“We thought of what would be a dream wedding we would want to attend as guests,” say newlyweds Aileen + Emin. That was the jumping off point for what became their joyful and colorful wedding. For these two it was all about packing the day with tons of cute surprises, fun details, and unexpected elements.
Aileen + Emin teamed up with Lustre Events to create what they would call an “elegant carnival” for grownups at Braestone Farm in Oro Medonte, Ontario (about an hour and a half north of Toronto). There were churros and hot chocolate passed out as part of the ceremony processional. There were tiny custom piñatas and personalized macarons and a temporary tattoo station and a cigar bar. There was a live painter. There was a giant version of the board game “Operation” for guests to play. And a photo booth. And a popcorn cart. And the list doesn’t stop there!
Aileen + Emin created an unforgettable experience by filling the day with excitement for their guests, and photographer Christine Lim was there snapping gorgeous photos of this wedding’s nonstop color and charm!
Aileen’s embellished ankle-strap heels by Jimmy Choo are so dreamy and festive. If you’re looking for a fun, bridal shoe like these, take a look at this similar pair from Bella Belle or check out our tips for choosing your wedding shoes and the best spots to order them from!
These delicate hair combs remind us SO MUCH of the gorg handcrafted floral bridal hair accessories (and jewelry!!) from ShopMOSS.
One of the biggest ways that Aileen + Emin filled their day with joy and color was fab florals from Paraluman Flora like this rainbow bridal bouquet!!
The First Look
Our Favorite Memory From The Wedding The first look. The first time we laid eyes on each other as bride and groom. It made the day real and for Aileen, the nerves kicked in (in a good way)! We were so busy in the morning, getting dressed and wrangling our families together. It was such a whirlwind so you feel like you're getting ready for a wedding, but it wasn't until we had a moment of quiet and realizing that we're doing our first look away from the chaos that we realized that we got ready for OUR wedding. The tears hit hard.
Emin’s wedding day look included pieces from Pomp & Ceremony and SuitSupply. We really dig the lighthearted vibe of his textured gray-green suit!
Our breakdown of our fave unique wedding suits is a great place to start if you’re on the hunt for something that really fits the feel of the day.
Shout out to all the brides out there who love a good Pinterest board! Aileen started there to figure out what her bridal style was going to be. Once she’d pinned her heart out to narrow it down, she found nearby Toujours Bridal. They posted a photo of what would become *the* dress on their social media, and after Aileen had tried it on and said “yes,” it was time to make the dress her own. Toujours Bridal added extra pearl embellishments, reached out to the designer to make sure the mesh matched Aileen’s skin tone, and even added a small hoop within the skirt so it would be easier to move around in!
Aileen’s elegant, wispy low bun and peachy glow are by hair and makeup artist Mavis Wu.
The Ceremony
Paper & Poste is responsible for the day’s fun, floral paper goods and signange.
“Exuberant” and “uplifting” are two words that photographer Christine Lim uses to describe this wedding’s design and color palette, and you can REALLY see it in these wild and wonderful aisle arrangements.
Bright magenta fabric lining the aisle was an inventive way to customize the outdoor ceremony space and add a powerful punch of color.
Statement aisles are one of our fave wedding trends at the moment, and we’re obsessed with the way Aileen + Emin pulled this one off.
Throughout the day, Paint With Shauna live-painted the celebration. Now Aileen + Emin have a one-of-a-kind piece of artwork to remember all the magic.
Our Musical Choices Processional: The "Married Life" theme from Disney's "Up"(wedding piano version)
Recessional: "Never Gonna Give You Up" by Rick Astley (Pianoforte version)
First Dance: "Everytime We Touch" by Brent Morgan
We don’t see a lot of ceremonies that include a floral arrangement IN FRONT of the couple! We love the depth that this one added to the design of the moment!
Want an epic walk back up the aisle together?? Arm your guests with bubble guns! Check this one out if you’re into this way to add some whimsy to your recessional.
The Reception
Aileen + Emin used adorable custom mini piñatas full of treats to help their guests find their seats.
Some wisdom from the couple about making space for vendors’ creativity: “It really helped that neither of us came in with a strong plan for what the wedding should be when we approached our vendors. A lot of them want to stretch their creative legs and try something that they’ve seen in their field that hasn’t been touched yet. If you’re not comfortable with giving a lot of creative freedom to the vendors, at least ask for 2-3 things that they’ve always wanted to try or do differently and they’ll surprise you in the most magical ways.”
This reception set up moved inside at the last minute after weather foiled the couple’s outdoor plans, but that didn’t stop it from looking AMAZING. (Yes, those are arcade games in the background. SO MUCH FUN everywhere you look at this wedding!)
Our Advice To Those Planning Now Hire a wedding planner! You cannot put a price on not having to worry about the details on the day. We had to pivot last minute and switch the outdoor reception to inside due to the weather. We did not spend a second worrying about it, it just happened. This is just one example out of many why having an experienced professional in your corner will save the day.
With or without a planner, focus more on what will make you look forward to the wedding day the most. Focus less on what is the standard wedding template and more on what you and your guests will enjoy. There is no wedding police, and if there is, they're just a volunteer.
Spend time with your photographer! We are lucky as a couple that we're very comfortable with each other. A big part of that was also clicking really well with Christine Lim who held our hands and had these tips and tricks to not get us feeling too stiff or pose-y throughout the day. She corralled our friends and managed any wayward guests. She proved that a professional wedding photographer does way more than just taking pictures. We tell people that she's part of the wedding party.
This day should bring you joy, make sure to experience it. Accept that things can and will go wrong. Deal with it to the extend that you must, but don’t abandon your wedding.
The day will fly by, so we wanted to make sure that in the moment we wanted to feel joy and the giddiness of the happy chaos. We didn't want our memories of the day being coloured by how we were stressed by every second or anxiously checking that every detail was right.
EAT YOUR FOOD. Ask your caterers to pack one sample of every dish and dessert for you to try the day after.
Play your games, go to the photo booth. It is so easy to get pulled twenty different ways by your guests and if you are not careful you will spend your day hungry and talking to random people you may never see again instead of enjoying the entertainment with your closes friends and family.
Of course, there’s a temporary tattoo station!
If those cute piñatas weren’t enough, these absolutely precious custom macarons by Cakelaine helped guests find their way to their places.
Plate Occasions filled the reception banquet tables with floral dinnerware, fun and funky glassware, and sage green linens.
A ton of the day’s fun and games were the work of Abbey Road Entertainment.
Since dessert is the most fun part of dinner, this opulent two-tier white wedding cake by Cakelaine was only ONE of the many sweet treat options available!!
This beautiful floral dance floor by DFD Event Solutions and the vibrant neon sign by FUSE had such a huge and fanciful effect on the vibe of the space!
Congratulations, Aileen + Emin, on your epic “elegant carnival” wedding! All the very best from GWS!
photography: Christine Lim // venue name: Braestone Farms, Coldwater, Ontario, Canada // event design: Lustre Events // planning: Lustre Events // florals: Paraluman Flora // wedding dress boutique: Toujours Bridal // bride's shoes: Jimmy Choo // hair stylist: Mavis Wu Makeup // makeup artist: Mavis Wu Makeup // groom attire: Pomp and Ceremony and Suit Supply // videography: Wild and Free Flims // paper goods: Paper and Poste // cake: Cakelaine // desserts: Cakelaine // tabletop rentals: Plate Occasions // specialty rentals: Abbey Road Entertainment // music: DJ Floh Back Productions // officiant: John Dancavitch // photo booth: Photo BoothTO // custom vinyl flooring: DFD Event Solutions // live painter: Painted by Shauna // groom's watch: Wilk Watchworks // cigar station: Cigar Bodega // neon signs: Fuse Neon
