True Love is Transparent September 1, 2018
Alexandra and Serge’s wedding story began, rather spectacularly, on top of a Ferris wheel—in Vienna. On their first night in the Austrian capital, Serge proposed. “I, of course, said yes immediately,” Alexandra says. About a year later, September 1, 2018, they exchanged vows at St. Brigid’s Centre for the Arts, followed by a reception at the Infinity Convention Centre. Though the couple were in Canada’s capital city this time, the occasion was every bit as wonderful.
It was also a distinctly personal and cultural wedding celebration. Since Serge is Armenian, and they wanted Armenian traditions to be part of the festivities, their wedding weekend started with a henna party at the horticulture building at Lansdowne Park. “We served traditional Armenian food and danced to Armenian music all night.” For the wedding itself, they included Orthodox Armenian customs, such as the crown ceremony, and at the reception, Alexandra says, “We had lots of dancing to Armenian music, homemade Armenian sweets for dessert, and a late-night shawarma bar.”
Alexandra got her gown, the Carolina design by Truvelle, at Revelle Bridal Boutique. “It was the absolute perfect dress for me.” Her father-in-law made both the engagement ring and the wedding bands, and he also made Alexandra gold and diamond bangles she wore on her wedding day, as a gift from her mother-in-law. “These are definitely the most special jewellery items I own,” the bride says. For her earrings and hairpiece, she contacted Sarah Walsh Bridal. Sarah made her oversized crystal stud earrings set in yellow gold, “and we designed a yellow gold, pearl and crystal headpiece together.” Alexandra was delighted with the results. “They really brought my dream bridal look together.”
Brittany West from GLOSS Events and Décor made the couple’s dream wedding look come to life. True Love is Transparent was the theme and the bride says, “The final product was absolutely amazing and beyond what we could ever have hoped for.” The couple’s friend, Anish Parmar, designed an eight-foot Lucite seating chart and the reception space was filled with a mix of plexi tables and round tables. Clear charger plates, gold and clear chairs, and a variety of centerpieces—candelabras, tall statement arrangements, and low whimsical florals—were also part of the look. “The head table was backed with a massive floral wall surrounded by soft white draping and flanked with clear acrylic pillars topped with candelabras that mimicked the sparkle of the chandeliers above,” Alexandra explains, adding, “Endless candles filled the space, making it feel soft and romantic with a modern edge.”
Since so many people travelled to Ottawa to join in the wedding celebration, the couple set up a wedding website to share details. They also used #goelong as a wedding hashtag to help keep track of online photos from the weekend. “Being surrounded by the people we love and having them all there to support us as we exchanged our vows was extremely meaningful to us,” says this bride. Her advice for brides-to-be? “Try to enjoy the planning process as much as possible. It’s a very special time and you will miss it when it’s over.” She also suggests you take some time on the big day to “soak up the memories.”
