Moody, bohemian and oh-so-romantic, there’s nothing we don’t love about Elyse and Kurt’s indoor/outdoor garden wedding! From the candlelit bouquets to the stunning string lights— and of course, Elyse’s lace gown— we’re completely smitten with this celebration full of romance. Read on to see all the details of their incredible day!
The Proposal
Before we got engaged my husband, Kurt, being the romantic that he is, would tell me his grand plans for how he was going to propose to me one day. When the day finally came I had zero clues that it was going to happen! After a crazy weekend of both of us doing our own thing, Sunday came and I was prepared for a chill, lazy day at home. In the morning we decided to go for a walk as we often do when we came to one of my favorite groves of trees. Suddenly Kurt got down on one knee and asked me to be his wife and it was all I could do but muddle gibberish back to him before finally spitting out “yes!”. After all of Kurt’s big talk it was the last thing I was expecting at that moment, but in the end, it was the perfect proposal for us. It wasn’t about all of the bells and whistles, and it wasn’t about social media, it was about the two of us in our own moment, choosing to be each other’s somebody for life, and that was everything in itself! I always wanted to be completely surprised when I got engaged and Kurt pulled that off in the most genuine way!
Finding the Perfect Essense of Australia Wedding Dress
When I started my dress shopping experience I was feeling a bit overwhelmed. Every dress and every style was beautiful in its own way, but nothing was standing out to me as “The One”. The more I tried on the more I narrowed it down to two features, the lace, sheer sleeves, and the A-line flowy fit. I found two dresses with each of those aspects, but I couldn’t find one that had them both. After looking on the internet I stumbled upon Essense of Australia’s D2038 and was 95% sure that was my dress. There wasn’t one anywhere near where I lived so with my Mom, sister, and Mother-in-law in tow, we drove to the city to check it out. I put it on and without a doubt, it was “The Dress”! I never looked back and couldn’t have been happier with it. The way that skirt twirled was a deal sealer for me!
Let Us About Your Wedding Details
Our theme was a bit of an eclectic collage! My bridesmaids’ dresses were maroon and gold, but that was about the only thing maroon. Since we live in Canada and often have unpredictable weather, my husband and I opted for an indoor ceremony in the hall we were renting for the reception. I had always thought I would get married outside, but when the vision of a darker candlelit ceremony took place we were so excited about this idea that we couldn’t stop running with it! My bridesmaids held battery candlelit lanterns, with overgrown greenery through them, as they walked down the aisle. To continue with the dark lit theme we made poles to hold up the patio lights that were strung across the dance floor over our guests. For a dramatic entrance into the hall we had a cabin-esque wall/doors that opened before I walked down the aisle, and throughout the hall we had birch logs staggered together, with greenery flowing over them, and small candles flickering on top of them. On the stage of the hall were giant pillars that aided in hanging the vintage windows we got married in front of.
We helped make all of these pieces, and so when it was finally put together and we stood back it truly felt like our wedding! For one final personal touch, my husband and I tied in our love for craft beer. On every table we had a beer growler from a different brewery, filled with fairy lights and they had baby hops coming out of the tops. The hall went from a blank canvas to what was essentially our “outdoor, indoor” beer garden wedding! It couldn’t have been more perfect for us! As the festivities went into the night, the beer garden theme did not stop. To go eat we had beer stein holding competitions, and instead of cake, we opted for a custom-made cask of cherry, vanilla beer. Our wedding was as boisterous and fun (and beautiful) as a German beer hall from the beginning to the end, and in the end that is all Kurt and I could’ve have hoped for or wanted!
The Bride’s Favorite Part
The whole day was a whirlwind from the beginning to end, but some of the special moments that stood out were, in the morning of the wedding my Mom gave me a locket that my grandpa gave my grandma before they got married. Since both my grandparents passed away a few years ago, this really tugged at my heartstrings and meant a lot. Walking down the aisle to meet my groom, followed by an epic dance party on our wedding bus with our wedding party, after we were officially married, are a few of the other top special moments of our day as well!
Emily Oud Photography