Scans by: PhotoVision Prints | Venue and Catering: The Lake House |Flowers: Flower Artistry
Cakes: Whippt Desserts and Catering | Bridal Attire: Lazaro | Grooms Attire: Hugo Boss
Wedding Jewellery: Tacori | Stationary: By Invitation Only | Hair and Makeup: Red Bloom
Mark and Stephanie met in the summer of 2006 working at Shawnee Slopes Golf Course, but didn’t start dating until the summer of 2008. They were both University students at the time, working there for their summer job and somehow connected – most likely over their mutual love of animals. Mark was on his career path to becoming a vet (or so Stephanie thought), and Stephanie was just finishing her political science degree.
As plans often change, Mark is now a geologist for an oil and gas company and Stephanie works as an Education Coordinator for the Alberta Health Services.
Mark proposed while the couple were living in Edmonton, on November 28, 2013. Mark was finishing up his Geology degree, so Stephanie was very surprised as she did not think they would get engaged until Mark was finished school. Mark had planned on proposing a few weeks earlier when the ring came in, but Stephanie just to happened to be sick. Mark patiently waited and every day would ask Stephanie if she wanted to go outside for a walk with the dog, but everyday she said no (it was winter in Alberta and Stephanie had a really bad cough). Finally, Mark couldn’t wait any longer so on a typical Thursday evening, Stephanie in her sweats on the couch, Mark put the ring on their dog’s collar and sent her over to see Stephanie. She realized after a couple seconds, as Mark came around the corner and got down on one knee, that there was her dream ring, on Koha’s collar!
Wedding planning began very shortly after. Stephanie chose her bridal party immediately (she basically already had the whole wedding planned in her head). Cassandra, her little sister was her maid of honor – no brainer. Krista and Amy were her two closest friends and Stephanie has known them both since about 5 years old. And finally Ashley, Mark’s sister and basically a sister to Stephanie over the past 7 years.
Mark on the other hand, knew who he wanted to be in his party, but as usual, putting things off until the last minute, finally asked his groomsmen about 4 months before the wedding. Derek would be his best man, whom he met through Stephanie when they first started dating. His cousin Ryan, University buddy Jeremy, and Greg, who he also met through Stephanie at the onset of their relationship.
As for bridal party gifts, Stephanie decided to buy the girls something they could wear for the wedding day, so she went with Kate Spade stud earrings in light pink, to match their dusty rose colored BCBG bridesmaid dresses. As pink is Stephanie’s favourite color, she also bought each of the girls a small bottle of sparkling rose and each a different shade of pink nail polish. Stephanie’s most favourite part of the gift to the girls was the super comfy kimono robes from Piyama.
Mark also bought the groomsmen accessories for the wedding day. A skinny black tie by Calvin Klein and they were each given different stripe pattern socks. Mark decided that the groomsmen also require a handy dandy book called, “The Art of Manliness.” Finally, each of the groomsmen received a bottle of their favourite liquor.
Mark and Stephanie agreed to not buy each other gifts for the wedding as they had just bought / adopted the newest member to their family a couple months earlier. Stephanie’s dad dubbed Koha (their three year old Boston terrier) the ‘engagement dog’ (instead of a ring) during his speech as they bought her when they moved to Edmonton together. Sauce was the ‘wedding dog’ as she was supposed to arrive right after the wedding, but they brought her home a few months earlier. Back to the gift, although Mark was not supposed to give Stephanie a gift, he surprised her with the cutest Marc Jacobs Boston Terrier shoes. His note with the gift was “So you can have Koha and Sauce with you all day today.”
For a wedding favour, Stephanie and Mark decided to make a donation to Alberta Animal Rescue Crew Society (AARCS), because of their mutual love for animals. In order to incorporate their own pups in the wedding, Stephanie decided to bake sugar cookies and decorate them as Boston Terriers and attach the donation note to the cookie packaging.
The wedding day turned out to be perfect. The weatherman was saying thunderstorms and showers throughout the day, but the rain didn’t start until everyone was indoors and cleared up just in time for some outdoor sunset photos. It was the perfect day! It was hard for Stephanie and Mark to choose a favourite part of the day, because everything was so perfect. The best thing about the day was the general feeling of love. There was so much love in the room all day long! The food, cake and drinks were pretty amazing too. And then the dancing. Stephanie told their DJ when they had their meeting that she would not be leaving until the lights came on – she loves to dance! Mark and Stephanie stayed until the very end of the night and do not regret it for a second.
