Kristina and Andrew chose two very unique backdrops for their wedding day. We started the day off at the Kortright center and then headed to Black Creek Pioneer Village for the reception. Every wedding has it’s memorable moments that stick with me and for this one it was trekking deep into the forest with the newlyweds and then realizing that we were minutes from being stuck on a path leading right into the next ceremony (we managed to run out just in time!)
– Lindsay
Describe the vision/theme you had for your wedding in 5 words or less: Magical forest
What are you favorite memories of your wedding day? Bride: saying our wedding vows, under the canopy of trees
Groom: seeing Kristina walk down the aisle
Best wedding related decision: Having the wedding outdoors, in the forest, and not being afraid of the weather. It ended up perfect! We love the outdoors, and there was no way we were going to move the wedding indoors unless it was a hurricane or thunderstorm!
Favourite detail: I loved the decoration of the arch for our ceremony. My brother pulled down the vines from our parents’ backyard the morning of the wedding, and put them up on the arch himself, with help from our cousins. I also loved the troll cake toppers – we will keep them forever
Advice for future brides & grooms: it’s a lot of fun to do things yourself! I designed our wedding invitations, and assembled them myself with help from the bridesmaids, and my Dad. Also – try to plan your wedding when you won’t be super busy with work, because planning a wedding is almost a full time job for a couple of months leading up to the big day! I also think it is important for brides and grooms to work together, for things like picking the music, the cake, the colours of flowers, the venues, etc. It’s his big day too! Finally – enjoy all the special moments with family and friends leading up to the wedding – and of course also the love you share between the two of you on the day itself!
Would you change anything if you could do it all over again? Only very little things…nothing really important.
Best surprise of the day: The speeches were very surprising! The brother of the bride brought a little blue and yellow ballet dress I used to dress him in, when he was small! And the Maid of Honour told everyone a very embarrassing story about Brownie camp! I was also very happy that my aunt Diti made a tiropita for the wedding late night snack table!
Favorite HRM picture from the day (and why?): I love #483 – it is a picture of me kissing Andrew on the cheek, while he holds the bridal bouquet of peonies in the forest. I like the way the picture captures our love, and also the beautiful forest!
Anything else you’d like to add: Thank you to our photographers!
VENDORS: Ceremony Location – Kortright Centre for Conservation, The Forest Path | Reception Location – Black Creek Pioneer Village, The Grand Pavillion | Officiant (if not a church ceremony) – Reverend Brian McIntosh, from Bloordale
United Church | Cake – Yorkshire Pudding Co. | Dress (designer and/or store) – Casablanca #1930; Sophie’s Gown Shoppe | Flowers/Decorator – The Potty Plante | Hair/Makeup- Hair by Homa’s Hairdressing | Caterer- Black Creek Pioneer Village in-house catering | Band – Uptown Band | Wedding Favours – Simone Marie Belgian Chocolates
WEDDING SONGS: Processional – Here Comes the Bride | Recessional – The Wedding March | Entrance – The Final Countdown, by Europe (aka Gob’s Magic Music from Arrested Development) | First Dance – The Fugees Killing Me Softly | Parent Dances – Somewhere My Love (Dr Zhivago waltz) – as father daughter dance | Other – Macedonian and Latvian folk music, during reception and ceremony
Favorite HRM picture from the day (and why?): I love #483 – it is a picture of me kissing Andrew on the cheek, while he holds the bridal bouquet of peonies in the forest. I like the way the picture captures our love, and also the beautiful forest!
