everything. 2. Plan a regular work-out and healthy eating regime. 3. Take out time for ‘non-wedding’ conversations. 4. Remind yourself the meaning behind it all and to not get lost in the details. 5. Have fun!

Looking Forward to Most Now Being Married

The couple is looking forward to turning the page in their love story and starting a new chapter as husband and wife.

Honeymoon

The Maldives | W Maldives

While Alexandra and Adam’s story sounds traditional at first—they met and fell in love during law school—their wedding was anything but. For a long time marriage was a hypothetical scenario until they were in a financial position to fund the type of wedding they wanted. When that time came, Alexandra and Adam skipped the formal proposal, set a date and started planning.

The Proposal

For a long time marriage was a hypothetical scenario until they were in a financial position to fund the type of wedding they wanted. When that time came, Alexandra and Adam skipped the formal proposal, set a date and started planning.

The Big Day

The couple wanted a unique venue with plenty of character to host both their ceremony and reception for 80 guests. Housed in Calgary’s historic Simmons building, local restaurant Charbar provided a charming atmosphere, fantastic food and gorgeous views of the Bow River.

The first tradition they cut was having a bridal party; Alexandra hosted a tea party the morning of the wedding to include her girlfriends while she was getting ready. Alexandra also loves boy band music, so a string duet played One Direction’s “What Makes You Beautiful” as she walked down the aisle.

Adam enjoyed the first dance with his wife, which was also the only dance during the reception. They entertained guests with board games during the cocktail hour and topped off the evening with coffee and macarons instead of cake.

Favourite Moments

Alexandra:  “Holding hands with Adam during the ceremony.”

Adam:  “The first dance with my wife”

First Dance

‘The Magnet Fields’ – Peter Gabriel Cover

Newlywed Advice

“Put some thought into the details that are really meaningful and separate those that are less important. Consider eliminating aspects that aren’t a big deal. You don’t have to include every usual tradition at your wedding.”

Looking Forward to Most Now Being Married

Alexandra and Adam are looking forward to the next 40 years together.

Honeymoon

Tofino, BC | Wickaninnish Inn

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

Kristilee and Sam met in high school but didn’t start dating until three years later, when they reconnected with a friend’s help. Sam’s romantic proposal took Kristilee on a journey of their relationship.

The Proposal

Sam planned a picnic date and had Kristilee guess the location–the park where he first told her he loved her. After dinner he asked her when their first date was. After a few wrong guesses, he produced the ticket from the improv show they went to. He had her turn around to guess what was for dessert, and when he started saying her full name Kristilee hugged him before he could finish asking the question. A hidden photographer caught their smiles and tears on camera.

The Big Day

Kristilee and Sam wanted their wedding to reflect their personalities: fun and relaxed. Kristilee handmade all of the decor with the help of friends and family, and the whole bridal party had a blast travelling in a school bus. To top things off, the couple treated guests to a sundae bar in lieu of a traditional cake.

Favourite Moments

Kristilee: “There were so many amazing, hilarious, fun and breath taking moments during are day. But my favourite one would have to be standing in front of all the people we love and care for and saying our personal vows to each other. There was a moment when we both just looked at each other and I whispered “Holy there is a lot of people here.” And there were, they were all there to support and cherish that very moment with us. It was an incredible moment.”

Sam: “After I picked my jaw up off the floor seeing Kristilee walk down the aisle, I looked at the crowd and there wasn’t a face in the crowd that wasn’t some mix of amazement and love. Kristilee is truly an amazing person and my favourite moment of the wedding was seeing her impact all 200+ people the same way she impacted me.”

Engagement Ring Cut

Round

First Dance

‘You are the Best Thing – Ray Lamontagne

Newlywed Advice

“Do what you want, don’t get caught up with what other people are telling you. Stay off of Pinterest, as much as you want to check out all those beautiful weddings it is not realistic with everyones location/budget/etc. Travel with your bridal party – the drive on the school bus with our bridal parties was one of the top moments for us. And for all you brides out there remember – if your dress isn’t dirty, you didn’t have enough fun. Be fearless in your dress; climb fences, run through horse pastures, sit on gravel roads, you have one day to wear your dress so make the most of it.”

Looking Forward to Most Now Being Married

The newlyweds look forward to settling into their home, traveling the world and eventually having a family.