When I look back at this real wedding– the vibrant colours, the overcast sky. I am reminded of the beauty of this wedding day. The hints of coral and peach are highlighted throughout the decor, the flowers, the dresses and even the groomsmen and their bowties. Because of all this attention to detail, it made this day inviting and fun. From the sunny ceremony to the overcast rainy reception – this wedding was sprinkled with love. Read about the wedding day of Vanessa and Josh!

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WHAT ARE SOME TIPS FOR PLANNING AN OUTDOOR WEDDING?

Be realistic! Always have a backup plan and make sure that you and your partner are at peace with that plan in case it rains. A huge reason that we chose the Gathered was because of their indoor backup plan that was just as beautiful as the original outdoor plan. With the tent being clear, there were so many outdoor elements that could still be enjoyed if the weather was to turn.

We also made sure to have cute clear umbrellas on hand if it was to rain, and bins with cold water near the front of the aisle if it decided to be warm and sunny. On our invites and wedding website, we stressed the importance to our guests to dress for the elements and wear practical footwear. It rained the entire morning of our wedding, however about an hour before the ceremony the clouds cleared and the sun came out!

HOW DID YOU HANDLE THE NERVES OF AN OUTDOOR WEDDING?

We made sure we got lots of rest, drink plenty of water and openly communicate about our feelings and what we wanted for our wedding day. Couples don’t always agree on everything, and in our case we calmly and collectively came to a happy medium as a team. Most importantly we made sure that we had a plan for all weather conditions. This way we knew that we were doing our best to ensure that our guests would be comfortable helped stress levels a lot. 

ASIDE FROM YOUR VIBRANT CORAL TONES – WHAT WAS THE VISION YOU HAD IN MIND FOR YOUR WEDDING DAY?

We envisioned a day full of love, fun, and laughter, with a rustic farmhouse vibe. Our day was all of these things! We incorporated axe-throwing into our day, which was a huge hit. During our cocktail hour, our guests enjoyed all of the games, food and had many places to mingle with each other and chat.

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DO YOU HAVE A FAVOURITE MOMENT OF THE DAY?

The moment I married my best friend was the absolute highlight! There were many favourite moments though… From seeing our friends and family waiting for us to exchange our handwritten vows, hearing people rave about the incredible food, tear up the dance floor, and enjoy the firepits. As a result, it was an incredible day.

DO YOU HAVE ONE SPECIFIC MEMORY THAT YOU WILL CHERISH AS A COUPLE?

Definitely seeing each other for the first time on our wedding day! We spent the night prior together in a hotel room but did not do a first look. The moment before walking down the aisle the feelings and emotions were like none other. Knowing that in a few moments you would officially be spending the rest of your life with the incredible person waiting for you at end.

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WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO COUPLES IN THE PLANNING PROCESS?

Plan as early as possible. For instance, we spent about a year and a half planning things out. Our colour scheme changed a couple of times over the planning process, along with our bridal party and our food choices before we finally nailed everything down. This extra time allowed us to decide exactly what we really wanted our day to look like. With so much time to plan, we were able to do all of our décor ourselves, which saved on costs.

Being organized was a major player in our planning process. I highly recommend using a wedding website to keep track of guest lists, vendors, budgets and more. With the ability to convert our lists into spreadsheets it really kept things realistic. 

As we purchased our own décor, we made sure that we took inventory of absolutely everything. We even labelled the bins that stuff was kept in so we always knew where everything was. We also created a document of what décor was to be placed on the wedding day. So this way, those helping us with our set up had a fairly easy job.

We had a large bridal party of 6 bridesmaids and 6 groomsmen. Because of this, we wanted enough time for everyone to meet their personal goals and budget for all the costs that go into being a part of a bridal party. We were in constant communication with the group and we did our best to make sure everyone felt organized and comfortable. By creating a day-of schedule with specific times and locations helped to keep the whole party informed.  

IS THERE SOMETHING ABOUT YOUR WEDDING PEOPLE KEEP TALKING ABOUT?

The food! Months later we still have people raving about it!

WHAT DID YOU LOVE ABOUT HAVING YOUR WEDDING AT THE GATHERED FARM?

We fell in love with the Gathered farm on our first visit. The landscape was beautiful, and the tent was a perfect size. However, the thing that captured our love the most was the hardworking Gathered Team! This family-run farm was so humble, honest, welcoming, and flexible. 

The communication always flowed freely and from our very first visit, it was clear to us that the Gathered truly cared about their farm, family, and the guests that they welcome with open arms.

Venue + Food: Gathered

Cake and Cupcakes: Cake me Away

Photographer : Jessica Crosariol

Videography: The Camera Crew Co. 

Florist: Devine Petals

Hair and Make Up: Beautiful Calgary Bride

Ceremony Music Cellist: Maria Vander Hoek

Officiant: Jodi Hartung with Young Hip and Married

Dress Alterations: Mari’s Bridal Alterations (She took my dress in 8 sizes!)

DJ: Revolution DJ

Bridal Party Transportation: Airdrie Party Bus

Axe Throwing: Rival Axe throwing

Guest Accommodations: The Hampton Inn and Suites Airdrie