Riya & Wes's Lush Toronto Wedding
Warm, Convivial, Lush
Riya and Wes's wedding celebrations honoured cultural traditions while being completely unique. The elements of modern vs traditional and east vs west made for such a visually stunning day that really screams "Toronto Bride" to me. I know that every bride that borrows #TheJustMarriedJacket has a sense of edgy style, but I was particularly excited to see that she paired it with a sleek RED wedding gown. Read along below to hear directly from Riya about her wedding planning philosophy and her Bond girl inspired bridal style!
We originally wanted a tiny city hall wedding for 12. But then realised that a wedding is about sharing love and joy with your family. And to both of us, family is aunts and uncles, family friends, and our friends. So we chose a venue that could make our grandparents and our Parkdale-loving friends feel comfortable. We had all the things we liked about weddings - open bar, great food, midnight poutine, tons of dancing and laughs and none of the things we don't enjoy (wedding cake, hours of speeches, a formal sit-down 3 course meal, first dance).
The brunch the next day was wonderful. Everyone was so relaxed (even my mum!) because the wedding had gone off without a hitch and it was an opportunity to recap the night before and hear everyone's stories.
Tell us about your bridal style.
The vibe was Bond Girl. Beehive, cat eye, huge lashes, big earrings, and a really sleek gown. I always knew I wanted to wear red. It's me, and it's also a way to acknowledge my culture. In india, you wear white to funerals - because it symbolises the absence of life. It's not purity - it's emptiness.
What's one detail your wedding had to have? What's something you could have done without?
One thing we knew we had to have was live music! We had to say no to so many venues we loved because they didn't have room for a full band, or wouldn't allow it. Wes is a musician, and his band played at the wedding, so that was a non-negotiable for us.
One thing we could have done without were the flower crowns made by our wonderful florist for our cousins. We ran out of time and I didn't get to write notes to attach to them - so I feel like the girls never got the reason why we wanted to mark them out as special. And we never got them all together in a group for a photo! But that's the only thing I can think of. We chose a beautiful space so it didn't need much at all!
What's your advice for future brides?
Just say no to a bridal party! All I heard was that bridesmaids and groomsmen cause a ton of drama. We didn't have any and it saved us (and our friends) a ton of time, money, and friend-group politics! Our close friends did readings during the ceremony, served as MCs, made speeches, and witnessed the marriage license. It worked out beautifully!
Also, EAT. I woke up early and went and bought myself breakfast and lunch to eat as I was having my hair and makeup done. So essential. Even then, I didn't get to finish my lunch - but at least I tried!
Date: Sunday May 14th, 2017
Location(s):
Saturday May 13th: Mehndi Party - Pukka Restaurant - St. Clair West
Sunday May 14th: Wedding Ceremony/Reception - Gladstone Hotel - Queen West
Monday May 15th: Wedding Brunch - Daiko Indian Restaurant - Queen West
List of vendors:
Floral Design: Peridot Floral Co
Photography: Dockflower Photography
Band: Penzionari
Officiant: Mary Beaty
Hair: Julie Kologriv
Makeup: Twiggy Tallant
Henna/Mehndi: Henna by Divya
Wedding Gown: Elie Saab
Gold Sequin Skirt: Alice and Olivia
