Lisa + Jaime’s Wedding in the Forest

By Emma McCormick

 

Lisa and Jaime’s July twenty eighteen wedding was first featured in December of last year by our lovely friends over at Rocky Mountain Bride and it’s been on our must-share list ever since! I was a huge fan of these two adventurers from our very first meeting and (perhaps!) an even bigger fan of Lisa’s dad – who quickly made sure to let me know that he truly loved a good party and was expecting nothing short of epic for his daughter’s big day.

From the show stopping teepee style tenting to the dance floor under the trees and the stars, from the live oyster shucking station to the plentiful charcuterie boards of Toque Catering, from “Dansel” the teal photobooth trailer to the custom craft cocktails provided by mobile bartenders, Twist of Fate, it really was one of those weddings you just wish you could be a guest at; guests arrived early, danced hard, and stayed late – the perfect testament to a truly epic celebration.

Lisa and Jaime were married on a magical private property just outside of Victoria near Elk Lake Park. The beautiful forested property was owned by Lisa’s grandparents and has been a part of the family for years. The heart of the property, a rustic log cabin was built by Lisa’s grandfather and was where her mother and brothers had grown up. The property has always been a very important part of their family and Lisa’s parents, as well as her aunt and uncle, celebrated their own wedding on the property.

Lisa’s bridal look was perfectly her – effortless beauty at it’s finest! Lisa’s relaxed, yet elegant, look not only fit her style and personality but her dress (and sneakers!) fit the casual summer vibe of the forest!

No tux necessary. Jaime’s custom Indo Chino suit carried the cool factor throughout the day.

About eleven years ago, when Lisa’s grandfather died, her grandmother moved away from the property to live with her son; however I learned she still drove to the property everyday to tend to the gardens and cabin. It was a true sentiment to the family’s history at the property, and the cabin itself, that Lisa and Jaime choose to host their ceremony with the log cabin as the backdrop.

After the ceremony, our couple’s 140+ guests enjoyed lawn games, signature cocktails, fresh oysters, and delicious passed canapés from the team at Toque.

Hands down. No question. This outdoor reception tent design was (and is!) an all time favourite.

Lisa was all about the idea of creating a space that flowed perfectly with her’s and Jaime’s shared love of the outdoors and natural elements. Instead of focusing on wedding colours, our team’s design focused on the feel of bringing the outdoors into the tent and used elements like wicker, rattan, macrame, wood, and slate on the table tops. What easily could have been a standard rustic wedding with wood rounds and ferns became our version of west coast modern with white wire chairs, Scandinavian inspired lounge furniture and harvest tables, and wild ferns and plants effortlessly hanging from the ceiling.

Lisa was a dream bride to work with and was always replying YES! YES! YES to our design ideas – nothing was off the table and I love her for letting me truly be creative and trusting the design process!

Favourite Detail: When I found out that Lisa loved plants and already had a beautiful collection of plants in boho style macrame hangers at her house, I knew we could play into that plant-lady love even more. Tina, from Platinum Floral Designs, nailed the concept and created a beautiful mix of potted plants and wild vines that hung in clusters throughout the tent. The installation on the Friday took hours, but it was worth every second!

The gorgeous setting and detailed-filled tent provided the perfect backdrop for a delicious, multi-course family style meal with toasts, speeches, laughter, and tears throughout.

Following the meal, Lisa and Jaime’s wedding cake and cookie table, made with love by Lisa’s friend, Hannah, was devoured by their guests.

The rest of the evening continued in the same relaxed and celebratory fashion! Drinks, dancing, lots more food, a vintage Photo Booth trailer, and ALL THE FUN. The Broken Strings started the night off with a few solid hours of live music, before Lisa and Jaime’s friend Eric, a DJ from Vancouver, took over the tunes and had the forest singing all night long!

Favourite Memory: Not even a favourite memory from the wedding day itself, but one of my favourite details from this whole experience was the memories and meaning that this family property and cabin held for these two and their families. It truly was a family affair preparing the property for the wedding with everything from Jaime excavating and levelling the tenting site (how perfect that Jaime owns an excavating company in North Vancouver!) to Lisa’s grandmother and uncle visiting the property together regularly to tend to the gardens and lawn with pristine care. After so many months of preparing, it was a pleasure to witness this wonderful family celebrating Lisa and Jaime’s love story, and all their hard work, together!

Photographer: Jessika Hunter for The Whistler Wedding Collective

Officiant: Brian / Young Hip & Married

Florist: Platinum Floral Designs

Reception Tent & Lighting: The Wise Co.

Catering Tent: Shady Spaces

Catering: Toque Catering

Oyster Bar: Wandering Mollusk

Bar: Twist of Fate

Cake & Desserts: Hannah Raymond

Trailer Photo Booth: Four Frames

Ceremony Musician: Geoffrey Lundstrom

Band: Broken Strings

DJ: Eric Savics

Make-Up: Artistry by Alexa

Hair: The Grove Healthy & Beauty

Bridal Bouquet: Union Bridal

Dress Designer: Alexandra Grecco

Groom’s Attire: Indo Chino

Decor Rentals: Trend Decor Event Design, Party Mood, Art & Soul Creative, Decor By Nature

Lounge: The Wise Co.

Plateware: Pedersen’s

Equipment rentals: Scene About Town, Pedersen’s, The Wise Co.

Transportation: Scene About Town