Seven Toronto couples share snapshots from the day they tied the knot By Denise Balkissoon
August 21, 2010
Amanda and Bryan
The Royal York
Amanda Martin and Bryan Soucie met in Grade 9 at their Sudbury high school and later went to prom together—but only as friends. They kept in touch while attending university in different cities. After graduation, he stayed in Toronto and she returned to Sudbury. When he showed up at a party in their hometown five years ago, Amanda realized he was boyfriend material. He became husband material by proposing at home on St. Patrick’s Day, 2009, placing the engagement ring on a chair, which Amanda promptly sat on, clueless. “She didn’t notice anything. I was sitting there just trying to clear my throat,” says Bryan. Amanda dove right into planning their 1930s-themed wedding. “I never really pictured myself getting married, until I started dating Bryan,” she says. “I wasn’t the type of person who had always fantasized about a wedding, but after he proposed, I was in planning mode 24/7. I loved it.”
Photographer: Joseph and Jaime Bride’s dress: White Groom’s attire: Hugo Boss Hair and makeup: Del Monaco Hair Studio Bridesmaid dresses: Ginger’s Closet Venue: Fairmont Royal York Caterer: Through venue Flowers: GLP Events Music: DJ Randy LeGendre of Third From the Sun Invitations: Maria Platusic Guests: 130 Cost: $40,000
May 1, 2010
Austin and Tommy
Art Gallery of Ontario
Austin Wong and Tommy Brown’s love for each other is rivalled only by their mutual love of Paris. It’s where Tommy, a 35-year-old financial marketing manager, proposed to Austin, who’s 39 and an entertainment lawyer. It was Thanksgiving weekend, two years into their relationship, and Tommy whisked Austin away on a surprise trip, then knelt on the banks of the Seine to ask for his hand. The ultra-romantic proposal was a far cry from their first date at Tequila Bookworm. Austin ordered waffles for dinner that night; Tommy was sick with a cold. “His voice was gravelly,” says Austin. “But I thought it was sexy.” At their wedding, the pair stood beneath the spirals of Frank Gehry’s wooden staircase at the Art Gallery of Ontario to say their vows, and a groomsman serenaded them with an acoustic rendition of “La Vie en Rose.” The Paris-themed reception was held in the gallery’s Baillie Court, a grand setting for three entertainment acts. Tiny Eiffel Towers adorned each table, and Moulin Rouge–costumed cancan dancers got the party started.
Photographer: Mango Studios Videographer: Samo Films Austin’s attire: Dolce and Gabbana suit, Gucci shoes, Louis Vuitton cufflinks, custom vest by Sheila Lam Tommy’s attire: Burberry suit, Gucci shoes, Paul Smith cufflinks, custom vest by Sheila Lam Hair and makeup: Blush Pretty Venue: Art Gallery of Ontario Caterer: Frank Cake: Wedding Cake Shoppe Flowers and decor: Weddingdecor.com Music: Hello DJ! Invitations: Yes, Absolutely Guests: 153 Cost: $75,000
August 28, 2010
Bromley and Matt
Algonquin Park
India, Chile, Argentina, Mexico, Guatemala, China—29-year-old Bromley Frey and 30-year-old Matt Henning have been many places together, but Algonquin Park is their favourite destination. Both grew up camping and cottaging in the area with their families. Eighteen months into their relationship, they bought their own cottage in northern Quebec. The couple first met under the mistletoe at a Christmas party, and discovered they had been students at Queen’s University at the same time, though they’d never met. After graduation, they both moved to Toronto and found jobs in real estate. Six years after that mistletoe meet-cute moment, Matt popped the question at home on a Tuesday night, as Bromley came in from walking their beagle, Roadie. “Matt had flowers and was down on one knee in the kitchen,” says Bromley. “I didn’t quite put it together. Then I saw the ring.” To them, a wedding in cottage country was the obvious next step. The camp where Bromley spent 14 summers didn’t hold weddings, so they ended up at Camp Tamakwa, on Tea Lake, with 100 of their friends and relatives bunking in cabins for the weekend.
Photography: Joseph and Jaime Bride’s dress: Nicole Miller Groom’s attire: Hugo Boss suit from Tom’s Place, shoes from Allen Edmonds Bridesmaid dresses: Vera Wang Venue: Camp Tamakwa, Tea Lake, Algonquin Park Caterer: Camp Tamakwa chef Guy Tetreault, formerly of Deerhurst Resort Cake: Mariposa Market, Orillia Flowers: Kay and Young Florist Music: Guitar player and singer Glenn Bladon during ceremony; YYZ Records DJ Invitations: Homemade with paper from the Japanese Paper Place Guests: 100 Cost: $25,000
July 31, 2010
Lindsay and Mark
Steam Whistle Brewery
Mark Forgrave and Lindsay Fauquier share a love for “anything on a board or a bike,” says Lindsay. Mark, a 32-year-old client manager at Hewlett-Packard, proposed to Lindsay, a 30-year-old associate manager with HBC, during a snowboarding vacation in Kelowna, B.C. “Lindsay broke her arm the next day,” Mark recalls. “Yes, the left one, with the engagement ring.” The couple met eight years ago at a friend’s birthday party; Lindsay then tracked down Mark’s e‑mail and asked him out. For their second date, they went rock climbing. When it came to planning their wedding, both wanted to keep it personal and relaxed. Lindsay enlisted friends to help her with the centrepieces and her hair and makeup, while Mark decorated the tables with lanterns made from soup cans that he painted and punched numbers in. Because the evening ceremony made post-vow photo time a bit tight, the couple broke with tradition and took most of their pictures before the nuptials. “The bridal party met up beforehand for a drink,” says Lindsay. “I liked it that way. You’re not so nervous and stunned walking into the ceremony.”
Photographer: Johnny Lam Bride’s dress: Sash and Bustle Groom’s attire: Hugo Boss suit from Harry Rosen, tie from The Bay Venue: Steam Whistle Brewery Caterer: En Ville Dessert: Homemade cupcakes baked by Lindsay’s mom Flowers: Wedding party florist, Quince; centrepieces by Lindsay and her bridal party Music: DJ from The In Crowd Invitations: Rasideas, through etsy.com Number of guests: 85 Cost: $30,000
July 10, 2010
Valery and Joel
Fort Erie
It’s not surprising that Valery Gore and Joel MacDonald went DIY for their midsummer nuptials. Joel, who is 31, works in production at a computer animation studio, and Valery, who is 28, is, in Joel’s words, a “rock star.” (She fronts an eponymous band and has toured with Buck 65 and Joel Plaskett.) The two met as teenagers in Fort Erie, and both moved to Toronto after high school. “I always saw him as a really hilarious and awesome friend to hang out with,” says Valery. After the two lost touch for a while, friends brought Joel to Valery’s final jazz recital at Humber College. The pair realized there could be something more, and started dating. “I was never super big on marriage,” says Joel, “but taking that step together felt right. Something clicked.” They wanted to hold their wedding in their hometown, but not in a hall or a church. When they noticed that a local house Valery had always admired was for rent, they moved their bridal party in for a week, and put together an eclectic, intimate celebration.
Photographer: Boyfriend/Girlfriend Bride’s dress: Bought on-line, altered in Toronto Makeup: Jessica Hall Groom’s attire: Zegna suit, tie from urbanoutfitters.com Bridesmaid dresses: J. Crew Venue: Rented house in Fort Erie, Ontario Caterer: Niagara Gourmet Dessert: Homemade cupcakes Flowers: Bouquets by Lush Floral and Events; centrepieces by Silver Leaf Designs Music: Personal playlists Invitations: Self-designed, printed at Paper Things Guests: 66 Cost: $14,000
June 5, 2010
Justiene and James
St. Paul’s Bloor Street
There were at least 400 students in the McMaster University auditorium where James Lindholm first spotted his future wife, Justiene Lal. “That is the hottest girl at Mac,” he said to his friends. Then he changed his mind. “That is the hottest girl I have ever seen!” Determined to meet her, James signed up for the same French seminar as Justiene, despite his lack of finesse with the language of love, and repeatedly disrupted the lesson to chat her up. “His French was horrific,” says Justiene with a laugh. But she thought he was cute, so she agreed to be his tutor. What followed was a decade-long relationship, during which the two moved to Dublin for med school and then to Winnipeg for their residencies. In the last six months, they opened a private family practice in Etobicoke, found a new condo in Yorkville and squeezed in a 430-person wedding—involving three outfit changes each—plus a second ceremony in India. “It’s crazy,” says Justiene. “But you only live once.”
Photography: Mango Studios Bride’s attire: Wedding dress, Amanda-Lina’s; pink lengha, Raja Fashions; sari, Asiyans Hair: Tania Thomas Makeup: MAC Groom’s attire: White tuxedo, Syd Silver; black tuxedo, Ted Baker; sherwani, Raja Fashions Bridesmaid attire: Raja Fashions Venue: Ceremony, St. Paul’s Bloor Street; reception, Verdi Caterer: Through venue Cake: Cakes by Design Shanti Flowers: Flower Accents Music: DJ Mistry Invitations: Parekh Cards in India Guests: 430 Cost: $132,000
June 13, 201
Jen and Daniel
Palais Royale
“Our relationship has always been whimsical and electric,” says Jen Kluger of her two years with Daniel Ger, a 30‑year-old real estate developer. Knowing that Jen, a 31-year-old co‑owner of Foxy Originals Jewellery, liked the kitschy romance of carnivals, Dan proposed to her on the ferris wheel at the Ex, arranging ahead of time to have the ride stop when the couple had reached the top. They kept to the theme at their Palais Royale wedding, mixing silly carny nostalgia—cotton candy instead of a wedding cake—with heartfelt tradition. Jen and her female relatives embroidered the chuppah with 200 leaves, a tree, birds, and the Song of Solomon phrase “I am my beloved’s and my beloved is mine,” in Hebrew and English. During the reception, Dan surprised Jen with a live performance of the Freddy Cannon song “Palisades Park,” about falling in love at a carnival. (Sample lyric: “You’ll never know how great a kiss can feel when you stop at the top of the ferris wheel.”) “He and his buddies had been secretly rehearsing for weeks,” says Jen. “It’s my favourite wedding memory—everybody rushed to the dance floor, squealing. It felt like a rock concert.”
Photography: Mango Studios Bride’s dress: Becker’s Bridal Hair: Alexis Jardin Makeup: Janine Falcon Groom’s attire: Suit by Tiger of Sweden, bow tie from Harry Rosen, cufflinks and tie pin by Foxy Originals Bridesmaid dresses: Love by Enzoani Venue: Palais Royale Caterer: Through venue Flowers: Celebrationz Music: Urban Groove Dessert: Cupcakes and carnival snacks, including cotton candy Invitations: Toolbox Strategies Guests: 230 Cost: Undisclosed
I was fortunate enough to be at this wedding and it was amazing! Austin amd Tom are such a fabulous couple and every element of the day reflected that- from the Chinese dragon dance to the tiny Effel tower place cards. They clearly put a lot of work into this wedding but on the day of everything seemed smooth and effortless and it was a pleasure to be there. Thanks gentlemen for a fabulous evening:)