Elegant Covid Tent Wedding with Peaches and Blues
Nicole and Colin’s backyard tent wedding was a really special one for me, because it was my first “full” wedding post-Covid. They were originally planning for 250+ guests at a large venue, but they were not interested in postponing. One month beforehand, they cut the guest list to about 35 people, and changed the plans to host both the ceremony and reception in Colin’s parents’ backyard in La Broquerie.
Nicole gave me total flexibility with the flowers, and basically just told me to surprise her. I decided on a palette of warm neutrals and was then surprised when I walked into the cooler at the wholesaler that week and found some eye-catching peach tones that I wanted to use — and I think they worked perfectly!
2020 has been a weird year for weddings, and sometimes it seems like it’s not even worth talking about anymore. That’s exactly why I’m starting this blog series, because I want to celebrate our “Covid weddings” and, at the same time, inspire you with ideas on how you can make sure that Covid-19 doesn’t define your wedding!
This is the 5th instalment of the Covid Weddings series, and today I’m sharing a backyard wedding at the family home in La Broquerie.
NICOLE AND COLIN ~ JULY 4, 2020
Photos by Janice Wiebe Photography
Nicole and Colin’s backyard tent wedding was a really special one for me, because it was my first “full” wedding post-Covid. They were originally planning for 250+ guests at a large venue, but they were not interested in postponing. One month beforehand, they cut the guest list to about 35 people, and changed the plans to host both the ceremony and reception in Colin’s parents’ backyard in La Broquerie.
Nicole gave me total flexibility with the flowers, and basically just told me to surprise her. I decided on a palette of warm neutrals and was then surprised when I walked into the cooler at the wholesaler that week and found some eye-catching peach tones that I wanted to use — and I think they worked perfectly!
It’s a good thing momma was around, because she fixed the placement of that boutonniere 😂 For the record, boutonnieres are affixed to the lapel on the left side of your chest, and you shouldn’t see any pins once it’s pinned in properly. Traditionally, you wear either a boutonniere OR a pocket square, and not both.
Bridal Bouquet Ingredients: Sahara roses, beige/peach carnations, anemones, butterfly ranunculus, forget me nots, larkspur, bunny tail, and various eucalyptus foliages. I loved the way this bouquet was on the smaller side but still felt like it was spilling over.
Nicole’s dad made the arch, and I tossed around a few ideas for florals, including a heavy floral piece for the arch, or taller pedestal arrangements, some ground based florals, and in the end I decided on a slightly lighter application on the arch itself, with large arrangements on pedestals at the start of the aisle. I tucked a few extra peonies and larkspur stems into galvanized buckets near the pedestals and welcome sign.
You’d really have thought that this was the Plan A, considering how perfectly everything fit. This flagstone patio was ideal for the wedding ceremony, especially with the way the landscaping gives privacy. Going heavier on the florals with multiple pieces brings a sense of purpose to the space, too, which I think is really nice especially for a smaller wedding. I also just LOVE these cross-back chairs from Planned Perfectly. They’re so versatile and can go with a number of different styles.
The soft blue textured linen that Nicole chose from Planned Perfectly is one of my faves, and it pairs so well with those chairs, doesn’t it?
I chose to design 2 centrepiece styles for Nicole, but I wasn’t entirely sure what the floor plan was going to be in the tent or how much space we’d have.
This is one of those incidences where giving your vendors trust and flexibility ends up being the best — because Nicole had told me to do whatever I thought was best, I could change up the plan on the fly. Originally, I was going to place one large arrangement on each table, and flank them with stem vases. But, the guest tables were REALLY narrow (which isn’t terribly uncommon with banquet tables), but some of the tables were set for 4 people and some were for 6 people. The tables set for 4 were a little roomier, so I chose to place the larger floral arrangements there, and then I lined the centre of the 6 person tables with stem vases. The rest of the larger floral arrangements were placed on the U-shaped head table, along with a few extra stem vases, and the numbers were worked out perfectly — almost like we planned it 😉 The tall white candleholders are from Planned Perfectly!
Our original plans were to have a 275 person wedding at The Gates on Roblin. Due to uncertainties in May with gathering sizes, we chose to move our 50% deposit with them to a new date next year to celebrate our 1 year anniversary with family and friends (fingers crossed MB is still in the clear by then).
One month ago, we decided to shift everything over to my in-laws backyard outside of Winnipeg. We had to reduce our guest list to only parents, siblings, god parents, the wedding party and 4 friends. We had 27 people attend and it was still the best day of our lives. Seriously—you will not regret keeping your day.. at the end of the day, it’s all about the marriage, not the wedding.
My heart is with all of the couples that are juggling with the decision on whether they should move forward or not, but just know that whatever you choose is completely validated and nobody else’s business. We’re living through unprecedented times and all opinions outside of yours are just noise! Enjoy your relationship as a couple and know that everything will work itself out.
Janice wiebe photography ~ JP Media Works ~ Planned Perfectly ~ C&T Rentals ~ Tentation Tent Rentals ~ Chantal’s bridal ~ moore’s ~ Jeanna Lee Artistry
Need more Covid-style intimate wedding inspiration?
Check out this Birds Hill Park elopement (they’re planning their reception for 2021!), and this backyard Jewish wedding ceremony and dinner!
If you're planning a small tent wedding and need help figuring out your seating arrangements, don't miss this casual al fresco tent wedding with great ideas for socially distanced seating!
LOOKING FOR A WEDDING FLORAL AND EVENT DESIGNER IN WINNIPEG?
2021 wedding dates are limited and my 2022 wait list is now started! Flowers are the best way to make a statement at your wedding. Whether you already have a specific vision or want me to dream up something custom just for you, reach out to Stone House Creative for stunning bridal bouquets, truly unique ceremony backdrops, and beautiful floral centrepieces to create the perfect ambiance for your wedding!
Colourful Summer Covid Wedding on the Farm
2020 has been a weird year for weddings, and sometimes it seems like it’s not even worth talking about anymore. That’s exactly why I’m starting this blog series, because I want to celebrate our “Covid weddings” and, at the same time, inspire you with ideas on how you can make sure that Covid-19 doesn’t define your wedding!
This is the 4th instalment of the Covid Weddings series, and it’s extra special because the bride is my second cousin / lifelong best friend!
2020 has been a weird year for weddings, and sometimes it seems like it’s not even worth talking about anymore. That’s exactly why I’m starting this blog series, because I want to celebrate our “Covid weddings” and, at the same time, inspire you with ideas on how you can make sure that Covid-19 doesn’t define your wedding!
This is the 4th instalment of the Covid Weddings series, and it’s extra special because the bride is my second cousin / lifelong best friend!
ROBERTA & FERNANDO ~ AUGUST 7, 2020
Photos by Esther Funk Photography
We made the official decision June 1 but knew probably mid May and discussed alternatives prior to making the decision. So when we made the decision all it took was drafting the email we sent out and sending it out.
Our decision was to go ahead with the ceremony, and postpone the reception to whenever the borders opened. Our ceremony consisted of my immediate family (unfortunately Fer's family could not attend being from out of the country), the girls who would be in my wedding party, and Fernando's groomsman and wife. We had 15 people total, then had a delicious meal.
Now I’m not going to share TOO many of the details of this wedding today, because I am going to basically cover my blog with them all winter long lol. I did both floral and event design, so I have a LOT to tell you. Basically, all you need to know for now is that Roberta and Fernando both love colour and we took that very seriously.
I realized that the change took a lot of pressure off me, because despite loving planning events and parties and things, I hate being the centre of attention (I'm a choir director...I am in the middle of everything but people look right past me!) Fernando always wanted to have a small wedding but was having a big wedding for me. Planning was now a lot of fun because things that were too expensive if you had to order 150 of, were now very affordable when you only need 15! So I could splurge on fun things like fancy cutlery and funky seating options.
When we made the decision to replan, we were strict in our list and although there were quite a few people who would have most likely been "number 16, 17 or 32, 33" we drew the line and people understood.
Our wedding was fantastic. My family surprised us with a fireworks show at the end of the evening. I grew up in a very close-knit rural community and my dad invited the neighbours in our community to the fireworks show. As we were walking down the gravel road people would roll down their windows and say congratulations, but being dark outside, I couldn't tell who was out there, but it still meant soooooo much to see all these neighbours come out for the fireworks. The weather was absolutely beautiful, and it was so so nice to be with such a close group. The food was delicious, and we could create our own menu with Chew. They were so fantastic to deal with throughout the entire process too!
It was a beautiful day but there are parts I wish I had the other way too.
- I wish Fernando's family was with us. That was the hardest part of the day for me. We Facetimed them throughout the day at various points, but wish we could have them with us in person. That's when Covid sucks the most. The summer before we visited his family in Mexico, and Fer's mom asked "If you get married, can I be invited?” I was shocked and replied "OF COURSE YOU WILL BE THERE. WE WON'T HAVE THIS DAY WITHOUT YOU!" But then Covid changed that.
- I wish I had my choir there. I am one of those girls who has dreamed of the wedding day for years...and years...and years....and years..... I had planned things for a lifetime, one of which was walking down the aisle to a choir (made of my students and the people I sing with on a regular basis) singing the song "The Ground" by Ola Gjielo. Instead, my brother played Harvest Moon on acoustic guitar. It was beautiful. He sounded fantastic. I am glad I am part of such a musical family.
- I knew many people were celebrating with us that day even though they were not there. Some of my closest lifetime friends sent many messages, snapchats, and sweet videos. I wish they were there. Some family members "drove by" the day of and ended up pulling in and having cake with us. I wish they could have spent the entire day with us. But in actuality I realize I probably wouldn't have seen them much during the day anyways. I honestly don't understand how a wedding of 150+ could do it. I felt the day was crazy and I didn't see the 15 people who were there celebrating with us.
I am so glad we still made our wedding feel like a wedding. In reality, we might not have a party later. We know that the border might not open for a while, and who knows if we will still feel like having the big party when the border opens (but let's be real, I will wear my dress again WHENEVER I get the chance). But if we don't get the chance to have the party, I don't feel like my wedding was a "mock wedding" — our wedding felt like a wedding.
Here’s my best advice: Do what works best for you. If you want to go ahead with the wedding, do it! If you want to postpone, do it! Know where you are comfortable with Covid things, and allow that to guide your decisions. Follow the guidelines of the province (or your local authorities), but then make decisions based on your comfort level. People may judge you for having a 50 person wedding, but if you follow Covid guidelines, and everything is allowed that you are doing, enjoy the day!
Some of your guests may not feel safe attending and that is on them, not you. It is not your fault if someone chooses not to attend your special day, and you should not let that burden you. If you are not comfortable in big group settings these days, or work in a high risk environment, then know that everyone will hug you that day and plan accordingly (I loved getting every hug I got that day!). But try not to focus on Covid all day. Be smart and safe, but still enjoy your wedding. Don't let other's Covid intensity drive every decision you make.
One of things I really enjoyed was intentionally planning the day, and making it feel special with little things like the flowers, getting your hair and makeup done. Especially if your day has had to change a lot, you can still make the day very special.
Finally, know that people understand. It is tough to cut the list, but everyone's life has been affected.
Esther Funk Photography ~ Essense of Australia ~ Bliss Bridal Boutique ~ BHLDN ~ RW & Co ~ Stone House Creative ~ The Blushing Blonde ~ Justine Barry Artistry ~ Planned Perfectly ~ C&T Rentals ~ Trend Decor ~ Chew
LOOKING FOR A WEDDING FLORAL AND EVENT DESIGNER IN WINNIPEG?
2021 wedding dates are limited and my 2022 wait list is now started! Flowers are the best way to make a statement at your wedding. Whether you already have a specific vision or want me to dream up something custom just for you, reach out to Stone House Creative for stunning bridal bouquets, truly unique ceremony backdrops, and beautiful floral centrepieces to create the perfect ambiance for your wedding!
Casual Al Fresco Wedding during Covid
2020 has been a weird year for weddings, and sometimes it seems like it’s not even worth talking about anymore. That’s exactly why I’m starting this blog series, because I want to celebrate our “Covid weddings” and, at the same time, inspire you with ideas on how you can make sure that Covid-19 doesn’t define your wedding!
This is the third instalment of the Covid Weddings series, and we’re flashing back to yet another super hot backyard wedding in St Clements. Read on for my reflections of their casual al fresco wedding and details from the bride herself!
2020 has been a weird year for weddings, and sometimes it seems like it’s not even worth talking about anymore. That’s exactly why I’m starting this blog series, because I want to celebrate our “Covid weddings” and, at the same time, inspire you with ideas on how you can make sure that Covid-19 doesn’t define your wedding!
This is the third instalment of the Covid Weddings series, and we’re flashing back to yet another super hot backyard wedding in St Clements. Read on for my reflections of their casual al fresco wedding and details from the bride herself!
MARGEAUX AND RYAN ~ JULY 25, 2020
Photos by Krista Hawryluk Photography
“For us, it was important to get married in 2020 as we had already been engaged for 18 months. We knew if we postponed to 2021 we would have decided not to have a reception at all and perhaps elope at a later date (not a desirable outcome — I just didn't see us waiting a whole other year for a party). Instead, we pushed the date up from the beginning of September to the end of July. Our wonderful wedding planner advised us to do so, to help ensure that the weather was nicer into the evening hours as another big plan change was moving the wedding to be an outdoor tent wedding instead of a predominantly indoor wedding at our prior wedding venue.
We got married and had the reception at my sister-in-law's property and reduced the guest count from about 140 to 55. The reduction in guests was two-fold 1) to adhere with the ever-changing gathering size regulations that seemed to be a moving target up until the wedding date, and 2) a lot of our original guest list was made up of out-of-towners who, because of Manitoba COVID regulations at the time, couldn't visit the province regardless.
Margeaux came to me with just a couple of inspiration photos (along with a full design board created by her planner, Alli Mae Events) and she really loved the bleached foliage look and dried flowers. I knew that toffee roses would be the perfect bit of warm colour for her, and while she didn’t want a lot of greenery, I was excited when she liked my idea to incorporate some cool toned foliage.
Bridal bouquet ingredients: toffee roses, dried and fresh ranunculus, strawflower, lisianthus, amaranthus, knifeblade acacia foliage, copper tinted plumosa, and bleached ruscus, ferns, and bunny tails.
We planned a few things to make our guests feel more comfortable and follow social distancing guidelines including, having hand sanitizer vials for each guest on all tables as a practical wedding favour, having a portable hand washing station for guests to wash with clean water and soap, reconfiguring the dinner table layout with only small tables that would fit the guests’ immediate bubble (no more than 4 people at each table) and each table was spaced out.
The plan was always to keep the wedding party’s florals simple — the girls were originally going to carry just a single rose! So it wasn’t a hard decision to cut those out with the Covid re-plans. We were very grateful for Alli (pictured below), the bride’s sister AND the woman behind Alli Mae Events! She led us all through the replan with grace and enthusiasm.
Margeaux and Ryan had a specific floral budget and they wanted to keep as close to that number as possible. Alli Mae Events wisely advised them to put the focus on Margeaux’s bouquet and on the ceremony installation, and keep the rest simple. We were able to keep the plan for the ceremony florals intact from the original wedding to the covid wedding, and I was so glad because I loved our plan!
I designed a ground-based semi-circle nest incorporating a lot of dried florals, bleached foliages, foraged items, and of course, toffee roses! I wanted it to be highly textural, warm, and unique.
This was made of 4 separate pieces, which were re-purposed to various reception spots.
The hardest decision to move forward with a wedding in 2020 was knowing that we wouldn't be able to have all of our out of town friends and family. I have a lot of out of town friends that I am very close with, and it was hard to make the decision that they wouldn't be able to celebrate with us. Once I got over that part, everything else came together and was just as beautiful and special as I could have ever imagined.
Luckily we were able to maintain all of our wedding vendors (everyone was available on that date) except our venue, so all the other planning elements (flowers, food, etc.) were exactly as we had originally discussed. In transitioning the plan, some things were easier and felt more casual and more "us," but there were also some aspects that made it more challenging. In moving to a backyard wedding, our family, bridal party and ourselves had a lot more setup work to do. We ran all over the city picking up equipment, tables and chairs, then dropping off all the rentals afterwards. It definitely felt like we had to "work" for the wedding day which wasn't exactly the most romantic thing.
The tent was actually situated in the front yard of the property, with the walls open and cocktail sized tables spaced 6 feet apart throughout. I thought this was such a great idea for seating — rather than renting the usual 8 person tables, they specifically designed the seating arrangements around family groupings and guests’s “bubbles.” Each table had just 2-4 seats at it.
We alternated the table centrepieces between a simple candle design and petite floral arrangements in the pottery bud vases I have in my rental inventory. I really like the mahogany folding chairs they chose — they’re both cost-effective and really clean lined, so they’re easy to design with without being a super boring white chair. They upgraded the place setting details with the Contessa plates and copper flatware from C&T Rentals.
The ceremony pieces were positioned around the cocktail area, marking the bases of the lighting poles, along with one piece marking the sweetheart table.
I had to include one photo of me working on that ceremony piece — sweaty as all get-out and showing a little too much bra. Sorry about that 😉
A word of advice for other couples up against COVID: just do it! Those who can't make your wedding will be supportive of your decision. No one knows what the future holds, so you have to do what's right for you in this moment. Make a list of your top 50 guests (I know, it's hard) and plan a predominantly outdoor ceremony if you want to have more than 10 guests. Don't compromise on anything else — have the food, flowers, dress and photographer that you've always wanted because it's still your special day regardless of the number of people physically present. Take time as a couple after the wedding, even if it's just a staycation and Netflix marathon, to stay present and celebrate your new marriage.
We had the best day. We absolutely loved our wedding, and looking back, I am so happy we had a more intimate celebration. It felt good being able to talk to every guest and spend time with everyone at the wedding.
Krista Hawryluk Photography ~ Allie Mae Events ~ Stone House Creative ~ C&T Rentals ~ Springfield Tent Rentals ~ Gotta Go ~ Chew ~ Something Borrowed ~ Pearl & Birch ~ Moores ~ Hair by Nadine ~ Mesmereyez’d Makeup
Need more Covid-style intimate wedding inspiration?
Check out this Birds Hill Park elopement (they’re planning their reception for 2021!), and this backyard Jewish wedding ceremony and dinner!.
LOOKING FOR A WEDDING FLORAL AND EVENT DESIGNER IN WINNIPEG?
2021 wedding dates are limited! Flowers are the best way to make a statement at your wedding. Whether you already have a specific vision or want me to dream up something custom just for you, reach out to Stone House Creative for stunning bridal bouquets, truly unique ceremony backdrops, and beautiful floral centrepieces to create the perfect ambiance for your wedding!
Cheerful Backyard Jewish Wedding during Covid
2020 has been a weird year for weddings, and sometimes it seems like it’s not even worth talking about anymore. That’s exactly why I’m starting this blog series, because I want to celebrate our “Covid weddings” and, at the same time, inspire you with ideas on how you can make sure that Covid-19 doesn’t define your wedding!
This is the second instalment of the Covid Weddings series, and we’re flashing back to one of the hottest days of my life setting up this cheerful backyard Jewish wedding. Read on for my reflections of the day and details from the bride herself!
2020 has been a weird year for weddings, and sometimes it seems like it’s not even worth talking about anymore. That’s exactly why I’m starting this blog series, because I want to celebrate our “Covid weddings” and, at the same time, inspire you with ideas on how you can make sure that Covid-19 doesn’t define your wedding!
This is the second instalment of the Covid Weddings series, and we’re flashing back to one of the hottest days of my life setting up this cheerful backyard Jewish wedding. Read on for my reflections of the day and details from the bride herself!
Lainie and Daniel ~ June 28, 2020
Photos by Kamp Photography
At the onset of the pandemic, we (I) felt heartbroken and did not know what to do. Should we postpone our celebration or proceed with something very different than we had originally planned and envisioned? At the time, choosing to proceed in a smaller fashion seemed like the worst decision. However, after proceeding with our wedding on our original date, I don’t know how we ever could have chosen to postpone.
Our original guest list included guests from all over the world and consisted of over 250 people, thus we had to cut back our guests considerably. As both of us come from larger families and close-knit groups of friends this proved to be a significant challenge. Inevitably, we chose to host an intimate ceremony with our immediate families, grandmothers, and aunts and uncles.
We are currently still planning to host a larger celebration next year and hope to be able to invite all or most of our original guest list; only time will tell what this event will look like. But what this pandemic has really taught us is that we can’t control everything and to just let go and enjoy what we can.
I planned the wedding entirely myself, and I truthfully found it very challenging to be inspired for the intimate affair. Lauren was amazing in providing constant support and was always there as I navigated through the re-planning process, finalizing all details less than two weeks before the big day (sorry)!
I originally had an amazing vision for the big affair – that we still hope to incorporate into our plans for next spring – but I could not be inspired by the Garden Theme for the covid wedding.
At that time, Lauren suggested having fun with it and planning something totally different, and to make the best out of a tough situation. Lauren suggested a few blogs for me to research and after reading through a few of them, the lightbulb went off!!
In the end, we planned a completely different affair – we chose to host a beautiful Modern Garden Party in my parents’ backyard, at the home I grew up in. This consisted of an intimate ceremony that incorporated stories of our childhood and reminiscing about family members who shaped the people we became. Our wedding featured brighter colours than I would have originally chosen and now wish I had incorporated even brighter hues into the day! This new vision even enabled us to host an intimate dinner featuring a locally renowned chef – a true farm-to-table culinary experience!
Our smaller, intimate wedding became everything we could have ever wanted, even though we never envisioned it in the beginning. It was simply perfect, and we truly have Lauren to thank for her constant guidance, support, and attention to detail!
In the end, all the details that seemed to bring me down, all the things we weren’t able to have – we had to let it go and embrace what we did have, we had each other, we had our families and we had our love. At the end of the day, we focused on our love story and let go of everything we ‘lost’ because of the pandemic and started to focus on the things we gained. It could not have been more perfect.
I loved making this cheery bouquet for Lainie. It felt really juicy 🍑🍓🍉🍋 My husband said it was his favourite bouquet that I’ve made! For the “big wedding,” we’re planning to go a lot simpler and more neutral, but for the intimate wedding, I suggested that we go a little bolder with the colour. As the spring weather turned to summer, Lainie was finding herself more drawn to those seasonal fresh colours and there was no good reason not to indulge in them!
Bridal Bouquet Ingredients: locally grown peonies, ranunculus, columbine and anemonies with Canadian grown ranunculus, olive foliage, and hosta leaves from my own garden. I knew that Lainie’s dress was quite streamlined and she’s very petite, so I didn’t want to design a bouquet that would overwhelm her frame. the smaller, slightly tidier shape was perfect.
Oh, and that perfect bow in the back of her dress? I got to tie that for her after they just couldn’t get it quite right. Talk about one of the most stressful moments in my life 😂😂
It was SO HOT on this day, guys. It was over 40 celcius, and there was also a decent breeze. But you know what? When everything else has gone off plan, the hot sun doesn’t bother you quite as much. One thing did happen that took me by surprise: the pillar candles melted. MELTED. I never expected that to happen!
Trust your gut and do not let the negativity take over. This is a special time for you as a couple, focus your love and trust me from experience, everything will turn out perfectly!
I honestly think having to plan a wedding through a pandemic was the best thing that could have happened to me, because I learned how to let go. I had trust in my vendors (shout out to Lauren) who were instrumental in the success of our day. And, if you are nervous about how this new, potentially additional event, may impact your budget…speak to your vendors as they have the experience and can help guide you accordingly.
Lainie and Daniel had about 30 guests at their ceremony and reception, with one long dinner table lining the backyard. Knowing that we’re planning for part 2 of the wedding next year, the couple requested that we restrain the budget on this celebration while still making the day feel special with fresh florals. I came up with a few different options for the tabletop, and love the one they chose. The few elements that they knew off the bat they would use were the harvest tables and the copper flatware. I suggested one larger floral centrepiece in my copper bowl, set in the centre of the table in front of the newly married couple. I tucked in a few stem vases with petite florals (in the same vases that we’re planning to use for the reception next year, so we’ll have a bit of similarity), and black pillar candles and black metal candleholders.
The best advice we can give to others going through this challenging time is to focus on yourselves, focus on your love, and just do it!
Try to tune out the news, it can and will bring you down. Perhaps ask a close friend or family member to watch for any updates in case they impact your plans…and ask them to watch the weather for you. We were very fortunate that it did not rain on our day, however, it was one of the hottest days this summer…so be sure to water those flowers throughout the day and keep them cool so they stay fresh for when you need them!
Need more Covid-style intimate wedding inspiration?
Check out this Birds Hill Park elopement (they’re planning their reception for 2021!).
LOOKING FOR A WEDDING FLORAL AND EVENT DESIGNER IN WINNIPEG?
2021 wedding dates are limited! Flowers are the best way to make a statement at your wedding. Whether you already have a specific vision or want me to dream up something custom just for you, reach out to Stone House Creative for stunning bridal bouquets, truly unique ceremony backdrops, and beautiful floral centrepieces to create the perfect ambiance for your wedding!
Covid Elopement in Birds Hill Park
2020 has been a weird year for weddings, and sometimes it seems like it’s not even worth talking about anymore. That’s exactly why I’m starting this new blog series, because I want to celebrate our “Covid weddings” and, at the same time, inspire you with ideas on how you can make sure that Covid-19 doesn’t define your wedding!
Over the next few weeks, I’ll be sharing images and stories from the weddings of couples who chose to take 2020 and Covid-19 head-on, changing and changing and changing their wedding plans to ultimately allow them to celebrate when and how they best saw fit.
2020 has been a weird year for weddings, and sometimes it seems like it’s not even worth talking about anymore. That’s exactly why I’m starting this new blog series, because I want to celebrate our “Covid weddings” and, at the same time, inspire you with ideas on how you can make sure that Covid-19 doesn’t define your wedding!
Over the next few weeks, I’ll be sharing images and stories from the weddings of couples who chose to take 2020 and Covid-19 head-on, changing and changing and changing their wedding plans to ultimately allow them to celebrate when and how they best saw fit.
Paula and Steve ~ June 27, 2020
Photos by Ally Papko Photography
We made the decision to postpone our original plans for a big wedding celebration until 2021. We plan to have a one year anniversary/postponed wedding celebration almost exactly one year from when our original wedding date was planned. However, after being engaged for a year and a half and being so excited to finally be husband and wife, we decided to also have a very small, intimate ceremony this year on our original wedding date.
In our original wedding floral plans, Paula wanted a very natural, wildflower feel, taking inspiration from the wildflowers that grow near their cabin as well as the daisies her mother carried down the aisle on her wedding day. There are a lot of yellow wildflowers that grow locally, so with that and the daisies in mind, I added in some more whites and a touch of light blue delphinium, along with ferns and olive foliages.
Bridal Bouquet Ingredients: daisies, locally grown ranunculus and Queen Anne’s Lace, delphinium, snap dragons, campanula, olive, ferns.
I wanted to share these first look photos to show you that, even if your covid wedding isn’t how you pictured your wedding to be, the emotion is still SO REAL. This is not a practice wedding! It’s the real deal, and you deserve to feel all that excitement, all that happiness, all that amazement!
One of the biggest things that changed is we went from planning the day with a wedding coordinator at a venue that does weddings every weekend all year to planning something ourselves with no blueprint. One of the challenges was that aside from not knowing anyone who had eloped before, there also just wasn't really any resources for how to plan a COVID wedding. Nobody had been through this before so it wasn't as though we could just google it. In terms of how we felt, obviously there was quite a bit of disappointment at first, but then as our plan came together it turned to optimism. We ended up really excited that we got to do something that felt very personal, as opposed to more of a cookie cutter wedding designed to accommodate 200+ guests. We ended up really looking forward to getting to make the day a lot less structured and way more intimate for the few guests we did have on hand. What didn't matter anymore was basically anything that didn't lead to us getting married. After having to change, cancel, rework, restructure so much of our plan over the months proceeding, we ended up just really focused on "by the end of the day we'll be married." Anything else was a luxury.
Funny story about this arch…
This was supposed to be a 5-10 minute install for me. Paula and Steve sent me the directions to exactly where in the park they’d be getting married, and I had everything prepared. I didn’t feel like going alone, so I asked my husband and toddler to come along with me just for fun. I thought our little guy could run around outside for a little while. While we got into the van, my husband asked me, “Should I bring my drill bag?” And I said, “No, we won’t need it… Actually, might as well.” That was a VERY lucky thing.
The arch was borrowed from some friends of the couple, and must have been staked or drilled into whatever surface it was originally built for, because let me tell you: this arch was LIGHT. And when I say light, I mean it could have nearly blown away with just the breath from my mouth. Steve and his groomsman were setting it up, and wouldn’t you know, it toppled over and one of the sides snapped. Well, out came the drill and I got to work coming up with an alternative plan because all of the floral I had planned for the arch definitely wasn’t going to work. Steve’s dad brought a piece of 2x4 that my husband created a brace out of to add extra support to the broken side, and we grabbed some sand bags out of the back of Steve’s truck to weight the base.
I added one floral piece to attach slightly above the broken piece, so that the snap line would be covered. The second floral piece was also supposed to hang on the arch, but I decided to re-work it and place it on the opposite side of the triangle’s base, so that I could hide the sandbag. I had to rearrange some of the stems to give it more height, and then I actually shoved some water tubes deep into the grass and added taller foliage stems around it, so that it felt a little more natural. I did the same on the other side, adding the foliage to make it look as though it was growing naturally and to hide that sand bag as well.
I'm not sure anything was easier than our previous plan. We did a lot ourselves that we had planned to outsource. One of the biggest challenges wasn't actually deciding who could come to a small ceremony, but dealing with the emotions of people we knew we were disappointing by not including them. We made our plan at the tightest of COVID restrictions and told everyone that no matter what the government changed between then and the ceremony date, our plan was staying the same. However, as restrictions loosened a lot of people seemed to expect us to change our plan and that made for some lengthy and disheartening conversations with family members.
Looking back we absolutely LOOOOOVED our day. It was magical. It felt so special. Two things we really felt like we missed out on: the first is that it's the one day you get to have a full day with your people. We've both been in wedding parties before and that day is always so fun, but its someone else’s friends. There's always a sibling, or a work friend, or someone that you just don't know as well as the rest of the group. That day was supposed to be our day with our people. The second is getting to celebrate with our friends afterwards. Having a real reception and getting to drink and dance and celebrate our day. However we do have that planned for June of next year, so here's hoping that's able to happen and we get those things we missed out on then.
Here’s what we would pass on to other couples: It's your day. Simple as that. There will be lots of people with lots of advice on how you should do things or how they would do things, but everything comes back to what you envision and what will make you happy. Always keep that in mind and make every decision based on that. You may ruffle some feathers along the way, but in the end, you'll look back and know you got exactly what you wanted on your day. And enjoy the ride, if at the end of the day you're married then nothing else matters.
(And you know, stuff like your arch snapping in half and your florist's husband having to screw it back together while you run off to take first look photos … All part of the experience!)
Obviously I couldn’t resist ending with this adorable puppy portrait!
Ally Papko Photography ~ Prairie Film Co ~ Bliss Bridal Boutique ~ Harry Rosen
LOOKING FOR A WEDDING FLORAL AND EVENT DESIGNER IN WINNIPEG?
2021 wedding dates are limited! Flowers are the best way to make a statement at your wedding. Whether you already have a specific vision or want me to dream up something custom just for you, reach out to Stone House Creative for stunning bridal bouquets, truly unique ceremony backdrops, and beautiful floral centrepieces to create the perfect ambiance for your wedding!