Nick and I met during the pandemic on August 15, 2020—exactly six years to the day before we got married. We were introduced through mutual friends; our best friends were dating at the time, and during a brief period when COVID restrictions eased enough to allow small gatherings, the four of us got together. The rest is history! As restrictions tightened again, Nick and I quickly became two of the only people each other regularly saw. With not much else to do, our relationship grew over countless walks, coffee dates, and quiet time together. In a strange way, the circumstances gave us the opportunity to really get to know one another without many of the usual distractions. What began during such an unusual time turned into something incredibly special—and six years later, we chose that very same date to get married.

I’ve always loved architecture, so Nick knew he wanted to incorporate that into his proposal. He enlisted my friends to help create an elaborate cover story: they told me we were having a “celebration of spring” party at one of their houses. For weeks, they talked about the flowers they were ordering, what everyone was going to wear, and even the food being catered. On the day of the “party,” we stopped to pick up one of my friends, but instead of pulling up to her house, Nick kept driving. I assumed he had missed the turn, until he pulled into the parking lot of the beautiful Hycroft Manor. Completely unsuspecting, I turned to him and said, “Did you know this is Hycroft Manor?!” Of course, he did. He told me to get out of the car because we were going for a walk, and that was the moment I knew. We made our way through the beautiful historic building and out onto the terrace, where my mom and sister had secretly spent the day setting up flowers and candles. Nick proposed there, surrounded by all of the incredible architecture I love so much. It was thoughtful, romantic, and so perfectly fitting for me—and the beautiful architectural backdrop made the photos from that moment even more special.

I wanted our wedding to feel like an old-world European celebration—elegant, romantic, and timeless. Because of my love for architecture, finding a historic venue with beautiful architectural details was incredibly important to me, and so much of the wedding design grew from that. I was drawn to classic, vintage-inspired details that felt as though they could have belonged to another era, while still feeling personal to us. More than anything, I wanted to look back at our wedding years from now and have it still feel timeless.

We got married at Hatley Castle in Victoria, BC, on Vancouver Island. It was a venue I had dreamed about for years, and the moment we began planning, it felt like the perfect fit. With its historic architecture, beautiful gardens, and old-world character, the castle brought everything I had envisioned for the day to life. It gave our wedding the romantic, European-inspired feeling I had always wanted and made the entire day feel a little like stepping into a fairytale.

I knew I needed a dress that could perfectly match a castle venue, so I went into the process envisioning a romantic lace ballgown with sleeves. Everly Bridal had an incredible selection of lace gowns, and at my first appointment, I found myself loving elements of so many different dresses. After taking some time to think about everything I had tried on, I returned for a second appointment and worked with the team to customize my favourite Aleena Leena gown. They helped me bring together all the details I had loved from the different dresses into one design that felt completely like me and perfectly suited the setting. Ordering a custom gown without being able to see the finished version was definitely a little nerve-wracking, but I trusted the process. When I finally went back to pick it up and saw everything come together, I immediately knew I had made the right decision. I couldn’t have been happier with how it turned out.

We decided not to do a first look, and it was one of the best decisions we made. My favourite memory from the entire day was walking down the aisle and seeing Nick for the first time. Getting to take in his reaction as he saw me in my dress for the first time was such an emotional and special moment, and one I know I’ll remember forever.

Wedding planning can be busy and stressful, but it can also be such a fun and special season of your life. My biggest advice would be to start early, stay as organized as you can, and try to genuinely enjoy the process along the way. Everyone tells you how quickly the wedding day will go by, and it really does. Make a conscious effort to pause throughout the day and take it all in. After our ceremony, my new husband and I took a few moments completely to ourselves, away from all the excitement and distractions. It gave us a chance to be present with each other, soak in the fact that we were finally married, and appreciate everything happening around us. It was such a simple thing, but I’m so grateful we made time for it.

Venue
@hatleycastleweddings

Wedding Brand & Design
@bydesign.weddings

Wedding Planning
@detailsbc

Wedding Content
@musebyher

Photography
@carissamariephotography_

Dress
@alenaleenabridal

Bridal Boutique
@everly_bridal

Make up
@taliajoycemakeup

Hair
@hairdesignbyanna

Videography
@alyssagaigaproductions

Catering
@truffles_catering