Weddingtrendsmagazine 2015editionlr

B ay o f Q u i n t e K i n g st o n st. L aw re n c e 2015 e d i t i o n

29Real Weddings

22 Planning Pages

B AY O F Q U I N T E K I N G ST O N ST. L AW RE N C E 2015 E D I T I O N

29Real Weddings

22Planning22Planning22Pages

PlanningPages

Planning

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4 2015 Wedding Trends

Wedding Trends

1 2 Meghan&Andrew Blanchard

1 6 Tami&Chris Perera

2 0 Diana&Jason Ferguson

2 4 Jennifer & Rafael Holody

2 8 Courtney & Mike Norwood

3 2 Erica & Kent Swirsky

3 6 Maddi & Brad Barker

4 1 Amy & Andrew Kent

4 1 Charolette & Josh Boldoc

4 1 Brittany & Justin Dart

4 6 Ana Milena Varona & David Baynes

4 7 Janice & Todd Ingram

5 0 Nicole & Ryan Browne

5 1 Felicia & Tom OHara

5 1 Georgette & Ryan Birtch

5 3 Nancy & Harold Kleywegt

5 4 Michelle & Josh McLachlin

5 4 Cassie & Geoff Griggs

5 4 Tiffany & Jesse Goulah

5 5 Ashley & Mike Di Rinaldo

5 5 Amanda & Gus Porter

5 5 Kyla & Justin Lees

5 6 Kim & Dave Soutar

5 6 Debra & Terry Quesnelle

5 6 Sarah & Ben Seewald

5 7 Arrielle & Josh Hill

5 7 Dominique & Darren Raycroft

5 8 Kristen & Darrell Hatfield

5 8 Molly & Craig Johnston

2 9 Real Weddings

contents

Our wedding planner will keep you organized

and on budget!

1 2

3 2 O N T H E C O V E RRafael and Jennifer Holody on the cliffs of Tobermory

P H O T O g R a P H E R D m i t r i m a r k i n e / D m i t r i m a r k i n e . c o m

2015 Wedding Trends 5

January 10 2016

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Wedding Trends

contents

3 6 One Year Later 4 0 County Weddings 4 5 Choosing the Perfect Wedding Dress

3 65 0 5 0 A St. Lawrence River wedding 4 6 Dream Destination Weddings 6 1 Wedding Planner

at t e n t i o n p h oto g r a p h e r s a n D b r i D e s ! ! w o u L d y o u L i K e t o s e e y o u r w e d d i n g

f e at u re d i n o u r n e x t i s su e ?Email me a few photos (under 5 mb) along with a paragraph

about the couple and the location to:

[email protected] line Wedding Trends Magazine.

If your wedding is selected, we will contact you for more information.

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Vp & regional publisher Mike Mount

Director of specialty publications Ron Prins

general manager seaway Gavin Beer

eDitor Catherine Stutt

[email protected]

eDitorial contributors Amy James

Dave Johnston

graphic Design Kathern Bly

Susan K. Bailey Marketing & Design

aDVertis ing / D istribution inquiries:

brockVilleWayne Thornhill

[email protected]

kingstonKate Lawrence

[email protected] x 202

quinteMelissa Hudgin

[email protected] x 504

Belleville OfficeOffice: 250 Sidney Street, Belleville

Mail Address: P.O. Box 25009 Belleville, ON K8P 5E0 613.966.0234

www.theweddingtrends.com insidebrockville.cominsidebelleville.comkingstonregion.com

Email: [email protected]

Statements opinions and point of view expressed are those of the writers and do not necessarily represent those of the publisher, advertisers, or Wedding Trends Bridal Magazine.Wedding Trends Bridal Magazine is published once a year.

2 0 1 5


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Our professional and friendly team will look after your wishes. You will get just what you expect and within your budget.

Contact me or one of my assistants for a consultation or to view the perfect wedding space.

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WE l c oM E T o T h E prE M I E rE I s su E o f

Wedding Trends 2015f o r T h E s E aWay rE gI o n !

MMuch like the beautiful brides and handsome grooms in this magazine, we have been planning this project for a long time, and down to the last day we were tweaking details, hoping everything worked out as we intended.

Just like the happy couples, we know well find the odd minutiae we missed and we will find ways to continue improving. Thats how strong relationships survive recognizing it takes everyone involved working toward a common goal.

like seating guests at a wedding, we wanted to give all of the couples who submitted their photos a chance to be in this issue, and we are thankful for their interest. from the youngest of couples to elegant encore weddings, the photos and the stories were rich with love and commitment.

We were impressed with the variety of themes from the most modest to much more involved events. The thread throughout was the joy and love on the faces of every couple with a backdrop of good wishes from those with whom they chose to celebrate.

We loved the traditions started and those honoured, the acknowledgement of generations of love and support, and the dedication to the true character of the couples.

from Jason ferguson proposing by plowing the words into a field for Diana to see, to nicole Brownes elegant ride to the ceremony in a 1929 auburn, to arrielle VanEdgmonds down on the farm celebration complete with her gorgeous siblings and adorable nieces and nephews.

our couples incorporated the unique characteristics of this region into their ceremonies the Thousand Islands, prince Edward county, and the rich agricultural land running from the northumberland hills to the st. lawrence lowlands. still others chose to make their special day a destination wedding, combining the ceremony, reception, and honeymoon in a land far away.

all of them graciously agreed to share their story with Wedding Trends and for that we are grateful. Every couple deserves a magazine of their own, and we hope they share this issue with their friends and family, and tuck it away for the anniversaries to come.

from the Wedding Trends team, congratulations. May all of your dreams come true.

Catherine Stutt, Editor, Wedding Trends [email protected]

2015 Wedding Trends 1 1

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Real Weddings

Meghan&AndrewBlanchard

September 6, 2014 Belleville

c l a s s I c , T r aD I T I o nal , s I gnaT u rE l oV E

MMeghan and andrew met through a mutual friend four and a half years ago, after andrew asked who Meghan was and their friend replied, If I introduce you, youll marry her.

from their first blind date at starbucks to living in England, the couples time together has been spent creating many special memories. andrew owns a cottage with three of his best friends and the first weekend back from being abroad the couple escaped to their happy place, as Meghan refers to the cottage. at sunset out on a boat on the lake, andrew proposed.

Married just this past september, Meghan and andrews wedding is a testimony to classic trends with love in the details. Evidence of the truth, simple is best, although the logistics behind such a wedding are never simple.

The first hurdle is always location, and with family and friends hailing from ottawa and Toronto, Meghans hometown of Belleville provided the perfect central site. Ironically, andrews father was born in Belleville when his grandparents were travelling back to the East coast. andrews grandfather, John Blanchard returned to canada from the second World War very ill. he met a nurse, rita hughes, in Toronto, and they got married. They decided to return to new Brunswick, where both originally hailed and en route, a pregnant rita went into labour. andrew reflects, once my Dad was old enough they continued the journey home. It is a pretty cool story now that I live here, too and our wedding was here.

Married at st. Michael the archangel parish in Belleville, the

1 4 2015 Wedding Trends

couple celebrated their union with a full mass, inviting 177 guests, with Meghans fathers cousin performing the ceremony. saying traditional vows and remarking on the image of seeing each other at opposite ends of the aisle, the day was all about family and friends, classic traditions, and celebration.

andrew recalls, What stood out to me was how amazing my wife looked. I couldnt stop smiling all day when I looked at her. I am a lucky man who got to marry his best friend.

from the church, the couple took some photos before travelling in a vintage car to huff s Estate Winery, catching up with well-wishing loved ones during a cocktail hour. While the weekend started hot and humid on friday night followed by blustery rain saturday morning, by noon the weather cooperated, turning into a temperate sunny fall day, perfect for an outdoor reception.

Meghan remembers how she and andrew arrived at the Estate and stood inside the expansive doorways to the patio, and smiled, We got to the cocktail hour and were both so happy about the weather. To see the doors opened to the patio and all our favourite people in the sun, it was exactly what we wanted, everyone having a good day. andrew added, It was humbling to have all of our favourite people together for us and I will never forget how amazing it was to look around the room and see all of those faces.

opting for all white hydrangeas and roses and the same bridesmaid dresses for each friend was andrews pick. Meghan explains, he likes symmetry, which added to the classic feel for the day. The groomsmen wore charcoal suits, which complimented the greyridge purple/grey colour - of the bridesmaid dresses. at the reception, everything was white, including tablecloths and accents, except for the silver chargers set between the silverware.

The couple decided to forego favours, choosing instead to focus on excellent food and an open bar. so often people just leave the favours, forgetting about them, so we chose to write a heartfelt note on the back of the menu and tuck it into each napkin. We wanted to thank our guests from our hearts and allow them to have a good time together, Meghan explained. another personal touch, Meghan and her bridesmaids made place card holders from wine corks and inserted name cards into each, as part of the table setting dcor.

The reception was catered by caf e and Dinkels but it was Meghans father who truly wowed guests by making grandma rashottes butter tarts for the dessert table. a famous family recipe, the butter tarts where a huge success with the guests and a lot of baking for Dad, ensuring enough of the delicious handmade tarts existed to tempt guests. The dessert at the end of dinner was a tried and tested sticky toffee pudding, a favourite treat of both andrew and Meghans from their days in England.

grandma rashottes legacy played a major role in the day, as Meghan carried her blue pendant in her white bouquet. an item both old and borrowed as well as blue though she also wore light Blue perfume, a gift from andrew. perhaps most important though, was a copy of grandma rashottes advice on life to live a


happy life, which Meghan received a short time prior to her wedding and which she incorporated into her wedding speech.

from having Emily fennel sing an acoustic version of Wanted by hunter hayes at the cocktail hour, to andrew surprising Meghan by singing Keep on Loving You with the band after the father-daughter dance, the day was filled with signature items from the couples time together and foreshadowed their time to come.

In all the excitement and as the evening wore on, the tent had to be shut down, and the three-tier coconut and vanilla cake, another couple favourite, was left untouched. having forgotten to cut the cake, the happy couple took it to the inn, where most of the wedding party and guests were staying, and with multiple forks sat around snacking on the bottom two tiers, into the wee hours of the morning. The top tier is safely tucked into the freezer, following tradition, to be shared on the first anniversary.

The couple separately opened letters to each other the morning of the wedding, choosing to exchange words of love instead of gifts. Meghan shares, I was not a girl who had been planning her wedding since I was little. I hadnt really thought much about it. In the end, we knew we wanted to keep it simple but classy. neither would change anything about their perfect day and andrew believes it was perfect.

one of Meghans favourite moments was the 15-minute car ride to huff s Estate Winery alone with her new husband a simple gift in a whirlwind day and a classic memory to add to a lifetime.

i t s a l l i n t h e D e ta i l s

p h oto g r a p h e r / V i D e o g r a p h e r : Sam Shepherd from Sam Shepherd Photography (Bel levi l le) , Er ica Groves (v ideographer) f rom Champagne Product ions (Bel levi l le)J e w e l l e r / r i n g D e s i g n e r : Classic Creat ions Jewel lers (Toronto)D r e s s s h o p : With Love Br idal (St i t tsvi l le)t u x s h o p : Custom suits, Richard Davis Menswear (Bel levi l le)h o n e y m o o n l o cat i o n : Hawai icat e r e r : Caf e (Bel levi l le) , Dinkel s Restaurant (Bel levi l le)c h u r c h / h a l l : St. Michael s the Archangel Par ish (Bel levi l le) , Huff Estates Winery (Pr ince Edward County)m u s i c / D J / m u s i c i a n s : Emily Fennel l - cocktai l hour & f i rst dance, Eds Garage - band for recept ion, Andy Forgie - DJ for recept ionm a k e u p / h a i r / s t y l i s t: Hair - Darek Wierzbicki - Studio 237 (Bel levi l le)m a k e u p - Jenna McTaggart f rom Jenna Makeup (Bel levi l le)i n V i tat i o n s : Leslee Uddenberg from Invites From Scratch (Bel levi l le)f l o r i s t: Rebecca Bur l ington from Flowers By Dust in (Bel levi l le)r e n ta l s : Thompson Tents - tent, l inens, tables, chair (Bel levi l le) , Amy & Jenn decor (Ottawa)ca k e : Katr inas Cakes (Bel levi l le)a c c o m m o Dat i o n s : The Inn at Huff Estates (Pr ince Edward County) , Angel ines Bed & Breakfast (Pr ince Edward County) , Marr iott Fairf ie ld Inn (Bel levi l le)

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T

Tami and chris perera share a mutual love water. Both are ardent boaters and chris even works as a boat dealer.

Water played a big part in their wedding too.We met through a mutual friend, recalls Tami. I went to

high school with him and chris went to university with him. We met at a bonfire we both werent going to attend that evening, but decided to go at the last minute!

I thought he was really cute when I first saw him, and he the same. We both werent into dating at that time in our lives, but

after hanging out a few weeks we became inseparable. hes kind, patient, loving, and handsome. he says I have a huge heart, can strike up a conversation with anyone, and compliments me even on my worst days on how pretty I am.

That attraction led to travel, boating, bike rides, cooking together, dinners out, and just enjoying being a couple.

We did a huge four-day snowmobile trip and a four-day personal watercraft trip on the ottawa river. We have BBQs in our back yard and we love to hang with friends and family.

B y DaV e J o h n s to n P h o t o g r a P h e r V i r g i l k n a p p / s i x e i g h t s t u D i o s

Real Weddings

Tami&ChrisPerera

July 12, 2014 Kingston

s Mo o T h s aI l I n g f o r nau T I c al T h E M E D WE D D I n g


HE iS my best friendand i am HiS!



The big connection was boating. a dedicated boating enthusiast, chris has owned his own boat sales business for 13 years. Tami works for chris, doing his bookkeeping.

getting married was the next logical step in their growing relationship.

he surprised me by pretending the boat stalled under the 1000 Islands Bridge near Ivy lea, says Tami. he pulled a ring out of his wallet and got down on his knee. It was amazing! a total surprise. I really didnt know when he was going to ask.

after being together for four and a half years, Tami married chris in July 2014 at st. Johns catholic church in kingston.

We had our reception at the Marriott residence Waters Edge (kingston), says Tami. To go with our lifestyle and how everyone knows us, we decided to do a nautical themed wedding.

Wedding festivities included cute anchor shirts for the girls which we wore for the rehearsal and to get our hair done the following day. My bridesmaids wore navy blue dresses with anchor bracelets handmade by me, says Tami. My flower girl was in a white dress with a navy bow, and the ring bearer was in a captains suit and held a handmade anchor pillow down the aisle. The groom and men wore navy blue with dark grey suits.

Even their wedding photos featured water.We had our pictures taken by the water at

royal Military college. you can see kingston in the background. It was an awesome day. The boys switched into sperry Top sider boat shoes in navy and me into a sperry Top sider white and navy boat shoe.

We then proceeded to kingston Marina where we had our boat waiting for the two of us to go for a wedding ride and get some pictures. I hand painted the first Mate and captain signs to take along with us.

The causeway happened to be up at that right time and we got amazing pictures. We got some of us heading into the city Marina where we took a little spin up to see our guests waving at the cocktail reception outside the Marriott at the compass rose owned by the city. When we got off our boat, a boating couple offered us champagne. They were happy we just got married and were on our boat!

In keeping with the theme, wedding decorations consisted of a nautical cake, nautical napkins, and navy blue tablecloths with party favours of anchor and sailing wheel key chains.

My father handmade the card chest as our gift and put seashells all around it, says Tami proudly. We had a handmade wooden guest book with an anchor on it, blue and white lights around the hall, and my brother-in-law made us an anchor kissing game. you had to throw the rope over the cleat to get us to kiss.

our sri lankan background had a love cake that my mother-in-law made and got cute anchor boxes from India made with a T and c on them all.

crme Brul was our dessert and I made 106 chocolate molded anchors to go on each.

We think that our wedding was definitely one of a kind.

They plan to honeymoon in Jamaica in December.We love to travel. We have been to Mexico,

Dominican, florida at least three times, cuba, Vancouver, Victoria, Whistler and many more to come!

We love married life! It is such a wonderful experience we shared with our family and friends and now we have this even better connection to last an eternity! hes my best friend and Im his!

We bought our first house in ottawa and love it! We hope to have a couple kids in the next few years and that way we can fill our nice big back yard with laughter! We want to stay successful with the business chris works so hard at and just lead a fulfilling comfortable life together. Maybe well build that dream home on the water one day!

The future looks like smooth sailing for Tami and chris.

p h oto g r a p h e r / V i D e o g r a p h e r : Virgi l Knapp / Six Eight StudiosJ e w e l l e r / r i n g D e s i g n e r : CrownRingD r e s s s h o p : Sinders Br idal House Car leton Placet u x s h o p : Moores h o n e y m o o n l o cat i o n : Jamaica Sandals Grande Riv iera Beach & Vi l la Golf Resort cat e r e r : Windmil ls Cater ing for the rehersal and Marr iott Waters Edge for our wedding c h u r c h / h a l l : s t . J o h n t h e a p o s t l e k i n g s t o n o n t a r i o m u s i c / D J / m u s i c i a n s : Musicians were amazing for our church Kingston Classic Tr iol i m o s e rV i c e : McCoy m a k e u p / h a i r / s t y l i s t: James Brett Cof i fure on Pr incess St. i n V i tat i o n s : Desgined by Chr is Perera from scratch! f l o r i s t: Nancy Horba at Forget Me Knot r e n ta l s : A Party Centre Kingston Table c loths and napkins, Misty at MTs Wedding Design for our backdrop ca k e : Family Member Chr isanthie Perera a c c o m m o Dat i o n s : Marr iott Waters Edge Kingston

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H

how do you know when someone really loves you?They propose by plowing their request into a cornfield.Thats how it was for Diana and Jason ferguson.Jason is a second-generation dairy farmer in eastern ontario.

Diana grew up on a small hobby farm so there was a natural attraction to each others lifestyle, but there were many miles and farms between the young couple before true love would take root.

We both went to separate colleges after high school. Jason went to kemptville college and I went to st. lawrence college in kingston, says Diana. We kept in touch, dating as much as we could.

Immediately following college we travelled to saskatchewan where we got jobs with a harvesting crew. from there we travelled with the crew down to oklahoma and combined wheat all the way back up to saskatchewan, through various states.

We did this together for six months, Diana recalls. after the harvest we travelled through alberta and British columbia and then back home to ontario, driving all the way. We were home for two years and then Jason decided to travel to new Zealand to milk cows. he worked there for five months before his mom and I travelled to new Zealand to see him and bring him home. for a month we travelled all across new Zealand in a rental car it was beautiful country and then flew into sydney, australia. We

B y DaV e J o h n s to n P h o t o g r a P h e r cat e ly n c h p h oto g r a p h y

Real Weddings

Diana&JasonFerguson

July 26, 2014 St. Lawrence

far M WE D D I n g gr oW s a f u l l c r o p o f l oV E


spent time there and then to Vancouver to visit family and back home.

In total, almost six years had passed since Diana and Jason started their relationship.

We had dated for six years when Jason proposed to me on our sixth year anniversary on november 26.

as their relationship had already proven to be lasting love, Jason made the gesture of proposal with his tractor.

once we got home we started our search to buy our first home together. a few months later we found it. We moved in on october 1, and a little over a month later, Jason proposed marriage.

his proposal was plowed in a stubble cornfield.Jason plowed Diana will you marry me? into the

cut cornfield. We were engaged for a year and a half, so we had lots of time to plan the big wedding.

It was a true down-home, on-the-farm wedding.It was an on and off rainy day where the groom and

groomsmen had to move our hay bale seating in and out of the barn three times, resetting it because of the rain, recalls Diana. an hour before the ceremony, right out of the blue, the sun came out shining bright, dried everything up, and was beautiful

The ceremony took place around a tree in the yard at Jasons family farm, which was where Jason had carved our initials in a heart with a chainsaw the previous summer for our engagement photos. We used small square hay bales covered with white linens for seating and had them in a semi-circle around the tree.

If that wasnt country enough, I arrived at the wedding with my dad in the tractor, towing behind us a trailer with the bridesmaids and flower girls on it. Jason was completely surprised, as I had not told him my plan. his dad helped me with arranging the surprise arrival.

our reception was held in a large tent we rented. We decorated it with lots of country rustic dcor (milk pails, crates, old wagon wheels, hay bales, and window


Untitled-1 1 11-27-14 4:43 PM

frames). We also made our own bar out of barn boards and we made our cake stand out of barn boards too.

our wedding favour was wild flower seed packets and I displayed them in a wheelbarrow with dirt in it with a sign, Take one and watch love grow with us.

My flower bouquets were wildflowers as were my centerpieces for the tables. The mens boutonnieres were made from used shotgun shells.

The couple has not taken a honeymoon yet, but are planning for hawaii in January.

In the meantime, Jason is still working the family farm while Diana is currently working as a cook in a long-term care home in Jasper, ontario.

We live in the small farm community of forfar, famous for the cheese, says Diana.

We love married life and in a couple years we plan on having a couple of kids, and eventually take over the family farm.

Its a simple life, close to the earth and the basic things that make love into strong family ties.

We dont do a whole lot for fun, but we hunt and fish together and we enjoy spending time with family and friends. We have a three-year-old pup who takes up a lot of our time. shes a blonde cocker spaniel named Josie and right now shes all the family we can handle.


p h oto g r a p h e r : Cate Lynch PhotographyJ e w e l l e r : PeoplesD r e s s s h o p : Al l that Gl i t terst u x s h o p : Rented vests at Muranos Formal wearh o n e y m o o n l o cat i o n : Wil l be Hawai i come this January cat e r e r : The Leatherworksc h u r c h / h a l l : Rented a tent from Rebel tents for our Hal lw e D D i n g p l a n n e r : Memorable Momentsm u s i c / D J / m u s i c i a n s : John W Music (John Wilberforce)m a k e u p / h a i r / s t y l i s t: Make up by Ashleigh Mait land and Hair by Pats Hair Studioi n V i tat i o n s : Vista Pr intf l o r i s t: The Brockvi l le Flower Shop r e n ta l s : Memorable moments for the l inens everything else was made/ purchased by br ideca k e : Cori s Custom Cakes

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B y a m y J a m e s P h o t o g r a P h e r s m a r i o m e l i & D m i t r i m a r k i n e

Real Weddings

Jennifer&RafaelHolody

August 3, 2013 Belleville

h o l lyW o o D c l a s s I c

Ffrom waiting at the door to waiting at the end of the aisle, Jennifer Braun and rafael holodys wedding story is straight out of classic hollywood.

To finish paying for school, rafael worked as a doorman at the building where Jennifer lived, and to prove chivalry isnt dead, rafaels gentlemanly ways opened the door to Jennifers heart. from quiet conversations in the building to the first month where rafael brought her a bottle of wine and a rose, the two quickly became friends and partners in life. The wedding reflected the romantic hollywood-style meeting with chic vintage accents and a classic respect for tradition.

Married at st. Michael the archangel parish in Belleville, the couple was united with a full mass where they exchanged

traditional vows. a native to prince Edward county, Jenny was thrilled to have her wedding back home, and the couple located an area man with a passion for old cars. With a simple request, he became their driver for the day, porting the couple from venue to venue in a classic Jaguar with red interior.

The reception at fields on West lake commenced with both parents performing another rite of passage. hailing from polish and german backgrounds, the parents presented the couple with a loaf of bread, sprinkled with salt and two shots glasses. The bread symbolizes the parents hope their children will never be hungry or in need. The salt is a reminder of the difficulties that can arise in life and how the children must learn to cope with all kinds of struggles together. for the shot glasses, one is water and


one is vodka. The partner who drinks the vodka is the boss at home. of course, from looking at the glasses, it is impossible to tell which glass holds which drink.

Jenny and rafael ate the salted bread and again, true to form, rafael let Jenny pick her glass first. she chose and downed the vodka, and laughs recalling, I guess I am the boss, I got the vodka. for rafael, his humorous stance remains, I let her pick what shot glass she wanted firstso maybe Im just letting her think she is the boss.

Jenny was a very detail-oriented bride and she fell in love with the old barn onsite and knew her colours needed to offset the darker interior. With soft pinks and creams, the bridesmaid dresses and flowers brightened and popped against the vintage barn boards. The flower bouquets and centrepieces were prepared onsite by Blooms on West lake. The colours and dcor kept with a classic hollywood feel.

Jenny states, I had a vision in my head of exactly what I wanted, so I knew what to look for and I wanted a soft look with the county feel where I grew up. rafael adds, We only had our closest family and friends there so it was great to have them all come from Toronto, ottawa, Montreal, germany, and poland to join us in our celebration.

for Jenny, the only real hiccup in the preparations surrounded the bridesmaids dresses, which arrived in all the wrong sizes. Thankfully, the girls were able

a B o v e P h o t o : t r a s h - t h e - D r e s s p h oto g r a p h y b y D m i t r i m a r k i n e

l e f t P h o t o : m a r i o m e l i

B o t t o m l e f t : t r a s h - t h e - D r e s s p h oto g r a p h y b y D m i t r i m a r k i n e


to swap the dresses around and make it work. In truth, despite concerns about the weather, Jenny states, I was surprised at how perfect our day was.

following the dinner, the hollywood-style couple started their first dance performing a Viennese waltz. rafaels sisters are both ballroom dancers, and one competes in new york. she then performed with her partner, another beautiful dance.

If the happy couple were to do it all over again, rafael shares, I cant say there is much I would change, maybe take more time to sit back and take everything in. Jenny agrees noting, My feelings at the church were nervousness and excitement, but at the reception, once dinner was over, I started to relax and enjoy everything about our day.

In an unusual twist to wedding photos, the couple combined a traditional photo shoot on the wedding day with a later trash-the-dress session in Tobermory. The photographer, Dmitri Markine, named as one of the top ten wedding photographers in canada, is located in Toronto. for a trash-the-dress session, Jenny explains, The photos are taken in locations where a bridal couple would not normally be seen.

The natural outdoors photos combined with the bold romance of their attire, completely suiting Jenny and rafael and a classic hollywood scene. from reclining on a tree trunk to a tender kiss in the water, the photos capture the passion of love and romance against the wild and serene.

for both, the perfect day held many amazing moments, but not surprisingly rafael recalls, one of the things that stands out most for me is waiting at the altar for Jenny.


p h oto g r a p h e r / V i D e o g r a p h e r : Mar io Mel i & Dmitr i Markine (trash the dress)

J e w e l l e r / r i n g D e s i g n e r : ti f f a ny D r e s s D e s i g n e r : t h e d e s i g n e r i s s o t t e r o a n d m i d g l ey t u x s h o p : m o o r e sh o n e y m o o n l o cat i o n : a m a l f i c o a s t , i t a l ycat e r e r : e a s t & m a i n ( we l l i n g t o n , o n t a r i o )c h u r c h / h a l l : c h u r c h : s t m i c h a e l t h e a r c h a n g e lh a l l : f i e l d s o n we s t l a k em u s i c / D J / m u s i c i a n s : t h e s p i n n e r sm a k e u p / h a i r / s t y l i s t: h a i r : b r u n o a n d b o b byf l o r i s t: b l o o m s o n we s t l a k ea c c o m m o Dat i o n s : a n g e l i n e s b l o o m f i e l d

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Maplehurst o ers luxurious accommodati ons in a fully modernized and beauti fully decorated Georgian mansion overlooking the St. Lawrence River. The perfect venue for small parti es, inti mate dinners, business meeti ngs or full scale weddings, our professional sta will ensure that you have a unique and memorable experience. You can have use of the enti re mansion for you and your guests for your wedding day, have your ceremony in our outdoor pavilion, and celebrate and dance the night away in our rusti c stone carriage house.

1258 County Road 2, Maitland Ontario613.348.1892

[email protected] www.maplehurst.ca

Welcome toMaplehurst ChopinScript Manor & Carriage House Biondifont

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f o r M E , I T Wa s l oV E aT f I r sT s I gh T.


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Mike norwood and courtney Wright were singing in the rain and splashing in the puddles on their wedding day. While they hoped for a beautiful, sunny autumn day to complement the picturesque grounds at their wedding location, spindleTree gardens in Tamworth, the day literally rained, cats and dogs, according to Mike.

courtney recalls waiting in the car at the end of the lane to the greenhouse before the ceremony, watching their guests carpooling up the muddy drive. The day before we knew it was supposed to rain but we chose to set up outside, hoping for good weather, so at noon on our wedding day, friends and

family changed the whole set up to the greenhouse for our 2 p.m. ceremony.

What may have frazzled most brides courtney took in stride, focusing instead on the sunny components of her day; the family and friends present. she called her aunt, who has raised her since she was 12, and sent her on a last minute shopping errand to purchase a pair of hunter rain boots. The purchase has become a favourite memory for Mike, standing at the far end of the aisle when courtney entered the greenhouse, Dress hiked up to keep it out of the mud so all you see are the hunter rain boots and courtney smiling and waving nonchalantly to our guests.

B y a m y J a m e s P h o t o g r a P h e r l u ca s t i n g l e / w i n D i n g V i o l e t s & e r i ca g r oV e s / c h a m pa g n e p r o D u c t i o n s

Real Weddings

Courtney&MikeNorwood

September 21, 2013 Kingston

I n T I M aT E & V I n Ta gE


at a cost of $15,000, Mike and courtney were determined to have the wedding of their dreams without sacrificing financial savings. Mike researched the average cost of weddings in canada and the couple agreed in this one respect they wanted to be less than average.

The frugal couple relied on crafty relatives to help with numerous do-it-yourself projects inspired by pinterest. from antique key nametags to seat guests, to wooden boxed flowers, the day reflected the couples vision for an intimate and vintage wedding. Even the end aisle seats in the front rows of the greenhouse had glass jars with flowers and reserved signs, another family project. courtney is proud to share, you dont have to spend thousands to have your day. It is easy to go overboard and dip into savings but you can personalize your day and get what you want within budget.

The one thing worth the splurge for her was a videographer, I recommend getting one to capture your moments. We really feel the clip captures how we felt about our day.

The whole day was intimate and keeping the guest list to between 80 and 90 people ensured the time was a true celebration with closest family and friends. The greenhouse ceremony meant no microphones were needed, and everyone could hear Mike and courtney recite the vows they wrote for each other. With only 150 words, the vows were neither easy to write nor recite, but Mike knows it added to the intimacy of the day and people really enjoyed it. he states, The people really made our wedding and we received lots of compliments on our vows. from helping out to just being there, taking pictures together afterwards, and having everyone congratulate us was pretty fantastic. It was amazing to be at the point where we were married and surrounded by the people who love us most.

The rainy day offered a romantic feel to the festivities and provided the perfect overcast skies for outdoor photos. The couple was still able to make use of the grounds for some photos and even had fun taking shots showcasing courtneys rubber boots.


The reception at Doghouse studios in napanee continued the vintage theme with an industrial twist. Mike and courtney appropriately entered with their English Bulldog stella on a leash. courtney was able to build upon her favourite colour scheme, the ivory dress and light mint green bridesmaid dresses offsetting the darker reception site alongside the soft tones of peach and mint in the flowers. another project was the creation of a guest book where each signed a paper balloon and then affixed it to a canvas picture with a car beneath. The artwork is now hanging in their home. from dinner and dancing to speeches and cake, the evening offered the perfect setting for the close-knit group to celebrate the union of Mr. and Mrs. norwood.

a romantic, vintage, intimate wedding, with a bit of a dog twist, was the perfect way for Mike and courtney to tie the knot. Mike, an I.T. system administrator and courtney, a make-up artist first met through friends. attending various wedding functions for mutual friends, the two fell in love, though courtney readily admits, for me, it was love at first sight.

connecting through friends and creating an intimate wedding honouring those relationships was a central goal for both. keeping with vintage tastes, the rain only added to the romance and perhaps even offered a blessing. In some cultures, rain on a wedding day equates with cleansing and fertility.

Mike and courtney are now planning for the arrival of Baby norwood in february 2015.


p h oto g r a p h e r / V i D e o g r a p h e r : Winding Violets (Lucas Tingle) / Champagne

Product ions (Er ica Groves)

J e w e l l e r / r i n g D e s i g n e r : Cobico Jewel lers, Kingston Ont

D r e s s s h o p : Avenue 22 Br idal , Toronto, Ont. t u x s h o p : Stars Mens Wear, Kingston. h o n e y m o o n l o cat i o n : Sunset at the Palms, Negr i l , Jamaica.

cat e r e r : Cedar Crest Cater ing, Napanee c h u r c h / h a l l : SpindleTree Gardens, Tamworth, Ontar io

m u s i c / D J / m u s i c i a n s : Future Vibes, Napanee

m a k e u p / h a i r / s t y l i s t: Jazlyn Stoness, Toronto / Alyson Hoadley, Kingston / Courtney

Norwood, Kingston. f l o r i s t: L.S.P design, Kingston, Ont.r e n ta l s : Thompson Tentsca k e : Kait lan Dixon, Napanee a c c o m m o Dat i o n s : Hampton Inn by Hi l ton, Napanee

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falling in love came quite naturally for Erica and kent swirsky.I think we were attracted to each other mostly because we

both feel very comfortable around each other and that we can be ourselves, really enjoying spending time together and doing things together, as clich as that sounds, admits Erica.

We dated for a year before we got engaged and by then we both knew it was meant to be.

growing up in Brockville meant the couple could enjoy the many outdoor amenities the area has to offer.

We both have separate hobbies we really enjoy, things that we did before we started dating, and we both still do these hobbies, says Erica. kent golfs and I ride horses. We do a lot of

things together but we both enjoy still partaking in our separate hobbies as well.

one of the things they love to do together is to travel. In addition to taking in exotic locations on winter holidays, the couple travels frequently to Quebec to hit the ski hills. We enjoy traveling very much. We spend a lot of time in the winter snowboarding together in Tremblant. kent actually proposed to me at Tremblant, on a ski hill. We usually snowboard most weekends in the winter.

The couple was married in Brockville august 2, 2014. The summer seemed appropriate and they built on a theme of summers bountiful beauty.

B y DaV e J o h n s to n P h o t o g r a P h e r s t e p h a n i e ca r l

Real Weddings

Erica&KentSwirsky

August 2, 2014 St. Lawrence

suMM E r WE D D I n g c E l E Br aT E s naT u r al BE au T y o f l oV E



p h oto g r a p h e r / V i D e o g r a p h e r : Stephanie Car l J e w e l l e r / r i n g D e s i g n e r : The Jewel BoxD r e s s s h o p : ISISh o n e y m o o n l o cat i o n : Jamaicacat e r e r : The Brockberry c h u r c h / h a l l : Maplehurst Manorm u s i c / D J / m u s i c i a n s : Harpist l i m o s e rV i c e : Byers Limousine m a k e u p / h a i r / s t y l i s t: Kathy Throop did makeup Rhonda did hair.

i n V i tat i o n s : Printed at Photovis ions School Photography Co. then we hand made them.

f l o r i s t: Brockvi l le Farmers Marketca k e : MMM Pops -Amanda Lawson-Jamesa c c o m m o Dat i o n s : Maplehurst


We had a rustic vintage theme and got all of our flowers for decorating at the farmers market on the saturday morning of our wedding, recalls Erica.

our wedding was held at Maplehurst Manor in Maitland and Brockberry did the catering. We had a beautiful wedding in a great setting thanks to anne cox who owned it and made it into such a beautiful venue. It created a great atmosphere for a wonderful day.

The bride was busy before the ceremony creating the bouquets. I made my bouquets but the flowers for decorations and centerpieces were from the Brockville farmers Market. We also made baskets for guests staying in hotels filled with items from the market including jam, gibbons maple syrup, and honey.

a highlight was the wedding cake.our wedding cake was amazing! says Erica.

It was made by amanda lawson-James. she has a business called MMM pops in lyn. It was a cake made of cake pops. she was really great to work with and very open to making anything we wanted and put together a really unique cake.

Ericas dress and the Mother of the Bride dress were from IsIs in Brockville where owner suzanne guild helped them make the right selections. The couple bought their rings downtown at The Jewel Box, from Bill Jenkinson.

after the ceremony and celebration, the newlyweds flew off to a romantic honeymoon in the caribbean. We went to Jamaica. It was a small sandals resort and we had a great time. It was beautiful, relaxing and we did a lot of snorkelling, they had a lovely reef there.

now the couple is settling into life in their hometown of Brockville.

We have a dog so we spend a lot of time taking him for hikes or walks or snowshoeing. I enjoy running and sometimes kent comes with me. We also enjoy spending time with our friends and family, going to the cottage, playing games, and boating.

My parents, brother, and extended family are all close so we do a lot together and we try to go to Toronto frequently to see kents sister, brother-in-law, and nieces and nephew. We do not get to see them as much but we love getting time with them when we can.

kent is a manager at photovisions, which specializes in school and sports photography, while Erica owns and teaches at Brockville Montessori school.

We are really enjoying married life. We really enjoy spending time together and it has been very fun and full of adventures so far. We like Brockville and plan to stay here and hopefully raise a family here.

Super 8 Brockville, 1843 County Road 2 East, Brockville, ON K6V 5T1 T:613-213-3595 F: 613-345-4284

[email protected] www.super8.com/brockville

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Untitled-2 1 11-27-14 4:58 PM

Tent & grounds licensed for 144 persons Venue washrooms Perfect for weddings, golf tournaments, BBQ, birthdays and special occasions Restaurant has seating capacity of 120 persons

Visit us at: royalcoachmanrestaurant.com(613) 354-91248087 County Road 2, Greater Napanee, ON K7R 3K6

Love is in the Details.Our venue is perfect for your big day.

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at first sight...

P h o t o g r a P h e r n i c o l e p e t t i pa s

Real Weddings

Maddi&BradBarker

July 6, 2013 Belleville

ONE YEAR LATER

Favourite memory of the day? I dont think I could choose just one favourite memory

because the whole day was magical. after a year and half of planning to see it all come together and be so perfect was amazing. a few memories stand out, including the moment I walked into the church and saw Brad. My heart skipped a beat and I had to fight back the tears as my Dad walked me down the aisle, then when we reached the end before my Dad gave me a

kiss he and Brad hugged. It was very special to see how much my family, especially my Dad, loves Brad. another is how special and amazing our wedding party was in helping make the day perfect. There are our closest friends from high school. Brad and I were high school sweethearts and our friends have been there along the way. It was almost eight years to the day from when we all graduated and its rare to have eight friends who are still as close as we are. It really makes me grateful to have them all in our life.


Favourite image? nicole pettipas from nvision photographer is

an amazing photographer who captured every moment I could have wanted and more. We discussed the type of photos I wanted and the candid photos really show how we were feeling on our wedding day. There is one photo that makes me laugh and remember how fun and memorable our day really was. another image I love is from our reception hall. I made a frame out of an old window that says, Where our love came from. It has the wedding photos of our parents and grandparents. It was really special and was placed right at the entrance of the hall.

Wheres your dress now? My dress is hanging in our spare room closet.

I need to get it cleaned and put away but first I want to use it when my girls turn one in May and have a photo of them standing.

If you could do it again, what would you do differently?

absolutely nothing! It was by far one of the best days of my life and I would keep everything the way it was.

Best piece of advice received?

The summer before our wedding we went to our friends wedding and the groom told us something that really stuck with us that someone told him before his wedding. he said during the night at some point take a few minutes for just the two of us and stand back out of spotlight and watch as guests are dancing the night away and enjoying their time. We did this and we really thought about how lucky we were to have all of these guests who came from near and far to share this special day with us, we were truly blessed.

Best advice youd like to pass on? Id pass on the same advice that we received.

Biggest change since your wedding? The last few years have seen some major changes in our life from buying a house to getting engaged and then our wedding. This past year we welcomed our twin baby girls into the world which has been the most rewarding experience ever.

What are you looking forward to in the next year?

We are looking forward to watching our little girls grow up and enjoying our life as a family.

When did it hit you that you were married?

Im not sure if it hit me for a while but I loved waking up the next morning and saying good morning, husband. I also love when Brad introduces me as his wife.

Did you go on a honeymoon, if so where? When we were thinking of places to go for our honeymoon we wanted to do something really special and have a once-in-a- lifetime experience, so we choose to go to Maui, hawaii. The weather was perfect and we were able to do some amazing excisions like going in a submarine, snorkeling, and going to a hawaiian luau.

How many dresses did you try on?

I tried on way too many dresses, but didnt feel like I had found the one yet so I kept looking. I think there is a lot of pressure when looking for your dress because everyone says you will cry or have this feeling of, Thats the one. I started to get a bit discouraged after I tried some on and didnt get that feeling. I took a bit of time away from looking then went back with a clear head and finally got that feeling and knew it was the one.

Any advice on the planning a wedding?

Every bride wants her day to be memorable and to make sure every little detail is perfect. My advice is to plan ahead and have a good support system to help you, and try not to get too overwhelmed. It is a big day and no matter what it will be perfect for you and your groom. small details wont matter to your guests; they will never know if something is out of place. They are there to spend this special day with you both. Contact Us Today For A Tour

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County Weddings exploring Prince Edward with wedding venue wine tours

sometimes the most fun and best memories for the wedding party actually come from all the pre-nuptial celebrations. showers, bachelorettes, stag and does, or bachelor parties are all opportunities for family and friends to spend some time celebrating with the bride and groom prior to the big day. planning a customized day suited to individual needs and wants is exactly what sandbanks Vacations and Tours does.

located in Bloomfield, the company owns numerous rental properties, able to accommodate two or 12 members of a bridal party, for a week or a weekend. The properties allow for a personalized experience, as the group is able to cook together or dine out, spend time relaxing together or exploring the area. carrie Taylor, in marketing for the past five years, suggested, It is all here in the county. sit back and let us show you all there is to do.

The true specialty are the wine tours, where bridal parties can choose from a half or full day experience. The company

will pick up the party at one of their locations, a local hotel, or bed and breakfast, and transport the group to four different wineries. Depending on the size of the group and for an additional fee, the company has even travelled to Belleville and kingston to pick up groups for a wine tour. our goal is to ensure everyone has a great time. It is a bonding experience for them with lots of memories and we want to do what we can to make their day theirs, carrie stated.

Each tour is led by a guide who provides the history of the area and background of the winery. once at the winery, one of staff will walk the guests through a tasting, providing a minimum of three wines to sample. By the end of the day, each person will have tasted as least 12 different county wines. a really great secondary benefit to the tastings is some of the brides have selected a county wine for their reception while on the tour. They have found the perfection addition to their special day, carrie noted.

a meal is included in the full day wine tour and

Wondering how to kick off wedding festivities or give your best friend the best party ever?

B y a m y J a m e s


Amy & Andrew KentAugust 10, 2013 P h o t o g r a P h e r g e o r g e t t e b i rt c h

Brittany & Justin DartMay 3, 2014 P h o t o g r a P h e r melanie rebane weDDing photography

Charolette & Josh BoldocOctober 26, 2013 P h o t o g r a P h e r s a r a h f r e e b u r n


Celebrate with a Wine Tour in Prince Edward County

Bachelorettes are one of our Specialties!

Ask about our special rate for the bride-to-be (some restrictions may apply)

1-877-399-2508 |613-393-2424 | sandbanksvacations.com

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and Country Market!

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To speak to our fully dedicated wedding planner Lynne, please call: 613.813.5003

or email: [email protected] specialize in all onsite wedding planning & coordination

depending on the time of year, the group can choose from a gourmet lunch at one of the restaurants in the area, enjoy a wood-burning oven pizza offered by some of the wineries, or eat a picnic lunch outdoors with a beautiful vista view or by the lake. also, depending on time, the group may have the additional option of visiting one of the local cheese factories such as Black river cheese and fifth Town cheese, or another winery.

following the day, the company can also facilitate additional fun, from dinner at the Drake Devonshire or acoustic grill to dancing at the hayloft. carrie stated, The party can continue on after-hours.

carrie added, The bridal parties bring the fun too. from dressing up with hats to feathered boas, we love their enthusiasm in creating a fun-filled day.

We excel at the wine tours and love sharing the culinary culture of the area. We cater to each party, addressing their different needs and different wants. also, the tours offers brides the opportunity to see a lot of the area and explore the numerous and beautiful venues possible for a wedding. often, individuals from bridal groups will come back and participate in another tour because they enjoyed themselves so much.

from heritage tours, art and hiking trails, to shopping, golf, and gourmet dinners, the company can customize a day or weekend to specific requests and budgets. We work with other companies like sams garage and Body shop or nightingales spa who will travel to your home and provide a spa party. at our rental properties yoga classes are available where the instructors come and lead classes. We have even done paintball for a bachelor party and facilitated cooking classes.

With so many unique experiences available, sandbanks loves introducing people to the county and promoting the area. carrie shared, We love it. We love having fun with other people and our guides love being able to showcase the best of the county as well as tell the back stories.

What a wedding party can see and do in the county is limited only to budget and imagination.


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Whichdress

will youmarry?

NAPANEE 824 PALACE ROAD 613-354-8906 BELLEVILLE 721 COUNTY ROAD 28 613-966-1781

Offeringhundreds of gowns from

award winning designers in all

sizes. Highly trained bridal

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you.


Whichdress

will youmarry?

NAPANEE 824 PALACE ROAD 613-354-8906 BELLEVILLE 721 COUNTY ROAD 28 613-966-1781

Offeringhundreds of gowns from

award winning designers in all

sizes. Highly trained bridal

stylists are waiting for

you.

Choosing the perfect wedding dress

Meet lily, bridal stylist and owner of lilys Bridal. Experienced, funny, forthright, and committed, she and her staff offer the largest selection for a wedding party in the Quinte area and a commitment to ensure the bride and her dress are a perfect match.

With stores in napanee and Belleville, lilys Bridal carries approximately 14 different designers, with a combined total of 3,200 square feet and an additional renovation and expansion planned for the Belleville salon. The stores truly offer everything for a wedding from wedding dresses and tuxedos to flower girl, bridesmaid, and mother-of-the-bride dresses, plus all the accessories to complement the wedding dress. lily explains, We carry jewellery, headpieces, and veils because we want you to see the whole picture and be assured everything coordinates perfectly when you walk down the aisle. When you buy one place and order from another, the result is not always what you had imagined. We truly are focused on being a full-service wedding salon.

from accessories and dresses with pearls and rhinestones to crinolines with blue lace or blue flowers - for that touch of something blue - lilys caters to all tastes and budgets. With the most expensive dress costing $2,700. lily is always receiving compliments on the large selection and styles available. We compete with the best of them and my customers often remark on how they cannot believe they found the dress of their dreams in a little store in Belleville.

an appointment-preferred shop, lilys retains an old-school belief in taking time and trying options. having been in the business for 27 years, she offers a level of experience not easy to find elsewhere and this translates into ensuring the dress fits the bride in size, style, and beauty. lily

stated, We have the experience to help each bride find the perfect silhouette. We want to match the silhouette with the dream, and by trying on at least one dress from each silhouette, we are able to move forward with the most flattering dress, suiting personality as well as shape.

sensitivity and celebration go hand in hand at lilys along with a box of tissue for the brides and moms who find the perfect dress and become teary. lily admits, We wear are hearts on our sleeves, too and will cry along with them.

lily wants brides to know most bridal manufacturers still use the haute couture sizing so they should expect to go up in size and not be surprised or discouraged about it. also, alterations are an expected part of the whole process as it is rare for a dress to fit exactly to form off the rack. The focus should be style and fit, not size, and a bride should always trust her instincts. The bride knows how she feels and looks in a dress and if is it truly a reflection of herself, lily explained.

a lily is a symbol of innocence, purity, and beauty and lily knows the wedding day is one day when the bride needs to feel as beautiful as she is. In an industry where purchasing a wedding dress has become a business, lily remains committed to the purity of the process.

Brides are not hurried in and out. appointments have been extended for two or three hours. silhouettes and shapes, budget and beliefs, all play into finding the perfect match and lily remains focused on making the dream a reality. We get fulfillment from that, lily stated. While following current styles and trends, offering the largest selection and full service, lily is confident the image in the magazine is never what defines beauty, but the bride herself, her beauty in her dress.

B y a m y J a m e s


Dream destination weddingsWith whimsical save-the-date notes proclaiming,

Join us in the sand and sun where we two will soon be one, destination weddings are an increasingly popular option for couples.

for ana Milena Varona and David Baynes, a destination wedding allowed the fairy tale wedding of anas dreams to come true in her hometown of popayan, colombia. for $3,000, the couples dream wedding included everything from anas dress to the carriage ride. They rented a villa where they enjoyed a five-course five-star meal including a wedding cake complete with edible flowers. ana was able to pick the colours she wanted, orange and green, for flowers and linens, and the beautiful location offered

a lush background for photos. Being in colombia meant the couple fully enjoyed the outdoors, from the open church to the scenic villa surroundings.

since popayan is anas hometown, all of her family and friends were able to attend, whereas it would have been much more difficult for them to travel to canada. David recalled, It was a good choice all around. The cost was reasonable and first-class all the way. In popayan, you can rent your dress, tuxedo, flower girl dresses, and a suit for the ring bearer. Everything is so well priced. We even started our honeymoon right after and stayed in a two-floor penthouse suite, and did it all for much less than we could have here.

B y a m y J a m e s

Ana Milena Varona & David BaynesAugust 23, 2013 P h o t o g r a P h e r ca m i l o s o l a rt e


from the horse and buggy to the open walled church where the couple were married with a full mass, the day was exactly what both ana and David wanted. They planned it all by themselves, without the pressure of expectations.

Musicians by trade, ana recruited her musician friends to play during the ceremony and ana and David played together at their reception as a gift to their guests. We played I Did it My Way by frank sinatra, and My Love will Go On from Titanic, David shared.

ana added, It was simple and elegant and exactly what we wanted which is why we choose the songs we did. as musicians, music is a large part of what we share in common and we complement each other, harmony, and

melody, in life as well. We have fun in music and together. The gift was well received by the guests, the music brought tears to their eyes.

With a few different customs in colombia, like the mother giving away the son while the father gives away the bride, the day unfolded perfectly and remained stress free in planning and execution. The hardest part for David was learning to say the traditional vows in spanish. he recalled, I took a photo of the text on my cell and practiced, it was tough but okay. ana is quick to add, he did so well.

although popayan is on canadas no-fly list, the couple knew the area well, but suggested others may want to consider a more tourist-friendly location such as cartagena.

When planning a destination wedding,

considerations such as location and expense are exactly the areas of assistance Destination Wedding specialist pam frankin of Marlin Travel in kingston can offer couples.

first, time of year is important as prices vary considerably throughout the year. also, the size of the wedding and number of guests will greatly affect the packages available though each can be customized to your needs, pam stated.

The couples budget and consideration for the budget of family and friends tend to dictate the feasibility of a destination wedding. To help offset the cost of a destination wedding pam suggested the option of creating a bridal

Janice & Todd IngramApril 11, 2014 P h o t o g r a P h e r a r r e c i f e s t u D i o / t r o p i c o n e b a h i a p r i n c i p e J a m a i ca

Ana & DavidAugust 23, 2013

P h o t o g r a P h e r ca m i l o s o l a rt e

Ana & DavidAugust 23, 2013

P h o t o g r a P h e r ca m i l o s o l a rt e

Janice & Todd IngramApril 11, 2014 P h o t o g r a P h e r a r r e c i f e s t u D i o


registry where monetary gifts are given to help cover the costs of either the wedding or the honeymoon.

pam stated the two biggest benefits of destination weddings are the lower costs and the removal of expectations. With the average canadian wedding costing $25,000, a destination wedding can offer more for less. also, the guest list narrows quickly, as resort packages often put limits on the number of attendees.

pam suggested thinking beyond the wedding. It is important for the couple to consider the needs of the guest as well. The wedding will take only one day or half a day, and most guests travel for the entire week, so the couple needs to consider whether an adults-only resort is the best choice or a family friendly resort with many activities to entertain the guests.

since the couple is already at the resort, one of the benefits of a destination wedding is an immediate start to the honeymoon. often the newlyweds will upgrade to another resort for an added level of luxury and privacy.

The process of arranging a destination wedding is very simple. usually the couple comes prepared with their budget and dream ideas and the agent will research a few options suited their needs. packages can be customized to include invitations and even a dress for a trash-the-dress session, which is increasingly popular. from bride and groom flip-flops to private excursions for the wedding party, inclusions and upgrades change with the number of guests and personal wishes. The agent then puts the couple in touch with the wedding coordinator to organize the details, and continues to be as involved as necessary to ensure the couple is receiving what is promised or to assist if required. The best part for many couples remains the minimal interference from family and friends.

pam stated the best part of having a destination wedding is the memories made with family and friends during their time together. pam shared, We want it to be memorable for them, and it is fun to watch peoples dreams come true.

for a lot less money and minimal effort, a destination wedding can offer the fairy tale dream of once upon a time and simultaneously, the honeymoon of happily ever after.

CAPERS

B AY O F Q U I N TE I K I N G ST O

N I ST. L AW RE N C E I 2015

E D I T I O N

25Real

Weddings

22 Planning

Pages

Are you getting married this year?We are looking for weddings from local couples

for our 2016 edition of Wedding Trends Magazine which serves the Kingston, Quinte & St. Lawrence regions.

Criteria for submissions: Weddings must be local, or local couples

with a destination wedding Photos must be professional quality Send three favourite low resolution

photos with your submission Include the date and location Tell us about unique features of your day Only those selected will be contacted for

more information

Email us [email protected]


Whatever your plans, our personalized approach to financial planning can help make them a reality. Get advice. Contact us and get started today.

Plan to... dream, smile, love, and grow your futures together.

Kaitlin Mitts, B.A. (Hons.), B.Ed., [email protected]

Lindsay Hutchinson, [email protected]

Barbara Shuster, [email protected]

Natasha Dwyer, [email protected]

Investors Group Financial Services, Inc.81 Millennium Pkwy. Belleville

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Destination weddings are possible almost anywhere in the world, from a castle in Europe to a beach in the Caribbean but couples need to consider a few legalities when marrying outside of Canada. Pam Frankin highlights what every couple ought to know:

Many couples will get married in canada to avoid the red-tape hassles of marrying elsewhere. a licensed, non-religious wedding can occur prior to the destination date, or the couple may choose to use a Justice of the peace. Being wed in canada ensures all documents are in place and the couple travels to their destination, acting as if nothing has happened to have the wedding of their dreams. While this is a common practice, it is not common knowledge.

Having legal documents completed ahead also makes for a seamless wedding because in some locales there is only one officiant who can perform the wedding or translate the documents, requiring booking well in advance to ensure availability.

In some countries, if this is a second marriage, there are laws requiring a certain length of time to pass before marrying again.

Some countries still do not allow same-sex marriages.

Wedding gifts, either monetary or otherwise, should be given either before or after the destination wedding and not abroad. Baggage limits and custom laws can affect the ability of the bride and groom to bring the gifts home.


A St. Lawrence River weddingas the river flows, so will your love

When it comes to scenic wedding locations, few places boast better vistas than the Thousand Islands. Many couples choose river views as a background for their treasured wedding photos. some even charter a boat and have the whole event on the water.

regardless of how you incorporate it, the Thousand Islands have the colour and landscape to make your wedding memorable. The 1,864 islands range in size from mere rock outcroppings to more than 40 square miles, and stretch for about 50

miles downstream from kingston, ontario.Distinguished visitors made the region widely

known as a summer resort in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. opulent hotels offered luxurious accommodations while steamboats provided extensive tours among the islands. Wealthy and middle-class residents built summer homes on many islands. some large dwellings - locally known as castles - remain as international landmarks. The most famous examples are The Towers on Dark Island, now called singer castle, and Boldt castle on heart Island.

B y DaV e J o h n s to n

Nicole & Ryan BrowneJune 28, 2014 P h o t o g r a P h e r g r e g b l a c k

DAN GibsON DRivEs NicOLE bROwNE TO hER wEDDiNG iN A 1929 AubuRN ALONG ThE shOREs Of ThE sT. LAwRENcE RivER.


felicia and Tom ohara made the most of the majestic st. lawrence in their wedding photos.

The river was the background for our pictures taken on the grounds of Maplehurst Manor, said felicia. The lawns at Maplehurst sweep down toward the river, and it was a beautiful backdrop.

The river location was ideal as many of the family and guests grew up or spent summers along the water. a

river location was important to us as it is so beautiful and we spend a lot of our time on the river. It helps to showcase the area where we enjoy living. We love to boat as much as possible from as early in the season to as late in the season as we can. We own both a boat and a wave runner and we are out alone or with our children throughout the season. We love stopping at the islands, admiring the scenery and cottages and of course, there are some great

ports of call on the american side.We chose Maplehurst Manor

because it was the perfect venue for an outdoor wedding with a fantastic bridal suite and four beautiful, well-appointed rooms for our guests who travelled from as far away as England and california. The grounds are wonderful, with beautiful lush gardens and there is a wonderful courtyard for cocktails.

It was indeed a family affair as Thomas brother seth ohara and

Felicia & Tom OHaraAugust 17, 2013

P h o t o g r a P h e r to m e k m a J c h e r c z y k

Georgette & Ryan BirtchSeptember 12, 2009 P h o t o g r a P h e r l e a n n e m u m f o r D

P h o t o g r a P h e r g r e g b l a c k

NicOLE bROwNE wiTh hER MOThER JAYNE GibsON


2399 Parkedale Avenue,Brockville, Ontario613-342-1333www.1000islandsmall.com

Looking for the Bridal Couple of the YearWe are on the hunt for this years

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If you or someone you know is deserving of an assisted Wedding Ceremony,please contact Sarahat 613-342-5188 x 24 [email protected]

Wedding DateSaturday, February 14, 2015

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his partner Josie groniger took over ownership of Maplehurst in June 2014.

In addition to its scenic island outlooks, The gananoque-Brockville corridor is blessed with some of the best the Thousand Islands has to offer. The area has several shipwrecks, and though most of them are more than 100 feet underwater, some are a mere 15 feet down and visible from the surface.

for adventurers who want a unique wedding, the Thousand Islands is also said to have some of the best fresh water wreck diving in the world. numerous wrecks lay at the bottom of the seaway including The america, The Islander, and The keystorm.

If you would rather stay on the surface of the st. lawrence, gananoque Boat line operates a fleet of five triple-decker, all-aluminum vessels, two of which can accommodate group charters. Each vessel has a capacity of 500, and in case of inclement weather can comfortably accommodate 350 indoors.

gananoque Boat line vessels can be converted to accommodate dining and dancing for up to 350 passengers, said gananoque Boat line sales and Marketing Manager kathy Macrea. some of our more popular occasions include weddings, anniversaries, and family reunions.

The boat can accommodate 115 passengers on the lower deck for sit-down meals, added kathy. We recommend buffet style for larger

numbers. This allows the second floor to be set up for dancing, as the seating on the second level is fully interchangeable. It isnt limited to this, however. We have accommodated up to 200 with a full sit-down meal, combining the first and second floors with a dance floor still available.

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