Wedding plans might have changed three times, but not having their day was never an option. Alora and Danielle married in the forests of Canada in this intimate wedding.
Tell us about the proposal.
Alora planned a trip to a little cabin in the woods in January of 2019. Alora said it was a little “new years getaway” and mentioned that we might meet up with our photographer/friend Lydia to have a little session.
Danielle had no idea that Alora planned to propose! There was a tiny pond in front of the cabin with a little dock. Once the photoshoot started, Alora took Danielle onto the dock and pulled the ring out of her sock.
And, you planned your wedding during a global pandemic…
Well, we never thought we would be planing a wedding through a pandemic! I think we thought about canceling the wedding for five seconds during the lead-up, but it was never really a serious option. We were getting married, period. We ended up changing our plans pretty drastically, and Danielle planned THREE different menus and made THREE guest lists during that time.
Even with all the changes that needed to be made, the entire process wasn’t too wild. A little stressful at times, but that’s to be expected for any wedding. I don’t think we would change a thing if we could go back and do it all over again.
So, how was the wedding day?
The whole day was very relaxed. We had a total of twelve guests that consisted of our immediate family. Our small team of wedding vendors made the day run super smooth, and we didn’t have to think or worry about anything.
Danielle got ready with her Mom in their apartment, and Alora got ready with her family at their home. We had our first look about a half-hour before the ceremony, the guests started to arrive during that time, and the ceremony began at 4 pm. It had been raining pretty much all day, but it stopped and held off long enough for our first look and ceremony as well as for photos afterward. It was a little cold and damp, but our wedding photographer thought of absolutely everything and had umbrellas for all the guests on stand by. She even brought a giant thermos of hot apple cider, which she served to our guests before the ceremony. It was all super cozy, and everyone loved it.
After the post-ceremony photos, we had dinner at our favorite restaurant Bread Bar. It was so great to have a small intimate wedding and really be able to appreciate spending the day with our close family.
Now that you’ve done it, and got married, do you have advice for other couples planning their wedding day?
It’s not about what other people want; it’s YOUR wedding day. Saying “no thank you” to things you don’t want doesn’t make you selfish, and yes, your mom/grandma/great aunt will be just fine if you don’t do all the things THEY want. Honestly, the pandemic ended up being a great “excuse” not to do certain things!
Small weddings allow you to be more present with your partner, which is really what the whole day is about! We couldn’t imagine having to worry about trying to mingle and speak to 100+ guests in one day. Some friends and family may feel that they missed out on the special day, but we made photo books for those who couldn’t be there, and a few people even watched the wedding over a live stream.
Photography by Lydia Ivy Photography
Florist Snowberry Botanicals
Hair Stylist Loft 199
Officiant Woven Threads
Planner Dream Style
Stylist Painted White Studio
