An Intimate Backyard Wedding // Heather + Liam
Full disclosure. I’m terrible at posting my weddings on the blog. :( I tried to start posting last year when the pandemic hit, but I procrastinated as usual. So I’ll try again. haha
This is Heather and Liam’s wedding from September of 2018. It was shot on their families property near Saint Michael’s on the Southern Shore. It was small and intimate, very much like weddings were last summer and likely this summer because of COVID-19.
Enjoy.
Newfoundland Wedding Vendors
Ceremony / Reception: Family property
Dress - Purchased second hand from preownedweddingdresses.com
Suit - Indochino
Décor/Flowers: Friends and family did all the déco and Heather made the bouquet with some artificial flowers from Michael’s
Photographer: JP Mullowney Photography
Hair and Makeup: Tara Tobin
Reception: The Rocket Room (currently closed as Rocket is moving from their old downtown St. John’s location).
The Bride & Groom: We met right after university we were both working in Calgary. We didn’t exactly hit it off at first (that’s a whole other story), but we had mutual friends and after a year of bonding over N64 games we became good friends ourselves. Eventually we became more than friends and tried to keep it on the down low for a while. We were not successful, it was too obvious we were crazy about each other.
How long did it take you to plan your wedding? We got engaged in December and married the following September. It seemed like plenty of time until we realized that weddings typically get at least a full year of planning?!? Who knew? But once we got the big ticket items nailed down we were really glad we did it quickly – planning a wedding is a lot to have on your mind even for 8 months! I’d say we spent half the time actually planning and half procrastinating.
Vendors you chose and why: We got ready in our own house downtown, did the ceremony and dinner at Heather’s parents’ house, and had a larger reception at The Rocket Room downtown. We chose the Rocket because it was such a beautiful space, meaning that little decoration was needed.
Dress: Second hand through a pre-owned wedding dress website. I found a dress at Ever After, but it was outside my price range because I didn’t want to spend too much on a dress. Amazingly, I found the exact same dress on preownedweddingdresses.com. I bought it unworn and unaltered from a lady in Quebec for less than half retail price!
Suit: Custom Indochino. Heather took Liam’s measurements in the living room, plugged them into Indochino’s website, and the suit showed up a few weeks later, perfectly fitted!
Decor: Friends and family did all the décor. We bought or borrowed a few things and our friends and family set it up. This wedding couldn’t have happened without all the help we got from friends and family.
Photography: JP Mullowney, natch! We did quite a bit of research before booking Jim. Photography was one of the few items we were willing to splurge on because we’ll have the photos forever. We looked through portfolios for lots of local photographers, and booked Jim after seeing how crisp and vibrant his images were, and how natural he made couples look. It all made sense when we met him, because he’s such an easy-going guy that it’s hard not to be relaxed around him! 10/10 highly recommend.
Flowers: Heather made a bouquet with some artificial flowers from Michael’s, and her friends put together vases of foraged flowers, foliage and even blueberries, including some actual heather from a friend’s garden.
Hair and Makeup: Heather’s friend Tara Tobin (of Tara Tobin Beauty) did her hair, and Nadia Ali did makeup.
Brides favourite moment: It’s really hard to pick, because the whole day was so much fun, but I think the first look was my favorite part. Getting to hear Liam’s vows for the first time in a private moment was so special and personal, especially since I was so nervous about being the center of attention for a whole day. But seeing Liam before the ceremony reminded me how excited I was to be marrying my best friend, and after that I wasn’t nervous at all.
Grooms favourite moment: The moment shortly after the ceremony has ended and you've gotten through the hugs & pats on the back. The hard part is over and the stress is off. Heather and I ventured over to the canoe full of ice & grabbed a beer. You finally get a chance to stop and think. That's when it set in for me - I was officially married to the greatest person I've ever met. Not only my favorite moment of the day, but quite possibly my favorite moment ever!
Advice to couples currently planning their wedding: If any of the “traditional wedding” mumbo-jumbo doesn’t feel like “you”, just don’t do it! We didn’t have wedding “colors”, didn’t have a bridal party, didn’t have a catered dinner, didn’t have a bridal shower, did our own music, only had 30 people at the ceremony, and the list goes on. It’s a day to commit yourself to your best friend, hang out with your friends and family, and have fun! If it’s stressing you out, cross it off the list.