When asked how they’d define marriage, Rachel and Jay’s answer was pretty straightforward. £When you get married, you get a lifelong best friend. Someone who will laugh at your lame jokes and share their last bite of cake with you, someone you can always freely pass gas around and laugh with till your guts hurt and someone who will always have your back. No matter what.
Keen to get married some place that held some significance to them, the decision was easy for this Canadian couple. £Shortly after we got engaged, we knew we wanted to get married on our property and have an outdoor wedding, limiting us to the warmer weather months. We didn’t want to wait a year and a half for the wedding, so we decided on a date just six months after the proposal, explains Rachel, describing the vibe as just a day filled with loads of hugs, laughter and fun’.
Their day was also overflowing with DIYs as these lovers recruited an army of friends and family to undertake a long list of projects. £From the bar to the ice cream bar, the dance floor, all the centrepieces, card box, loads of different signs, the photo booth, tissue flowers, etc. If it could be made…it was made. I still feel overwhelmed with gratitude when I think of all the people who graciously went above and beyond to help, says the bride, who was hesitant to pinpoint just one special memory from the celebration.
£Wow – when you have a wedding filled with a 25 person pyramid, surprise flash mobs, axe’ throwing, parent hillbilly’ skits and in-laws howling as they welcome you to their wolf pack’, it’s pretty dang hard to pick a favourite moment, Rachel tells us, adding her tried and true advice for other couples soon to tie the knot.
£Be in the moment! Soak in the day as much as possible and don’t stress over anything that doesn’t go as planned (unplanned events make the best memories anyways!). Enjoy your groom and enjoy all your loved ones celebrating your love with you.
She goes on, £some of my favourite memories around the wedding are the ones diving through the chaotic setup with family/friends or laughing with my girlfriends as they did my hair and makeup as opposed to people I didn’t know. So many of our guests had a little touch of their creativity in our wedding – making it all that much more special for us…and them!
Rachael and Jay’s destination wedding was originally featured in our third annual Real Wedding Special, on sale now and stocked in newsagents nationally. Search for your nearest stockist via suburb or postcode here, or shop online with Mag Nation or via the HM online store here.
CREDITS
Photographer April and Paul // Ceremony and Reception Venue Audette Homestead (Our Property) // Marquee and Tabels Perfect Parties Rental // Brides Wedding Band Point No Point Studio // Bridal Gown Designer Spell & The Gypsy Collective // Shoes Free People // Earrings Club Monaco // Shirt Le Chateau // Pants Banana Republic // Bow Tie BeauTieUK // Groomsmen Gifts Joojoobs Via Etsy // Page Boy Outfits Old Navy.