This past weekend Mr. T and I celebrated a year of married bliss. I cannot believe that a year has flown past since we tied the knot. So to mark the occasion I thought I would a quick wedding day in review.

I planned our entire wedding, with one or two ideas from Mr. T (his input was something to the effect of “any colour except sea foam green” and “let’s make sure we have great food”!)

The ceremony and reception took place at Minter Gardens, which made for a seamless transition for guests, without the need to travel between venues. They only needed to scurry for cover during the freak torrential downpour as they made their way through the gardens back to the conservatory!

The food was amazing, and the service was great. A stunning venue with meticulously cared for gardens, I couldn’t have asked for a better day!

Always the planner, never the bride, this was my time to pull out all the stops. However, there’s this nasty thing called a budget which squashes a girls dreams of decadent-overflowing-only in the movies-flower arrangements.  So instead I came up with these elegant centerpieces. 

I placed a few of the tall centerpieces on the outside tables, and the shorter ones in the middle of the room. I am not a fan of attending weddings where the centerpiece gets in the way of the action.

Being the budget conscious bride I was ever mindful of the rising bottom line this event was costing and when it came to the cake I couldn’t fathom spending close to a month’s mortgage payment on some desert! A great friend stepped  in and created THE most delicious Brazilian Chocolate fudge creation , which by the way was still amazing a year later as we enjoyed the top tier last weekend!

I decorated the four tier creation along with my mom. I know, it’s crazy, the bride decorating her own wedding cake 3 days prior to the day!

I’ve always known that my mom would make my wedding dress and when Mr. T. proposed exactly 100 days prior, I knew she had her work cut out for her! Regular bridal stores scoff at brides who come in with less than 6 months to go, and here we were endeavoring to create a one of a kind gown in 100 days, never mind the fact my mother lives in another province!

It truly became a family affair finishing this dress with my mother as head designer, my granny (flown in from South Africa) as the assistant, and my dad the night before affixing Swarovski crystals to the bodice – he was thrilled he got to use some tools!

Well the dress was nothing less than spectacular, it was exactly as I had dreamed it would be. I felt like a princess. It fit me perfectly and knowing that each and every stitch (there was 37 hrs of embroidery on the dress) was lovingly done especially for me makes it priceless.

The day would not have been forever captured as perfectly if it was not for my wonderful friend Anastasia Chomlack and her husband Chad. All these fabulous pictures are her amazing handiwork and I’m forever grateful to her for capturing our day. Together they capture the essence of every wedding they shoot and truly have a gift of story telling through their art.

Here’s to the our first year! 80 more to go!