Today we're so excited to have a very glamorous and gorgeous wedding of an English rose and a Canadian gentleman to share with everyone. Craig and Alexandra blended elements of both of their backgrounds into an incredibly elegant wedding in the Stratus Vineyards in Canada. From Alexandra's stunning Jenny Packham wedding gown to the crisp white décor and glittering gold soiree each element of this celebration is just perfection (you'll adore it if you're a lady who likes her glamour!) Reed Photography captured every movie star moment of this utterly beautiful wedding so drop everything and take some time to enjoy a little taste of the high life...
So how did this gorgeous couple get together? Well Alexandra tried playing cupid - very unsuccessfully for her friend and instead got herself a man, she told us how it happened... "We were working in a restaurant together about 7 years ago. I thought Craig was so cute but as I was planning to move to England soon, so I decided to try to set him up with my girlfriend. Every time I’d arranged to introduce them, something happened whereby my girlfriend couldn’t make it at the last minute, and I was left alone with Craig. After a few attempts, I gave up trying. We've been together ever since and I never moved back to England!"
It may have taken the two a while to get together officially (once Alexandra had put her cupid wings away) but when it came to the engagement there was no two ways about it. It all went down on Christmas Eve, one of the most magical times of the year, well I think so anyway, and so did Alexandra as she explained how Craig popped the question... "The proposal was perfect, intimate and private, under the Christmas tree in our own home! It was Christmas Eve, we were about to go out for dinner to a historic Toronto Hotel just the two of us. We decided to each open one present from under the tree beforehand. Craig insisted that I open mine first, and of course, it was my beautiful canary diamond ring! I was so surprised and excited! We’ve since joked that he should have opened his gift first because I followed the gift of a diamond ring with my gift to him - a practical house coat!" That's a fair exchange I think!
A true English rose, Alexandra was the belle of the ball in her stunning Jenny Packham gown. Finishing her elegant look she donned a traditional veil, by Erin Cole and wore her raven hair in an elegant up do. And I also spotted her navy peeptoes were from the Jenny Packham Debenhams collection (have them in pink myself!). All in all, what a stunning bride.
Being far from home, it was important to bring some British pride to the day and with a lot of excitement from Alexandra, her vintage wheels were decorated in Union Jack bunting!
The pair got married in Canada where they both live but so it meant so much to the couple that friends and family travelled from England and Ohio to attend their special day. The reward was one amazing occasion in a completely unique setting - perfect for the witnessing of vows of eternal love.
What an incredible ceremony space! Craig and Alexandra choose Stratus Vineyards to have their wedding. Which meant they could also take advantage of the vineyard workshop to have their ceremony. The mix of industrial equipment and wooden barrels creates an atmosphere like no other and the floor to ceiling window acts as a beautiful ceremony backdrop.
Alexandra's best friend's dad who has know her since she was a little girl performed the ceremony.
While not everyone could travel for the big day, Alexandra made sure to keep them with her... "My grandparents couldn’t be there to see me get married, I wanted to see them, so I had their wedding photos placed just next to me, where I could see them, on a table at the altar."
Surrounded by the people they love they made it official...
Stratus Vineyards is a stunning location to celebrate a wedding and the couple enjoyed a beautiful photo shoot around the orchards with their photographer Shane of Reed Photography.
Craig's classic tux compliments the elegance of Alexandra's bridal style - The perfect match I would say!
From the sneak peek we saw during the ceremony and the beautiful grounds during their photo shoot, Craig and Alexandra's wedding reception looks pretty amazing. I couldn't wait to hear all about it from the blushing bride...The people at Stratus, they get hospitality! When we started searching for a venue we had mixed experiences. Some venues were so used to doing weddings that they seemed to forget that it is still someone’s special day, even if the frequency of weddings held at their property make them less special to them. Many venues felt like “wedding factories", but when I walked into Stratus, without an appointment, I was immediately welcomed warmly and offered a glass of wine while I waited for someone to become available to speak with me. From that point on, they were a pleasure to work with, the site itself is stunning (both inside and out) and their standards are uncompromising.
The wedding felt very old Hollywood! It was understated glamour with fabulous entertainment, classic décor and a beautiful menu made for a perfectly elegant evening! Dining on the stone terrace under the stars with a roaring fire and all the people in the world who matter most is a feeling I will never forget!
Alexandra described the reception perfectly, it was classic Hollywood glam! The stunning terrace made for the perfect outdoor reception. Having crisp white tables and white and green floral displays kept the dining experience classic and elegant while still embracing the outdoors.
Pretty touches like the floral chair décor and hints of gold throughout the table settings adding femininity along with a bit of glitz.
The love, the people, and the hospitality. It was a small wedding, just under 100, and we wanted every single person there to feel cherished and loved by us. We were so thankful for their presence.
There is a nice mix of styles at this wedding - all very glam of course - but we can see a hint of personality in the bow ties on the gents and there is some Scottish roots in there too, with Alexandra's dad donning a kilt in honour of his family connections.
As night fell and the meal came to an end the party started and a golden glow descended over the wedding party...
We're huge fans of gold wedding cakes - very old Hollywood glam wedding cake complete with Art Deco decor. I bet it tastes as good as it looks!
The newlyweds left as Mr and Mrs through a passageway of sparklers but not before they shared some advice with us...
..."Honestly everyone tells you when you’re planning a wedding, “Its your day, do exactly as you please.” I don’t belive that to be true, actually. I think it’s a day that belongs to you and those close to you. Weddings are such a wonderful time to honour your parents and those who’ve made you who you are today, so its important to consider the special moments that matter to them as well. I know some parents get out-of-hand around weddings, we were not without some of it, so this is not to say you need to take all their suggestions and ideas and incorporate them, but do find ways to make the day special for them as well. You’ll get so much joy on the day from seeing them delighted by your thoughtfulness!"
Huge congrats to the ultra glamorous couple Craig and Alexandra! Of course we must thank Shane of Reed Photography for sharing his work with us at One Fab Day. To see more of Reed Photography's work pop over to www.reedphoto.ca.
The Wedding Details
- Ceremony: Stratus Vineyards
- Wedding Dress & Headpiece: Jenny Packham Boutique, Mayfair
- Shoes: Jenny Packham for Debenham’s
- Flowers: Sweet Woodruff
- Groomsmen’s suits: Harry Rosen
- Veil: Erin Cole at White Bridal
- Cars: Niagara Classic Transport and M&S Union Jack Bunting on Car
- Stationery: Paper and Poste
- Make Up & Hair: Vanessa Baudner of MAC, Hair and Frank Anile and Christina Teofilo of Epoca Hair Salon
- Wedding Bands: Twain Fine Jewellers
- Reception Band: LMT Connection
