Romance Rewritten: A Modern Vancouver Renaissance

Posted March 17, 2026

A Vancouver Wedding Editorial Layered with Romance, Drama, and Old-World Beauty

Every once in a while, the DreamGroup Planners step away from our full wedding planning calendars to create something a little more personal. A chance to tell a love story of our own through design, emotion, and artistry.

When Editor in Chief, Celynn Bowman, of Rocky Mountain Bride invites you to lead an editorial for their international magazine, you say yes and when?! Opportunities like this allow us to stretch creatively, collaborate intentionally, and bring together some of Vancouver’s most talented wedding professionals to produce something truly magical.

The result was an editorial entitled Romance Rewritten ~ a reimagined gothic romance, inspired by a “Modern Renaissance” creative concept. Set inside the timeless grandeur of The Vancouver Club, this story became a romantic and fashion-forward interpretation of old-world beauty, dramatic detail, and layered emotion.

With its stately architecture, classic mouldings, dramatic entryways, marble staircases, soaring fireplaces, and historic character, the venue gave us the perfect canvas for a story that felt cinematic, moody, and deeply elegant.

The 11-page spread hit newsstands in January 2026, and we are so honoured to share the details of how we brought this vision to life. Thank you to DreamGroup Planners Cayenne Gartside, Brynn Belisle, Bonie Wong and Genève McNally for leading the charge.

Through the creative lens of Jo & Glo, the editorial became exactly what we hoped it would be: intimate, transportive, and full of feeling. Content capture by Amour Content.

The DreamGroup Secret to Editorials That Feel Like Real Love Stories

One of our favourite “secrets” to producing wedding editorials that truly resonate is casting people who can do more than simply look beautiful on camera. Whenever possible, we love working with professional actors, because they know how to step into a mood, a relationship, and a moment.

That emotional quality changes everything.

Rather than images that feel static or overly posed, the result is a visual story that feels lived-in, expressive, and real. You can see it in the way a glance lands, in the movement of a gown through a doorway, and in the slightly mischievous energy between two people who are genuinely at ease with one another.

For this editorial, we asked Vancouver actress Kylee Wofford Maki and dashing real life husband Fraser Maki to bring our imagined love story to life. Even better, Kylee and Fraser are also recent DreamGroup clients, with planner Jill Bryan having had the privilege of supporting their wedding last year. That authentic connection comes through so naturally in these photos. There is chemistry, ease, glamour, and a playfulness that made every frame feel believable and magnetic.

The Vancouver Club Set the Tone for This Romantic Gothic Wedding Love Story

There are some venues that do more than host a design — they become part of the narrative itself. That was absolutely the case with The Vancouver Club.

From the striking front entrance framed by tall architectural columns and checkerboard flooring, to the softly draped interiors and elegant heritage detailing, every setting contributed to the overall mood. Some of the most compelling imagery from the shoot captures the bride and groom in the threshold of the grand doorway, with daylight pouring in behind them and the structure of the club creating a dramatic silhouette. Those portraits feel almost like a still from an old film: timeless, architectural, and quietly powerful.

Inside, the venue gave us warmth and softness as well. Grand chandeliers, carved mantelpieces, sweeping drapery, and candlelight allowed the editorial to shift between moody and luminous and structured and romantic. It was exactly the kind of environment this concept needed.

Bridal Fashion That Felt Sculptural, Romantic, and Editorial

The bridal styling in this editorial was one of its defining elements. Every look felt intentional, modern, and just dramatic enough to hold its own against the depth of the setting.

From Bisou Bridal, the first featured gown was Lucky by Kyha, an Australian-designed strapless drop-waist ballgown in bright ivory duchess satin, featuring a structured boned corset bodice. In the images, this gown reads as sculptural and regal. The silhouette is clean, but the volume of the skirt gives it incredible presence, especially in motion. As Kylee sits on the marble staircase with her bouquet in hand, the gown becomes almost architectural in its own right.

The look was paired with the Emery Veil by Rivini, a soft, romantic veil with dramatic and timeless elegance. In the black-and-white imagery especially, the veil creates such a striking sense of movement and softness as it falls over our bride Kylee’s silhouette and trails into the light. This look was also paired with the Elise Veil, offering an alternative feeling of delicacy and movement.

The second bridal look was Adelina by Ouma Couture, a Vancouver-based talent. With its modern romantic silhouette and softer energy, it offered another layer to the story while still feeling deeply editorial.

Hair & Makeup for Kylee was masterfully provided by Luvo Boutique.

For the late-night fashion moment, TEMPÊTE introduced a more playful, fashion-forward finish with a satin bubble skirt, strapless satin corset, maxi chiffon scarf, baroque pearl necklace, and minimalist mesh gloves. The result felt glamorous and chic, almost as though the couple had slipped away from dinner and into the next chapter of the evening. The sparkling vintage clutch from the DreamGroup collection completed the look beautifully, adding just the right amount of shimmer.

Black Tie Style With a Clean, Timeless Finish

Fraser’s custom tuxedo by SURMESUR grounded the editorial with classic sophistication.

This collection obsessively focuses on looking sharp and enhancing black tie style to the fullest, and that attention to detail truly came through. The jacket featured satin finishes on the lapel, buttons, and pockets for a timeless tuxedo look, with a shawl lapel tailored to complement Fraser’s broad shoulders and create a beautifully balanced silhouette. The trousers were finished with side adjustable tabs for a clean and elegant line, along with a subtle satin stripe to maintain that classic formal look throughout.

Close-up, you can really appreciate the precision of the styling, from the crisp shirt front and black bow tie to the rich boutonniere featuring burgundy tones and trailing texture. Paired with Fraser’s own Charles Tyrwhitt shoes, the overall look felt refined, masculine, and effortlessly elegant.

Florals That Brought Mood, Colour, and Romance

The floral direction for this editorial was lush, expressive, and deeply layered. Rather than feeling overly formal, the arrangements had a painterly, almost still-life quality to them — romantic, a little unruly, and full of depth.

The bouquet in particular was such a statement piece. Against the bride’s soft ivory gown, the florals stood out in rich burgundy, wine, blush, and deep berry tones, accented with fresh green movement and long velvet ribbon. It felt luxurious without being too polished, exactly the right balance for this concept.

The floral palette included Green Amaranthus, Creole Carnations, Chocolate Lace, Lysmachia, Ming Fern, Peter Brandt Burgundy Peony, Tinted Pink Plumosa, Burgundy Ranunculus, White Cloud Garden Roses, Lady Eva Roses, Mocha Rose, Scabiosa Focal Blackberry, Scabiosa Focal Red Velvet, Sprengeri, Snowball Viburnum, Blush Viburnum, and White David Austin Garden Roses.

These blooms came together in ways that felt lush and layered throughout the editorial. On the mantel, the flowers framed a classical bust and candlelight. Around the dessert display, they softened the styling with movement and romance. Along the tablescape, the florals wound through candlelight, silver vessels, layered tabletop details, and the graceful lines of black Thonet chairs, creating a setting that felt gathered, abundant, and quietly dramatic.

Floral design by Justyna Floral. Custom floral floor wrap by Wrap Guys.

Drapery Magic That is Unmatched

One of the major defining elements that elevated the design and atmosphere of this editorial was the extraordinary drapery work of Début Event Design.

The draperies transformed the space in a way that felt lush, romantic, and deeply immersive. From the dramatic olive velvet backdrop framing the ceremony mantel and dessert display, to the soft gathered fabric moments incorporated throughout, their draperies added movement and warmth, shaping and enhancing the mood of the entire story. It introduced that rich, layered feeling that made the editorial feel both grand and intimate all at once.

There is such an art to knowing how fabric should fall, frame, soften, and elevate a room. Those details brought a sense of old-world drama and refinement that tied everything together so perfectly.

Stationery That Added Personality and Polish

The stationery details were refined, tactile, and beautifully integrated into the editorial design.

The invitation suite featured off-white cotton paper, digital print, and a soft-touch envelope liner, and in the imagery the floral liner adds such a lovely sense of surprise and richness. The palette of soft ivory, mauve, blush, and deep plum sat beautifully against the olive-toned draping and surrounding florals, helping the paper details feel both delicate and elevated.

Other featured pieces included dessert tent cards with 3D laser-cut monograms on full-colour soft-touch paper, a welcome sign with a 3D laser-cut monogram on full-colour foam core, and escort cards and menus in full-colour soft-touch stock with white ink.

These details played an important role in carrying the editorial through every layer. They reinforced the mood of the design and added a sense of cohesion that made the whole story feel complete.

Stationery & Signage by Violet Grey Creative.

Elegant Wedding Tabletop Design

The tabletop styling played a major role in giving this editorial its layered, editorial finish. Designed with a thoughtful balance of softness, contrast, and classic form, the table setting felt refined, romantic, and completely at home within the historic beauty of The Vancouver Club.

Set beneath floral adorned chandeliers abundant with florals and candlelight, the serpentine caterpillar table design felt both intimate and dramatic.

In pure collaborative form, Début Event Design, built a tablescape that was equally elegant and playful— crisp white linens, dinnerware, and glassware set against rich olive textiles, with romantic florals highlighted by polished silver elements — added an unmistakable old-world feel.

The result was a table that felt timeless yet fresh— full of character, styled in a way that felt modern, intentional, and beautifully editorial.

The tabletop pieces, provided by SIE Collection, included a modern white ceramic dinnerware set with chargers, dinner plates, salad plates, silver frosted flatware, and a striking mix of glassware including Prism clear coupes, Prism smoke goblets, Prism smoke flutes, and Lux clear goblets. Together, with their black wood Thonet Chairs, these pieces added depth and polish to the tablescape while allowing the florals, candlelight, and olive-toned textiles to shine.

Creative support by Curated by Artemis.

A Dessert Display That Felt Decadent and Artful

One of the most visually delicious parts of this editorial was the dessert story.

Set against dramatic olive velvet draping, the dessert display felt opulent, romantic, and just a touch theatrical. Like a still life painting brought into modern wedding form. The backdrop, the silver serving pieces, the scattered fruit, and florals created a layered effect that felt indulgent.

At the centre was a beautiful dark cherry chocolate cake, styled with fruit and florals in tones of plum, cherry, berry, and blush. Surrounding it were thoughtfully chosen desserts that made the whole display feel abundant and celebratory: churros, berry pavlova with crisp meringue, chantilly, fresh berries, and passionfruit curd, classic ricotta cannolis, macarons in London Fog and milk chocolate Baileys, and elegant tiramisu coupes.

Altogether, the dessert styling struck that perfect balance between romance and richness. It felt luxurious, a little playful, and entirely unforgettable.

Desserts and cake by Cakes by Peddie.

Meaningful Details That Added Soul to the Story

As with any editorial we truly love, it was the personal details that gave the beauty even more meaning.

The engagement ring belonged to our bride Kylee and came from The Gold Room Jewellers in South Surrey, BC. Her wedding band was also from The Gold Room, sourced from their estate and vintage collection. Fraser’s band carried even more personal significance, as it was his maternal grandfather’s ring. It is these details that bring soul to a story and remind us that the most memorable beauty is rooted in meaning.

Romance Rewritten as a Celebration of Vancouver Wedding Creativity

This editorial was a beautiful reminder of what happens when creative people come together. The heart, trust, and vision that developed was indeed magical.

Romance Rewritten ~ a reimagined gothic romance is more than a wedding editorial to us. It is a celebration of storytelling, collaboration, and the extraordinary talent within the Vancouver wedding community. From the venue to the fashion, florals, stationery, tabletop details, and desserts, every element was shaped with intention.

Romance Rewritten in print was such a rewarding full-circle moment and we couldn’t be prouder of this meaningful collaboration.

We are delighted to have this love story featured in Rocky Mountain Bride.