Amanda and Dave | September 10, 2021
Photos by Brittany Lee Photography
As cliché as it sounds, it really was the best day ever,” says Amanda of her marriage to Dave. Seventy five guests gathered for the modern, romantic soirée at Umbrella Bar in the Dows Lake Pavilion. “A big part of what we wanted our day to be was fun, not only for the two of us but also for our guests. This included our meal,” she explains. Instead of doing a traditional plated dinner or buffet spread, she and Dave took advantage of the venue’s restaurant menu to create a dinner that included all their favorite foods. “We had a taco station, a poutine station, a live-action chef carving station, late night pizza and Ottawa’s famous BeaverTails for dessert instead of a cake.”
Picture taking was also part of the celebratory vibe, with Polaroid instant cameras available for guests to snap photos. “Going through our pile of Polaroids the day after the wedding was hilarious and so much fun,” Amanda recalls.
Everybody was definitely in the mood to party. “After two postponed wedding dates due to COVID, we were ready to celebrate when our third date finally came. Lucky for us, so were our friends and family. After planning, and replanning, and replanning again, it all came together perfectly. For most of our guests our wedding was the first big gathering since COVID began; this made everyone eager to have fun and celebrate, which only made our day that much more special.”
Even Mother Nature got into the spirit: “A few minutes before the ceremony started, the sky turned dark and it began to pour; luckily for us it cleared up after only a minute of rain, and right before walking down the aisle a beautiful rainbow appeared.”
Venue: Umbrella Bar
Coordinator: Gyneya Dicks, Umbrella Bar
Officiant: Carol Willems, Royal Weddings Ottawa
Videographer: Peaking Zebra Productions
Bride’s Gown: Paloma Blanca, bought at White Satin Bridal Boutique
Shoes: Badgley Mischka; Earrings and Bracelet: Olive + Piper
Groom’s Attire: Hugo Boss
Flowers: The Gathering Event Company
Hair: Karla Clarot, Hair by Karla
Makeup: Taryn Miller Makeup
Desserts: BeaverTails
