Black and White Glamour Meets Playful Modern Romance at The Venetian

[section title=”The Planning”]
[field title=”Wedding Colors”]Black and White[/field]
[field title=”Design / Vibe / Vision”]

(In the words of Valary Chrisman, planner and designer, Vivid & Vogue) I met Celina when we were working together on another wedding – she also works in the industry as a hair and makeup artist. Knowing that she was so in tune with vendors and trends and chose me to help with her wedding was a huge honour! We knew we wanted to embrace some of the more classic elements of the ceremony and reception spaces, and the timeless elegance of a black and white palette – but with lots of modern touches that were playful and fun. For the ceremony at Casa Loma, we went super romantic with lots of white flowers to wrap around the couple like a lovely cocoon of beauty that reflected the love and support of everyone present. We wanted to make sure the floral would be able to be reused for the reception, so Maria from Narcissus and Echo designed the pieces to be modular, and these pieces were used to surround the sweetheart table at the reception. For the reception at the Venetian, we wanted something that felt a bit more sexy and moody than the traditional banquet hall decor, so when Celina suggested draping the entire space in black velvet, it felt like the perfect way to create that atmosphere. One of the DJs said it felt like a Miami nightclub, and I think he nailed it with that description! The reception was a perfect mix of beautiful and luxurious, mixed with playful touches through the scalloped-edge napkins, disco balls, and the cherry-covered wedding cake. The Details I love pattern and texture play, especially when working with a minimal colour palette – we brought in a variety of rich textures between the drapes, the ribbed glass elements on some of the candleholders, the linen napkins and textured tablecloths from Table Tales, and the variety of white flowers from Narcissus and Echo that added lots of depth and dimension. Pattern play was also a feature of the design, mixing stripes, scallops, grids, and wavy elements to make everything a bit more whimsical while keeping the palette restrained. While I did most of the stationery design myself including the Save the Dates, invitations, and website, we had a few specialty vendors come in for the day-of items, including the seating chart by Prete Prints, the menus by Maddieolamade, and the custom cocktail napkins with Copper’s face on them which were made by a designer on Etsy. The couple’s dog, Copper, certainly stole the show during getting ready photos and the ceremony – there were so many of us taking photos of him that one of my team called us the “copperatzi”. While he couldn’t attend the reception, he was there in spirit for the whole night, and featured on the cocktail napkins at the custom martini bar. The couple loves martinis, so of course, we had to devote a whole bar to them as a welcome drink. The martini bar and other custom black and white furniture brought in from Detailz added yet another element of texture play in a mix of ribbed wood and mirrored finishes. You’ll notice quite a few mirror elements in the wedding – Celina made the mirrored table numbers herself with the help of her father, who sourced the tile. We also, of course, had lots of mirrored disco balls scattered throughout the space for that party vibe! Traditions and New Traditions. It was really important to Vanessa that the first time the couple saw each other was at the altar, so we carefully strategized to make sure they had the big reveal they dreamed of when Celina walked down the aisle with her parents. The couple’s ceremony included readings and affirmations of LGBTQ2S+ love, and they honoured their moms by having them sign the marriage license with them while “My Girl” and “Always Be My Baby” played in the background. The reception featured a classic Italian antipasto table and meal, but Celina and Vanessa didn’t just stick with the classics here – for late night, they did a mix of aglio e olio pasta station, McDonald’s, and Krispy Kreme donuts, along with their modern vintage wedding cake from Make Kwento. One more new tradition they added was tooth gems – guests could get a small rhinestone embellishment as a semi-permanent extra sparkle to their style as part of the late-night entertainment. The brides, of course, got theirs done to match each other.

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[field title=”Proposal Story”]

(In the words of Celina, one of the brides) We met in the most modern way—on Bumble. After matching, we went on our first date but decided not to pursue anything serious at the time. But fate had other plans. After a few unexpected (and perfectly timed) run-ins, we decided to give it another shot—and this time, it clicked. Soon after, we moved in together, and about a year later, we welcomed our sweet dog, Copper, into our lives. In 2022, Vanessa proposed during a trip to Mykonos. We picked September 2024 for the big day so we’d have plenty of time to plan something that felt like us—a celebration that nods to the Italian traditions we grew up with, but with our twist.

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[board_carousel title=”Getting Ready”]

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[board_carousel title=”Bridal Portraits”]

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[board_carousel title=”Flat Lays”]

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[section title=”The Fashion”]
[field title=”Wedding Gown”]

Natasha Morén-Espinozaa ( Custom Suit Clothier at Gotstyle) about Vanessa’s look: When it comes to styling a white dinner jacket, go for a classic black-tie look. A white dress shirt, black satin bow tie, black tuxedo trousers, and black shoes or loafers will make for the perfect foundation. Celina’s wedding dress was a perfect combination of classic, timeless, and dramatic look with a modern twist.

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[field title=”Bridesmaid Dresses”][/field]
[field title=”Groomsman Attire”][/field]
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[board_carousel title=”Wedding Party”]

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[board_carousel title=”Ceremony”]

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[board_carousel title=”Cocktail Hour”]

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[section title=”The Details”]
[field title=”Food & Drink”]

The couple loves martinis, so of course, we had to devote a whole bar to them as a welcome drink. The martini bar and other custom black and white furniture brought in from Detailz added yet another element of texture play in a mix of ribbed wood and mirrored finishes. You’ll notice quite a few mirror elements in the wedding – Celina made the mirrored table numbers herself with the help of her father, who sourced the tile. We also, of course, had lots of mirrored disco balls scattered throughout the space for that party vibe!

[/field]
[field title=”Florals & Decor”]

For the ceremony at Casa Loma, we went super romantic with lots of white flowers to wrap around the couple like a lovely cocoon of beauty that reflected the love and support of everyone present. We wanted to make sure the floral would be able to be reused for the reception, so Maria from Narcissus and Echo designed the pieces to be modular, and these pieces were used to surround the sweetheart table at the reception. For the reception at the Venetian, we wanted something that felt a bit more sexy and moody than the traditional banquet hall decor, so when Celina suggested draping the entire space in black velvet, it felt like the perfect way to create that atmosphere. One of the DJs said it felt like a Miami nightclub, and I think he nailed it with that description! The reception was a perfect mix of beautiful and luxurious, mixed with playful touches through the scalloped-edge napkins, disco balls, and the cherry-covered wedding cake.

[/field]
[field title=”Wedding Cake”]

The reception featured a classic Italian antipasto table and meal, but Celina and Vanessa didn’t just stick with the classics here – for late night, they did a mix of aglio e olio pasta station, McDonald’s, and Krispy Kreme donuts, along with their modern vintage wedding cake from Make Kwento.

[/field]
[field title=”Readings, Ceremony Music, Reception Songs”]

It was really important to Vanessa that the first time the couple saw each other was at the altar, so we carefully strategized to make sure they had the big reveal they dreamed of when Celina walked down the aisle with her parents. The couple’s ceremony included readings and affirmations of LGBTQ2S+ love, and they honoured their moms by having them sign the marriage license with them while “My Girl” and “Always Be My Baby” played in the background.

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[field title=”Special Detail #1″][/field]
[field title=”Special Detail #2″][/field]
[field title=”Special Detail #3″][/field]
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[board_carousel title=”Couple Portraits”]

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[board_carousel title=”Reception”]

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