Date

Guests

90

August 8, 2015

Colleen and David knew they wanted to go with a boho desert theme for their big day filled with Mexican influences, beautiful multi-coloured rugs and cacti. The two further refined their wedding vision after settling on a venue, Toronto's Gladstone Hotel. "We adapted it to our own taste and incorporated strong hits of magenta, ombre pink table runners, Persian carpets, glittery mercury glass candles and heaps of flowers," Colleen explains.

Colleen says the flowers were her favourite decor detail for a number of reasons."I knew I was on a budget so I had to figure out how to make it work for my aesthetic," she explains. "I wanted a lot of flowers, but I couldn't afford a lot of flowers." Colleen decided to go with single-flower arrangements displayed in vintage bottles. "My mother, my bridesmaids and I collected the bottles during the year leading up to my wedding and this honestly was something that brought us all together. With my mom living far away, I know this made her feel like she was a part of planning - she couldn't stop looking for bottles! I think we ended up with almost 300. The day before my wedding we bought about $1,100 worth of flowers and luckily I have some amazingly creative friends who were able to help arrange bouquets, boutonnieres, and corsages and even hanging wall pieces! I don't think anyone would have know we didn't have a florist - thanks Pinterest! - and luckily, the 'undone' look is in style."

The flowers weren't the only DIY element included in this celebration. David was adamant about participating in the wedding preparations so Colleen put him to work making ombre table runners. "He helped me source the fabric and dye and we set up our back yard with bins full of dye and clothes lines," Colleen remembers. "Ombre dying is not easy! You have to hold the fabric in the dye in stages so that it tapers off. Each end took about 15 minutes. When someone helps you in this way, you know it's love and the end product feels that much more special."

Reflecting on the day, Colleen says the ceremony was one of the highlights. "Dave said 'I do' before he was supposed to. I think this happens a lot because the officiant said 'That's okay! You can answer whenever you want'," she laughs. "I knew I was feeling in-the-moment when I interrupted the officiant during my turn and said 'I do' after the first sentence as well, just to make it even. That brought the room to laughing tears."

Vendors
Ceremony and reception location:Gladstone HotelBridal gown: BHLDN
Groom's tux: Surmesur
Hair and makeup: Natalie Blouin
Cake: Bobbette & Belle Artisanal Pastries
Catering: Gladstone Hotel and The Fuzz BoxFlowers: DIY
Music: Mark Binks ([email protected])