A Storybook Enchanted Garden Wedding at The Lakehouse Calgary.

Introducing a fireplace installation that brings fairytales to life! Where every dream comes true, just ask Stella and Troy who experienced it first-hand on August 1, 2020.

The things Stella learned from planning and executing her wedding during Covid-19 and her jewels of wisdom to pass on to anyone planning for their dream wedding.

This late summer wedding love story is a testimony to why we continue to believe that true love always endures.

The love story

Stella and Troy first made acquaintance on a date in February 2018.

"We met up for what turned out to be a six-hour date!“exclaimed Stella, "We went from one restaurant to the next, and before I knew it, we were having wine and cheese and didn’t make it home until one o'clock in the morning."

Things moved quickly from there. Stella and Troy were both at a stage where they knew they wanted to start a family. So they took a leap of faith.

Troy proposed to Stella in December 2018, just before announcing to their families that they were expecting.

“It was like a whirlwind, but I can’t imagine jumping into a life like this with anyone else.”

The couple welcomed Sophia Grace into their lives”s just over a year after meeting“ in early 2019. Sophia Grace was an integral part of Stella and Troy’s love story, and they were thrilled to have had their little girl part of their wedding.

Being a mom opened Stella's eyes and heart to much more than she could have ever imagined.

Stella shared, "There is “no greater purpose, no matter what you think you have achieved in life. For me, this is where I bloom."

Pinterest Wedding colour palette, blush, pink, rose, raspberry and burgundy

The wedding

COVID-19 has affected many people in so many ways over the past year. Some of the things that have been impacted most are weddings and wedding planning. Many marriages had to be pushed to a later date due to the “pandemic, while others couples had to work with the ever-changing restrictions.

Stella and Troy's original wedding was meant to include over 200 guests, but like so many others, their plans were derailed.

Stella and Troy decided to proceed with their wedding on a smaller scale. The couple wanted to have a relaxed yet elegant affair. They chose to have their ceremony and reception at The Lake House on Lake Bonavista in Calgary. The Lake House was the perfect venue to greet 50 intimate close friends. Every detail of this wedding was designed to make each person feel like they were invited to be a part of the magical day. It was an experience their guests will remember for a lifetime.

“I wanted something beautiful, sincere, and memorable,” explained Stella. “I wanted to focus on the essential things to us, which automatically translated into something everyone else enjoyed too.”

Stella chose a simple yet elegant colour”r scheme of pinks and creams while incorporating natural greens.

Stella did not have a strong vision for the wedding day, but she wanted a soft, natural and elegant colour palette: she watched every detail fall into place. When asked what the most challenging part of the wedding planning was, Stella said it was the short timeline more than the COVID restrictions.

“We had a short time to make everything happen."

“Nothing had to be perfect as long as we were together in the end.”

“The only thing I would have changed is I might have wanted to invite two or three more people, but looking back; I'm glad we were restricted because it made our decision-making so much easier.”

“It wouldn’t have been so special and intimate. We would have been running around trying to connect with 200+ people, and then the day wouldn’t have been about us,” she said. “Honestly, it was a blessing in disguise."

The Lakehouse Fireplace Floral Installation

Highlights from the day

We asked Stella to share some of the highlights from their special day.

For Stella, there were many highlights, but the top of the list was seeing the reveal of the ceremony site and how breathtaking everything came together. The famous Lake House fireplace was a natural location for a show-stopping installation. Guests were able to drop into the beauty of this glorious day. The fireplace was dripping with abundant and complete flowers—a breathtaking sight used as the backdrop for the wedding ceremony.

"I wanted it to look like a fairy tale, and it indeed was. The Lake House is such an incredible venue, and all the little details made everything much more special.”

Stella had hoped to include peonies from her garden in her bridal bouquet, but with an early August wedding date, the garden peonies were no longer in bloom. Elli was aware of this wish and saved a few precious peony blooms from a local grower's garden to surprise the bride at her wedding. As a result, Stella's bouquet was created entirely with all local flowers from Alberta and British Columbia.

Flowers running down the center aisle drew the eye up to where the couple gave their wedding vows. Those same flowers were later moved to run down the center of the dinner tables.

The reception had a relaxed yet elegant ambience with the harvest style tables set with stunning baroque dinnerware provided by Modern Rental.“The linen napkins, ornate dinner menu custom made by Indy Bee Craft and delightful specialty chocolate favours handcrafted by local chocolatier Epiphanie Chocolate made for a fanciful treat to greet the guests to a lovely reception.

Sophia Grace stole the show as she led the way down the aisle as the couple’s flower girl.

Advice for the Newly Engaged

When asked if she had any advice for couples planning their wedding, Stella offered: “Get the right help from the start.”

Choosing the right team is so important! Reduce your stress and hire a team of professionals you can trust.

Stella added that having a fixed budget and knowing what items are essential will make your decision-making much more straightforward. You will not regret spending more money to make your wedding unique and reflect your style.