Copy Link
Copied
Vend Ors
Believe it or not, you can still meet your soulmate at a bar!” begins Gabriella. In January 2016, she found herself at a bar with some girlfriends, and Steven was there with mutual friends. “I was immediately taken by his kindness and couldn’t believe we had never met before,” shares Gabriella (they’d even grown up in the same town!). They kept in touch and reconnected that summer on a night out with friends. The rest, as they say, is history.
In the winter of 2019, the couple was travelling throughout South East Asia. While in Thailand, they went on a boat tour to Maya Bay (as seen in The Beach starring Leonardo DiCaprio). They docked at an empty beach where their “tour guide” (a local photographer hired by Steven) assured Gabriella there were interesting sights. After a walk on the beach, she turned around to find Steven on one knee, proposing. “After many happy tears and complete and utter shock (I was holding sunglasses and my phone at the time he proposed, both of which I dropped in the sand in shock and couldn’t find for a few moments afterwards), we boarded the boat again and took amazing photos in the sunset,” shares Gabriella. “Thailand will always have a place in our hearts now.”
Though they’d discussed ring shopping in the future, the holiday proposal came as a surprise to Gabriella — but that doesn’t mean that Steven was unprepared! Without her knowledge, he had teamed up with a jeweller at MARKOS JEWELLERY and Gabriella’s sister to design a custom engagement ring with a solitaire oval diamond.
SO PRETTY IN PRINT designed a custom monogram for the couple, featured in the black and white wedding invitations and day-of stationery. “Tina really blew us away with our custom “GS” monogram design, which incorporated some Art Deco-inspired curved lines that we loved,” says Gabriella.
Hair styling was provided by two stylists, NATALIE PRIMERANO and Gabriella’s childhood friend, DIANA LOCONTE (who also styled her hair for the evening).
The bridesmaids and maid of honour wore customized, alternative bridal gowns from MARIA FASHION.
The bride and groom each wore two different looks on the wedding day. Gabriella’s two gowns were both purchased at
WHITE TORONTO
White, Toronto is an unparalleled experience in exclusive designer collections and unique accessories for modern...
More
|
. Her ceremony dress, a MONIQUE LHUILLIER ballgown (with pockets!) was worn with AMINA MUADDI slingback pumps and JENNIFER BEHR pearl bobby pins.
The second was a GALIA LAHAV dress with detachable off-the-shoulder sleeves. Her second pair of shoes was a CHRISTIAN LOUBOUTIN style that wasn’t available locally, so the couple returned from a trip to New York with the shoes and a funny story. “We rented some bikes to ride back to our hotel after a day of shopping and sightseeing,” remembers Gabriella. “Steve had the shoes in the front basket of his bike when he was sideswiped by a car and fell, and the shoes went flying out onto the street. Thankfully, he was okay — and so were the shoes!
Steven wore two head-to-toe
KING & BAY
Experience unparalleled elegance at King & Bay, where luxury meets sophistication. Our custom wedding suits...
More
|
looks designed with the help of great friend and master clothier, SUSHANT VACHHAR. His ceremony suit jacket included many personalized details, like “Always And Forever” embroidered on the collar and a liner printed with photos. Steven also wore a pair of custom cufflinks with his initials from MARKOS JEWELLERY.
The wedding took place on May 21, 2022 with event planning and design by PETALS AND PEARLS. The would- be beautiful spring morning was hit with an unusual tornado warning, causing a 50-foot tree to fall and block the bride’s driveway, only seconds after she had departed for the wedding ceremony! “Thankfully, we all arrived at the church safely, only to discover all the power was out and our vows would be made by candlelight,” shares Gabriella. Despite the last-minute snafu, the ceremony, held at SAINT CLARE OF ASSISI CHURCH in Woodbridge, Ontario was filled with unexpected romance and intimacy. Midway through, the skies cleared and the sun shone through the church’s stained glass windows. “We walked out of the church as a married couple, embraced by sunshine and our loved ones,” says Gabriella. “In that moment we realized that some of life’s best moments are those we don’t and can’t plan for, and we promised ourselves to enjoy every second of the day that followed, rain or shine — and enjoy ourselves we did!”
Steven surprised Gabriella when he showed her the inside lining of his smokey black, brocade-inspired bespoke tuxedo from KING & BAY! The custom jacket was printed with fabric showing photos from their engagement in Thailand! He also swapped his shoes for custom velvet black loafers with the initials “SL.”
Despite the windy day, the couple and their wedding party enjoyed an urban portrait session with Purple Tree Photography , before heading to THE ARLINGTON ESTATE for the cocktail hour and dinner reception. When they arrived, both Gabriella and Steven changed into their second looks, joined by their beloved dog Leni who was brought to the venue for some photos and kisses!
The oversized, double-sided statement-making feature wall dualed as a seating chart for the 300 guests and a great photo opp. The piece was a collaborative effort, starting with event planner Wassal Seddiqi of PETALS AND PEARLS who came up with the idea. One side showcased the couple’s modern monogram while the other side was adorned with flowers and the seating chart (created with 3D lettering). The graphic design was done by
So Pretty In Print
, ENGINEERED ARTS created the custom wall, and
EVENT GRAFFITI
We take printed decor to the next level. Transform your venue's dance floor and make...
More
|
provided the 3D lettering and decals.
During the cocktail reception, guests enjoyed an oyster bar and signature cocktails including “The “Gabtini” and “Steven’s ‘Old Fashioned’ Charm, ” along with passed canapés. Saxophone players from SOLE POWER PRODUCTIONS provided the entertainment.
SO PRETTY IN PRINT created all of the wedding day stationery including oversized, oval table numbers that featured the same pattern from the couple’s monogram, topped off with 3D numbers. Menu cards were consistent with the oval craze. They were double-sided so that they doubled as a place card and menu card.
“The floral design was inspired by the couple’s love for clean, neutral tones and moody ambiance,” shares Wassal Seddiqi of PETALS AND PEARLS. CAPRICE DECOR provided the modern and timeless floral design for the wedding.
A Covid-related wedding date postponement resulted in a wedding re-design given the cooler temperatures of the month of May. (The original wedding date was set for July 2021.) During the planning of their wedding, the couple was also renovating their home, inspiring Gabriella to request that Art Deco interior design-inspired elements be incorporated into aspects of the wedding, including its black and white colour palette and the plush velvet semi-circle banquette sofas that flanked the dance floor. Even the cake and table numbers were reminiscent of pink travertine and marble stone!
Gabriella and Steven’s first dance was to Ben E. King’s “Stand By Me,” and the bride shares that “although we’d listened to the song dozens of times together, its meaning really hit home in that moment and we’ll cherish it forever.”
Given full creative license past the original concept sketches, LIMA CAKES delivered an abstract chocolate raspberry wedding cake that was inspired by marble statues and architecture loved by the couple.
“Apart from its beautiful grounds & the estate itself, we chose the ARLINGTON for its impeccable food (we’re Italian and Greek, so food is everything),” shares Gabriella. The reception served a choice of salmon, beef shortribs, and a vegan option for the main course.
With the couple’s wedding taking place on the May 24th long weekend, fireworks were a must. The pyro show took place just before another rainfall, at which point the newlyweds and their guests made their way to the dancefloor, where a live band from SOLE POWER PRODUCTIONS played.
A late-night food station was catered by MCDONALD’S, and there were custom “McLambo” stickers as a play on the couple’s last name.
In honour of Gabriella’s mother Maggie who passed away from cancer when Gabriella was sixteen years old, thank you notes attached to chocolate boxes from SUCCULENT CHOCOLATES were distributed to guests, letting them know that donations had been made in place of gifts.
“At the end of the night, it was just Steven and I in the bridal suite, hugging each other in complete and utter happiness that the day we dreamed of for so long was better than we ever could’ve imagined.” — Gabriella, Bride
