Taylor and Cheryl’s wedding was a masterpiece, blending the romance of an Italian summer with the lush beauty of Vancouver. Set in an enchanting manor, the celebration felt like stepping into a sun-drenched Italian escape. This long, intimate table encouraged heartfelt conversations and laughter, creating a sense of community and warmth among guests. Every element, down to the custom-designed stationery and wedding website crafted by the couple, carried the imprint of Taylor and Cheryl’s unique love story. The bride, in a stunning Danielle Frankel gown, looked timeless and graceful, embodying modern elegance beside her groom, who wore a dashing Dries Van Noten tuxedo. Together, they were a vision of contemporary romance, a sight beautifully captured by photographer Tomasz Wagner, who perfectly highlighted both their love and the intricate details that made the day unforgettable.
Our Love Story
The Day We Met
We both grew up in Vancouver in different suburbs, and in not knowing what we wanted to pursue, we ended up in business school because it seemed like a generally useful thing to study. At the time, Taylor was pretty involved in student events, and even before we began dating, I had seen him around and thought he was cute, but also quite intimidating. It wasn’t until we were planning an event together and getting to know him more that I learned he was actually very goofy and that we had many shared interests in design, art and architecture.
Early on in our relationship, we would go on many dates drawing together in cafés, and Taylor eventually convinced me to join him in doing a joint major in design, despite my fears that it wouldn’t be a feasible career. Many years later, we found ourselves moving to California and then New York to pursue our careers in design. I am still so thankful for him convincing me to do that because I’m a much better designer than I am a marketer.
The Proposal
It happened within the Bronx Botanical Gardens within a beautifully lit solarium, where we were away from the crowds of people. We had brought a Polaroid camera that day and were taking photos throughout the space. When we entered that room, Taylor asked someone (secretly a photographer) if they could take our photo. Just as we were getting ready to take the photo, he pulled out an already developed Polaroid photo out of his pocket and showed it to me. It was him on one knee, in that exact same location and in the exact same outfit, holding an engagement ring.
The Engagement Ring
When we were first talking about rings, my main request was that it wasn’t something that would be too flashy and that it would be something that would look nice with clothes I wore on the daily. I really liked that the rings by Kataoka had beautiful details without being too loud – something that we could appreciate by looking closely at it without calling for too much attention at a glance.
Our Wedding
The Vision
Italian summer, but in Vancouver. Warm terracotta tiles, drapery that makes you feel the summer breeze in photos. Green and white florals with just a bit of purple that also feel light. They catch the breeze nicely as well. When the sun sets, it still feels warm. Conversations floating over the candlelight on a nice long table. Everything feels comfortable, natural and light.
Our Team of Vendors
We worked with Brynn at Dreamgroup to help us coordinate the day-of logistics, which was a massive help so that we could fully enjoy the day without worrying about coordinating the details ourselves. Tomasz Wagner was our photographer, and The Augusts were our videographers, and we would make the decision to work with them again in a heartbeat. They captured so many details that help us relive the day in the most beautiful way possible for the years to come. Kyoko at Kado Flowers helped bring our vision to life with florals that rounded out the feeling of the day perfectly - something that felt effortless from ceremony to reception.
The Location
We knew that we wanted our wedding in the city we grew up in – Vancouver, Canada. Both our families still live there, and we wanted to share this city with the friends we've met since leaving. We held our wedding at Hycroft Manor. We were looking for a space that could accommodate both indoor and outdoor moments, and this was perfect. The interior of the venue is a regal heritage building with stunning green tiled rooms, while the outside provides a beautiful columned garden terrace.
The Ceremony
We began our walk from the second floor of the manor, down the stairs onto the main floor, which opened up to the terrace where our friends and family were seated. It was honestly pretty surreal walking out onto the terrace, and I really didn’t think that I was going to cry. But then the lyrics from Godspeed played, “I will always love you, how I do”, and seeing Taylor at the end of the aisle with my dad beside me really got me. We hadn’t rehearsed with the music, so that, seeing all our friends and family there, and just everything coming together into that moment made me tear up. I think Taylor was trying not to cry, but seeing me cry just made us both cry at once haha.
The Reception
For the reception, we wanted to have one long table where our friends and family from the different phases of our lives could meet. We always liked the idea of having one table, where people could flow in and out of conversations more easily, rather than many round tables that separated friend groups from friend groups. The sun had a very orange cast that day, which made everything feel really warm and slow, and it felt like the perfect lighting to set the mood of dinner too. As the sun set, the candlelight faded in and kept a warm feeling into the night.
The Special Touches
We both love making things, and so our wedding felt like a perfect opportunity to make something meaningful for the people who matter the most to us in our lives. Because of how much we’ve moved, it’s quite rare for us to have all the people we care about all together in one space. In the months leading up to the wedding, Taylor and I made a set of 100 ceramic pieces, from cups to small dishes, at the studio we go to in New York and brought them with us to Vancouver. Our carry-ons were pretty much just our wedding outfit, and all of these ceramics were carefully wrapped in paper. In the weeks leading up to the wedding, we laid out everything on the kitchen floor of my parent’s house and decided which piece suits which guest.
Because we like making things, we also wanted to design the digital and physical goods that were a part of the wedding. Taylor and I designed and coded the website, and I designed the printed goods for the day of the wedding. We actually printed most everything at my sister’s house and spent many late nights hand-cutting each menu, name card and sign. We definitely left printing until too late, and our backs were sore for a few days from all the hours of cutting.
Our Favorite Moment
Our favorite moment of the day was our first dance. As dessert was finishing up, we asked our guests to bring their table candles over to the outer terrace. Funnily enough – Hycroft had a no open flames allowed policy given that they were a historical building, so these were actually LED, which made it safer for people to hold. Our guests filled up the surrounding staircase as we danced to a rendition of Moon River by Frank Ocean.
Our Style
The Bridal Looks
I had admired the garments by Danielle Frankel for many years, and had known that I wanted to wear something by her on the day of my wedding. I wanted my outfit for the day to be comfortable, so that I could fully enjoy each moment without worrying about how I looked or felt in what I was wearing. The Rosalie dress felt perfect for that, and though not a common pairing, the Simone Rocha shoes fit the bill as well.
The Groom Looks
Taylor wore a Dries Van Noten tuxedo paired with a Gucci bow tie, Jil Sander derbies and a vintage Tank Louis Cartier from the 70s.
Our Advice
For the Planning Process
Decide which details of the vision are most important to the vision, and be okay with deprioritizing things that are less important. When we were deciding on decor, we knew we wanted these specific wooden cane chairs and that they would be very visible throughout the ceremony and reception. Because they contributed so much to the visual feeling of the night, these were high on our priority list. We also wanted to use mismatched vintage cutlery, but sourcing them for 100 guests ended up being too timely and costly. In other quick snippets of advice – divide tasks into what each person likes doing/is good at. Communicate often. Check in with each other.
For On the Day
Take moments for just the two of you. Slow down, soak the details in. Be comfortable.
For Post-Wedding
Don’t fight about things that you won’t remember in a year. Take things lightly. Have fun with each other.
Vendors
Photography: Tomasz Wagner
Videography: The Augusts
Wedding Planner: Brynn Belisle
Venue & Catering: Hycroft
Florist: Kado Flower Studios
Celebrant: Vancity Officiant
Music: About Town Entertainment
Hair & Makeup: The Love Team
Style
Bridal Dress: Danielle Frankel
Bridal Shoes: Simone Rocha
Bridal Jewelry: A.B. Ellie Jewerly
Wedding & Engagement Rings: Kataoka Jewelry
Groom Tuxedo: Dries Van Noten
Groom Shoes: Jil Sander
Groom Bowtie: Gucci
Groom Watch: Cartier
