Gwen & Shane were looking to have a classic & elegant wedding whilst being able to incorporate a laidback woodsy’ feel to it and these stunning images by KAT WILLSON PHOTOGRAPHY have captured the celebrations perfectly. Knowing that she wouldn’t be able to pull off the design by herself, Gwen hired the very talented Lauren Wiebe from STONE HOUSE CREATIVE and had this to say about her, She has the most amazing style and she helped me choose everything, from the colour palette to the stationery to all the little details she is incredibly talented.” Their MANITOBA WEDDING VENUE PINERIDGE HOLLOW, offered them six acres of peaceful gardens, ponds and beautiful flowers for their guests to roam and enjoy a unique prairie experience whilst celebrating their union.
HOW DID YOU MEET? Shane and I went to the same high school; I was in grade 9 and he was in grade 12. I had a huge crush on him, but he had no idea who I was! I finally got his attention a few years later and we dated briefly (on and off) when I was around 18 but then went our separate ways and had relationships in between. We reunited when I was 24 and he was 27 and immediately fell deeply in love ééò we have been inseparable ever since!
TELL US ABOUT YOUR PROPOSAL: It was Feb 16, 2014 during reading week (spring break in Canada ééò I am a pharmacy student) and we were on vacation in New York City. We were strolling through central park when he got down on one knee and proposed!. He had asked my dad for permission a few days before we left. He was extremely nervous when we were at the airport going to New York because the ring was hidden in a sock in his carry-on bag, but fortunately airport staff didn’t ruin the surprise!
TELL US ABOUT FINDING YOUR WEDDING DRESS: I had tried on a couple dresses, but every dress in the few stores I went to were either mermaid or trumpet style with a sweetheart neckline. I wanted a flowy, sheath dress with sleeves. I gave up looking for a bit until I saw the perfect dress online and immediately had to have it. It was the “verina” by Maggie Sottero, 2015 collection. I called every bridal store in the city to see if they would be ordering it in, and finally one of the stores (7th Avenue Fashions) said they had! I waited about 6 months for it to come in and then tried it on and it was perfect! I ordered it immediately.
ANY DIY ELEMENTS? Our event designer, Lauren Wiebe from Stone House Creative, suggested we make handmade concrete candles. She also suggested we collect rocks from our cabins at lac du bonnet and caddy lake and paint the table numbers onto the rocks with gold lacquer. They turned out beautifully, and perfectly tied in our love for the cabin (our favourite place) and brought a natural tone to the overall design.
DESCRIBE YOUR WEDDING FLOWERS: The wedding flowers were designed by Lauren Wiebe at Stone House Creative. We used a soft palette of blushes, creams, touches of soft blue and foraged foliages. The bouquets were a combination of garden roses, quicksand roses, ranunculus, spray roses, delphinium, veronica, snowberry, astrantia, eryngium, and anemones.
FAVOURITE DETAIL OF THE DAY: Our two dogs (Bear and Fergus) were part of our wedding party. They had on custom, handmade tuxedo collars with grey bowties to match the bridesmaid dresses. They stole the show.
WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO A COUPLE PLANNING THEIR WEDDING? Invest in a talented photographer and event designer. The day goes by so fast that you may not remember all the special moments. A talented photographer will capture all those moments and you can hold on to them forever. an event designer will help you create a beautiful wedding as they have an eye for all the little details. Also, don’t go overboard on pinterest trends – mason jars and burlap tablecloths are not going to be in style forever!?
MOST MEMORABLE MOMENT? The ceremony. We didn’t do a first look so we first saw each other when my dad gave me away. Looking into Shane’s eyes was the most amazing and exciting feeling I have ever felt. He kept whispering how beautiful I looked and it was magical.
Photography KAT WILLSON PHOTOGRAPHY / Floral & event design STONE HOUSE CREATIVE / Venue & catering PINERI
DGE HOLLOW / Stationery Design ROBIN EGG BLUE DESIGN / Bride’s gown MAGGIE SOTTERO from 7TH AVENUE FASHIONS / Bridesmaids Dresses DRESSED BY MAD / Cake MANON STOVEL / Bride’s shoes TOWN SHOES / Hair TERESA MOTUZ / Make-up JESSICA KMIEC + MAKEUP AND ESTHETICS BY KALEIGH / Officiant MARRY US MARRIANNE / Groom’s attire ALDO FORMAL WEAR
