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the universe knows when the timing is right

We love Pam + Marco. Connecting with them during their engagement shoot was effortless, and we built a comfort and rapport with them that carried over onto their wedding day. They’re such a warm and inviting couple, and we quickly started laughing and carrying on together.

Their story is one of destiny, and just goes to show you that the universe can really throw you a bone! For years Pam + Marco knew of each other - he worked with Pam’s maid of honor and she put Pam on his radar. He would periodically ask about her, but these two never got the chance to meet due to bad timing leading to missed encounters, other relationships, and life just being life. Finally one evening at a birthday party for a mutual friend, these two met - and the rest is history! (We really resonated with their story, because we too have been in and out of each other’s lives growing up - we just didn’t realize it at the time!)

Illuminated by nothing but string lights and surrounded by their closest family and friends, these two tied the knot to laughter, tears, and applause. Seriously, we were getting choked up along with everyone else as they exchanged vows!

On a side note, while we already knew that Pam was a pastry chef, we were blown away by the cake that SHE MADE FOR HER OWN WEDDING!

a few words from the couple

How did you decide on your venue?

Surprisingly, our venue was the only one we actually looked into and chose it immediately! We chose it for a few reasons. First, we had spent many dates at the Distillery District, which made it a meaningful choice. Second, we are HUGE foodies and knew The Loft would provide our guests with an exceptional dining experience! Finally, it was the perfect size for our small wedding of only 70 people, and the aesthetic was on-point! We especially loved that we could hold our ceremony on-site as well.

What was your wedding inspiration when putting together all the details? (Theme, vibe)

The overall vibe of our wedding was rustic and non-traditional, with many meaningful elements. We wanted to design a wedding that truly reflected us as a couple.

What was your favorite detail from the day? (i.e. bouquet, cake, vows)

Our favourite details of the day were the cake, our ceremony, and songs. I made the cake myself; it was my first ever fully edible 3-tiered cake! The top two tiers were vanilla macaron flavor, and the bottom tier was vanilla latte flavor. As for our ceremony, we designed it ourselves to include meaningfully chosen literary readings from The Alchemist and The Little Prince. During our ceremony, one of my former students named Julia Pulo (who is currently enrolled in Musical Theater) sang "Somewhere Over The Rainbow" in honour of Marco's mother - a song she always loved and that Marco always remembered her by. Finally, our first dance and father daughter dance were both sung by Marco's talented cousin, a Montreal singer-songwriter named Vikki Gilmore.

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How/where did you find your dress? Why did you pick it?

My dress was purchased as a gift from my parents, and the alterations were all lovingly done by my mother.

What song did you walk down the aisle to?

Marco and the bridal party walked down the isle to "Somewhere Over The Rainbow", which made Marco feel his mother's love and presence even though she is no longer with us. I then walked down the aisle with my father to the song "La Vie En Rose", which was recommended to me by my dear former student Julia (who sang for us).

What song played for your first dance?

"Harvest Moon" by Neil Young (sung by Vikki Gilmore) was a natural choice for our first dance. It is a song both Marco and I grew up listening to, and we felt the vibe fit perfectly with our night-time Harvest Wedding under the twinkling lights.

Any standout moments from the day?

The standout moment of the day was our first look. There was so much anticipation, excitement, and nervousness leading up to that moment - and getting to share this tender, private, and reassuring moment was the perfect way to start the evening off.

What does ‘marriage’ mean to you?

To us, "Marriage" means a life-long partnership between soul mates. We firmly believe we were meant to be together <3

What advice would you give to future couples for their wedding?

The advice we would give to couples on their future wedding is to ENJOY THE MOMENT! During our first dance, Marco held me tight, looked me in the eyes, and said: "Remember this moment." Don't worry about all the little things that could go wrong that day. Remember that why you are there and who you are with are way more important than anything.

What vendors were standout? Who went above and beyond the call of duty?

We only had two official vendors: our photographers Jess and Matt, and my makeup artist Dahlia from Beauty by Dolly. Both of these vendors went above and beyond the call of duty, showing us that they truly care and making our day even more special than any other vendor could have. Jess and Matt were so caring and reassuring throughout the entire process, making us feel confident and special while capturing all the beautiful moments of the day for us to cherish forever. They connected with our family and friends, evidenced by the fact that everyone raved about them following the wedding. They even went out of their way to send us a beautiful, thoughtful, hand crafted gift for Christmas (featuring polaroid pictures from our wedding)! My makeup artist Dahlia went into nurse-mode while she did my makeup; she gave me oregano oil, halls, and even made me homemade lemon ginger tea (because I had pneumonia on my wedding day)! She made me feel beautiful on the outside and so much better on the inside.

How did you feel at the end of the day?

By the end of the day, I physically felt like I was going to die (I actually ended up in the hospital the next morning, and on bed rest for 10 days following the wedding). BUT my heart was so so so full! Besides being really ill, our wedding was everything we hoped that it would be - and more.