Eco-Friendly – West Coast Weddings

Intimate + Adventurous Lake Wedding

Laura Kalcsa — Fri, 26 Jul 2024 23:46:17 +0000

Intimate + Adventurous Lake Wedding

Anastasia and Lev are truly adventurous souls. They spend a lot of time hiking and exploring BC’s beautiful mountains in their trusty adventure mobile. So when they chose their wedding venue, they wanted to have something that was a reflection of them as a couple. After some location scouting, Anastasia and Lev decided on a secluded beach at Chilliwack Lake, accessible only off-road. All 18 of their guests, plus their sweet pup, adventured out to this incredible spot on a beautiful, sunny, and hot July day. After their beautiful ceremony, everyone packed up and returned to civilization to enjoy an intimate dinner at Chilliwack’s Bravo Restaurant. It was a perfect celebration of Anastasia and Lev’s beautiful love.

FROM THE BRIDE:
“Our wedding experience was nothing short of magical. Opting for a small and intimate celebration was the best decision, alleviating much of the stress that often accompanies wedding planning. Our location was so picturesque; we felt like we were in a fairy tale. The spot’s tranquility added to the day’s significance, making it truly special. One of the most cherished moments was when we read our vows to each other. It made us really emotional and created a memory we will cherish forever. Overall, the simplicity and intimacy of our wedding day allowed us to focus on the essence of our commitment and the love we share, making it an experience we wholeheartedly enjoyed.”
– Anastasia

We love the truly amazing dog that gave the best pepper photos and was on the spot as ringbearer. A special shout-out to guests who are obviously the world’s best family and friends for hiking into where Anastasia + Lev chose to exchange vows. And what a fashion couple who knew their assignment with the plaid suit and simplistic gown. A real example of having a naturally beautiful BC wedding and being super stylish!

Adventure weddings are an epic choice in British Columbia, with no end of amazing spots – mountains, lakes, waterfalls, beaches, valleys, rivers, and forests. This intimate + adventurous lake wedding is an inspiration to every nature-loving couple!

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Engagement Romance for Tiffany + Francis

Laura Kalcsa — Wed, 09 Dec 2020 23:20:07 +0000

Engagement Romance for Tiffany + Francis…we love the west coast feel of this amazing engagement session. Relaxed, romantic and full of forest beauty! This couple’s personality is all over the forest photos and that’s how engagement photos should be.

The Gowlland Tod Park on Vancouver Island has it all – mountains, creeks, waterfalls, coastal rainforest and views. So it’s no surprise that this couple took advantage of some of the large fallen trees. The most romantic shots are of the couple enjoying guitar playing which is inspirational.

PHOTOS: Miko Weddings

Tiffany and Francis were engaged November 2019 and had dreams of planning a true west coast wedding in September 2020. They began their venue search in early 2020 but the search was put on hold due to closures during the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. Venues were no longer taking bookings as they worked to postpone many weddings to 2021. Tiffany and Francis spent weeks calling and had no success and decided to hire a wedding planner to help in their search. (Many thanks to Kimberly Solecki – at Borrowed and Blue Events). Kim was amazing to work with and within a week she was able to find them the last spot in 2021 at a brand new venue in Central Saanich called Langtry Walk.

However, the second wave hit and with it new provincial guidelines so Tiffany and Francis decided to make the difficult decision to pare down to 50 guests. Due to the size of both their families this decision was incredibly hard. They decided to include the wedding party (no partners), parents, grandparents & aunts and uncles. A ‘wish list’ of guests was kept in case guidelines relax by the wedding date.

Langtry Walk are working to ensure all safety measures will be taken including limiting guests per table and creating a new table layout to space out tables safely. Everyone is hopeful with the news of a vaccine on the way that the plan with 50 guests will work out smoothly. No matter what happens, we know this couple will have an amazing and intimate wedding in September 2021. We love that they are going to start their lives together even through difficult circumstances! In the meantime, these photos show the engagement romance they were able to enjoy…

Enjoy an inspiration wedding shoot at Langtry Walk….

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Social Distance Wedding Filled with Joy and Love

Laura Kalcsa — Tue, 01 Dec 2020 13:02:37 +0000

Social Distance Wedding Filled with Joy and Love….this couple took a tough situation and turned it into a wonderful and unique day for themselves, family and friends. After all, why not take advantage of a family farm and gorgeous scenery to involve every one of their 50 guests? So they did and the results were amazing…

Dennis and Frankie are from Williams Lake but have most of their family on Vancouver Island. They wanted the true west coast wedding feeling and the groom’s father’s home in Sooke was the perfect spot. When Covid-19 changed their plans, the idea of a drive-by along Lombard Road took shape.

The first part of this wonderful wedding was had the groom and his guys getting ready at the Sooke Prestige Oceanfront Resort in Sooke. A first look moment took place at the seaside home where the bride and her bridesmaids had pre wedding celebrations.

Afterwards, their ‘uninvited guests’ (due to Covid-19 restrictions) lined the road as Frankie and Dennis drove by waving and greeting everyone. The towering poplar trees on either side of the road made for a natural chapel feel. Lots of well wishes and laughter followed the couple as they headed for their ceremony at the family farm. At the farm guests waited at the handmade arch, which Frankie’s father built. The couple married with the closest family and friends, sheep and chickens too!! Champagne was served to celebrate the nuptials and everyone nibbled at the seafood buffet.

Frankie chose to wear a lovely fitted lace gown with finger tip length veil. She surrounded herself with bridesmaids wearing dresses in a rainbow of colours. All of them carried bouquets of wildflowers and greenery.

We loved the bride ‘on the stump’ photos, the fun wildflower bridal bouquet, the groom’s ensemble., the ‘doggy’ guest and the visual relationship timeline! We also love that this couple threw a social distance wedding filled with joy and love. A west coast wedding filled with inspiration and ideas for couples marrying during Covid-19.

PHOTOS: Laura Bryant of Coastline Living Photography

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Trestle’s Edge Eco Inspiration

Laura Kalcsa — Thu, 22 Oct 2020 15:43:22 +0000

Trestle’s Edge Eco Inspiration.…An eco-friendly shoot inspired by everything local for couples who value carbon footprint conscious style. Trestle’s Edge is the perfect venue for this as it is an all in one venue – you can get ready, do your first look, and have your ceremony and reception all in one spot. This is a huge plus when planning an eco wedding day.

Florals can have a massive impact on your carbon footprint as a couple. Bud + Bloom created gorgeous floral arrangements using only local blooms and dried grasses. The long reception table is filled with rich fall colours. The funky blue and white plates are perfect with the coloured glass.

The bride is stunning in a Truvelle gown with lace bodice and floaty skirt. Her ‘Veronica Lake’ hairstyle is natural and complements her glowing makeup. Her bridesmaid shines in a burgundy full length dress and the guys are dapper in bow ties and boutonnieres. The west coast cedar ceremony arch is the perfect setting for this wedding party.

Have you ever thought of using food as your main décor statement piece? Art of Charcuterie created a stunning vegan grazing table with locally sourced food as an edible centerpiece along with thrifted vintage tableware. Loft Design Weddings completed the table look with menus crafted from plantable wildflower seed paper.

Trestle’s Edge Eco Inspiration has lots of things we love – fall colours, wood ceremony chairs, an antique settee and local everything! A great eco conscious palette for the couple who wants to leave as little footprint behind as possible on their wedding day.

You are invited to another outdoor ceremony

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A Farm Table Wedding for Nick + Felicia

Laura Kalcsa — Sat, 10 Oct 2020 15:58:56 +0000

A Farm Table Wedding for Nick + Felicia! We loved this wedding from the minute we saw the umbrellas. A little rain on your wedding day is often considered a good thing and it certainly was for these two. An intimate and loving feel is in every photo of these nuptials.

A farm table wedding brings to mind the long wooden tables of years past where everyone drew closer together for meals. Today, this idea has been transformed into beautiful food, gorgeous flowers and decor and, of course, guests to enjoy all of the cuisine. The change in how weddings are being celebrated makes farm table weddings a wonderful way to have an intimate wedding under fifty guests.

The bride and groom at this wedding chose to celebrate at Farm Table Inn Lake Cowichan. The ceremony took place under a transparent tent with a palette backdrop and vintage rugs. The floral was grown by their families and created a garden feeling at both the ceremony and reception. Taper candles, live floral edges and vintage touches in every corner showcase the couple’s tastes.

We love the bride’s gown which features a lace form fitting style and short train which she paired with a finger tip length veil. The groom wore a dark jacket and looked very chill! The bridal party held bouquets of white flowers against burgundy dresses while the men wore bow ties and suspenders. The bridal bouquet was filled with blush and white flowers tied with unique ribbons.

This special day is a farm table wedding that brings love, beauty, flowers, food and family all together in one gorgeous palette. A real piece of West Coast Wedding art!

VENUE: Farm Table Inn, Lake Cowichan | DRESS:: Willowby by Watters – Shades of White | PLANNING + FLORAL: Leah – Flourish Events | Florals were home grown by the Bride & Grooms family | CATERING: Farm Table Inn | DECOR RENTALS: Trend Decor | PHOTOGRAPHY: Natasha Shepherdson – Wild Oak Collective

You are invited to another farm wedding on Vancouver Island!

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Charming Farm Celebration at Bird’s Eye Cove

Laura Kalcsa — Sun, 23 Aug 2020 16:26:31 +0000

Charming Farm Celebration is filled with stunning colour combos, beyond adorable children and a farm filled with love and charm. Blue Lily Event Planning works with Bird’s Eye Cove Farm couples and so she was full to the brim with ideas about this venue and how to show off it’s best qualities (and animals!). Her love for farm weddings shows in this inspiration palette.

We cannot say enough about the jewel tones which feature so well against the backdrop of farm beige/brown and the crisp white linens. The lounge area set up in a field is another fave for us (though inquiring minds want to know how the pig was talked into his photo pose??) – an awesome ‘photo booth’ for both the wedding party and guests at this charming farm celebration!

Let’s talk farm fashion! The bride’s gown is prettiness defined with fitted bodice and flattering soft skirt with a floral crown as the finishing touch. Her loose curls suit the chill feel of the wedding perfectly. The wedding party features blue and beige on both the guys and gals. The beige blouses paired with blue skirts for the bridesmaids are so charming and we love the brown boots on the groomsmen. The piece de resistance is, of course, the children who could not be more beautiful. Lace dresses for the little girls and a brown vest for the pageboy (who is also carrying the rings in the cutest box!).

However, the best thing in this inspiration palette is the cake trolley. You read that right, a cake trolley filled floral, candlesticks and treats sitting in the middle of a farm field. The white, tired cake is topped with flowers and surrounded by good things to eat! We are thrilled to feature this dessert trolley in our 2019 issue of West Coast Weddings Magazine.

The ceremony backdrop featured the surrounding ocean, mountains and fields – what more could anyone ask for really? Pretty flowers bedecked the wooden frame and barrels that the couple stood under and framed the natural beauty perfectly.

A wonderful reception table was also set in the outdoors – though the nearby barn venue is also waiting to provide a roof over the head! What a reception idea…to be able to eat under the stars! The signature drinks were also in jewel tones and used the ingredient of bright oranges. Candlesticks, antique glassware and floral galore graced the table (also super fancy hot dogs!).

Last, but certainly not least, we want to admire the exceptional floral design in this palette. Jewel tones of every color in anemones, ranunculas and roses were shown off in astonishing beauty by Lauren Riley Designs. The bouquets, table floral, trolley flowers and boutonnieres were all perfection and we loved the ferns that surprised us everywhere.

You are invited to another Bird’s Eye Cove Farm wedding….

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Eco Friendly Wedding Show in Vancouver

Laura Kalcsa — Thu, 24 Oct 2019 18:55:05 +0000

An eco-friendly wedding show in Vancouver! The Cascadia Wedding Show, Canada’s only sustainable focused wedding show, is coming November 3rd to the Pipe Shop…last year some of the highlights for us were the style show and the amazing vendor displays that were seriously inspirational.

The only show with a lens to supporting local and focusing on sustainable practices. Cascadia Wedding Show wants to inspire you to create an ethical wedding – zero waste is a bonus! And to show you how to get what you want without breaking the bank.

Produced by Natasha Thom, event lead and founder of Clearwater Events & Weddings and her talented team. As a company, they have a clear mandate inspired by nature, passionate with supporting local, and obsessed with trying to curb the amount of waste events typically seem to create. They also have a giving back model, which allows us them to donate to local causes and provide pro bono services throughout the year.

This year, the Eco Friendly Wedding Show has expanded into the brand new Wallace Venue at the Shipyards! Be one of the first to visit this brand new venue while meeting one of the many great wedding professionals.

WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT:

Bring your questions! A panel of sustainable wedding industry experts will be sharing their tips and tricks on planning a more ethical wedding
TWO Fashion shows featuring local, sustainable designers
An opportunity to meet some of the best wedding vendors Vancouver has to offer to help you achieve your sustainable wedding goals
Creative workshops, including a VanCity hosted financial planning workshop to help you budget for your big day
Delicious cocktails and canapes to spark some ideas

The 2019 Cascadia Wedding Show is a carbon neutral event. They have worked closely with Offsetters, Canada’s leading carbon management solutions provider, to understand the total carbon dioxide and greenhouse gas emissions and offset them by contributing to projects that prevent the equivalent amount of emissions.

The projects Cascadia Wedding Show is supporting include:

Quadra Island Forestland Conservation Project | The Great Bear Rainforest Carbon Project

About Cascadia Wedding Show
Join us on November 3rd at the The Shipyards in North Vancouver: The Pipe Shop and The Wallace. . and get your free issue of West Coast Weddings Magazine #VancouverEdition

Tickets available at EventBrite.

#cascadiaweddingshow #cascadiashow2019

You are invited to more info on the Cascadia Wedding Show!

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Chic City Wedding Inspiration in Vancouver

Laura Kalcsa — Mon, 01 Apr 2019 14:34:43 +0000

Chic city wedding is the signature of this restaurant bridal editorial. Restaurant weddings can save a couple tons of time and planning plus provide amazing food opportunities. The key to restaurant weddings is searching for the perfect place that provides the ambiance and space you need. Are you Greek food enthusiasts? Garden patios your fav? Sophisticated or upscale New York your thing? Start searching your city for the amazing spot that will work for you and your guests. (Side Benefit? An excuse to eat out as it doubles as ‘tastings’!!)

This chic city wedding editorial was set in Burdock & Co. – a restaurant that features sustainable cuisine and naturalist wines. This lovely spot offers mood-setting intimacy with memorable farm-to-table fare perfect for an effortlessly elegant wedding reception.

Embodying rustic farmhouse charm, the city venue is already decor ready with locally reclaimed wood, vintage glassware and whitewashed brick. Adding white floral in glass showcases the beautiful vintage feel making it feel like a space out of time in a busy city.

The bride is gowned to fit the scene in a gorgeous white dress with lace overlay. The plunging neckline and back bring the sophistication. The bouquet is a handheld collection of white and grey toned greenery which is carried through all the bouquets in the room. Loose curls frame the bride’s natural makeup suiting the minimalist look.

Of course, the real hit of a wedding evening in this atmosphere is the food and drink! Oyster appetizers, signature drinks, unique tastings – the best part of restaurant wedding. Be sure to talk to your chefs and be specific on your favorite dishes. Would you like a specific theme to your cuisine? Perhaps you wish to have drinks in certain colours? We love the shot of pink used in this inspiration palette.

Celebrating your chic wedding day at a restaurant will leave a lasting impression on your guests – it’s unique and intimate. Your guests will toasting you all night long!

chic city pricing tips…

Be aware that some restaurants require you to ‘buy out’ the evening to the tune of what the restaurant might lost for shutting down for your event. However, shop carefully. Other restaurants have purposely set aside an evening a week for weddings or prefer to have a wedding than an evening of normal clientele. Don’t assume you have to pay an outrageous ‘buy out’ to have a restaurant wedding. Burdock & Co., featured in this editorial, actively seeks weddings – you will find restaurants who are looking for couples often have entire pages on their websites devoted to what they can offer. Upscale coffee shops that close early evenings are often thrilled to have events and allow you to bring in your own caterer. The best of both worlds! And this idea is incredible for showers, engagement parties etc.

You are invited to more eco-friendly wedding inspiration!

PHOTOGRAPHER: Leila Kwok | VENUE: Burdock & Co. | FLORAL DESIGN: Studio Full Bloom | GOWN: Park & Fifth Co. | CUISINE: Talented kitchen team at Burdock & Co and Chef Andrea Carlson | FOOD SUPPLIERS: Foxglove Farm, Glorious Organics and Inner City Farms and vineyard Bella Wines | APPETIZERS: Outlandish Shellfish + Curious Oyster Co.

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Spanish Style Forest Wedding on Vancouver Island

Laura Kalcsa — Tue, 12 Mar 2019 14:48:30 +0000

Spanish Style Forest Reception colour inspires this wonderful wedding editorial on Vancouver Island. The colours stimulate the senses, make the heart beat faster and bring out the sensual nature.

Inspired by stones underfoot that might otherwise be overlooked, honey and ochre slabs of earth from a Cobble Hill acreage were the catalyst for the jewel tones. These are paired with deeply hued florals, textiles, and place settings – along with Spanish inspired tapas culminating in this sultry look on both a manicured green and the wilds of an arbutus cove.

The Spanish Style is carried through the gorgeous lace gown featured ballet inspired bodice. The piece de resistance is, of course, the veil with bright floral in the bride’s hair which showcase the stylish purple jacket sported by the groom. Brightly coloured flowers and decor provide an eye catching scape in the green forest. We especially love the purple shoes!

Special details include the custom made rings, the dahlias down the swing ropes, the out of this world detail on the paper suite and the unusually beautiful linens. Even the food is styled through use of colour and made for a delicious yet coordinated look!

This shoot was painted with light and shadows, luxurious textures, jewel tones and Gold accents to compliment the golden fall sun. We appreciate the sun also lighting up the beauty of this Spanish porcelain doll bride. The intriguing alchemy creates opulent imaginary through an abundance of rich patterns and sultry elegant glamour.

Looking for inspiration for a forest wedding on Vancouver Island? More ideas here!

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Green Weddings: Eco Friendly Trends + Inspiration

Laura Kalcsa — Thu, 12 Apr 2018 01:49:49 +0000

Green Weddings that are eco-friendly may seem like too much to take on, but the truth is it’s easier than you think. You can have the wedding of your dreams, stay on budget, and still be eco-conscious and eco-chic. Enjoy these ideas + inspiration for going green without having to turn up to your wedding in a toilet paper dress!

Thanks to Melissa Latter of Eco Chic Affairs for keeping us green! And her friends…

Gorgeous KEEPSAKE BOXES created with recycled goods and foraged greenery – the perfect table name setting!

The NUDE CAKE is all the rage! This cake is garnished with foraged greenery and is baked entirely with locally sourced ingredients.

Who says diamonds are a girl’s best friend? These UNIQUE RINGS are made from locally sourced materials. You will also find that you can have rings recycled, plus there are great eco-friendly alternatives to diamonds.

This STUNNING BOUQUET is foraged locally in nature’s backyard! Guaranteed organic and pesticide-free. The bride’s makeup was done by makeup artists using local toxic-free vegan, sustainable products to create this NATURAL LOOK. The bridal gown was found in a local consignment shop – a recycled WEDDING GOWN is a wonderful idea.

Stylish and sustainable INVITES made from natural seeded paper which can be planted – a lovely eco-friendly garden gift for friends and family!

FLORAL HAIR DESIGN is a beautiful trend with flowers and greenery adorning the heads of brides everywhere. Ask your hairstylist to use only natural, cruelty-free and eco-friendly products for your beautiful look.

It’s all about the TABLE SET UP! The cedar dishes, bamboo chairs, and pottery are all locally made with succulents and greenery all foraged.

Use EARTH TONES for colours, and you will find it easier to find eco-friendly décor! Green, blues, browns, and beiges.

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