The Happiest Wedding for Jon & Belle

Posted November 30, 2021

DreamGroup planner Sandy Hoong has had a busy summer! Despite the pandemic, 2021 was feathered with micro and intimate weddings galore! Here is one that tops the list! This super sweet culturally infused wedding was indeed the Happiest Wedding for Jon & Belle as they tied the knot at the charming VanDusen Botanical Garden this past June.

What was the theme and overall feeling of the event?

Initially Jon and Belle had envisioned a beautiful upscale celebration so when the pandemic threw us a curve ball we pivoted to create a super elegant micro wedding celebration to remember! In the end they got to spend quality time with their closest family members and a couple friends and it was just what the occasion called for!

For you, what were the highlights of the wedding? What was unique?

Seeing the planning come together after all the navigation due to the pandemic. The bride and groom were a joy to work with! They were kind and appreciative of everyone’s efforts. The backyard reception turned out so beautiful with the help of the fabulous Bespoke Decor& Flower Factory.

What was the most successful part of the day?

I think the most successful part of the day was completing the backyard reception decor on time! Making the reception look tasteful and beautiful was a top priority for the couple. There was a long list of things to set up which was challenging in the time frame we had, but we managed to finish in record time! The groom & his parents were impressed which was very important to Belle.

For more inspiration check out this other beautiful DreamGroup Sitting Pastel Pretty Wedding.

Were there any issues/challenges that arose? If yes, how did you handle them?

Yes! As is often the case when incorporating live streaming in an outdoor park setting, we encountered some temporary live streaming issues at the start of the ceremony, but it was corrected quickly and thankfully there was a recording of the entire ceremony which was made available to all viewers shortly thereafter.

Another little challenge was with the sun! It happened to be one of the hottest weekends of the summer! Initially where the ceremony arch was set up the bride and groom would have been situated directly under the blazing sun! I made the call to have Bespoke angle the arch under the Willow tree so that Belle could have some shade while still taking advantage of the gorgeous water backdrop of Heron Lake.

Will you miss these intimate micro weddings when this pandemic is behind us?

Yes! But I like to think that the micro and intimate weddings that we had to adapt to won’t just disappear when things open up and life goes back to normal. I think people were introduced to a way of celebrating that is actually quite lovely and have come to realize that smaller can be better for the right couple, budget, & situation. Now, with that said… I can’t wait to plan big weddings again! The energy, the excitement, the drama that comes with a gorgeous ballroom and a packed dance floor is hard to beat!