Andrea & Mark's Roaring 20's Wedding

“We had a GREAT GATSBY themeD wedding!”

Congratulations on your wedding! What made you decide on having your wedding with us at Fairmont?

Because we wanted to represent the theme authentically, we wanted something with enough glitz, glamour, and historical relevance. The Fairmont Hotel Vancouver was a PERFECT choice! It was the stunning chandeliers in the Pacific Ballroom, the space for a big dance floor, and the warm gold colours of the room that sealed the deal for me. I had already decided my colours would be white, black, and gold, so the hotel colours were a perfect fit. Something that is kind of neat -- my mom and dad had their wedding rehearsal dinner at the Hotel Vancouver in 1976 at The Roof!

Where did you have your ceremony?

Vancouver Island room at The Hotel Vancouver. Our officiant Darian Kovacs incorporated the theme into his words, using quotes from the novel. We also wrote our own vows to each other.

Tell us about the flowers you chose. Did you go traditional or contemporary?

Bouquet (Flower Factory):
Full posy garden composite with mainly white florals such as peonies, hydrangea, garden roses with accents of feathers and gold leaf

Ceremony:
Great Gatsby theme with mainly white floral accents of feathers, crystals and gold leafing. The Ceremony in the Vancouver Island Ballroom was all whites and creams and gold, very formal and elegant.

There were four large impressive floral arrangements on acrylic pillars, and the mantle was covered in stem vases with pearls and floating candles

Reception:
We had tall vases with crystals dangling inside. The arrangements were grand and lush using hydrangeas, roses, dahlias, and gold leafing. There were also large white arrangements made of ostrich feathers and pearls.

The room was decorated with lots of sparkle, ostrich feathers, white flowers with gold accents, ice sculptures and we even had the famous green light from F. Scott Fitzgerald stationed at the bar. Handmade clip on bow ties and feathered flapper hair clips were waiting for guests at their table settings -- so that no one was without a costume! The wedding party was decked it in flapper dresses and tuxes with bow ties and suspenders.

Tell us about the meal you served your guests. What type and flavor cake did you have at your reception?

MEAL by Fairmont
Cocktail hour
DRINKS SERVED:
Bees Knees Cocktail (alcoholic)
Mary Pickford Cocktail (non-alcoholic)

CANAPES SERVED:
Smoked Salmon and Basil Terrine
Spanikopita, Phyllo with Spinach and Feta
Seared Wasabi Ahi Tuna Sticks
Chilled Cocktail Prawns, Tomato Horseradish
Beef Sate, Spiced Cashew Dipping Sauce
CHOICE OF WINE:
Cabernet Sauvignon - Quails Gate
Sauvignon Blanc Whitehaven
Sumac Ridge - Stellar's Jay Brut

Dinner:
FIRST COURSE:
Marinated Vine Tomatoes, Mozzarella, Dehydrated Taggiasche Olives

SECOND COURSE:
Warm Foraged Mushroom Tart, Goat Cheese, Caramelized Onions, Balsamic Painted Greens

CHOICE OF ENTREE:
Grilled Tenderloin of Alberta Beef
Buttermilk-Garlic Whipped Potato, Roasted Campari Tomatoes, Veal Jus
OR
Truffle Butter Roasted Breast of Chicken, Foraged Mushrooms,
Sauted Yukon Gold Potato, Granny Apple-Maple Bacon Vinaigrette
OR
Grilled Wild BC Salmon, Dungeness Crab-Brioche Bread Pudding,
Fine Beans, Lemon Emulsion
OR
Wild Mushroom & Quinoa Tenderloin, Celeriac Mash, Heirloom Carrots,
Black Truffle Essence

DESSERT:
Assorted Dessert Buffet

CAKE (Cake by Nicole):
Five tier, 1920's inspired show cake with black and gold details. Bottom 12" tier covered in black fondant with gold art deco shapes, followed by a 10 inch black fondant tier with gold beading details. Small thin black riser to follow to allow for more height. Tall 8 inch square tier finished in the classic "Gatsby" gold cut out shapes. Final top tier was an edible 5 inch tier painted in edible gold paint, with draped white pearls and finished with a large black sugar peony with gold foil tips, and black feather reaching from top of cake.
Nicole even made it gluten-free for me!! Here is the flavour:
Vancouver honey cake
Vanilla buttercream
Fraser valley blueberry preserves
Rhubarb crisp

Late night snacks:
Nacho Log
Hamburger Sliders
Poutine

What element(s) did you add to make the wedding uniquely 'yours'?

Mark and I wanted to do a swing dance for our first dance because we had been swing dancing together since we met in 2010. We then decided to have a swing band come and play big band tunes we could swing dance to, and then we decided to just make the whole wedding a Roaring 20's Great Gatsby costume party! Mark is also a metal artist (Vantage Metal) and he made the green lamp that was lit by the bar, paying homage to the green light in F. Scott Fitzgerald's novel.

Guests were encouraged to come dressed in costume and we had a big band playing all the hits from eras past. We had the Big Band ready to go with SING SING SING as soon as the ballroom doors opened and there was already a rip roaring party started with a ton of professional swing dancers freestyling on the dance floor complete with aerial tricks! Guests surrounded the dance floor and cheered them on before finding their seats. I wanted them to feel as if they had travelled through time when they entered the ballroom. We also had dance performances during dinner and a swing dance lesson afterwards for all guests so they could learn the basic swing steps and then dance the night away!

Another integral part of the day is the wedding dress! Tell us about what you chose to wear. Did you follow the old English saying "something old, something new, something borrowed, and something blue"?

Dress 1: Designer: Sue Wong. The dress looked like one that would have been worn by an actress at the Academy Awards from old Hollywood. It was form fitting, and champagne with an ostrich feather skirt and bronze and gold beading assembled on the dress in an art deco pattern.
Dress 2: Was a flapper dress purchased online from Unique Vintage. It was a sheer white beaded fringe overlay, worn over a slip dress. The beading was white and silver. The flapper dressed matched the bridesmaid’s flapper dresses but was in white.

My something old:
My great grandmother and grandmother also loved glitz and glamour like my mom and I do, and left my mom with some fabulous pieces of antique jewelry that we were able to showcase at the wedding. Elsa Corsi was able to fashion my great grandmother's antique aurora borealis necklace into hand jewelry and earrings that I wore with my wedding dress.

My something new:
I wore a bronze and clear stone head piece purchased from Jeweliette in Vancouver and designed by Laura Jayne.

Something borrowed:
My grandmother's gold locket which my grandfather gave to her on the anniversary of their first date in 1941.

Something blue:
My something blue was a tiny blue stone that held a tuft of fur from Bones, our dog who passed away in 2014. I wore this stone on the necklace with the locket. The stone was purchased online on Etsy from WispAdornments, and they crafted the piece putting the fur inside.

What was the first song you danced to as newlyweds?

Our first dance was a swing dance that we had been practicing prior to the wedding called"Roof Over my Head" - Tom Hook and the Terrier Brothers.

Now that you are married and have had time to reflect on your wedding day, what was your favorite moment?

Mine was our first dance and I also enjoyed secretly watching the dancers and guest reactions with Mark when the ballroom doors opened from the loft upstairs. Mark's was the ceremony when we got married!

Vendors & Service Providers:

Wedding Planner: Jayleen Deelman, Dreamgroup Productions
Photographer and Videographer: Life Studios Inc  
Officiant: Vancouver Officiant - Darian Kovacs
Flowers: Flower Factory
Decor: Debut Event Design Inc.
Green Lamp: Vantage Metal (Groom made it!)
Hair & Makeup: Carly Flint (make up) Marion Groot (hair)
Cake: Cake by Nicole
Bumble bee cookie favour: Cake By Nicole
Jar of Honey wedding favour: Babe's Honey
Honey Bee Candy wedding favour: Raley's Confectionary
DJ: DJ John, Musical Occasions
Music Ceremony: JD's Swinging Trio , Musical Occasions
Music Reception: Sweet Pea Swing Band, Musical Occasions
Bridal Party head pieces, Hair clip and bowtie favours: Kirina's Krafts
Dance Performers: JC Dance Co.
Dance Performers: Port O Swing Vancouver
Dance Performers and Group Dance Lesson: Red Hot Swing
Photobooth: Butter Studios
Ice Sculptures: Cool Creations
Vintage Decor Rentals: Bespoke
Invitations and Stationary: Raquel Do of InspirAsian Creations
Place Cards and Table #'s: Maurelle Calligraphy
Bridal Accessories: Elsa Corsi of Jeweliette Jewellery
Flower Girl Dresses and Mother of the Bride Dress: Little Pink Dress
Wedding Dress 1: Sue Wong
Wedding Dress 2 and Bridesmaid's Dresses: Unique Vintage
Groom and Groomsmen and Ring Bearer tuxes: The Tux Store
Custom cufflinks: Time Monogram
Something blue memorial charm: Wisp Adornments