Alek & Tida are such adventurous souls; they got married last summer at North Arm Farm and we were so thrilled to be the ones adventuring with them on their wedding day.
It was an intimate celebration with only about 30 people, many of which travelled from far away to be present. Instead of a traditional honeymoon, A + T planned to travel around BC with their friends and family after their wedding for several days, to show them all our beautiful Canadian summers.
Getting Ready
A + T along with their bridal party and family were all staying at the Crystal Lodge in Whistler for the day before and after the wedding.
We arrived at the Crystal Lodge at noon and found both A + T in their respective rooms, getting ready for the biggest day of their lives. The bride and groom were both so calm and they were having a blast with their closest friends.
There was so much focus on family during the whole wedding. Before getting dressed, Tida wanted a photo of her wedding dress hanging beside the dress that her mom was going to wear. So much thought went into details and ideas like this that made the photos especially meaningful.
First Look
Once the couple was dressed and ready, we headed off to their first look. Weeks before the wedding, the bride had seen an incredible photo online of an amazing viewpoint that was near their venue. We had no reference for where the viewpoint was, but using topographic maps and lots of Googling, Linden was able to find the exact spot! So, we drove the bride and maid of honour and took a forest service road to the spot, where the groom met us for the first look. It was such a sweet first look and the couple also exchanged private vows before heading to their venue.
Ceremony
The ceremony site at North Arm Farm might be one of the most scenic ones we’ve ever experiences. Our jaws were SERIOUSLY on the floor when we arrived and saw the huge mountain view that backed the ceremony site. It was a sunny day so the mountains were perfectly visible.
The bride was walked down the aisle by both of her parents, and instead of a flower girl, there were members of the bridal party handing beers out to the wedding guests.
The couple had such a sweet ceremony. There were tears and so many laughs. It was evident that they felt comfortable with everyone who was there; their small guest list made for an emotional and honest ceremony.
They also incorporated such special family traditions into their ceremony. The groom is Bulgarian and the bride is Thai so they included a tradition from each culture into their ceremony. For the Bulgarian tradition, the groom’s mother fed them pieces of bread dipped into salt and honey, which is to remind the couple that marriage will be both sweet and salty. For the Thai tradition, the bride’s parents each tied a sacred string on both the bride and groom’s wrist, and the couple responded by giving them a jasmine string in return. It was beautiful to see that the couple had so much appreciation for, not only their own culture, but also the culture of their new spouse enough to include all of these traditions into their wedding day.
Photos
We were able to take bridal portraits both before and after the wedding ceremony. The bride had a beautiful, big overskirt which she wore for the ceremony and for photos afterwards. We got so many amazing photos of her from behind that show the big skirt, but also lots of photos before the ceremony without it. We got so many photos with the amazing mountains in the background, and we also used the willow tree and the swing at North Arm Farm for other unique photos. One of our favourite photos from the day is the one of the bride being pushed by the groom on the swing. They were such an easy-going, playful couple and these portraits of them on the swing really speak to that.
Cocktail Hour
After the emotional ceremony, it was RIGHT into cocktail hour! The couples said their “I Dos” and walked down the aisle and right over to the champagne tower that was set up nearby. They poured the champagne together and served it out to their guests. Appetizers started coming out and, after enjoying their cocktail hour for a bit, we took with the couple and bridal party for photos in a big field that the venue has.
Reception
The dinner was held outside at 2 long tables. The mountain view, the willow tree, and the the setting sun was truly something out of a movie. The ambiance was so lovely; the sun was shining just enough through the willow tree to give us such beautiful, scattered light without the sun being in anyone’s eyes. After dinner, we headed to the barn for the party! The couple cut their cake, which had small replicas of their pet cats on it and they had their first dance, after which the dance floor opened up for everyone! The dancing got crazy and the drinks were flowing; there were even "wedding crashers" who showed up (and the bride and groom were SO happy to see them).
Summary
It was evident that A + T didn’t think of this day as only about them, but about all their guests, family, and friends. They took so much notice to how their guests were doing, if they were fed, and if they were having a good time. We were there to serve them but they even asked US if we had gotten food, and they made sure we were fed and taken care of.
We have loved reminiscing about this amazing day, and we’re so excited (even MORE so now!) to be going back to Pemberton for a wedding this August.
Venue/Catering: North Arm Farm, Pemberton BC https://www.northarmfarm.com
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