Hope and Jared have a very distinctive personal style, and with that comes a very distinctive and gorgeous winter wedding. They planned their winter wedding with panache and if you are in the midst of planning for a winter wedding next year (or if your date is fast approaching) you'll love their colourful and eclectic take on the season. The lovely Kristina from Green Ginger Photography was on hand to capture the day.
First up check out these stylish ladies getting ready. This part of the can be so much fun and cute matching dressing gowns only add to the sense of occasion.
Have you ever had a first date that just went terribly wrong? Hope and Jared met at a mutual friend's Indian themed dinner party and although they both intrigued each other, things didn't really start off so well. Jared thought Hope was very pretty with a distinct sense of style, so the pair went for a walk together to get to know each other a little better. The short stroll turned into a 3 km walk and so they stopped for dinner on their way. Over dinner they clashed slightly - Hope loves adventure and motorbikes, while Jared thought riding a motorcycle was dangerous. None the less, both sides remained intrigued and before they knew it they were an item. A case of opposites attract for sure.
For the proposal, Hope knew she wanted to be surprised and Jared, with a little help from Hope's friend Karlee, didn't want to disappoint. "My best friend, Karlee, is a pilot, and her next goal was getting her float plane licence. One day she asked me if I want to come with her on her first float plane lesson. How could I say no?!" Fast forward to Hope and Karlee in a plane and the instructor Mike said he needed to teach Karlee how to “dock the plane”. Together they suggested a piece of land with a waterfall. Karlee landed the plane and the three of them went to take a closer look at the waterfall, aptly named Bridal Falls...
"Out of the corner of my eye I saw some tea lights on the ground to the right. In that split second I thought, “Oh, looks like someone got proposed to here.” SURPRISE- Jared comes walking out from behind a tree clad in his best black shirt and my favorite jeans! I start screaming and jumping up and down. He has “re-planted” cut orange tiger lilies, carved our initials in the tree behind him and set up a rock/tea light walkway. He walked up the walkway, and we embraced. The sound of the waterfall was loud, but I’m pretty sure I don’t remember what he said because I was screaming so much- I just couldn’t believe it! He was down on one knee declaring what kind of love he wanted for our marriage!! He asked and I said YES."
For the wedding Hope and Jared wanted a floral garden/eccentric/rustic/classic wedding, quite the mouthful but as you'll see it worked really beautifully. Hope loves flowers, colour and crazy patterns, while Jared is a hunter and outdoorsman. Combining the two, they ended up with the most perfectly floral day with a whole lot of personality.
Due to the sun setting early Hope, Jared and the rest of the wedding party took to the Canadian countryside before the ceremony for some stunning portraits and group shots.
Finding their perfect venue wasn't so easy. After quite literally knocking on doors of houses that'd looked like potential venue options, Hope and Jared found the one, Kirkland House, via a photographer's blog.
With their perfect venue found the rest of the day was made special with lots of personal touches. As Hope explains "my brother made the archway we were married under, especially for our day. My best friends Karlee & Brittney sang “For The Beauty Of The Earth”, my favorite hymn, at the reception and I am grateful for that moment of time. I loved surprising Jared not once, but twice with first, a surprise bridesmaid dance to “Mirrors” by Justin Timberlake to kick off the reception. And, second, nearing the end of the reception, with a surprise homemade video of myself and Brittney re-enacting Jared and mine’s first date. Not to mention my “Aunt Hazel” (my real Aunty Andrea), who appeared to give us some advice and entertainment. I come from a family of drama backgrounds, so it was very special. The day was a hit."
A sensible pair Hope and Jared knew that the wedding in reality would only be one day and didn’t want to get carried away. Instead they focused on the what was important to them, and as Hope adores flowers it's no surprise these played a big role.
Personal style was another factor that shone through and is hard to ignore throughout this gorgeous wedding. Doing things her way, Hope accessorized her gorgeous Champagne and Lace dress with a fur cover up, her great, great grandmothers' earrings and some more flowers in her hair, styled by her talented mum.
The décor was kept simple and rustic, with fairy lights and fun wooden signage to compliment the barn setting.
If you're in the midst of planning or if your wedding date is getting near, Hope and Jared have some great advice "Remember that it is only one day, a regular day like the one before and the day after. It will be amazing, special and the beginning of your life together. So, above all, enjoy the day together with your loved ones and cherish the moments as they happen."
After their wedding Hope and Jared jetted of to Mayan Riviera, Mexico - huge congratulations you two, we hope you had a blast!
A big thank you also goes to Green Ginger Photography for sharing her work with us, to see more of Green Ginger's work head on over to www.greengingerphotography.com
The Wedding Details:
- Ceremony: Kirkland House
- Wedding Dress: Champagne and Lace
- Bridesmaids dresses: Spank on the Drive
- Shoes: Le Chateau
- Flowers: She’s My Florist
- Groomsmen’s suits: H&M & Moores
- Cake: Reddy Made Cakes
- Make Up: Jessica LeGear
- Ceremony/Reception Music: Nicole Yakashiro
