The Fairy tale unfolds for these beautiful souls...
So so so much Love ....
The Story 0f Andrew & Vanessa -
Andrew and I met at Jack Astors in St John's on July 18th, 2015. We were each out with friends and our groups were seated next to each other at the bar. We got to talking and I asked Andrew to 'pass the salt'. My friends and I were invited to move to a booth with the guys so we could all get to know each other. I grabbed the seat next to Andrew and we instantly found things we had in common. We both owned 2012 black Jeep Wranglers, love to travel and we both had recently been to California and fallen in love with it. We exchanged contact info and the next day we texted all afternoon. Andrew finally said 'this texting conversation is going so well we should go for dinner tonight'. We dated the next 4 nights and went on to become engaged on November 12th of 2016. It was the holiday weekend and Andrew had talked about wanting to do some outdoor things before the weather took a turn toward the brutal winter. Of course in my opinion it has already gotten cold enough for me to rule out hiking. We had gone downtown window shopping in the morning so I thought that would count as outdoor activity but I was wrong. I tried to convince him to ask one of the guys and I would meet up with him later but he insisted I accompany him for some exercise. He wanted to hike Dorans Lane, one of our favorite spots, but I vetoed that and convinced him quidi vidi was long enough in the cold and wind. He's on his phone a lot throughout the walk and I'm half annoyed at this point. We get about half way around the lake, which is where you turn to get to my place, so I say listen my knee is really acting up. I'm going to go home and you come meet me there later. He's looking longingly at the hills at the end of the lake and I can tell something is up so I say 'what's so important that you want to see over there?' He says 'hmm, it's more about what I want you to see'. We had talked about engagement quite a bit so instantly my mind goes there. But I think, no, he wouldn't propose to me while I'm in a toque, winter coat and sneakers. But I trudge on anyway, just in case. All the while examining his butt pockets looking for a ringbox. No signs. We reach the top of the hill and I run forward anxious to give my legs a break and when I turn around Andrew plucks off his furry Canada goose hat and gets down on one knee simply asking 'will you marry me?' Now knowing Andrew you'd expect a very long drawn out speech to accompany the question but he was 'too nervous'. So I'm freaking out about my beautiful ring and I saw let's try and get a selfie but I'm struggling to get the lake in the background. He says 'I've got something for that ' and points to the hill above where the photographer he'd hired was capturing the entire thing! He knew I would want that! Turns out thats who he was texting with communicating the change of location from Dorans Lane to Quidi Vidi.
About her Dress - Ever After Bridal Boutique
"Ever after bridal boutique: I walked in to the salon prepared to walk out with nothing. My wedding timeline was so short that I had to buy off the rack. Even without that stipuilation I thought for sure I would be flying to Toronto or Montreal to find the dress/veil of my dreams. Future brides, let me tell you - that is not necessary! You can find your dress locally. Julie was an absolute doll and did not allow me to feel stressed despite my situation even for a moment. She was knees deep into the gowns with myself and my mom and sister helping me to find selections on the racks. I found about 3 gowns that met my criteria. None of which met my approval upon trying on. Julie goes to the 'back' and brings out a dress that is different from what I had specified but suggested I try. She said no one else had yet tried it on and they would only let people that size try it on. Lucky for me, it was my size! My mom will tell you that she knew instantly it was the one. Let me tell you that it took me an hour of wearing it to be convinced it was the one. But boy was it ever! They jazzed me up, as they say, and when the tears came as I saw my reflection in the mirror, that's when I knew I'd be saying yes to that dress! Amazing experience with ever after from start to finish! I didn't even go to any other salons! I would highly recommend them. Julie gave me a contact for my alterations which leads me to my next review...
The Perfect Fit - Rodney Philpot Designs
"Rodney Philpot design studio Not only is Rodney good for 1 million laughs, he has the hands of an angel. The work he did on my dress was impeccable. My mom and I looked forward to each of the fittings because he and Christopher were such a hoot! I wouldn't trust anyone else with your dress!"
About her Hair & Make up -
Nadia Ali Makeup Artistry Nadia is the sweetest! She went out of her way to understand exactly how we wanted our makeup. She offered trials and allowed us to test the longevity of the look/products. All of her suggestions were spot on! She was VERY flexible on location and times and last minute changes. Nadia has a charming positivity about her and she was a pleasure to have around on my wedding morning.
Veronica Chipman - hair stylist Veronica has been my hair stylist for about 6 years so of course I wanted her to do my hair for the big day! As always, she did an incredible job and was flexible and easy to work with. She got it just right!
About her Bouquet -
Polished Bouquet Designs Out of everyone I worked with I'd have to say Leslie was the sweetest. My mom and I traveled to her studio to explore the options and she was more than accommodating and really listened/cared to understand my vision for my flowers. Leslie would check in with me regularly and send me photos of what she was working on as she went to make sure she was getting it just right. She personally delivered my flowers weeks before my wedding and was always so warm and just lovely to work with.
The Venue -
The Doctor's House Inn and Spa The Doctor's House is a one-of-a-kind breathtakingly beautiful venue to get married. It has so many beautiful places for pictures (esp in summer) and many rooms/cabins to accommodate guests. The wedding coordinator Holly is absolutely sweet and went above and beyond for us. My day overcame hiccups and only went as smoothly as it did because of her willingness to help. The food and drinks at the venue were deliciously prepared and well presented. Transportation in the area is limited (even cabs) so keep that in mind if debating this venue. My advice before booking this venue is to ask a LOT of questions and recieve clear and concise answers in writing to avoid last minute changes that could affect your experience/stress level as the day approaches. Overall my experience with the doctor's house inn and spa was a good one and I am pleased my wedding took place there. No other venue in NL can provide the vibes and aesthetic that it provided
Any Advice for Brides to Be ?
"Any advice for brides to be ? I think every bride had a different personality and will approach their special day in a new way. In the end it is important to be self aware, stay true to yourself, and bring to fruition the day you've always dreamed of - no matter what that vision is. After all, it is one of the most important days of your life so be you, do you, and you'll always look back on it as the best day ever! Listen to the advice of others, but trust your gut. You may be the only one who truly gets it - and it's your (and your husband's) day! I'd like to add that for me something that made my day special was having a relatively small number of guests. One of my favorite moments of all was sitting back after the ceremony and after the photos and looking around the room seeing all of the faces there for us. Supporting us and loving on us. I had virtually no strangers at my reception. I looked around and felt the most love as I saw everyone enjoying themselves and I could think of all the happy memories I had with each person there. My wedding was just one more amazing memory that I could share with my loved ones.
Congrats Andrew & Vanessa xx
Thanks so much for having us - looking forward to watching your journey unfold.