Romantic and Timeless White Wedding at Elora Mill

Madeline and Jaron’s Elora Mill wedding ceremony and reception was classic, and romantic full of timeless white wedding decor.

Madeline and her girls got ready at Cedarcliff Elora, a beautiful rental home that makes the best backdrop for wedding day preparations. From the exterior, it looks like a building straight out of Europe, but when you get inside, its interior design is bright, modern, and simple, with stunning features that never outshine the subject during portraits. It also blends seamlessly with the decor of Elora Mill, which helps wedding photos feel cohesive throughout the entire day. Shannon Petrolito and Jeige Beauty were onsite for wedding hair and makeup and they had plenty of space for everyone to feel comfortable!

Madeline and Jaron opted for Creative Direction, our wedding design service where we create a full concept for your wedding design along with clear instructions on how to bring it to life with your vendors on your own. This service is perfect for weddings at the Elora Mill. We love designing weddings at Elora Mill because it’s got such beautiful bones. From the soft and elegant design of the Mill’s ceremony location, The Foundry, to the more natural elements incorporated into the interior of The Granary’s reception rooms, it’s fun to play off. Madeline wanted soft, elegant, romantic and timeless with a white and cream colour palette and I think the team nailed it! We then re-connected to finalize all of their plans through the Event Management service.

Jodi Leigh Designs led the wedding flower design, pulling our suggested pieces from Simply Beautiful Decor for tabletop decor. All That’s Lovely’s day of stationery was the soft, elegant design the space needed so the stationery was functional but beautiful. Mango Studios perfectly captured the elegance and timelessness of the day.

Madeline and Jaron’s day was exclusive to them, meaning their ceremony happened in The Foundry, cocktail hour in the Irvine Room and lobby and reception in the Grand Room. We also had some fun with their floorplan, pulling the head table forward and running parallel with it instead of the usual perpendicular! Scroll through to see how their Elora Mill wedding came to life!

Services: Creative Direction and Event Management

Elora Mill Grand Room Wedding Floorplan

Dress Designer Paloma Blanca,
Dress Shop Avenue 22
Suit from SuitSupply
Party Dress Retrofete

A Colorful and Intimate Same-Sex Gardiner Museum Wedding, a Downtown Toronto Wedding Venue

Mitchell and Scott had been dreaming of a Gardiner Museum wedding when they reached out for wedding planning help in the fall of 2022, yet they were still open to exploring other venues just to make sure their decision was the right one. I sure am glad we made it back to hosting their wedding at Gardiner Museum because it truly is one of my favourite downtown Toronto wedding venues.

From there, we got to dive further into their wedding colour palette and we had so much fun! This was their second must-have - a colour palette that was broad and colourful, fun but classic, without being too literal with the Pride Rainbow. We leaned into green as our lead colour since it felt masculine but inviting. It also allowed us to use the fun, modern, pistachio coloured dining chairs the venue had on hand. The florals allowed us to expand the palette to include purples, blues, pinks and white sparingly just as a backdrop to let the other pieces pop.

The third must-have item on the list was to incorporate their dog, Chester, not only in their ceremony, but also throughout their wedding day stationery. They actually found me on Instagram from a post I had shared of Emilie and Leo’s wedding, where we featured their beautiful doggo, Maple, right through from their wedding invitations to their sweets table cookies! All That’s Lovely, a local Hamilton wedding invitation designer, embraced their vision and created a suite that felt elegant but fun using colour blocking as an economical design element to increase the overall richness using Racing Stripe Green invitation paper with white ink, a Pistachio envelope and a Powder Green details card.

Fable Floral Design, an incredible Toronto wedding florist, was given creative liberty to take our ideas and bring them to life. We dreamed up a unique wedding ceremony floral design using florals and candles on pedestals varying in height. Once the ceremony was complete, this piece was transitioned into a unique seating chart idea. While some florals were transitioned to guest centerpieces, others remained in place, simply replaced with four seating chart signs.

Having the opportunity to work with Daniel et Daniel, easily the best Toronto wedding caterer was a real treat. They handled all venue communication and food and beverage. Their food was incredible and we preset the first course of a watermelon salad which only added to the guest experience as guests entered the Gardiner Museum’s Terrace Room that was transitioned from wedding ceremony to wedding reception.

The full team who brought this downtown Toronto Gardiner Museum wedding venue to life includes Christine Lim Photography, Fable Floral Design, Daniel et Daniel, Element Events, All You Need is Love Weddings, All That’s Lovely Paper Co., ES Bridal, Castle and Cole, Evolved Entertainment and The Food Dudes.

A Classic Wedding at Langdon Hall Country House and Spa in Cambridge, Ontario

Baby’s Breath has had quite the journey. From a common and inexpensive filler flower from the 90’s to the rustic barn era from 2009 to 2013, it has now made a surprising come-back very, very quickly and, honestly, I could have used another decade before I was ready to embrace it again, but here we are! I strive to design weddings that feel classic, elegant and timeless so I wasn’t entirely sure how I was going to embrace this baby’s breath comeback in a way that felt consistent with my brand, but I’m sure glad I did.

I felt like it was a go-big or go-home kind of situation so I decided to make it a focal point wherever possible. From a large seating chart frame to a circular arch and flowing aisle and head table floral elements, it sure ended up as a statement element that felt fresh, modern and still somehow timeless.

Incorporating roses helped it to feel romantic, orchids to feel more modern and a soft, but warm colour palette made it feel calm while the use of classic patterns and texture helped it to feel upscale. Of course, the gorgeous setting of Langdon Hall Country House & Spa as a wedding venue didn’t hurt either in creating an overall sense of serene and calm.

In the end, might I even dare say that I am here for this baby’s breath trend to stay a little longer?!

The Langdon Hall Country House & Spa Wedding Dream Team consisted of Julia Park Photography, Statue Rue, Kendon Design Co., Simply Beautiful Decor, Makeup Worx, All You Need is Love Weddings and The Wright DJ Services.

Service: Full Planning and Design

Perfect Wedding Ceremony Songs: A Curated Playlist for Your Big Day

Selecting the right music for your wedding ceremony is a beautiful way to set the tone for the day. The songs you choose will help create the perfect atmosphere for each meaningful moment; from the processional to the recessional, and everything in between. Whether you envision something classical, contemporary, or deeply personal, your ceremony music should reflect your unique love story and style.

Perhaps there’s a song you love but it’s not the right tempo. Nowadays, there are so many covers popular songs with a fresh slowed-down take and music streaming services like Apple Music and Spotify can help get these in front of you. We’ve discovered some incredible covers our couples have used in their own weddings - from slow and steady for the processional and signing, to fun and upbeat for the recessional. So if you're looking for inspiration, we have created a playlist full of songs our past clients have used for their own weddings ceremonies.

You can also check out our playlists for First Dance Songs and Parent Dance Songs here!

THE ULTIMATE WEDDING CEREMONY SONG PLAYLIST

“Bloom (Bonus Track)” by The Paper Kites

“Here Comes the Sun (Instrumental)” by United Guitar Players

“Halo” by Beyonce

“Home” by Edward Sharpe

"Always With Me / Spirited Away (Piano)" by Relaxing Piano & Makiko Hirohashi

“Can't Take My Eyes Off You” by Frankie Valli

“Concerning the UFO Sighting” by Sufjan Stevens

"Pitter Patter Goes My Heart" by Broken Social Scene

“Chasing Cars’ by Snow Patrol

"Higher Love” (Instrumental) by An International Affair

“Paper Rings” by Taylor Swift

“Bloom” (Acoustic) by Timothy Douglas Music

"Stand by Me" by Florence and the Machine

"Daylight" by Taylor Swift

“Ho Hey” by The Lumineers

"Sky Full of Stars" (acoustic) by Piano Guys

"Marry Me" by Train

“You Are The Best Thing” by Ray LaMontagne

“Ordinary People” (Instrumental) by John Legend

“Halo” (Piano Instrumental) by Box of Music

“Can't Help Falling in Love” by Daniel Jang

“Thinking Out Loud" by Ed Sheeran

“Angel” by Vitamin String Quartet

“Invisible String” by One Piano

“How Long Will I Love You” by Ellie Goulding

“God Bless the Broken Road” (Instrumental) by Rascal Flatts

Pachelbel Canon in D

"Higher Love" by Kygo & Whitney Houston

"She's a Rainbow" by The Rolling Stones

"Luna, Amore E No" by Piero Piccioni

“You'll Never Walk Alone” by Gerry and the Pacemakers

"I Do, I Do, I Do" by ABBA

“I’m Coming Out” by Diana Ross

“Everywhere” Fleetwood Mac

“Invisible String” by  Piano Dreamers

“Enchanted” by Taylor Swift

"Sweet Child of Mine" by Jasmine Thompson

"Somewhere Only We Know" by rhianne

“First Date” (cover of Blink 182) by Taylor Acorn

"Beyond" by Leon Bridges

"Over the Rainbow" by Israel Kamakawiwo'ole

"Here Comes The Sun (Instrumental)" by Emerald Empire Band

"Be My Baby" by The Ronettes

“A Thousand Years” by Daniel Jang

"Can’t Help Falling in Love" by Kina Grannis

“L-O-V-E” by Nat King Cole

"All of Me" by John Legend

“Your song” (piano instrumental) by Attila Fias

"Maestro" by Hans Zimmer

“It’s a Sin” by Pet Shop Boys

“Dog Days Are Over” by Florence and the Machine

“I Can't Help Myself (Sugar Pie, Honey Bunch)” by Four Tops

"Me & You Together Song" by The 1975

“You and I” by Wilco/Feist

“Crazy in Love” by Beyonce ft. Jay-Z

“This Will Be (An Everlasting Love)” by Natalie Cole

“Signed, Sealed, Delivered” Stevie Wonder

"Dancing in the Moonlight” by Toploader

"Sweet Creature" by Harry Styles

“Here Comes the Sun” by The Beatles

"Here Comes the Sun (Piano Instrumental)" by Benny Martin

“Wildest Dreams” by Taylor Swift

“Black + White” by Niall Horan

“Spring 1, Vivaldi's Four Seasons” by Max Richter

“Levels” by Avicii

Best Parent Dance Wedding Songs: Honouring Your Loved Ones

Parent dances—such as the father-daughter and mother-son dances—are a beautiful tradition that highlights the special bond between a bride or groom and the parent who has helped guide them through life. These dances are a meaningful way to express gratitude to the parent or parental figure who has played a significant role in their upbringing.

While parent dances are still a popular tradition at weddings, we’re often asked about the best place to schedule them in the evening timeline. The most common order is as follows: the couple’s first dance, followed by the father-daughter dance, and then the mother-son dance, which typically signals the start of the dance floor festivities. However, some couples prefer to kick off the dancing right after their first dance, so in those cases, we often schedule the parent dances during dinner, right after the respective parent's toast.

Regardless of where you choose to place these dances in your timeline, one thing remains constant: the song choice matters. The song you pick for your parent dance sets the tone and adds to the emotional impact of the moment. Whether it’s a classic, a heartfelt ballad, or something more personal, the right song can make the dance unforgettable for you both! We hope you find this playlist helpful!

You can also check out our playlists for First Dance Songs and Wedding Ceremony Songs here!

THE ULTIMATE LIST OF SONGS FOR PARENT DANCES

“Wildflowers” by Tom Petty

"My Girl" by the Temptations

"Humble and Kind" by Tim McGraw

“All You Need is Love” by The Beatles

“Isn’t She Lovely” Stevie Wonder

"Unforgettable" by Natalie Cole & Nat King Cole

“Your Song” by Elton John

“Your Song” by Ellie Goulding

"Landslide" by Fleetwood Mac

“What a Wonderful World” by Louis Armstrong

“Best Parts of Me" by Will Dempsey 

“This Dance" by Scott Thomas Laughridge

"The Way You Look Tonight" by Harry Connick Jr.

“Two Steps Behind (Acoustic Version)" by Def Leppard

"I Don't Dance" by Lee Brice 

”Forever Now" by Michael Bublé

“God Only Knows” by The Beach Boys

“You’ll Be In My Heart” by Phil Collins

“Her Little Man” by Jami Grooms

“Close to You (They Long to Be)” by The Carpenters

"My Wish" by Rascal Flatts

"I Hope You Dance" by Leann Womack

“Because You Loved Me” by Celine Dion

"Forever Young" by Rod Stewart

"Butterfly Kisses" by Bob Carlisle 

"To Sir With Love" by LuLu

"Stand By Me" by Otis Redding

"My Little Girl" by Tim McGraw

“Protector” by Beyoncé

Summer Garden-Inspired Wedding at Elora Mill

This garden-inspired wedding at Elora Mill tops the list of our favourite weddings of all-time. We got to work on a fun, warm, colour palette that inspired us right from the beginning. From a warm terracotta to a soft romantic peach, paired with tiny hints of yellow and purple supported by a backdrop of green made everything feel so punchy and perfect for this late summer wedding.

Once our palette was set, we started the floral design with Forever Wildfield. Michelle wanted a lush garden-inspired wedding, but I knew that it could quickly fall into overload and feel overwhelming if we weren't smart about scaling the florals appropriately to the size of the room and available table dimensions. This meant creating some very cool winding floral arrangements down the guest tables that were taller than they were wide, using the available vertical space without interfering with conversation across the table. We then worked on creating focus around their sweetheart table so it didn’t feel small and out of place in a large room with 180 guests. We then worked on the tabletop pieces so that some elements seemingly blended away into the florals (ie. the tan-coloured glassware and terracotta and peach-coloured candles) and the charger plates, napkins and menus offered loads of texture layered on the tabletop, playing to both the sight and touch senses.

Now that all the big picture elements were lined up, we could start pulling details from them to give guests their first taste of what was to come through the invitations. Melissa from Statue Rue is one of my favourite Toronto wedding invitation designers. Having a love for paper, it’s no wonder her designs appeal to the sense of touch with hand-made cotton papers, natural hand-torn edges and printed with letterpress to reveal the impression of the text in the paper. It was fun to incorporate a delicate flower wreath around the invitation as a nod to the floral glory that was to come at the garden-inspired wedding reception.

The Elora Mill wedding team did an impeccable job ensuring Michelle’s dream came to life with their attention to detail on the day - from the wedding concierge to the catering team, we think they’re pretty important in making the days run so smoothly for our clients.

The team includes Jeff Shuh Photography, Forever Wildfield, Statue Rue, Simply Beautiful Decor, Allyssa Helm Beauty, Sweet Celebrations, 586 Event Group and Leith Quartet. Michelle’s dress is a Galia Lahav design.

Service: Full Planning and Design

THE FLOORPLAN

The Elora Mill Grand Room is an asymmetrical shape making it sometimes hard to imagine something new, especially if your guest count maxes out the room. We didn’t do too much here to change things from the norm, but we did find small ways to make it unique with a round sweetheart table and a division between two of the tables at the back of the room. We also changed around which green and white charger plates were used at each table to create a bit more of a difference between the tables.

You can see more of our Elora Mill weddings and their floorplans here.

Some of our favourites: Bouquets & Dresses

A wedding dress truly is best paired with a beautiful bouquet, but with endless options and colour palettes at our finger tips, how do we ever decide what will stand the test of time?

How to Choose Your Wedding Dress

Choosing the perfect wedding dress is an exciting and important task for any bride-to-be. When selecting your gown, there are several factors to consider to ensure you find the dress of your dreams.

Firstly, think about your personal style and what makes you feel beautiful. Consider whether you prefer a traditional, modern, relaxed, or glamorous look. Your wedding dress should reflect your personality and most importantly, make you feel confident. Accessories are also a great way to dress up your gown, especially those that allow the dress to be convertible, giving different looks depending on the moment of the day. It could be a simpler dress with a gorgeous cape or a huge bow on the back that can be removed as a surprise later. Maybe it’s a bolder dress with a simple veil.

Next, take into account the venue and style of your wedding. Your dress should complement the overall aesthetic of the event, whether it's a beachside ceremony, a garden party, or a formal affair in a grand ballroom.

Additionally, consider your body type and what silhouettes and fabrics flatter your figure. It's essential to choose a dress that accentuates your best features and makes you feel comfortable throughout the day and night. Do you have a favourite part of your body you want to showcase? It could be your neckline or back or even the curve of your hips! No matter what, though, you should consider ease of movement, comfort, and the ability to dance and enjoy your celebration.

Lastly, budget is also a significant factor to keep in mind. Set a realistic budget for your dress and consider alterations, accessories, and other expenses that may come with it. There are many pretty dresses at different prices based on fabric, designer, and design intricacy. You can get one within your budget that suits your style, it just may take a bit of patience.

How to Choose Your Wedding Bouquet

When choosing your wedding bouquet, start by considering the overall vibe and colour palette of your wedding. Think about the style of your dress and the formality of the event. Take into account the season and availability of flowers for that time of year and have a list of your favourite (and least favourite!) flowers as well. Be open to suggestions from your florist. Even if a specific flower isn’t in season, they may be able to make alternate suggestions to achieve a similar look.

Size is another consideration. Your wedding bouquet should be appropriately sized for you. Something too big is not only heavy to carry, but it may also be a distraction away from you.

Lastly, think about shape. Do you want something more classic and round in shape, all one colour, more wild and free or somewhere in between? These are all important things to consider when chatting with your florist.

A Few of Our Favourite Wedding Dresses and Bouquets from Over the Years

Take a peak below at some of our favourite dresses, their bouquets, and the beautiful women in them!

Click on each photo for full details on dress, florals and photography!