Tell us a little about yourselves!
We’d been together for five years before we got engaged. Throughout our relationship we’ve made some incredible memories away from our home in Toronto. We’ve gone sailing in Croatia, hiked all over Vancouver Island and toured Sicily together. That’s why when we got engaged, we wanted to make sure our wedding day reflected some of the things that are most important to us, including having special friends attend from abroad.
I run my own interior design firm, LN Studio, and outside of his work in financial planning, Mike is an excellent cook. Our family loves when he spoils everyone by making fresh focaccia. So, having personal, well-designed touches and delicious food were both very important to us.
Why did you decide to get married where you did?
We were married at St. Basil’s Catholic Parish in downtown Toronto. We knew we wanted a religious ceremony, and the church’s historic beauty and architectural details made it the perfect place. Afterward, we invited our guests to an intimate dinner at Terroni Adelaide. Another historic venue, this one was an easy choice because we love their food and their staff made the planning process so seamless.
How many guests did you have?
130.
What was the most important aspect for you, in terms of planning your wedding?
It was really important to us to plan a day that would make us feel happy and relaxed throughout. Our aim on the day was to forget the planning, savour it and enjoy. It was also important that all of our guests had a good time and were treated to a memorable meal and drinks.
With respect to the photos, we wanted them to have more of an editorial feel. We also wanted plenty of candid shots. Our hope was that we could look back at the photos and see all of the best moments captured, without having to set aside time to stop and pose.
Tell us about your outfits.
My mom wore a hat on her wedding day, and so I always thought I’d wear one too. However, I couldn’t seem to find what I had in mind. I ended up reaching out to Karyn at Lilliput Hats, and together we created the elegant, timeless piece I had imagined. It took a few months and a few visits to the showroom to select fabrics and try it on, but it was such a fun process and I was thrilled with the result.
I really considered our venue when selecting my dress, and thought a dress that made a statement, but wasn’t too voluminous would be a perfect fit. Among my many accessories, my favourite was my engagement ring that Mike designed. He also had a custom suit made with the help of Vince at Atelier Munro.
Were there any elements that were important for you to incorporate?
Prior to the wedding, we really wanted to have time for our friends from out of town to mingle with our families. We chose to host our rehearsal dinner at a casual bar we love, Bar Volo. It was the perfect setting for our favourite people to spend time together. It set the tone for such a special weekend.
Since we were so drawn to St. Basil’s Church, we wanted to make sure to get plenty of photos of us inside. We decided to take time for an intimate photo shoot inside the church, after our ceremony. While planning, we didn’t realize how special it would be to share these first moments as newlyweds.
It was also very important to us to include a space to honour Mike’s late father on our wedding day. Hayley at Carmel Floral turned this idea into a reality, creating a beautiful vignette at Terroni that featured photos and florals.
Any tips for couples getting married?
When selecting vendors, consider not only the work but the people. You’ll be working closely with them, and so having people who are friendly and helpful to work with will make things go smoothly.
Are there any vendors that you would like to tell us a little more about?
We wholeheartedly love every vendor we worked with and would highly recommend them all. Our photographer, Melissa Sung, went above and beyond to help us organize the day itself. She took charge and invited people into shots, as well as floated around looking to capture candid moments. We couldn’t be happier with her work.
With very little direction, our florist Hayley from Carmel Floral created incredible tablescapes that resembled a dinner in the Italian countryside. She incorporated seasonal produce and a variety of unique flowers. Her work really elevated the space and brought our dreams to life. Without us knowing, she also used Lily of the Valley for the bouquets, which symbolize love, sincerity and happiness.
Photographer : Melissa Sung @_melissasung | Ceremony Location : St. Basil’s Catholic Parish at the
University of St. Michael's College | Reception Location : Terroni Adelaide | Flora : Carmel Floral @carmelfloral | Makeup : Neil Silverman @neilsilvermanbeauty | Hair : Studio M @studiom_hairdesign @studiom_hairdesign | Cake : Juicy Desserts @juicydesserts | Stationery : Designed by the Bride | Lara's Dress : Newhite @newhite_bridal from Loversland @loversland | Michele's Suit : Custom Atelier Munro @donvincenz | Lara's Hat : Lilliput Hats @lilliputhats | Lara's Headband : Aura Bridalwear @aura_bridalwear | Lara's Earrings : Vintage Noahnoahnoah @noahnoahnoah.shop | Lara's Shoes : Dior @dior | Michele's Shoes : Harry Rosen @harryroseninc