Summer weddings
Married in Pink at Moraine Lake
Isis & Nick | Alberta, Canada
From the bride…
We hadn’t really even considered a traditional wedding. We were planning a trip to Canada and thought about how epic it would be if we just eloped while we were there and then had a party to celebrate with our loved ones back home. A beautiful lady that I work with had shown me photos from her recent trip to Moraine Lake and told me about how it was the most beautiful place she had ever seen. When I told Nick about it, it was almost decided instantly that it was exactly the kind of scenery we were looking for.
THE FLOWERS
I knew from the get-go that I wanted a flower crown and a HUGE bouquet of florals in dusty pink and maroon.
THE VISION
We wanted our day to be really relaxed and stress-free and it couldn’t have been more perfect! Our ceremony was planned for 6 pm so we slept in, had a nice breakfast, went for a hike and even had a nap before we had to get ready. So many of our friends had told us how stressed they felt on their wedding day and how they felt as though they couldn’t really enjoy it or that they wished they had eloped and we didn’t want to look back on such a special memory wishing that we had changed things or spent less money or whatever. I think we nailed it!
THE DRESS
I just really didn’t want to wear white! I had always pictured a pink dress, but not too Barbie-like and not too pale. As much as I love dressing up and being girly, I also LOVE being comfortable. I knew I was going to be scrambling over rocks so I couldn’t really have a long train, and I didn’t want a veil but wanted something flowy that was also removable, so we decided on a cape instead and I chose a pair of black and white Vans with some pink ribbon.
THE DAY OF
It was so surreal standing at that lake the morning of our wedding, taking it all in and realizing we made it! We traveled for 21 hours and were so tired but we did it! We only told our family and close friends, and it made our announcement feel even more special and made us feel like our wedding was ours, and that we were doing it for us and not for anyone else. I was a pretty lazy bride and all I cared about was marrying the man of my dreams. I thought that planning our wedding from Australia would be difficult but it was actually such a breeze.
THE VOWS
I couldn’t wait to hear Nick’s vows and to call him my husband and Nick says his favorite part was seeing me in my dress for the first time which I think is pretty cute!
LOOKING BACK
Everything was so easy and went so smooth, I’d do it all again in a heartbeat. Eloping definitely took a lot of the guesswork out of planning, we didn’t have to think about decorations and we also didn’t have to worry about impressing other people, we could focus on just us and that was the main thing for the both of us when we were planning our day. Luckily, Mother Nature put on a show with the most spectacular weather. It had been raining pretty much since we landed in Canada and cleared up right before our ceremony began.
ADVICE
Do what you want to do! Don’t let other people make it about them or change your mind, or make you feel like what you want doesn’t matter. I mean this with my whole heart – you don’t get to get to marry the love of your life every day!
Before we left for Canada, we had a sign made that read, “We Eloped – Moraine Lake, Canada, 13th August 2019.” This date is my G’ma’s birthday, and although she is no longer with us, I wanted her to be part of our special day. She would have loved Nick.
THE WEDDING TEAM
Photographer: ENV Photography
Floral Designer: Willow Flower Co.
A Boho Mountain Wedding in Telluride
Matty & Alexis | June 21st
From the bride… We wanted our day to mimic the elements in Colorado. There were lots of wildflowers, lavender, dreamcatchers, and subtle earthy tones throughout.
THE ATTIRE
I found a kimono by Rish Atelier that became the inspiration for the entire day. I went with a simple dress by Alexandra Grecco to the compliment the beautiful Israeli lace. The bridesmaids chose their own dresses. Their color and fabrics all flowed together perfectly, one champagne, one navy, one pale blue with a mix of silk and lace.
PRIVATE VOWS
Prior to the ceremony, we shared our private vows on the beautiful valley floor Telluride we took pictures with our bridal party at the ceremony site beforehand to help facilitate moving right into enjoying cocktail hour with our friends and family immediately following the ceremony.
The private vows witnessed by only the photographers and our dog Wall-E was a moment we will never forget. It was simply amazing.
THE CEREMONY
Matty’s brother officiated the ceremony and all three of us had a hand in writing a ceremony that was specifically unique to us as a couple. It was laid back, romantic, and fun.
AFTER THE CEREMONY
At the cocktail hour, we rode horses and the guests also took turns riding and taking photos with the horses. This was very special to see and experience in such a beautiful location.
THE SEATING CHART
Guests were guided to the tables by looking at their names written on tattered paper hanging on the handmade flowing dreamcatchers. Pendleton blankets were strewn about the deck for both looks and warmth at night.
THE GUEST BOOK
Our guestbook was a snowboard from Never Summer with artwork by the brother of the groom/officiant.
THE RECEPTION
Our band kept the entire party dancing well into the night. Everyone continues to compliment us on the beautiful and moving personally crafted ceremony, the horses, the food, and the music!
ADVICE
I highly recommend utilizing at least a day of planner.
While making decisions in the planning process it’s so important to remember there are no “rules” and whatever works for you and makes you and your partner feel excited and happy about the day is exactly how you should do it!
On the day of, take a moment to stop, breathe and take in all the love and beauty that’s surrounding you with your new partner, family, and friends.
THE WEDDING TEAM
Photographer: Ben Eng Photography | Event Planner: Telluride Unveiled | Floral Designer: Dahlia floral | Venue & Caterer: Gorrono Ranch | Hair Stylist: Megan Keever Hair | Dress Designer: Alexandra Grecco | Band: Jonny Mogambo Band | Cake Designer: Fig & Bloom Cakes
A Floral-Filled Farm Wedding in Asheville
Lacey & Torsten | July 14th
From the bride… Torsten and I chose to wed at a farm venue nestled in the Blue Ridge Mountains outside of Asheville, NC. We selected this venue as a semi-destination wedding so that our friends and family from all over would have a fun place to travel to and experience together.
THE DRESS
I chose a beautifully detailed dress with floral-inspired lace appliques and a flowing tulle skirt. It was both romantic and whimsical to fit in with my overall vision.
THE VENUE
From the moment we stepped on the property we fell in love with The Farm. The mountains, horses, beautiful rows of flowers, combined with a rustic-elegant feel made this the perfect venue for us. We loved that the farm specialized in farm-to-table cuisine using the freshest ingredients from their gardens and local farmers. Our beverages were from a curated list of local craft beers and ciders from Asheville otherwise known as “beer city.”
THE DECOR
We kept our decor fairly simple and incorporated a lot of florals into our overall design. One of my favorite pieces of the day was the custom Mountain Laurel archway created by Flourish Flower Farm to frame the aisle of our ceremony. The archway was draped with the most beautiful flowers- it took my breath away! Many of our guests enjoyed taking photos under the archway.
THE CEREMONY
Like most little girls, I have always dreamed of the day my Dad would walk me down the aisle. My dad was diagnosed with ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis) in 2015. Prior to the wedding, we had to have the hard discussion of what we would do if my Dad was unable to walk me. I am blessed to say that my Dad walked me down the aisle to hand me off to my wonderful husband. This was by far the most special moment of my wedding day that I will never stop reliving.
THE VOWS
We centered our wedding ceremony around our Christian faith and included a rustic barn wood cross in the backdrop. My first cousin once removed served as our wedding officiant, just as she did for my Mom and Dad’s wedding! It was so special to have her be a part of our wedding day.
HANDMADE TOUCH
We made DIY lavender filled bags for guests to shower on us as we made our way down the aisle after the ceremony. The meaning of lavender is love and devotion, and when given as a gift, represents luck and the promise of a new adventure. I can think of no other greater adventure than marriage!
THE RECEPTION
One of my favorite things about our wedding was that there was something for every personality to enjoy. Our guests played corn-hole, giant Jenga, enjoyed the farm animals, sat outside under the stars, and danced the night away with the band.
ADVICE
Allow yourself to go with the flow and be okay with the fact that things won’t go exactly as planned. Most of all, take a deep breath, and enjoy your magical day surrounded by your closest family and friends!
THE WEDDING TEAM
Photographer: Jessi Nichols Photography | Venue: The Farm | Floral Designer: Flourish Flower Farm | Dress Store: Bridals by Jodi | Musicians: Sam Hill Entertainment | Hair & Makeup: Rose Glow Beauty
A Romantic Colorado Wedding
Katie & Dominic | Denver, Colorado
From the bride: We met at Historian’s Ale House and were instantly drawn to each other. We both enjoy the outdoors- hiking and camping with our dogs and exploring the amazing city of Denver. We dated for 3 years before he set up the most beautiful proposal at my favorite Denver winery- Infinite Monkey. He had spent months creating portraits of me from existing photos and set them up in the barrel room, where he proposed in front of our entire family on the day I graduated from the University of Denver.
THE CEREMONY
We kept the ceremony short and simple!
The most memorable moment of the day was our first dance!
THE DESSERT
My favorite reception detail was The Bumblebee dessert food truck. Our menu included: Baked cinnamon sugar doughnut holes, apple pie, triple dark chocolate pudding, and earl grey cupcakes with whipped cream and honeycomb candy crunch.
ADVICE
Do not stress about the small stuff and try to take everything in- from getting ready, to pictures, to the ceremony, and reception. Enjoy the planning process and do what YOU want!
THE WEDDING TEAM
Photographer: Christa Hitchcock Photography | Floral Designer: Hawk Flowers | Dress Designer: Blue Bridal | Bridesmaid Dresses: Show Me Your Mumu | Hair Stylist: Tasha Jean | Bakery: The Bumblebee Truck | Venue: The Barn at Raccoon Creek
A Beautiful Wedding in the Canadian Rockies
Philomena & Lesley | Banff, AB, Canada
From the couple: We are both in love with the Canadian Rockies and spend as much time as we can visiting them. Natural and grandeur; it is the feeling all humans experience when they fall in love. We wanted the free and majestic beauty of it captured at our intimate ceremony and reception.
THE RINGS
Unlike the showy engagement rings, we both knew the wedding bands would be the timeless keepsakes that would be worn more often than not. We splurged on a matching set. The flowery bands aren’t a typical choice for most brides, but for us they are perfect.
THE WEDDING DAY
The night before the wedding both Canmore and Banff were enveloped in the thickest wildfire smoke we’d ever seen. The further we drove from Calgary, the thicker the smoke got, our hearts sank. By the time we arrived in the mountains, you wouldn’t even know it as you couldn’t see the mountains with all the smoke. We ate breakfast on the patio on our wedding day, and from there the view hadn’t gotten any better. We were at peace with it. There was nothing anyone could do and being sad about it would just make it worse. Then what seemed to be a miracle happened on our drive up to Two Jack Lake. As the limo passed Lake Minnewanka, we realized you could see the beautiful view complete with a bright blue sky.
THE CAKE
We questioned if anyone would really eat the cake at all after a full buffet and cheesecake. Turns out it was delicious and there wasn’t anything left of the 100-serving cake (except for the top tier that’s still sitting in the freezer for our anniversary).
THE WEDDING TEAM
Photographer: Kim Payant Photography // Ceremony location: Two Jack Lake, Banff National Park // Hair & Makeup: Lilies & Lace // Reception Venue: Cornerstone Theatre
View more Canada Weddings
A Boho Garden Wedding in Colorado
Maddie & Danny could not have been any more relaxed on their wedding day. They both soaked in every second and every moment of every hour and truly enjoyed themselves. Lone Hawk Farm was the perfect, relaxed setting for them to say their vows to one another. After Maddie & Danny walked the aisle, exchanged vows and were announced husband and wife their guests were lead to cocktail hour full of games and treats. After heartfelt toasts, they all dined al fresco and then danced the night away.
THE WEDDING TEAM
Photographer: Sarah Hill Photography // Floral Designer: Farmette Flowers // Venue: Lone Hawk Farm // Beauty: Tribe & Co. Salon // Cupcakes: Church of Cupcakes // Caterer: Seb’s Wood-Fired Pizza Kitchen
A Modern Mountain Wedding at Lake Louise
Cara and Keith’s wedding at the Chateau Lake Louise was a chance to celebrate their New York City love story with the bride’s massive Albertan family and introduce the beautiful Rockies to the couple’s urban guests that had flown in mostly from NY, SF, London, and Hong Kong for the occasion. The couple wanted to create a warm and celebratory atmosphere that would both complement the beautifully lush mountain setting and reflect the understated modern elegance of the newly updated Victoria Ballroom where the reception was held. For the waterfront ceremony on Victoria Terrace, they let nature take center stage, enhancing the blue of the lake and skies with pops of blue in the fuschia, pink and peach bouquets.
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For the reception, they were determined to have long feasting tables –the longer the better, to create a sense of togetherness and facilitate conversation amongst old friends and new. Lush grey-green garlands of Eucalyptus ran down the center of the tables, bringing the natural theme indoors and providing a muted backdrop to the roses that seemed to bloom from the garlands. The low florals ensured that revelers could see and hear each other clearly, and the ivory pillar candles dotting the length of the tables ensured everybody was cast in a romantic, flattering glow. The silvery napkins provided a modern contrast to the light gold linens. Rose gold sequined linens added a touch of glamour to the head table. The couple infused personal touches throughout, from handmade magnetic gold animal place-card holders to reflect their joint love of wildlife, to tables named after the 9 separate cities that they lived in until they met, to a dessert table laden with the couple’s favourite treats –mini cupcakes in creative flavor combinations, a towering croquembouche dusted in icing sugar like snow on a mountain top, macarons in rose, mango, and green tea, lemon meringue tartlets, and mini smore cookie sandwiches to tie back to the welcome bonfire-and-smore reception held the night before on the shores of the lake.
THE WEDDING TEAM
Photographer: Infused Studios // Event Planner: Evelyn Clark Weddings // Flowers: Flower Artistry // Venue: The Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise // Rentals: Special Event Rentals // Desserts (except croquembouche): Kake by Darci // DJ: Pez Productions // Hair: Hammerheadz Salon
See more: Canada weddings | Lake Louise weddings
A Mountaintop Elopement in the Wildflowers
From the bride: Three and a half years ago I met the love of my life, Josh, in a place I wouldn’t have expected – the gym! I was looking to amp up my exercise routine, so I joined a local fitness team that he happened to be a member of. At first, I felt a little intimidated and knew I could use some guidance. Josh was so welcoming and had this genuine kindness about him that seemed so rare in the fitness world, so of course, I asked him for help! It didn’t hurt that he happened to be really, really handsome! From the get-go, there was a crazy connection between us. It felt like we had known each other for so long like we had always been the best of friends. He was so easy to talk to, laugh about inappropriate things with and complain about working out too! We spent almost every day together just talking and getting to know each another on a really deep level. It didn’t take long for us to fall in love!
Josh and I knew we wanted our wedding to be low key, simple and romantic so eloping was perfect. With North Carolina being our first choice, Meghan Rolfe Photography suggested Max Patch and it was absolutely beautiful! We couldn’t have picked a better spot to share our vows and express our love for each other.
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