Although their original wedding plans were canceled due to COVID- 19, Giselle and Matthew still had an amazing wedding that celebrated their love! Giselle said, “The most special memory from our day was being able to have both of our moms present and being able to live-stream it with our family friends. We originally had a bigger wedding planned with about 100 guests but with the Covid-19 pandemic and restrictions put in place, we instead had a wedding consisting of 9 guests at the beautiful Fairmont MacDonald hotel in Edmonton. Our wedding that was originally going to be 100 persons participating became an event that was shared to over 250 people online. We felt the love and warmth from everyone!” Although they didn’t have the wedding day they originally planned, Giselle and Matthew had an intimate ceremony to celebrate their love and commitment to one another. Giselle wore Style D2760 from Essense of Australia for a sexy yet classic bridal look. Read more about their beautiful love story below!
The Proposal:
Just like their love, their proposal was one for the books! We love how Matthew surprised his bride with her dream, one-of-a-kind ring!
Giselle said, “Our proposal was wonderful! We got engaged in December of 2017. At the time, we were living in two different provinces due to work. I came back home for Christmas and was actually a bit surprised that he hadn’t gotten me a present for Christmas. Instead he gave me a letter promising a gift to me in a few days. On that day, he advised me to get dressed up and that we were going to dinner and to spend a night in a hotel (I love food and hotels, so I was happy). When we arrived at the hotel suite, the lights were dimmed and there were rose petals everywhere. I went over to a section of roses and when I turned around, he was on one knee and proposed! I previously fell in love with a custom ring several months prior that I was then informed had been sold and was the last of its kind. I was disappointed, but accepted the fact. But Matthew proposed to me with THAT ring! It had been sold, but sold to him! The night was so special. We finished our night off with a wonderful dinner and enjoyed the rest of our evening in our upgraded suite.”
The Wedding Dress
Giselle went wedding dress shopping by herself to ensure that she found the dress that she wanted. She chose Style D2760 from Essense of Australia and looked stunning on her wedding day.
Giselle describes her bridal style as modern, classic and a little bit sexy. She said, “I knew I wanted a lace fit-and-flare, but it was just a matter of what style I would enjoy most. I wanted to feel timeless, elegant, and beautiful on my wedding day.”
In regards to her dress shopping experience she said, “It spanned almost one year through multiple cities. I probably tried on close to 100 dresses before finally deciding on my beautiful Essense of Australia dress from The Bridal Boutique,with a matching veil. I shopped alone for my dress and while it was nerve-wracking at times not to have any input, I felt confident knowing the dress I chose would be solely based on how I felt and what I was in love with!”
The Wedding Details:
Although their plans changed, Giselle said, “Our original wedding theme was classic and the colours were navy blue and gold. However, with our change in plans, it didn’t work out exactly that way. Instead, my matron-of-honour wore a navy blue dress. My husband wore his dark green military dress uniform, and his best man wore a simple black suit with a complimentary green shirt. Our event room however, was blue, beautiful, and elegant with large chandeliers that captured the feeling of our wedding perfectly!”
COVID-19 couldn’t stop Giselle from wearing the dress of her dreams. Are you ready to find your dream dress? Find an Essense of Australia retailer near you today!
All photography by Kristin Zabos Photography