Kristina's Wedding
Names: Kristina + Tyler
Wedding Date: September 22, 2018
Guest Numbers: 200
Wedding Location: Ottawa, ON
Photographer: Lauren McCormick Photography (Instagram @laurenphoto.ca)
Tell Us Your Love Story
How did you meet?
Tyler and I actually met in a nightclub in Ottawa in December 2010! I was there with a few of my friends after dinner one night and was waiting for a drink at the bar, when Tyler offered to buy me a shot. We had mutual friends there that night, which made it easy to connect over Facebook a few weeks later.
How did he put a ring on it?
I truly believe I had the most magical proposal ever! I took him to New York City as a surprise for his birthday (I told him the week before we left). He asked if he could be in charge of planning dinner one night, so the day after his birthday we took a cab to Central Park where a horse and carriage awaited! We took a ride through Central Park and were dropped off close to the Bow Bridge. He got down on one knee right in the middle of everyone and I was truly blown away. Bonus points to him for hiring a professional photographer to capture the unforgettable moment!
What made the wedding personal to you?
Tyler and I were married in the same church that his parents were married in his + Grandmother was a big part of. He’s Lebanese and I’m Greek + Italian so I found incorporating our cultures in the ceremony was a big part of creating a special wedding day. We weren’t able to exchange personalized vows in the church, so we decided to exchange our vows during our speeches later in the night. I was happy that we still found a way to incorporate them + share them in front of our friends and family.
What were you most nervous or excited about?
I was most excited to have my Dad walk me down the aisle and see the look on Tyler’s face when he finally saw my Randy Fenoli dress! Believe it or not, we weren’t nervous about anything.
Now, the most important part - the Dress!
Tell us about your dress?
My dress was a Randy Fenoli Design – Strapless, sweetheart neckline with white cascading Venice Lace appliques on the top which flowed to a full A-line tulle over champagne sparkle tulle skirt. It was the perfect balance between romantic + sparkle.
Where did you find it?
Kleinfeld’s in The Hudson’s Bay in Toronto.
What was your experience like?
This is probably my favorite memory (pre-wedding!) I saw that Randy was going to be at Toronto location of Kleinfield’s in the Fall of 2017, of course, I called and made an appointment. My Mom, Mother-in-law and myself drove down to Toronto for a fun girls wedding dress shopping weekend. When I got to Kleinfield’s I was told that our consultant was going to be with us in a few minutes and to have a seat on the terrace outside. As we walked outside, the three of us caught a glimpse of Randy walking through the store and instantly I had tears in my eyes. My mom and I watched Say Yes to the Dress every Friday night growing up. Before I could get too emotional, it was my turn to shop. Stephanie, our bridal consultant, pulled a few dresses based on my description of what I wanted. The first dress I tried on was a Randy Fenoli design. I walked out of the dressing room to find Randy waiting for me. I couldn’t believe that I was in his dress, in front of him at my dream dress store. I don’t think that I could even begin to explain the amount of happiness + bliss I felt in that moment. Randy was amazing and we shared lots of laughs & happy tears! I tried on a few others after but nothing compared to the first one!
What was your most memorable moment from your day?
Most memorable moment was walking down the aisle. We had a bad tornado sweep through Ottawa the day before the wedding – we had no cell phone reception and I hadn’t spoken to Tyler for almost 24 hours before seeing him. The moment I saw him waiting for me at the end of the aisle with tears in his eyes, my heart swelled so big it almost came out of my chest. They say if it rains on your wedding day, its goodluck – a tornado must mean even better things to come our way.
What does marriage mean to you?
Simply put, marriage to us means: unconditional love, patience, honesty and friendship. Tyler + I are truly best friends and believe that having a marriage that is first built on the foundations of a friendship is so important.
Something New? My dress + a pair of diamond earrings from my Mom!
Something Old? My grandmother’s gold wedding band
Something Borrowed? A white beaded purse
Something Blue? Blue evil eye pinned to the inside of my dress
Anything words of wisdom you can pass onto future brides & grooms?
Enjoy every moment! Really take the time to slow down mentally during certain parts of the day and soak it all in. So many memories are made and it truly flies by so quickly. Invest in a photographer that you’re comfortable with + a videographer. We had a friend coordinate with all the vendors + be present the day of the wedding to keep everything organized – she was my livesaver!
