Sometimes it’s hard to believe it’s already been 5 years since we tied the knot at Brock House Restaurant on Jericho Beach. Other times, it feels like we’ve been married for much longer than that! Maybe it’s partly because we’ve been quarantined with each other for the last 2 months. We had hoped to revisit our wedding venue this year but instead I guess we will settle for some takeout and Netflix lol!
My bridesmaids were my two sisters and two close friends. We got ready close to home at a local salon and then we headed to our hotel room in Granville Island to put our dresses on.
I am pretty sure jumping on the bed is what caused my hairdo to completely fall out of place but you can’t put a price on having a good time right?
Because our ceremony wasn’t scheduled to start until later in the evening, we decided to do a first look, not just to save time but also to get out those pre-wedding jitters! This is the moment just before we saw each other (Craig had no idea what I was up to in this picture).
By doing a first look, we also were able to take some wedding party photos throughout Granville Island before the ceremony.
Our ceremony started in the evening and we couldn’t have asked for better weather! The view is so pretty at Jericho Beach that I didn’t feel the need to have too much ceremony decor. I rented this mantle piece from Bespoke Decor, added a few lanterns down the aisles, some chalkboard signage and that was it!
Do I look at my chalkboard art skills from 5 years ago and cringe a little? Yes. Of course I feel like I could do a much better job now but, hey my signs did the job.
Our ceremony was short and sweet. Our officiant’s playful and easygoing style was perfect for us (we’re not very serious people). It was also funny when Craig slightly mispronounced my middle name during the ceremony. He asked if he said it right, I said no, people laughed 😀
Next was a relaxed cocktail hour while we took some wedding party and family photos before sitting down for dinner.
Craig and I fell in love with this tent when we first visited the Brock House and knew we wanted it for our own wedding! The tent came adorned with lights and chandeliers and the Brock House supplied the chairs and tables so it was easy peasy for us!
We realized that our wedding date was the same as Monica and Chandler Bing’s (fictional) wedding date so I added some subtle F.R.I.E.N.D.S. references in our decor. If you zoom in really close to our menu, you’ll see what I mean!
I knew that the last thing I wanted during dinner was to be constantly interrupted by clinking glasses. I just want to eat my dinner, not kiss my husband lol! So I had the idea to make this spin wheel so guests had to “earn” a bride and groom kiss. Unfortunately it kept landing on “bride and groom kiss”!
A friend made us this delicious cake and I had the cake topper custom made (we got engaged in Disneyland).
Probably the biggest highlight of the night was our surprise choreographed first dance. Some of you might know that I am an experienced dance instructor but Craig is not a dancer. I decided 3 days before our wedding that I would teach him a first dance to “You Make Me Feel So Young” by Michael Bublé. Craig told me he couldn’t sleep the night before the wedding, not because he was nervous about getting married but because he kept running through the choreography in his head! He nailed it though 😀
xoxo Bev
Photography: Matt Kennedy Photography
Videographer: Lucky Ones Media
Venue & Catering: Brock House
Bride’s Dress: Lisa’s Bridal
Bridesmaid Dresses: David’s Bridal
Hair: La Bella Vita Salon
Makeup: Natalia Sirakov
Groom’s Outfit: Indochino
Groomsmen Outfit: Men’s Wearhouse, Black & Lee Tuxedo
Groomsmen Bow Ties & Suspenders: Melody of Cuteness Accessories
Groomswoman Dress: Tulle & Chantilly
Stationery: Shutterfly, Vistaprint
Flowers: Budget Blooms
Cake: Nicole Deguise
Cake Topper: Cake Toppers Studio
Jewellery: Icing, Call It Spring
Officiant: Linda Cohen
Musician: Shiki Numaguchi (violin)
Décor: Fort Langley Vintage Rentals, Bespoke Décor Rentals
First Dance Choreography: Bev Soh