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Weddings are a daunting hill to climb, no matter what perspective you approach it from. If you’re a planner, your main concern is bringing the couple’s vision to life (at a price they are comfortable with.) As a venue, your concern is ensuring the event is executed without issue or injury. But what if you’re the couple to be wed, determined to plan your perfect day your way?
Meet Kate and Jordan, a lovely and highly creative couple from Oshawa who were set on doing just that. They brought their 160 person wedding to life over the course of a year of planning, with consulting and day of coordination services provided by me.
How they did it...
Jordan and Kate hit the ground running by creating an account on TheKnot.com which is an incredibly handy resource equipped with timelines and checklists to keep you organized. They had a vision for what they wanted and took the time to carefully collect and curate items for their wedding from places like auctions and flea markets.
The venue they ended up selecting was an absolute stunner. I cannot rave enough about Northbrook Farm, a property with a rich history and a gorgeous farmhouse built in 1852 with wood harvested from the property. It has been a wedding and events venue under the name Northbrook Farm Weddings since 2013 and the venue owners have really perfected the art of hosting an event. Their property comfortably accommodates 160 guests for both ceremony and reception, with a large tent available to shelter attendees.
The grounds of the venue are breathtaking, with pristine primped garden lined walkways welcoming guests into the space. Flat grassy areas allowed for room to put garden games that entertained guests during cocktail hour before and after the ceremony.
The bridal party were able to get ready inside the beautifully decorated farmhouse which boasts endless amounts of fascinating relics from the generations of families who have lived there. This space alone is enough to entice any history buff.
The ceremony took place beside a beautifully calm pond full of koi fish, with a small bridge leading to a secluded area where a late night bonfire and smores bar took place during the reception.
We had the ability to decorate the reception space the day prior to the wedding which is where the bride and groom's careful planning and curation really shined. One impactful decor item that was inexpensive yet effective was the collection of vintage books in the couple's chosen colour scheme, which they acquired at a flea market and served as the focal point of their centrepieces.
As Kate is employed as a high school teacher (and therefore enjoys her summers sans work), she was able to spend the month of July focused on crafting for the wedding, putting her personal touch on the seating chart, table decor, and more. Additional decorations included a large arch for behind the head table, lovingly crafted by the groom's father, as well as paper fans to compliment the rustic woody elements of the natural surrounding scenery.
For an additional personal touch that provided subtle statement and a memorable takeaway, the brides' family provided plenty of homemade table wine that had labels depicting the bride and groom (and their adorable dog Josie!). Graphic design for the labels was provided by a friend of the groom.
Guests sipped Budweiser and mixed drinks, playing Movie Music Trivia and dancing the night away (to a Spotify playlist curated by the bride and groom, of course) until shuttle buses hauled everyone back to their hotels just before we all turned back into pumpkins at midnight.
Want help planning and coordinating your next big event? I can help! Check out the services page or shoot me a message and I'll send you a custom quote for your unique needs.