Brittany and Jeffrey’s Sunday Morning Wedding in Toronto

August 25, 2014
Elizabeth Messina Photography

Both a castle and a downtown hotel served as backdrops for this romantic soiree.

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The Couple

Elizabeth Messina Photography

Brittany Stevenson and Jeffrey Callaghan met in 2008, while living in Montreal. They became lovebirds and sealed the deal with a May 19, 2013, wedding, highlighting both the old charm of Toronto and its downtown scene. With a ceremony in the Casa Loma castle and a reception in the Drake Hotel, the pair celebrated their affection for one another and the things that make their hearts swell, like the scents of flowers, good food, and special memories.

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A Castle to Wed In

Elizabeth Messina Photography

The couple wanted to get married in a light-filled venue, so it was fate that the conservatory of Casa Loma, a majestic old home in Toronto, was available for their Sunday morning nuptials.

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A Blush Bouquet

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Brittany carried a bouquet of ranunculus, peonies, and succulents.

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The Engagement Ring

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Jeffrey designed Brittany’s timeless engagement ring. The six-prong setting is inspired by a honeycomb’s hexagonal shape and his nickname for his sweetheart;  he calls her “Bee.” As for its box? It’s an antique, with a velvet interior, from the 1800s.

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The Ceremony Décor

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With elaborate plasterwork, marble floors, and an Italian stained-glass dome, the conservatory didn’t need much except for flowers. Todd Kjargaard of Jackie O enhanced the space with potted lavender (the bride’s favorite scent and a reminder of the lavender field in which Jeffrey proposed) along the aisle, and an arch of branches and blooming cotton. 

Chairs were set up in a semicircular pattern to give the room a cozy feel.

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The Ceremony Program

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Like the rest of the stationery, the programs were designed by Aprile Elcich. This trifold piece introduced the bridal party with illustrations of each person.

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Walking with Dad

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Brittany’s father, Jade, escorted her down the aisle to “I See You Everywhere” by Pierre Aviat. The song played during Chanel’s Paris-Moscou pre-fall 2009 runway show, and Brittany instantly knew she wanted it to be a part of her ceremony.

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The Ceremony

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Approximately a hundred loved ones gathered for the 11 A.M. service. For Jeffrey, the best moment was seeing his bride for the first time as she walked down the aisle. For Brittany, a favorite moment was when everyone cheered at the end and hearing the joy echo through the room.

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A New Heirloom

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During a portion of the ceremony, Jeffrey and Brittany were seated on an ottoman atop a rug from Brittany’s mother. The floor-covering now lives under the dining table in the pair’s home.

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All in the Family

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The couple used the mother-of-the-bride’s bible during the ceremony.

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A Room of Their Own

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Since Jeffrey and Brittany had a morning ceremony and didn’t do a first look, they had some time together (and for the cameras) in the library of Casa Loma, where they posed for a few portraits and shared a dance. 

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The Fashions

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Jeffrey donned a Burberry London tuxedo for the big day. His bride chose a Vera Wang gown and veil and Tiffany & Co. pearls. Brittany actually gave Jeffrey a sneak peek at her gown earlier that day, via a note with a piece of lace from the gown fastened to it. She also gave him a little something to accessorize with—an embroidered pocket square with an Edward Lear quote on it: “And hand in hand on the edge of the sand they danced by the light of the moon.”

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The Bridal Party

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Bridesmaids wore various neutral-hued gowns by Monique Lhuillier, and groomsmen donned gray suits with Tasty Ties bow ties.

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The Little Ones

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Jeffrey’s nephew Judah and Brittany’s cousin McCartney were two of the three children in the wedding party. McCartney and her fellow flower girl wore tulle dresses by Marley Ocean.

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Lyrically Inspired

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After the ceremony, Brittany swapped her veil and headpiece for a floral crown. “It was a must,” she says of the hair topper. It was also a nod to the line in their first dance song: “With grace in your heart and flowers in your hair.”

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Riding in Style

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The bride and her mother arrived to the ceremony in a 1950s Rolls-Royce. Following the service, the newlyweds rode in the same vintage car before joining their guests downtown at the reception.

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The Reception

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Even though it wasn’t a seated dinner, the couple wanted to have a head table as a home base. To decorate the table, they chose a fabric depicting a map of the world in a slightly desaturated palette, and succulents, roses, and peonies.

During the reception, which took place in the dining room of the Drake Hotel, guests helped themselves to two stations of food and a selection of passed plates, such as fancy frites with truffle pecorino and garlic butter. The soundtrack to the remake of The Great Gatsby played, and added to the vintage-inspired atmosphere.

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A Bit of Love

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Vintage marquee lights that Brittany had in her apartment were placed in front of the head table.

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The First Dance

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“After the Storm” by Mumford & Sons played while the couple shared their first dance as husband and wife.

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Cakes on Display

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Wanting the cakes to be a feature at the reception, the couple had them displayed on a rolling cart in the center of the dance floor until after they did the ceremonial cake-cutting.

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The Cakes

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The newlyweds cut into the red velvet cake with cream cheese buttercream, made by Cake Opera Co. There was also a vegan chocolate cake with chocolate frosting and fresh raspberries, as well as a banana cake with salted caramel and milk chocolate ganache.

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Sources

Elizabeth Messina Photography

Photography: Elizabeth Messina 

Ceremony Location: Casa Loma

Reception Location and Catering: The Drake Hotel

Event Planning: Lisa Garofalo of Bliss Events 

Flowers: Todd Kjargaard of Jackie O

Videography: Modern 8 Films

Stationery: Aprile Elcich 

Calligraphy: Barbara Kua of The Lettering Studio

Cake: Cake Opera Co. 

Music: DJ Dougie Boom 

Hair: Sheri Stroh 

Babysitters: Little Party-Goers

Fascinator: Jane Taylor Millinery

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