An Intimate Wedding At A Canadian Mountaintop Villa

“Neither of us are people who ‘enjoy the spotlight’ so to speak,” say newlyweds Sharon + Timothy. These two wanted to keep things small and started off their planning process with their sights set on an elopement. “As COVID wore on, however, we realized that every opportunity to gather and celebrate with loved ones is valuable and never guaranteed.” So the plan shifted! They decided instead to create a whole wedding weekend at the stunning Villa Eyrie on Vancouver Island in British Columbia.

Since they don’t love being the center of attention themselves, Sharon + Timothy decided to turn the spotlight on their guests. “Our vision for the day was to host a wedding that would feel laid-back, comfortable, and inviting, serving as a celebration of our love for each other as well as a celebration of our relationships with our close friends and family, all of whom have contributed so much towards our development as individuals and as a couple.”

Sharon + Timothy enlisted the help of planner and event designer Sarah from Honour & Blessing Events to create a deeply personal experience for their guests amidst the stunning western Canadian scenery. There were surprises. There were lots of happy tears. And photographer Hennygraphy was there capturing all the magic along the way.

These gorgeous, earthy invites are from Minted. Love the deep browns and neutrals for a Fall wedding.

Wearing a red qipao is a Chinese bridal tradition. We love the gold embroidery on Sharon’s!

The First Look

Sharon tried on a million different dresses, not knowing exactly what kind of look she was going for. “Eventually I realized that getting married on a mountain means that a lot of dress styles are impractical,” Sharon says. So she decided to just stick with what felt truest to her personal style. She found this simple and elegant gown at Blu Ivory dress boutique. We LOVE the lace detail in the bodice and the train! Best part? She paired it with platform sneakers!!

Check out our favorite bridal sneaks if you’re also feeling like skipping the heels on your big day!

Sharon’s fingertip pearl-edged veil is perfect for this outdoor celebration. Take a look at our rundown of veils for every bridal style if you’re searching for the right length or look.

Apothecary Floral leaned into lots of rich reds and jewel tones for the day’s flowers. Look at the GORGEOUS dahlias in Sharon’s bouquet!

Timothy went with a classic black tuxedo from Garrison Bespoke. Check out these tuxes from Nordstrom if you’re digging a similar look!

Sharon’s elegant updo and radiant makeup look are by Alisha Hopps.

The Ceremony

This billowy linen welcome sign is by Clara Leung. We love the flowy textile look amidst all of the venue’s natural beauty.

What a view!! The low floral ceremony backdrop folds into the landscape, and these aisle arrangements are an amazing addition to this intimate seating setup.

Our Musical Choices
			
Processional: "Sky Full of Stars" by Coldplay & "Same Place" by Jade LeMac
			
			
Recessional: "Everything" by Michael Bublé
			
			
First Dance: "Same Place" by Jade LeMac
			
		

Our Advice To Those Planning Now
We opted to forego the wedding traditions that didn’t resonate with us like wedding parties, reception games, a wedding cake, formal speeches, and fancy entrances and exits. We kept aspects like the father-daughter dance, formal ceremony, and white dress. It was important to us that we didn’t feel obligated to include anything we didn’t want and it helped us enjoy our wedding a lot more! Our advice would similarly be to genuinely consider whether you are adhering to a traditional element of a wedding because you truly want it or because it is expected or because other weddings have had them. There are so many ways to make a wedding personal and reflective of your style and quirks, and we say lean into it!  

Sharon + Timothy’s rings came from Sin Kim Jewelry.

How cool do these two newlyweds look?! Something about a pair of shades!! Take a peek at our fave bridal sunnies as well as our men’s sunglasses style guide!

The Reception

Trend created a rustic-yet-elegant reception setup perfect for this mountaintop wedding. We love the light wood banquet tables and guest seating, and check out that lush, velvet table runner!

The gold flatware and pink tinted glass goblets add so much understated flair.

The compote-style floral centerpieces added sophisticated, classic charm.

A Sentimental Surprise

Our Favorite Memory From The Wedding
In lieu of formal speeches, we had an open mic for our friends and family members to share their favourite stories, memories, and (even) roasts directed at the two of us! At the end of the open mic, we asked our guests to reach under their seats to find a card taped to the underside of the chair - unbeknownst to them, we had written each guest a personalized letter, similarly sharing our favourite memories and milestones with them! The gasp of surprise and our subsequent laughter (and tears!) was by far the most memorable moment of our day! We had enjoyed writing each of those letters so much leading up to our wedding, and seeing how surprised and touched our guests were in that moment made us feel like our vision of celebrating all of our friends and family had come together perfectly.

Cue the tears!

This is what planner Sarah had to say about Sharon + Timothy: “The way that our couple chose to cherish their guests truly made this a memorable wedding so filled with love, laughter and happy tears. They are two special people who are not only madly in love with each other, but have hearts brimming with love for those who are so dear to them.”

Congrats, Sharon + Timothy!! Your moving mountaintop wedding warmed our hearts! All the very best from GWS!