Real Weddings

Modern Glitz

Eight years ago, Pierina Chabot and Tim Delage were students at the University of Ottawa. It wasn’t until the last class of the semester that Tim, as Pierina puts it, “finally asked me out to dinner.” A surprise proposal came in 2009 in the form of a teddy bear wearing a soccer uniform. “Tim had me hug the bear to feel its heartbeat and make it speak with a recorded voice saying ‘I love you.’ I could feel a strange object in its back and I saw a blue box poking out.” As Tim got down on one knee, he revealed a Tacori engagement ring. “It was my dream ring. Needless to say, Tim made it very easy for me to say yes,” says Pierina.

A dream Come True

A surprise proposal on a European getaway was the perfect introduction to Maryam Hedayati and Jose Aguilera’s dream wedding. The couple met at the University of Ottawa in a statistics class. Now both civil engineers, the pair were engaged a year and a half later in May 2009. “We went on a trip to Europe to celebrate our graduation,” says Maryam. “And we had dinner at the Eiffel Tower.” With the perfect setting, Jose proposed on a beautiful night in Paris, France. From that point on, Maryam went into planning mode, with a vision for every detail of her perfect day. That vision started with her dream venue for saying ‘I do.’

Vegas Bound

When Christine Paquette and Jeff Melling met in December 2005, it wasn’t long before they were inseparable. Both working at a bar in Kingston, Ontario, at the time, the pair soon discovered that their parents had met before they had. “Christine called my place one night and my mom started asking who this Christine Paquette was,” explains Jeff. “And then she figured out that she went to school with Christine’s parents.”

Salute to Love

After working together at the same grocery store and attending the same college, Jade Adamson says Greg Fracassi’s proposal was definitely a surprise. “We had been together for five and a half years before Greg proposed, so I thought he was never going to ask me.” Greg, however, says he knew Jade was the one on their first date. “I’m a big sports guy and she didn’t know a thing about sports. But she tried so hard to stay interested in what I had to say. I thought it was adorable.” (Greg admits Jade’s sports IQ has come a long way since that first date.)

Vintage Glam

Carolyn MacNeil and Michael Self ’s love story started with a dare. Both attending the University of Ottawa and having classes right down the hall from each other, the two were likely passing each other every day, but the first meeting happened in cyberspace. “Michael and I met online, on a dating site. Wewere both tired of meeting people in bars and my roommates signed me up as a dare.”

Carolyn describes the day Michael proposed as an intimate affair. “It was a quiet proposal on a beautiful fall day — just the two of us on a romantic walk.” The proposal became the inspiration for the couple’s perfect day. “I knew that an intimate and romantic wedding would be just our style.”

Officer's Mess

Dawn and Lee have been engaged since Christmas 2009 and as the bride's father was in the service, they decided to get married at the Officer's Mess. Dawn may have appeared to be your traditional bride, but there's always a surprise underneath the surface!

Animal Lovers

Megan and Brandon met and started dating approximately 6 years ago. They have a shared love for animals and their "babies" are Tucker and Reilly (a Husky and a Boston Terrier). Their wedding was pure elegance and a lot of fun.

Sweet Inspiration

Sabrina Abraham found prince charming at Dairy Queen. He was her boss and she was a 14-year-old with a crush. Stevan Dostanic wasn’t interested. After all, he was 20 and in post-secondary school. But Sabrina told everybody she knew she wanted to marry him.

Perfect in so Many Ways

Sparks flew on a fall night in 2008 for Roberta Vervloet and Stephen Bieda. Roberta and her friend Seana Tallon were heading out on the town and just happened to drop in at Scott Bradley’s house. Stephen was there. Scott made the introductions and Cupid took care of the rest. The sweethearts quickly discovered they have a whole lot in common: three kids each.

All of Their Favorite Things

Three years ago, Brittany woke to the sound of Forever by Ben Harper. The room was decorated with hundreds of pictures of her and Bryan together. Bryan then got down on one knee and proposed.

On July 10, 2010, Bryan West and Brittany Yerema-Hoefel said their “I do’s” in Toronto’s Distillery District. The ceremony and reception took place in the enormous Fermenting Cellar.

From Teenage Sweethearts to Enchanted Newlyweds

A touch of lime green, a nod to Africa

When Chelsea Follett got on a plane to Africa with her boyfriend, George Coyle Jr., in February 2010, she probably expected the adventure of a lifetime. She had no idea just how exciting things would get.George had been in love with Chelsea since he first laid eyes on her 10 years ago. Even though they were just teenagers, George knew he had met the girl of his dreams.