Reese knew of Kristine through some mutual friends he played hockey with, but he never set eyes on her until he stared a little too hard at an Oilers game. Kristine teased him through a Facebook message the next day and they finally met over coffee at the library.

The Proposal

After nine years of dating, Kristine didn’t think it was possible for Reese to plan a surprise proposal. They took their dog to Kristine’s family acreage to play and Reese laid out a blanket in front of the old barn. He casually opened the barn door to reveal a picnic setting for two complete with wine, flowers and a little red ring box.

The Big Day

The same barn formed the rustic backdrop for their intimate ceremony in front of a small group of family members. Their videographer edited a short video for all the other guests to watch the key moments. Many of the wedding details revolved around family: Reese wore his granddad’s 50^th anniversary ring as his wedding band; they had their siblings make speeches instead of the bridal party; they included five empty seats at the ceremony in memory of their late grandparents and released balloons in their honour; and Kristine’s dance family, the Viter Ukrainian Dancers, performed during the reception.

Favourite Moments

Bride: “The amazing speeches from my parents and siblings and the song my little brother performed on the video and the fact that our dog Tucker could be part of the whole day.”

Groom: “Our first look – seeing Kristine in her wedding dress for the first time was much more overwhelming than I expected, she looked so elegant and naturally beautiful; I will never forget the feeling of that moment.”

Engagement Ring Cut

Oval

First Dance

“Die a Happy Man”—Thomas Rhett

Newlywed Advice

“Decision-making is hard! Reach out to newlyweds who have had experience with your prospective vendors to get honest feedback.”

Looking Forward to Most Now Being Married

The newlyweds are moving to the acreage and look forward to starting their own family traditions.

Honeymoon

Netherlands, Spain and Italy

Meeting your future spouse through mutual friends is fairly common, but what makes Amber and Steven’s story unique is that they met through a friend in Indonesia. At the time Steven was working for a travel company and Amber was touring through Southeast Asia. They fell hard and fast for each other on a trip with friends to Thailand, then spent two weeks together on some remote islands in Vietnam. Six months later they finished university and moved in together.

The Proposal

Steven surprised Amber with an early birthday gift—a trip to New York City to watch the US Open. He surprised her again on the trip with tickets to see the Blue Jays play the Yankees, but he saved the best surprise for last. As they were crossing a beautiful bridge in Central Park with bagels in hand and the city skyline in the background, Steven popped the question.

The Big Day

Amber and Steven were married at a private ranch, but wanted a unique reception space. “The Commons had the industrial feel that allowed us to create our vision.” They served a featured cocktail inspired by the official cocktail of the US Open, the Honey Deuce, and called it the Honey I Do.

Engagement Ring Cut

Oval

First Dance

“Say You Won’t Let Go”—James Arthur

Newlywed Advice

“Hire a wedding planner! We trusted Kismet & Clover with our entire day and vision. They kept us at ease and our day was executed flawlessly.”

Looking Forward to Most Now Being Married

They look forward to traveling the world, starting a family, and calling each other “husband” and “wife” every day.

Honeymoon

Nuevo Vallarta, Mexico

A snowstorm nearly kept Natasha home from her friend’s Christmas party, but she braved the weather and met Matthew at the cocktail reception. They talked throughout the evening and went on their first date a few days later.

The Proposal

They spent nearly every weekend together in the mountains, so Natasha didn’t think twice when one morning Matt asked if they could hike alone instead of with their friends. As they neared the peak, Matt found the perfect spot for “lunch”. When Natasha turned to grab a sandwich from her bag, she found Matt on one knee, asking her to make him the happiest man alive.

The Big Day

The Rocky Mountains had been the backdrop for their entire relationship, so there was no question about celebrating their love anywhere else. Natasha and Matt wanted an “elegant, romantic, fairy-tale wedding,” and the Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel provided the perfect setting. In the weeks leading up to their nuptials they worried they would have to move the ceremony indoors due to smoke from wildfires, but on the big day they woke up to sunny, clear skies that lasted until just after photos. When Matt took her hands at the altar, Natasha’s nervousness dissipated and she realized she was marrying her best friend

Favourite Moments

Natasha: “My favorite moment was when Matt and I were able to join hands during the ceremony. I was very nervous in front of all of our family and friends that I just needed to hold onto him. Once he grabbed by hand, all the nervousness went away. I was able to relax and i realized I was marrying by best friend.”

Matt: “Finally being able to see Natasha”

Engagement Ring Cut

Oval Baguette

First Dance

“In Case You Didn’t Know”—Brett Young

Newlywed Advice

“Enjoy being engaged and enjoy every moment with each other the day of your wedding; it goes by quickly. Laugh, dance and take a moment to realize that you both put so much time and effort to make this happen!”

Looking Forward to Most Now Being Married

The newlyweds look forward to their honeymoon, starting a family, and “not answering any more wedding emails!”

Honeymoon

Greece

When Nikki saw David and heard his accent at her best friend’s birthday party, she immediately knew he would be her husband, but it took him about five years of convincing.

The Proposal

He took Nikki and her mom on a trip to Mexico, and the last night of their vacation fell on Valentine’s Day. David proposed during a private dinner on the beach with the ring of Nikki’s dreams, while her mom witnessed the moment from behind some bushes.

The Big Day

Nikki always dreamed of a castle wedding, so when she Googled “castles in Canada” and found Hatley Castle she knew her search for the perfect venue was over. They held a garden ceremony with their cat as the flowergirl in a vintage pram. Afterwards guests enjoyed drinks, live music and lawn games during the garden party cocktail hour before heading inside the castle for the reception.

Nikki loves cheese and David has a huge sweet tooth, so instead of a traditional wedding cake they had a cheese wheel cake as well as a candy bar and dessert buffet. Nikki spent the year prior painstakingly creating a personalized logo for their wedding and customizing everything from napkins to dance floor decals to the matches at the cigar bar.

Engagement Ring Cut

Emerald

First Dance

“Ground Up”—Dan and Shay

Newlywed Advice

“Don’t hold back. Make your day exactly what you’ve always wanted. It’s a once and a lifetime experience and you usually regret the things you don’t do more than the things you do.”

Looking Forward to Most Now Being Married

Now the newlyweds have moved from wedding-planning straight into preparing for the arrival of their baby this spring!

Honeymoon

Wales, France and Italy

Monika and Jeremy’s journey down the aisle started over ten years ago in the hallways of their residence at Copenhagen Business School while they were on a university exchange.

The Proposal

The charming Brit fell for the Alberta girl at first sight, and he brought her back to the scene of their first meeting for a weekend getaway to supposedly celebrate her new job. They snuck into the residence and he proposed outside their old rooms. They spent the rest of the day visiting their favourite spots in Copenhagen reminiscing about the past and planning for their future together.

The Big Day

With half of their guests coming from the UK and elsewhere abroad, Monika and Jeremy wanted an outdoor ceremony site to showcase the best of her home province. They chose Banff for its gorgeous Rocky Mountain views, but also because it was one of the first places they went on holiday together. They added a few personal touches to their wedding day, including a candy bar with a variety of British and Polish sweets to reflect their heritages, a cheese wheel cake in addition to a traditional cake, and a homemade photo booth with a polaroid camera.

Favourite Moments

Monika: “It was incredibly special to have all of our closest friends and family altogether in one place. The wedding speeches and MCs were all wonderful, and walking back down the aisle with Jeremy as husband and wife!”

Jeremy: “Too many to mention really, but seeing Monika in her dress for the first time and watching her walk down the “aisle” with her Dad; our mothers’ reading during the ceremony and all the fantastic speeches are all very special memories.”

Engagement Ring Cut

Round

First Dance

“Strawberry Swing”—Coldplay

Father-Daughter & Mother-Son Dance(s)

Father-Daughter Dance “I wish you love” by Dean Martin

Newlywed Advice

“It was wonderful to have Jessica coordinating all of the events and vendors on the wedding day; it meant we didn’t need to worry about anything and could just enjoy ourselves!”

Looking Forward to Most Now Being Married

The newlyweds now look forward to “spending the rest of their lives together doing what we enjoy most: eating and drinking our way around the world!”

Honeymoon

Spain and France