Escape to a winter wonderland with real All Who Wander bride Laura’s stunning wedding photos. The couple had an intimate winter wedding in the woods of Ontario, Canada. A birch arbor handcrafted by her now-husband, evergreen and white florals, and black bridesmaid gowns created the airy and elegant look Laura had always dreamed of. Laura’s All Who Wander Raine gown brought all the elements together and served as the focal point for their big day. A local seamstress added sleeves to the gown, creating the perfect winter wedding dress. Read all about her woodland proposal and swoon over how magical she looked in her wedding photos – congrats to the beautiful couple!
Tell us about your proposal…
Mac proposed in our favorite place, the cottage on Balsam Lake in Ontario, Canada. He proposed on October 3, 2020 while on our traditional weekend sunset cruise. I was driving, and he placed the throttle in neutral while we were going about 25mph. I was quite shocked, but before I could say anything, I saw that he was behind me on one knee with a ring in his hand. I tried to get up out of the driver’s seat and ended up falling to the floor because I had tears in my eyes and couldn’t see! The ring is very sentimental. It has three diamonds, one for his grandmother, his great-grandmother, and his great aunt, all on his father’s side. His dad passed away when we were 19 years old, so this ring has such a special meaning to us.
How did you know that the All Who Wander Raine gown was the one?
I have always known I wanted a winter wedding. I envisioned myself in an a-line dress, fitted at the torso and flowy on the bottom. I knew I didn’t want a white dress. I am more drawn to the champagne and off-white colours. I tried the Raine wedding dress on second and fell in love! My grandmother and mother were there with me, and all three of us knew this was what I was meant to wear. The Raine dress met all of my bridal visions! The champagne slip with the off-white was absolutely stunning. I also really love intricate details, and the beautiful motifs on the dress were so stunning. I couldn’t have imagined myself wearing any other dress! It was absolutely breathtaking, and I felt like a winter princess.
Ok, the sleeves you added to the gown are beautiful…
The only thing I wished this dress had was sleeves. Sleeves are so beautiful and exemplify the airy winter look I was going for. Although All Who Wander offers sleeve options, it wasn’t possible given the proximity of our original wedding date. The owner of the salon recommended a local seamstress, and I couldn’t have asked for a better person to work with! Meredith at Couture Alterations was an absolute rockstar. She worked with me to bring my vision to life with her expertise and creativity! Given the winter setting and the snow, she also adjusted the length of the train to make it more manageable for walking through several feet of snow. She cut the intricate decals off the train and hand sewed them onto the sleeves she made!
What a winter wonderland! How did the setting inspire your wedding theme?
Mac and I love winter and being outside in the snow. We live in the country about 45 minutes outside of Toronto with lots of trails around us, and we love hiking in the winter. Snow on the evergreens and the sun glistening off the snow are some of my favourite things about winter! Mac built our arbor with birch trees from my best friend’s farm. Lisa from Foraged Florals provided evergreen and flowers to truly make the arbor a centerpiece. The beautiful arbor brought the woodsy feel and winter vibes to our indoor ceremony! The bouquets were absolutely stunning and truly exemplified my vision of wintery, woodsy, and airy feels. The bridesmaids and groomsmen wore simple, elegant black attire. My wedding dress served as the perfect focal point and brought all the elements together. It was airy, woodsy, wintery, and so elegant.
How did you personalize your wedding experience?Â
I truly loved having an intimate wedding and ceremony. It allowed for quality time with our loved ones. Although we would have loved to have our close friends and other family, due to the COVID-19 restrictions in our region, we were limited to only 25 people indoors and 10 for dinner. We set up a zoom link for all friends and family who were not able to attend, and approximately 120 people tuned in across Canada and the United States! Probably the most special moment was saying our vows in front of our family and friends. I don’t consider myself to be an emotional person, but this moment meant a lot to me as my love for my now-husband has transpired over the past 16 years of friendship, and I couldn’t imagine spending my life with anyone else. Even now, writing about how deeply I love my husband has me in tears!
Photography by Christina Stirpe Photography
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