Early last summer, long before the news of a 'royal announcement' was confirmed by the Royal House of Windsor, I was sitting at my desk with Carolyn Clark (our National Sales & Marketing Manager - who btw is Managing Editor while I am on maternity leave as of ANY DAY NOW...). We were trying to think of the next theme for the upcoming issue.
We had both heard countless media reports speculating that a shiny new diamond engagement ring was very imminent for a beautiful British girl named Miss Kate Middleton. :) We are both fervent royalists thanks to having grown up with Grandmothers and families that have immigrated to Canada from Britain. So, we took a big 'ole fashion gamble and set upon making an "Inspired by Royalty" themed issue which we planned would land on newsstands in Dec of 2010. We crossed our fingers that the media was right and waited with baited breath for William to pop the question. Over the summer, we presented the concept to our contributors in Vancouver and Toronto and came up with a series of photoshoots that were all variations on the royal theme. We planned photoshoots like Lady Grey, Marie Antoinette, Queen Anne's Lace,Crown Jewels, Your Grace, etc.
The entire time, I held my breath and waited for the announcement to come. Yet, in late October, the magazine went on press and still nothing. No big announcement. No royal engagement. I felt like the concept wouldn't make sense to our readers.
The magazines were boxed and shipping out to the stands when I woke up one morning in November to my husband smiling from ear to ear. "Guess who popped the question?!!!!!!!!" he said with a big grin on his face, as he handed me the remote control to the TV. As is our daily routine, I quickly turned on the Today Show as Matt and Meredith delivered the great news. It was official! There was a royal wedding officially confirmed!
Within the following two weeks, the "Inspired by Royalty" issue of WedLuxe hit newsstands across Canada. Oh, how I love it when a plan comes together! ;)
One of the features we shot in Toronto was "Lady Grey." The concept was given to Cynthia Martyn - one of Toronto's most well-known wedding planners (who also specializes in styling services for her clients). Cynthia is also the owner of Sash & Bustle boutique. We asked Cynthia to stylize and produce a decor/floral/style shoot around the title of Lady Grey working with a colour palette of grey, pinks and soft corals. We also requested the feel of British aristocratic elegance. :)
The results were beyond my wildest imagination!!! When Cynthia showed us her ideas and gameplan and then brought the whole thing to life on set, the results were S T U N N I N G.
The talented duo of Krista Fox and Melanie Galbrand of Verve Photo Co. captured the shoot at Graydon Hall (which incidentally, feels like a piece of Georgian England in Toronto) on a sunny Sept afternoon. These two ladies are a dynamic duo who shoot weddings in the same clean, crisp and gorgeous editorial style that you can see stylistically in their images from the shoot. Not to mention, they're both SUPER nice! :) You can see the layout of the story as it appeared in the print version of WedLuxe by visiting the features gallery, here.But, below are just SOME of the additional images captured that afternoon. Without further ado, I give you "Lady Grey."
I'm so excited to share with you the dreamy video from the beautiful Alice in Wonderland themed wedding of Phikyin and Sherman (as posted below). The video was filmed and produced by Cloud Nine Creative Inc. (publishers of WedLuxe). Contact Bruce Patterson at firstname.lastname@example.org or 866 464 3545 to inquire about having your own wedding or event captured cinematically. :)
Sherman and Phikyin first met at a party in Kuala Lumpur where Phikyin was living and the groom was visiting family. From there, they exchanged contacts and started a long distance relationship between Kuala Lumpur and Vancouver which lasted for over five years before their wedding.
The groom nervously proposed during a vacation in Paris, in the gardens in front of the Louvre. Phikyin thought Sherman was joking and said, "No ring, no talk.” With that he pulled out the ring, she said yes and the rest was history!
The couple was married on August 8, 2010 at Vancouver’s beautiful Van Dusen Gardens. Sarah Shore of Dreamgroup Productions worked with the couple to create the whimsical Alice in Wonderland themed soirée.
Phikyin wore a Vera Wang gown she purchased in Singapore. The ivory lace gown was accented with a blush pink belt. During the ceremony she wore a Vera Wang veil in her hair, but later switched to a Jennifer Behr diamanté clip for the reception. Her floral diamond earrings were ‘something borrowed’ from her mother.
Sherman wore a grey Calvin Klein tuxedo from The Tux Store.
The bridesmaids dresses were designed by the bride (and bridesmaids) in three shades of peach, in three different designs. They were made by the Mother of the Bride’s tailor in Malaysia.
The couple wanted to embrace the beauty of the gardens and worked with Suzane Lee of Granville Island Florist to bring their garden vision to life.
The outdoor ceremony was peaceful and reflective. “We requested our guests not to take photos and videos during the ceremony so it was a peaceful and beautiful moment because we got to fully concentrate on the ceremony and on each other and why we were getting married and having the wedding in the first place,” Phikyin recalls. A string quartet and a harpist from Musical Occasions played before and during the ceremony.
alice in wonderland
After the couple exchanged ‘I Do’s,’ the ‘Alice and Wonderland’ themed afternoon tea took place in the garden. Guests enjoying playing with the life-size chess board, croquet set, and bocce ball games before the dinner. Other activities included frisby and horseshoes. The theme played itself out in elements throughout the day with desserts iced with “eat me,” and tea cups placed in and amongst the brightly coloured floral in the lounge tent.
Stationery and design elements played a big role in the wedding day. “We used the design from the letterpress invitations, in peach and baby blue with garden elements in as many items as possible,” recalls Phikyin. Sherman and his groomsmen created custom wooden road signs and garden direction signs to match the menus, table numbers, place cards, program book, seating chart, backdrop for their photobooth, vinyl for the bar, food labels, and wish cards for the wishing tree which were all created by Grapevine.
Two tents provided by Apex Tents were set up on the garden lawn. One was for dining and the other was for lounging and dancing.
Upright Decor transformed the tent using sheer white fabric and an oversized crystal chandelier which hung from the centre. Round tables draped in crisp white linen were surrounded by gold Chiavari chairs. Atop every table sat either a tall glass vase or a low crystal bowl filled with pink and white hydrangea, peach and pink ranunculus and peach rosebuds.
The guests wandered over to the second tent after dinner where the couple danced their first dance together, and Sherman’s college friend, DJ Splyce from LA, got everyone on to the dance floor.
The day was captured on film by Bruce Patterson of Cloud Nine Creative. Patterson created a highlights trailer of the wedding day that was projected in Hong Kong a few weeks later at the couple’s second reception.
The couple honeymooned in seven locations starting in Lima, Peru, on to Cuzco, Machu Picchu, Ecuador, Galapagos, Mexico City, and ending in Los Cabos. ♦
About the Photographer Stephanie Williams Photography is a husband + wife photography team inspired by love and life. “We're a wedding and fashion photography studio in Southern California, documenting weddings locally and worldwide. We strive to capture the complete story of every wedding we photograph and infuse a bit of fashion - inspired portraiture into our photojournalistic coverage. What we love most about our work is capturing the love and connection between couples and their friends and family!” Visit stephaniewilliamsphotography.com
For Phikyin & Sherman's full vendor list and more images click here
long distance love
Tana and Toby have known each other since the eighth grade but they didn’t become a couple until after high-school graduation. After seven years together, Toby moved back to Hong Kong with his family. The couple started a long distance relationship and didn’t see each other for over a year. The proposal happened during a visit to Hong Kong in the Hong Kong airport.
Their wedding ceremony took place on June 5, 2010 on the back portico of Vancouver’s picturesque Hycroft.
Tana wore a strapless silk Vera Wang gown with a tulle overlay and ivory sash which was purchased at Blush Bridal. She paired the gown with white and crystal Christian Louboutin heels.
Her gold jewelry, necklaces, bangles, bracelets, and earrings were all given as gifts to Tana from family during the traditional Chinese tea ceremony held earlier in the day at her mother’s house. The pearl and diamond pendant was a wedding present from her best friend and bridesmaid Lily, who flew in from Hong Kong for the occasion.
Thousands of white and pink rose petals lined the aisle leading to the altar. On either side of the altar sat a tall white pillar with a glass cylinder vase. On top of each vase was an oversized floral ball made up of white hydrangea, soft pink and ivory peonies and roses in shades of lilac and pink. Ropes of the same blossoms were lined along the white chairs lining the aisle.
The reception took place at the Imperial Chinese Restaurant where Upright Decor transformed the location into a pink and white oasis. At the centre of every table was a silver bowl filled with soft pink roses, full white hydrangea and ivory and pink peonies. Large stands of luxe floral arrangements were placed between each window frame. The chairs were covered in a white satin and had a rope of peonies hanging down the back from the centre knot. A raspberry marshmallow from Butter Baked Goods sat at each place setting wrapped in a cellophane bag with a custom label.
delicious ending The cake by Ganache Patisserie had two flavours, guava exotique and blanc fraisier. Peter took inspiration from Tana’s bouquet for the design of the cake. He matched the cameo on the cake to the one she carried down the aisle and topped it with a gardenia.
About the Photographer Hong Photography; Hong Photography Studio; Ellen is an international photographer who runs a boutique style photography studio based in Vancouver, BC. With the background of art, fashion and web design, Ellen incorporates her innate sense of design in her photography and gives you something chic, fresh and haute couture. Visit hong-photography.com or email email@example.com
For Tana & Toby's full vendor list and more images click here