Let’s face it, when a wedding photographer gets married it’s going to be so very good. They’ve inherently got an eye for design with focus on the details, and that was exactly the case for Megan and Johnathan’s nuptials captured by Kayla Yestal and Videos by Janet. No surprise, Megan made certain their portrait session stole the show including linen signage to show off their new status as Mr and Mrs.
From Kayla Yestal… Every time I think back to Megan and Johnathan’s wedding day, my whole face just immediately lights up. Megan, who is the incredible photographer behind Megan Laura Photography, had such a clear vision for her wedding day, and teamed up alongside one of her best friends, Lauren from Flourish Calligraphy, in order to bring her dreams to life.
The resulting day was the epitome of timelessness. Every single choice she made had so much thought and intention, from the venue, which was her family home in Southern Ontario, down to the smallest details on her invitation suite, complete with a freehand sketch of the property. Lauren was able to make absolutely everything cohesive by creating unique calligraphed details that were placed perfectly throughout the property. The entrances to the home and the ceremony site were lined with linen welcome signs, which perfectly matched the programs that were individually bound together with Poetry of Silk ribbon. Resting stations with wooden benches could be found surrounding the ceremony and reception areas, with baskets full of blankets adorned with “cozy up” signs. Megan and Johnny even carried a stunning linen “Mr and Mrs Bialas” sign during their portrait time, that they now have with them in their new home together.
Beyond the incredible details, Megan and Johnny’s wedding day was purely focused on bringing together family and friends in a way that was so personal to them. Since most of Megan’s family was flying in for the wedding from England, it was really important to them that they could spend as much time together, and less time traveling to different locations. For that reason, all of the wedding day events took place on the property, with the couple only venturing off as far as down the street to have their portrait session on a family friends apple orchard.
My absolute favorite part of the day was when Megan looked down to the ground at the end of their portraits, kneeled for a moment, and popped back up with a perfect four leafed clover and the biggest grin I had ever seen. It was the perfect way to sum up such a magical day, and to really start the celebrations for the rest of the evening.
From the bride… Johnathan and I knew from a very early stage that we were going to spend the rest of our lives together. We knew each other had something that we’ve each been looking for. We believe God blessed both of our paths in life to collide together. We are so thankful to everyone who made our wedding day possible!
Being a Wedding Photographer myself, I have witnessed many gorgeous weddings, but wanted to make sure ours wasn’t like anything I’ve seen before. I wanted ours to be a true celebration of us, both with sentimental details and a beautiful, natural aesthetic and atmosphere.
One thing I knew for certain, was that it felt right to be married at my family home. We moved around a lot while I was growing up, as my parents loved to buy and flip houses. This house, however, became our home – and my family has created roots and a beautiful life here over the past 10 years. This made it that much more meaningful for us to get married on the breathtaking grounds that I could truly call my home.
I knew in order to ensure my vision would come to life properly, I had to team up with the right vendors. A big thank you to the team of friends and vendors who brought my vision to life – it couldn’t have been more perfect!
My original background before becoming a Fine Art Photographer, was in design – so beautiful calligraphic and designed components were a must for me! Luckily, one of my dear friends, Lauren of Flourish Calligraphy, brought all of my dreams to life with all of the custom details she created for our day.
We had a custom sketch of our home gracing the front of our handmade paper invitations that really set the tone for each of our guests. There was an overall theme of ‘botanicals’ that was carried through from the table numbers that sat atop each table, all the way through the rose imprint that was sealed with gold wax on the back of each envelope that was mailed out. The abundance of natural garden-style flowers also played into our theme and really reinforced the beautiful, natural atmosphere that I really wanted to create.
Our alter was hand crafted by my talented father – I couldn’t have been more proud to stand under his work as I married my best friend. The cross adorned with greenery that stood behind the signing table was also made by my father, and it was the perfect symbol to signify our faith as we signed our names and made our marriage concrete. During this time we heard my long time family friend sing the Lords praises. Our ceremony was truly amazing. To top it off we exchanged our own written vows to each other and there wasn’t a dry eye around! After the ceremony we had benches set up all around the grounds with blankets and pillows with signs allowing the guests to “stay cozy” along with fun games including bocce ball and crocket.
I originally wanted the reception to be completely outside, but I knew with Southern Ontario good weather isn’t always certain. I opted for a clear tent, thus still giving the effect of being under the stars and surrounded by beautiful tall trees. We hung cafe lights and chandeliers adorned with greenery, creating a setting unlike anything I’ve experienced before. It was described as magical from many of our guests!
A final thank you is in order for my wonderful photographer and friend, Kayla Yestal, who captured all of these sweet memories so beautifully – we will forever be grateful!
Remembering and writing about our day reminds me how blessed I am to have been able to marry my best friend in front of our family and friends in the place where I call my home.
Photography: Kayla Yestal | Cinematography: Videos by Janet | Event Coordinator: Steffie Golling Events | Event Planning: Megan Laura Photography | Styling: Megan Laura Photography | Floral Design: Lief by Marina Veldhuizen | Wedding Dress: Kleinfeld Bridal | Bridesmaid’s Dresses: Jenny Yoo | Makeup: Sarah Smith Makeup | Hair: Lux Salon and Spa | Calligraphy: Flourish Calligraphy | Bridal Bouquet: Sweet Woodruff | Bride’s Getting Ready Dress: Free People | Dress Hanger: BHLDN | Ribbon: The Poetry of Silk | Tent Rentals: Niagara Tents & Events
© Style Me Pretty, 2016. |
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Post categories: Real Weddings, Romantic, The Blog
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