Kate and David's Fall Wedding at Stonefields Estate
David and I met when we were teenagers at summer camp in 2008. David might say that he knew right away that I was the one (he's a romantic like that). We became good friends and stayed in touch. The following summer, we both finally admitted that what we had was something special.
High school, university, travels abroad — we've been through it all and grown together. In 2012, we moved to Ottawa for our undergraduate degrees and the city has been our home ever since. It meant a lot to us to get married in Ottawa ten years after moving here; it's become our home and it was really special to share that with our family and friends from all over.
To celebrate our 10th anniversary, we went to the East Coast on a road trip. We were camping in Cape Breton but had to call it a night pretty early because a storm was rolling in. It rained all night, but in the morning there was a beautiful sunrise. David asked me to marry him as we watched the sun come up over the Atlantic, and said he wanted to be with me through all of life's "storms and sunrises."
Our wedding day was a dream come true. It's still hard to believe it was real! We had originally planned to get married in October 2020. When we decided to move the date to 2022 because of the pandemic, a lot of people thought we were crazy. It was a difficult decision to make, but ultimately we were so glad we waited because our wedding was more magical than we could've ever imagined. Even though the pandemic is still very much with us today, we were able to have a celebration with our loved ones and we were so grateful for that.
One of the most meaningful parts of the day was the Ketubah signing ceremony, which was an intimate ceremony with our parents, grandparents, and signatories. We signed our civil marriage documents and our Jewish marriage contract. It was a quiet moment with some of the closest people in our lives and it's really when it sunk in for us that this was really, finally happening.
The wedding ceremony itself was also very special to us. We wanted our ceremony to feel like a reflection of us as a couple. It was important to us that it felt accessible and welcoming to everyone. We wrote our own personal vows and selected transliterations of blessings that resonated with us.
And, of course, the weather! For late October in the Ottawa area, we had an unseasonably warm, sunny day. It was nearly 20°C around the time of the ceremony. The leaves were falling, the sun was shining, and that all contributed to that dream-like feeling.
We decided to hire Union Eleven because we especially loved how they capture candid moments. Looking through their social media and website, it's clear they know how to capture all the joy and genuine emotion on your big day. You feel something when you look at their pictures. Plus, we liked that they had multiple photographers and videographers available so we could work with the Union Eleven team for both photo and video.
Everyone was talking about how great Union Eleven was on the big day. They move quickly to get that perfect shot. They keep us organized, so we don't miss the perfect natural lighting. They made our families feel like movie stars during our group portraits. And they made it stress-free. We knew they got it.
Vendors:
Photography and Videography: Union Eleven
Dress: Lea-Ann Belter Bridal
Menswear: Tom's Place, H. Halpern Esq.
Bridesmaids dresses: Bill Levkoff
Hair and makeup: Mahogany Salon and Spa, Carleton Place
Venue: Stonefields Estate
Florals and decor: Wedecor
Jewellery: Rings made by Studio 1098, Earrings made by Penwarden Fine Jewellery
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