Real Weddings: Patrick and Sarah

Sarah Patterson, co-founder of swimwear brand Nude Swim, first met NBA player Patrick Patterson at a Toronto party five years ago, when he was playing for the Raptors. She was attracted to his sense of humour and honesty, though neither of them were ready for a serious relationship at the time. Then, she moved to Europe for two years, and they lost touch. When Sarah returned to Toronto in 2017 to launch an aesthetics company, Patrick asked her out on a lunch date. He told her she was the one that got away, and he’d be waiting whenever she was ready to commit. He was transferred to Oklahoma shortly after, and she often flew out to see him.

Sarah grew up in Mississauga, and always dreamed of getting married in Casa Loma. “I loved the idea of getting married in a castle,” she says. “It’s like a fairytale.” Patrick proposed on a vacation to Turks and Caicos during the NBA’s All-Star week in February 2019. After the proposal, during a toast at their villa with some friends, Patrick dropped another surprise: he’d already booked Casa Loma for their wedding in August. Sarah enlisted Laura and Co. events to bring her dream vision to life—clean and modern with lots of florals. They flew in one of Patrick’s favourite singers, Anthony Hamilton, for the evening, invited 170 of their closest friends (including Kyle Lowry and Norman Powell) and ended the evening with a giant surprise fireworks show—the first ever at Casa Loma.

Cheat sheet:

Date: August 24, 2019 Planner: Ellie Martires of Laura and Co. Events
Photographer: 5ive15ifteen Photo Co. Videographer: Outside In Studio
Bride’s attire: Ines Di Santo Groom’s outfit: Bespoke Michael Andrews Hair and makeup: Pretty Me Makeup & Agnes T. Hair Caterer: Casa Loma Cake: Nadia & Co. Flowers: Rachel A. Clingen
Music: Sole Power Productions (DJ: Your Boy Brian; Artist: Anthony Hamilton) Invites: Paper & Poste Officiant: Pat LaBuick Photo Booth: Mir Mir Linens: Around the Table Rentals: Chairman Mills Chairs: Detailz Glass tables: Luxe Event Rental White carpet aisle runner: Reznick Carpets Transportation: Luxe Drive & Exclusive Limo Dancefloor vinyl: Event Graffiti Guests: 170

The couple started off the day at the Ritz-Carlton, where they got ready with their bridal parties:

Sarah wanted to wear something on the sexier side, and found a lacy fitted gown from Toronto designer Ines Di Santo:

They had their first look at the hotel, then made their way to Casa Loma together. Sarah wanted a formal event, with black-tie attire and no kids:

Before the ceremony, Sarah and her bridesmaids hung out in the bridal suite with champagne and appetizers. She got a long, dramatic train custom-made:

The courtyard was set up for welcome cocktails. According to their wedding video, former teammates Kyle Lowry and Norman Powell were in attendance:

The ceremony was held in the rotunda, with acrylic pillars holding up a floral canopy. Since Casa Loma is such a historic venue, they wanted to use lots of light-coloured florals and modern decor to make it seem bright and airy:

They each wrote their own vows. Sarah’s talked about their first date at BarChef, and Patrick thanked her for waking up early every day to make him a pre-workout breakfast:

The couple wanted to incorporate truffles into the menu, and ended up serving a lobster ravioli that was a huge hit:

The dance floor featured a custom decal:

They brought in one of Patrick’s favourite artists, Anthony Hamilton, to serenade the ceremony and dinner:

He sang “Point of it All” for their first dance:

After dinner, Patrick brought everyone outside to see the surprise fireworks show. Their planner, Ellie, had to pull some strings to make it happen, since fireworks aren’t typically allowed in a residential area. “I felt like I was at Disney World, with the castle in the background,” says Sarah.

Here are some more photos from the evening:

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