KURTZ ORCHARDS // IVANA + CHRIS
Rentals: Warehouse 84
Some sweet words from the photographer, Erin Blackwood Photography:
The overall ambiance of Chris + Ivana's wedding was romantic yet very relaxed. The bride and groom had said "throughout our entire planning process we thought about what we would enjoy, what would make the day more fun, what would make it more pleasant for our guests? This was how we made every decision." The bride and groom wanted their decor and theme to be a compliment to the gorgeous property at Kurtz Orchards and the organic feel of it and chose green as the dominant colour accented with peach and ivory florals, as well as gold accents.
The groom worked for weeks to build a custom wooden beer & cider bar and the bar was open before the ceremony so that guests could pour themselves a drink to cool down and enjoy a beverage while watching the ceremony. The ceremony was in the gardens of Gracewood Estate, beneath the shade of the pear trees. They exchanged vows underneath a beautiful 30-foot custom crafted floral garland that draped over a branch and cascaded to the ground. The bride walked down the aisle to Isreal Kamakawawiwo'ole's rendition of Somewhere Over The Rainbow under a canopy of pear trees. She had no idea that the groom had the most amazing surprise planned for this exact moment; he had managed to secretly organize for their rescue pup, Duke, to be waiting in the aisle (on theme with a garland around his neck). Ivana burst into laughter and tears as she saw Duke squirming and wagging his tail in the aisle, and she made her way to her two favourite boys. They exchanged funny, personal vows, and made one another laugh & cry throughout the ceremony.
For cocktail hour guests were treated to bountiful charcuterie boards in the English garden. The boards featured local & imported meats and cheeses as well as local fruit & preserves. They sipped on seasonally relevant feature cocktails - Aperol Spritz (the bride's favourite) and a "Justin's Julep", a take on the traditional mint julep custom crafted by one of the groomsmen who moonlights as a bartender.
The reception had long live edge wood slab harvest tables that were draped with floral garlands and accented with vintage brass candles, gold chargers, and stationary that was personally designed by the bride. Ivana designed all the stationary from the wedding invitation suite from the menu to the social media & thank you signs -- all the remaining wedding signs & calligraphy were done lovingly by her incredibly talented MOH. The small details throughout the day were reflective of the fact that they didn't take anything too seriously and weren't afraid to really have fun with their wedding, and include things that really mattered to them and reflected their personalities. Their wedding cake topper was a scripted "hell yeah" instead of something more romantic or traditional. They weren't afraid to be funny, with hilarious quotes from the groom's favourite movies, such as the bar sign with a Dumb & Dumber quote. A live band played as guests danced the night away and were treated to fun touches such as a cigar bar & s'more bar.
Vendors:
Photography: Erin Blackwood Photography | Venue: Gracewood Estates at Kurtz Orchards | Styling: Ivana James + Co. | Month of Coordination: Birch & Lace | Decor: Simply Beautiful Decor | Florals: Forever Wildfield | Film: Brightside Films/Vimeo Link | Hair: Fortelli Salon and Spa | Makeup: Jen Evoy Makeup Studio | Bride's Gown: Katie May | Headpiece: Bo and Luca | Groom's Suit: Garrison Bespoke | Cake: Wellington Cakes | Band: The Lonely Hearts | Cake Topper + Table Numbers: Designs by A | Cigars: Mombacho Cigars
