Dreams Come True

The Proposal
Alex and Sara met at Collingwood School, and started dating their senior year of high school. They both planned to move to Montreal to attend McGill University, and so they were able to keep their love alive after graduation. When they finally returned to their hometown of Vancouver, Alex was ready to pop the question. On 08/08/08, Alex took Sara to the beach where they had their first date. He proposed with his grandmother’s ring, which he had reset in a new design so it was just as special as Sara is. 

The Wedding
Sometimes, a wedding theme can simply be things you love. This was the unifying element for Sara and Alex’s big day: rather than tie themselves to a narrow design concept, the couple worked with various colours as well as additions from the bride’s Vietnamese and Iranian heritage. The couple’s ceremony and reception was held at Capilano Golf and Country Club, where the beautiful greenery complimented the peacock feather colour scheme which was based on Alex’s love of blue. Sara kept the ceremony space modern and simple by adding green ties to the chairs and large, colourful floral arrangements at the altar, and the club’s gorgeous greens were in full view for everyone to see. The couple was married by a family friend, and Richard Wilbur’s poem “The Beautiful Changes” was read by Sara’s closest childhood companion. On each chair, guests found homemade packages of tissues the bride put together, to make sure everyone could dry their tears of joy.

The mood for the reception was kept light and cheery with light green table overlays and tall arrangements of cascading white orchid sprays and white roses, which had guests clamoring at the end of the night to take home. Photos of the couple in traditional Vietnamese wedding dress were displayed as guests entered, and later in the evening, the groom took part in an Iranian knife dance—the bridesmaids each took a turn keeping the groom away from the cake cutting knife, and he eventually had to pay them off in order to cut the cake with his new wife. The cake was a white Savannah cake, featuring a hand-crafted cake topper made by the bride and groom: after being unable to order the sweetheart birds topper they wanted, the couple decided to try their hand and make their own, using paper mache, paint, and fabric. Sara and Alex shared an intimate moment during their first dance to “Somewhere Over the Rainbow,” despite the realization that the version they danced to was different (and much longer!) than the one they practiced with. They enjoyed the longer version, and then the dance floor was flooded with friends and family for the rest of the evening. A huge hit with guests was the photo booth that Sara and Alex filled with many fun props. Picture frames were used as place cards and favours, and inserted was an invitation for guests to have fun in the booth.

The Fashion
Sara visited many bridal salons on her search, but with a vision in mind, she was very particular about what she tried on. The third time was the charm for Sara, when she walked into The Bridal Gallery, and picked out a single dress. Only the third dress she tried on, it was the one without doubt. The strapless Maggie Sottero gown featured a dramatic train and fabric rosettes nestled within the dress folds. The bride finished her look with a white and green bouquet of calla lilies, roses, and several varieties of orchids. The bridesmaids wore a rich teal, and each chose a dress to flatter her shape. The bridesmaids carried fresh sheaf bouquets, featuring white calla lilies and plenty of green accents. 

“Daniel of d’Soleil Studios was a wedding photographer and so much more! He helped us so much with the wedding. He had lots of experience and was very helpful answering any questions we had. We can’t imagine the wedding without him. He easily takes the MVP prize for most helpful vendor.” -Sara


Bride: Sara Askari
Groom: Alex Pedlow
Date of Wedding: August 8, 2010
No. of Guests: 130
Weather: Misty