We are still swooning over this Storys building wedding and can’t get enough of the photos! The lovely bride, Michelle, answered a few questions for us about the vendors she chose and tips for couples currently planning their weddings!

The couple: We are Gilbert & Michelle – we met through mutual friends about 6 years ago, but then reconnected over Tinder in January of 2015. We had initially agreed to date casually as we were both pretty fresh from breakups but that really didn’t last long. Gilbert surprised me at my workplace on Valentines Day and my heart wasn’t the same after that.

How long did it take you to plan your wedding? We had been discussing getting married for a few months before Gilbert proposed, so once the ring was on my finger, everything fell into place very quickly. We knew the style and vibe that we wanted and made our selections with relative ease.

Vendors you chose and why: We are both artists and our social circles reflect this, so we called upon our nearest and dearest to help make our day absolutely incredible.

Dress: Loversland was my first (and really only) choice for my wedding dress –  designed by A La Robe, it was exactly what I had envisioned. The rest of my look was easy – I work at Gee Beauty so Miriam Gee did my makeup and Andres at Philosophy Hair Salon did my hair.

Suit: Gilbert is a true Toronto man, so we weren’t surprised when he found a Corneliani suit that fit him perfectly off the rack at Tom’s in Kensington.

Decor: Graham Teeple is a close family friend as well as (what I call) a Flora Curator. I wanted to focus more on greenery rather than flowers, so he created a beautiful canopy & greenery spread that reflected a Canadian forest in the spring. We complimented his work & the Storys Building space with romantic clusters of votive candles that my mom sourced herself.

Photography: Jennifer Moher and Erin Lester came highly recommended by my sister (also a photographer) and I fell for them almost as hard as I fell for Gilbert. Our photos were extremely important to us and we felt that she reflected our style perfectly. I would almost say that I designed the wedding with her aesthetic always in the back of my mind.

Bouquet & Boutonniere: Nicole Cake (sister of bride)

Brides favourite moment: I loved all of it – the whole process was a crescendo to the actual day and created so many special moments with our family and friends as we planned and finalized all of our elements. One moment that really stands out – we included a sake ceremony during our service and borrowed a traditional sake set from the Buddhist Community Centre that Gilbert’s family is involved with. We attended a Sunday service to show our appreciation and Gilbert’s parents presented me with my own set of chanting beads. I was surprised by my emotional response and truly felt welcomed into the family.

Grooms favourite moment: The entire ceremony!  From Maylee Todd’s performance to the sake ceremony to saying our vows.  It was perfect.

Advice to couples currently planning their wedding: Don’t be afraid to delegate tasks to friends and family who offer help!  We couldn’t have done it all by ourselves. Be realistic and open minded. Trust your instincts & the professionals around you! I avoided bridal magazines and used other sources to solidify any ideas I already had in my mind. And don’t lose sight of why you are doing this! We were committed to having a positive experience that would only solidify our love.