Real Wedding: Jennifer & Alex Part 1 (The Welcome BBQ)

Every once in a while, a wedding comes along that is a game changer. For us, the wedding of Jennifer & Alex was just that. And so you can only imagine how beyond words THRILLED I was to see it featured on Style Me Pretty (here) this past week! And the cherry on top of the already delicious sundae, is that now that it has been published, I can finally share all of the drop dead gorgeous images (thank you Erich McVey) with you!

Taking place at a private property on Salt Spring Island, this 3 day celebration pushed me harder than I thought possible, and I couldn't be more proud of the outcome. The couple, based out of NYC, first reached out to me in the Fall of 2015. They dreamed of a wedding weekend filled with non-stop celebrations, an overabundance of food and drink, and above all else, a weekend spent surrounded by their family & friends from all over the world. I was, of course, totally up to the challenge, and loved every bit of the next year, as we worked tirelessly to pull together 3 incredible events!

Now, planning not just 1, but 3 events (Welcome Dinner, Wedding & Brunch) on a small Island like Salt Spring, can pose some serious challenges (understatement of the year!). Every vendor and rental/decor piece was brought from either Victoria, Vancouver or the States, and the logistics surrounding the weekend were insane. All 110% worth it though, once the parties started, and I think back to this weekend with nothing but amazing memories, and a huge smile on my face! In an effort to share as much of this wonderful weekend with you all, I have decided to split the blog post into 3 parts. First up: The Welcome BBQ

Taking place in the upper garden of Jennifer's parents home on Salt Spring, the welcome dinner was a casual al fresco affair, spent catching up with old friends (175 guests flew in from all around the world), welcoming everyone to the Island, and celebrating all that was to come over the weekend. Food, a major focus throughout the weekend, was at the centre of the party, and food stations featuring variety of the couples favourite global cuisine. An oyster bar, seafood risotto station, wood fired pizza, Bhutan street meat station and ice cream sundae station filled the guests palettes. Toque Catering seriously brought their A-game to this weekend! 2 long tables, with bistro lights strung above, created a communal space for guests to catch up, and the west coast folk sounds of Noah Edwards entertained the guests late into the night. It was a magical evening....

And full disclosure before I let you dive into the stunning photos below: this evening tops my list as my favourite party I have ever planned (and yes, it wasn't even a wedding!). There was just something about the evening, that I can't quite put my finger on....but it was what I always imagined the perfect backyard party should be. Effortless, relaxing, and filled with good friends and damn good food. Thank you so much for reading, and make sure to check back next week for Part 2 of this amazing weekend!

**Make sure to scroll to the bottom for the complete list of all the kick ass vendors that helped make this day so incredible! All photos courtesy of Erich McVey.