Love Isn’t Cancelled: Chelsey + Pete

By Chelsey Jawl

 

If we learned anything this summer, it’s that a bigger guest count doesn’t mean a better wedding, and it definitely doesn’t mean a better party! Chelsey + Pete’s wedding was the perfect example of just how perfect a wedding with 50 guests can be (hand sanitizer as favours and all!). Chelsey + Pete just hit the one month of married life mark and we are thrilled that Chelsey agreed to be a part of our Love Isn’t Cancelled series!

Chelsey + Pete came to us during the Christmas season last year, recently engaged, and ready to jump all in to planning their dream, West Coast inspired wedding at one of their favourite places, Shawnigan Lake. 2020 was looking to be their most exciting year yet and we couldn’t wait to get started! They had over 150 guests on their invite list so, when the gathering restrictions came in, they reluctantly postponed to May 2021. After a few weeks of thinking, they quickly realized that they just wanted to be married, no matter what the guest count was! Cue the confetti – we knew this was going to be an incredible celebration, regardless of how many guests came to the party!

 

Chelsey + Pete were married on their original wedding date of August 29, 2020 up in Shawnigan Lake surrounded by 50 guests. It was a modern, elegant, West Coast wedding, filled with great food, delicious drinks, and amazing speeches and toasts – exactly what Chelsey + Pete wanted. Check out what Chelsey had to say about the process of postponing, un-postponing, and why they wouldn’t have had it any other way! Photos by our super talented and totally awesome friends, Shari + Mike. 

When and how did you make the decision to change your wedding plans? Were there any specific deciding factors?

It was definitely a rollercoaster! In April there was so much unknown and we actually postponed our big day until May 21, 2021. As soon as we sent out our new save-the-dates we asked ourselves “why are we waiting!?”… It was never about the big guest list, we just really wanted to be married to each other! So, we quickly decided to go back to our original date with a much smaller guest list.

How was your wedding day different than what you had imagined?

We had invited 160 people and, in the end, we had 50 family and close friends. It was the best day of our lives and more magical than we could have ever imagined.

How was your wedding day the same as what you had originally imagined?

When we originally started planning our wedding, we knew we wanted the day to feel intimate and full of love, along with lots of good food, wine, and music – and that all definitely stayed the same!

We were so lucky to have our own venue and that we were able to use all the same incredible vendors. It had all the special moments that I dreamed about my whole life when picturing my wedding day.

Emma and her team at the Good Party executed every single detail so perfectly. I kept pinching myself throughout the day that this gorgeous wedding was ours!

Was there anything that turned out better than your original plan?

Everything! Everyone got to know each other so well over the weekend and it was so special to get to spend so much time with our closest friends and family. It felt incredibly intimate and full of emotion, that wouldn’t have been the same if we had had a larger guest list.

The day after the wedding, we both agreed that we were never supposed to have a big wedding – our day was exactly how it was meant to be.

Are you still planning for any part of your original plan for a later date in the future? One year anniversary? Vow renewal? Reception celebration?

Nope! Our wedding was everything we wanted it to be and more 🙂

What would you want to say to other couples who are considering a smaller wedding?

Focus less on what you want your wedding to look like – the details, seating plan, etc. and focus on what you want it to feel like. Remember, its all about you marrying your best friend, and no pandemic, gathering-size restriction, bad weather, or whatever curveball comes your way, can change that. It is a great reminder that so many things in life are out of our control, so focus on the most important thing – your love!

What was your most memorable moment of the wedding day?

Ahh there are SO many! The whole day was full of amazing memories, but probably saying our vows, our first dance, and walking back down the aisle after being pronounced for the first time as “husband and wife”!

Anything else you would like to share? 

There are no words to express how grateful we are for Emma and her team at the Good Party. They navigated all the months of craziness and uncertainty as true professionals and were always so calm, organized and FUN! We can’t thank you enough for creating the most stunning and perfect day that felt so “us”.

Thank you so much to Chelsey + Pete for taking the time to answer our questions, thank you for letting us be a part of your wedding day, thank you for always being so thoughtful and always bringing Emma peppermint tea, and thank you both for being so kind and lovely in every way possible! xo.

Vendors:

Photography: Shari and Mike

Portrait Station: The Collective You

Videography: Hello Tomorrow

Dress: Anais Anette

Dress boutique: Union Bridal

Florals: Bespoke Blossoms

Officiant: Vancouver Officiant

Catering: Truffles Catering

Decor + Styling: Trend Decor Event Design

Beauty: Artistry by Alexa

Desserts: Cake by Taryn || Baked by Blair || Yonni’s Doughnuts

Decor Rentals: Black and White Party Rentals || Tabletop Curated Rentals || Party Mood || Designer Weddings || Festilight

Lounge: Bash Specialty

Live Music: Cascadia Quartet

DJ: Beauty and The Beat

Transportation: LA Limousines