Alex and Ryan's Farmhouse Wedding
What was your wedding venue (ceremony & reception) and why did you choose there?
Our wedding venue was particularly special because it was on my now in-law’s residence, just north of Toronto.
Almost a decade ago, my husband Ryan’s parents invested in a property just outside Collingwood, Canada: 100 acres of unruly farmland and forests, with a rundown farmhouse, an 160 year old barn, and a ton of potential. It was always a dream for Ryan’s mom to own a farmhouse and when they found this property, they jumped on the opportunity.
Since then, Ryan’s parents have spent their time redoing and renovating the 100 acre property, from personally painting every square inch of the 8-bedroom house, to antiquing around the country to furnish every room (in this house, one [wo]man’s trash is truly another [wo]man’s treasure), to manicuring walking trails in the forest and planting beautiful flower gardens throughout, to redoing the foundation and completely restoring the barn, built in 1860.
Ryan and I would spend weeks up at the farm during Covid and it became our second home. So when we got engaged, the location of our wedding was truly a no-brainer.
Did you have a wedding theme/style? If so, tell me about it, please!
The theme of the wedding wasn't something we consciously thought about; we let the space speak for itself and do all the work.
We wanted the property, house, and barn’s natural beauty to shine through, and we were fortunate in the sense that we didn’t have to do or change much to get the space wedding-ready.
We wanted the energy of the wedding to feel luxurious but relaxed: a space for our guests to feel fancy, but also let their hair down, while enjoying access to nature and an unencumbered good time. Essentially: rustic barn party, but make it black-tie optional.
How did you and your now Husband meet?
Ryan and I met over 5 years ago when he attended an indoor cycling class I was teaching at my spin studio in Toronto! The backstory: we actually went on a few dates when we first met, and then I put a pause on things (hilarious to think about now), as I just wasn’t quite sure where it was going.
But after a year and a half of friendship (and impressive persistence on Ryan’s part), we started dating again. This time, it stuck!
What is your proposal story?
Ryan and I got engaged during a weekend away in Prince Edward County, Ontario’s prominent wine country. He proposed as soon as we got to our hotel and I was totally surprised (I pride myself on no one ever being able to surprise me).
When he opened up the ring box, there was a ring and a folded-up piece of paper: a photo and receipt for a new road bike (we’re both huge outdoor cyclist enthusiasts and I had been saving up for a new bike for over a year). I think the first thing I said was “Oh my god, is that a new bike?!”
The accompanying ring was appreciated shortly thereafter. All to say, an engagement ring and an engagement bike made for a particularly nice day. After that, we had a wonderful weekend celebrating, drinking, and eating our way through Ontario wine country together. It was the best.
Captured by Hugh Whitaker Photography
From where did you purchase your gown?
Loversland in Toronto, Canada! An incredible shop that has an amazing assortment of dresses, apparel and home decor.
How did you hear about Prea James Bridal?
Danielle at Loversland introduced me to Prea James during a dress fitting. She spoke so highly of the designer and styles.
I remember her putting the Malene dress in my fitting room and saying something along the lines of “Try this one… I have a good feeling about it.”
Since then, I’ve been glued to the Prea James Instagram page and blog, bookmarking and screenshotting images, dresses, and inspiration. Once I discovered Prea James, I couldn’t go back!
What do you love most about the gown?
My Malene dress checked off every single box for me. I wanted to feel glamorous and elegant, but was looking for a dress that was classic and understated.
And as someone who is most comfortable in workout leggings and oversized sweaters, I was looking for something comfortable and simple, but with a unique touch. I loved the material, how it flattered my body in the right places, and made me feel secure and myself.
I loved my friends’ reactions to it as well: my best friend quite literally screamed at the top of his lungs when I came out of the change room with my Malene dress on. Another friend cried. When I reverted back to the other dresses I was trying and didn’t get those same dramatic and amazing reactions, I knew it had to be the Malene!
Are there any special details about your wedding that you would like to share? (A particular reason you chose the venue, or the date, or did you have a special ritual in your day that was important to you?)
Having the wedding at our property will stand out as the biggest highlight of our day. Seeing photos of us getting ready in the bedrooms of the house, to sharing drinks with our wedding party in our kitchen, to having our first look in our backyard, is something I’ll replay over and over. It’s special to build lifelong memories in a space that is already so important to you.
Ryan and I are also both plant-based, and it was important to us that we had an entirely vegan wedding. We’re also huge foodies, so delicious food was just as important as plant-based food! When we got engaged, I remember asking my friend Zach - who owns Dreyfus, a small, meat- and dairy-heavy French restaurant in Toronto - if he wanted to cater an 150 person vegan wedding for us. I was mostly joking (assuming it would be a hard no), and when he said yes, I was like, “Wait… actually?!” Having Dreyfus cater our wedding was a highlight, as was the reaction from our guests (a lot of “I didn’t know plant-based food could be this delicious!”).
And while I’m not Jewish, Ryan is, and we wanted to pay tribute and celebrate his family’s culture and rituals. We incorporated a multitude of Jewish traditions into the wedding: we exchanged vows under a chuppah, we had a wild hora in the middle of the field, and Ryan’s 87-year old grandmother, Bubby Esther, cut and blessed the [vegan] chullah before the dinner started.
Captured by Hugh Whitaker Photography
Were there any details that you (and friends and family) made yourselves?
I think the reason why our wedding felt so unique is because so many of the details of the day were homegrown. Ryan’s aunt foraged wild flowers on the property and built every bouquet. Ryan’s uncle officiated our ceremony and vow exchange, and he also designed and built our seating chart.
His other uncle planted hundreds of flowers in the gardens surrounding the ceremony area and tended to them leading up to the big day. My dad brought his accordion from the opposite coast of Canada (where my family lives) so he could play it during cocktail hour. Ryan’s cousin did our hair. Ryan’s mom was our in-house decorator: from sourcing and installing over 10 old chandeliers on the roof and hanging string lights, to designing and furnishing the lounge on the second floor of the barn, to all of the decor and trinkets displayed throughout the property. Ryan and his dad built our chuppah using old barn board. Our friend Zach (who owns the restaurant who catered our wedding), closed all three of his restaurants in Toronto and brought up over 20 of his staff to cater and tend to our wedding
And the list goes on! Having our family and friends play such personal and internal roles in our wedding was very special. I’m eternally grateful to be surrounded by so many talented, generous and resourceful people in my life.
Finally, Do you have any words of wisdom for couples planning their big day? This can be to do with any part of the wedding – eg, planning, budget, or the day itself.
One of the biggest pieces of advice I can give: make sure your wedding day feels authentically you. Find what you love about your location, your values, and the people around you, and let that lead the way. And don’t feel that you have to partake in a wedding tradition checklist because everyone else does them.
If you don’t want to have a first dance, don’t have a first dance! If you want to get ready in the same house as your partner, do it! Don’t feel you have to be separated all day. If typical wedding dance music isn’t your thing, play music that is special and exciting to you (our wedding dance was over seven hours of house and techno music!). Do things that feel comfortable, easy, and authentic. Redefine what “wedding” means to you, and it’ll feel that much more special on the day.
Lastly, advice that I’ll echo from a multitude of other brides and grooms: enjoy, let go, and savor every second, because you will blink and the day will be over. (I still remember my husband screaming “Please don’t leave yet!” to guests that were trying to get on the final 4am shuttle bus home.)
It will be the best, but also quickest, day of your life, one that you’ll wish you could relive again and again. There aren’t many other times in your life where you are at a party with all of your closest friends and family, where everyone is rooting for you and came exclusively to celebrate you and your love. So don’t sweat the small stuff, relax, laugh a lot, and enjoy every single moment.
Wedding Vendors
Photographer: Hugh Whitaker Photography
Cannot say enough good things about Hugh (the photos speak for themselves!). We are so grateful that he was able to be there for and document our wedding day.
Makeup: Presley Foskett
Hair: Ryan’s cousin did our hair! Her name is Sarah Brown
Wedding Day-of Coordinator: Plan It Right Events - Hayley Hopkins
Florist: My husband’s Aunt did all of our flowers! Her name is Deanna Brown.
Caterer: Dreyfus Toronto
A good friend of mine, Zach Kolomeir, owns this restaurant, and it’s one of the most acclaimed restaurants in Canada. It was incredibly special to have them cater our day!
Hire/Prop furniture hire: A combination of our own furniture, and rentals from Happenings Party Rentals
Shoes: Zara
Bridesmaids Dresses: Misc.
Groom & Groomsmen’s Suits: Misc.
DJ: Joey Karaj!
A Toronto-based DJ that made all my house and techno dreams come true. He stole the show
