Real Weddings 2013: a summer camp-inspired wedding at the Royal Canadian Yacht Club
By Michelle Higgins, Bronwen Jervis, Sharon Monuk and Amanda Panacci | Photography by Mango Studios
Date: July 28, 2012 | Location: Royal Canadian Yacht Club | Guests: 123 | Budget: $60,000
Christine Farrugia, a 32-year-old corporate finance specialist, and Sean Davis, a 36-year-old businessman, met in 2008 at Camp Oochigeas in Muskoka, where they’d volunteered as counsellors for kids with cancer. Sparks ignited immediately, but Christine, a Toronto native, was finishing up her MBA at Stanford University and Sean lived in Whitby, so they kept in touch over Skype, phone and email. After six weeks of flirting, Christine decided she needed to see Sean face to face; he met her at the airport and they decided to pursue a long-distance relationship. Three years and thousands of frequent flier miles later, Sean dropped to one knee at the exact same spot where he first picked her up at Pearson. For their wedding, the couple wanted to recapture the fun of summer camp, so they settled on the Royal Canadian Yacht Club. Guests boarded the club’s boat and headed to the island, where they drank cocktails and lawn-bowled. “Once you get on the ferry you feel like you’re escaping to the country,” says Christine. For the reception, the pair chose vintage weather balloons over traditional flowers, and served Timbits instead of wedding cake.
192458 “I knew Christine was the one as soon as she walked out of the gate at Pearson Airport” —<em>Sean</em> (Image: Mango Studios) The Wedding Album | Sean & Christine The Wedding Album | Sean & Christine https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/real-weddings-royal-canadian-yacht-club-intro-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/real-weddings-royal-canadian-yacht-club-intro.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/real-weddings-royal-canadian-yacht-club-intro.jpg 656 416 [] https://torontolife.com/style/real-weddings-2013-sean-and-christine/slide/real-weddings-royal-canadian-yacht-club-intro/ real-weddings-royal-canadian-yacht-club-intro 0 0
(Image: Mango Studios)
192461 (Image: Mango Studios) The Wedding Album | Sean & Christine The Wedding Album | Sean & Christine https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/real-weddings-royal-canadian-yacht-club-01-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/real-weddings-royal-canadian-yacht-club-01.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/real-weddings-royal-canadian-yacht-club-01.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/style/real-weddings-2013-sean-and-christine/slide/real-weddings-royal-canadian-yacht-club-01/ real-weddings-royal-canadian-yacht-club-01 0 0
(Image: Mango Studios)
192462 The couple was married by Sean’s sister, Lindsey Faucette. “I didn’t want the officiant to be a stranger,” says Sean. “My sister is my best friend” (Image: Mango Studios) The Wedding Album | Sean & Christine The Wedding Album | Sean & Christine https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/real-weddings-royal-canadian-yacht-club-02-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/real-weddings-royal-canadian-yacht-club-02.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/real-weddings-royal-canadian-yacht-club-02.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/style/real-weddings-2013-sean-and-christine/slide/real-weddings-royal-canadian-yacht-club-02/ real-weddings-royal-canadian-yacht-club-02 0 0
(Image: Mango Studios)
192463 (Image: Mango Studios) The Wedding Album | Sean & Christine The Wedding Album | Sean & Christine https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/real-weddings-royal-canadian-yacht-club-03-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/real-weddings-royal-canadian-yacht-club-03.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/real-weddings-royal-canadian-yacht-club-03.jpg 416 624 [] https://torontolife.com/style/real-weddings-2013-sean-and-christine/slide/real-weddings-royal-canadian-yacht-club-03/ real-weddings-royal-canadian-yacht-club-03 0 0
(Image: Mango Studios)
192464 Guests posed with props and streamers at a photo booth during the reception (Image: Mango Studios) The Wedding Album | Sean & Christine The Wedding Album | Sean & Christine https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/real-weddings-royal-canadian-yacht-club-04-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/real-weddings-royal-canadian-yacht-club-04.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/real-weddings-royal-canadian-yacht-club-04.jpg 416 624 [] https://torontolife.com/style/real-weddings-2013-sean-and-christine/slide/real-weddings-royal-canadian-yacht-club-04/ real-weddings-royal-canadian-yacht-club-04 0 0
(Image: Mango Studios)
192465 Christine’s eight bridesmaids picked their own dresses from J.Crew. “I wanted everyone to be happy and comfortable,” she says<br />
(Image: Mango Studios) The Wedding Album | Sean & Christine The Wedding Album | Sean & Christine https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/real-weddings-royal-canadian-yacht-club-05-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/real-weddings-royal-canadian-yacht-club-05.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/real-weddings-royal-canadian-yacht-club-05.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/style/real-weddings-2013-sean-and-christine/slide/real-weddings-royal-canadian-yacht-club-05/ real-weddings-royal-canadian-yacht-club-05 0 0
(Image: Mango Studios)
192466 The RCYC provided lawn bowling instructors on-site to help guests master the greens (Image: Mango Studios) The Wedding Album | Sean & Christine The Wedding Album | Sean & Christine https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/real-weddings-royal-canadian-yacht-club-06-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/real-weddings-royal-canadian-yacht-club-06.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/real-weddings-royal-canadian-yacht-club-06.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/style/real-weddings-2013-sean-and-christine/slide/real-weddings-royal-canadian-yacht-club-06/ real-weddings-royal-canadian-yacht-club-06 0 0
(Image: Mango Studios)
192467 Instead of a guest book, they had guests fill out Mad Lib–style advice cards. They ended up with lots of raunchy jokes in addition to the requisite good wishes (Image: Mango Studios) The Wedding Album | Sean & Christine The Wedding Album | Sean & Christine https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/real-weddings-royal-canadian-yacht-club-07-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/real-weddings-royal-canadian-yacht-club-07.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/real-weddings-royal-canadian-yacht-club-07.jpg 416 624 [] https://torontolife.com/style/real-weddings-2013-sean-and-christine/slide/real-weddings-royal-canadian-yacht-club-07/ real-weddings-royal-canadian-yacht-club-07 0 0
(Image: Mango Studios)
192468 The sit-down dinner reception took place in the club’s ballroom. The colour scheme was an appropriate nautical blue and white with hot pink accents (Image: Mango Studios) The Wedding Album | Sean & Christine The Wedding Album | Sean & Christine https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/real-weddings-royal-canadian-yacht-club-08-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/real-weddings-royal-canadian-yacht-club-08.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/real-weddings-royal-canadian-yacht-club-08.jpg 416 624 [] https://torontolife.com/style/real-weddings-2013-sean-and-christine/slide/real-weddings-royal-canadian-yacht-club-08/ real-weddings-royal-canadian-yacht-club-08 0 0
(Image: Mango Studios)
192469 (Image: Mango Studios) The Wedding Album | Sean & Christine The Wedding Album | Sean & Christine https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/real-weddings-royal-canadian-yacht-club-09-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/real-weddings-royal-canadian-yacht-club-09.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/real-weddings-royal-canadian-yacht-club-09.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/style/real-weddings-2013-sean-and-christine/slide/real-weddings-royal-canadian-yacht-club-09/ real-weddings-royal-canadian-yacht-club-09 0 0
(Image: Mango Studios)
192474 <strong>PHOTOGRAPHY</strong><br /><br />
Mango Studios<br /><br /><br />
<strong>BRIDE'S DRESS</strong><br /><br />
Paloma Blanca<br /><br /><br />
<strong>GROOM'S ATTIRE</strong><br /><br />
Brooks Brothers<br /><br /><br />
<strong>VENUE AND CATERER</strong><br /><br />
Royal Canadian Yacht Club<br /><br /><br />
<strong>CAKE</strong><br /><br />
It's the icing on the Cake<br /><br /><br />
<strong>FLOWERS</strong><br /><br />
Floral Werx<br /><br /><br />
<strong>MUSIC</strong><br /><br />
DJ Smiley<br /><br /><br />
<strong>INVITATIONS</strong><br /><br />
Minted.com (Image: Mango Studios) The Wedding Album | Sean & Christine The Wedding Album | Sean & Christine https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/real-weddings-royal-canadian-yacht-club-10-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/real-weddings-royal-canadian-yacht-club-10.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/real-weddings-royal-canadian-yacht-club-10.jpg 416 624 [] https://torontolife.com/style/real-weddings-2013-sean-and-christine/slide/real-weddings-royal-canadian-yacht-club-10/ real-weddings-royal-canadian-yacht-club-10 0 0
(Image: Mango Studios)
Thats not a realistic budget that was spent on that wedding. RCYC requires a $50k min spend on food and bev… which would mean they had $10k to spend on photography, dress/suit, invitations, floral, decor, programs, etc. etc. etc… Let’s post what their actual spend was to put these real weddings into context. $60k is just not realistic for an RCYC affair.