Destined to Be: The Copper Creek Golf Club Union of Irina & George

Love Story

"We have been together for 3 years now. We have a very romantic love story. It was like, at that moment the whole universe existed just to bring us together. The importance of being in the right place at the right time," begins Irina. Their story, now three years strong, began with a glance across a crowded bar. "He saw me dancing across the bar and couldn’t look away. I noticed him standing out from the crowd. For a moment, I forgot how to breathe," Irina reminisces. The next day, George, unable to get Irina off his mind, reached out, marking the start of their enchanting journey. “Right then and there, I understood that George is my destiny and I am going to marry him one day,” she adds.

Their story took a romantic turn with the proposal. "I had a proposal at my dream destination on Lake Como, Italy," Irina shares, her eyes twinkling. "We had a business trip in Italy and I asked George to visit Lake Como because it was my biggest dream. Also, I wanted to have a professional photoshoot there. I thought it is just a photo session, but George planned my proposal." This surprise, set against the backdrop of Irina's dream destination, marked a new chapter in their love story.

On August 18, 2023, Irina & George celebrated their love at Copper Creek Golf Club in Kleinburg, ON. Their wedding was the embodiment of a dream. Envisioning a theme of black and white colors, crystal accents, white flowers, and abundant candles, they aimed for elegance and romance. The style was all about timeless sophistication. This vision was the driving force during their six-month planning period, inspiring them to create a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

"Our emotions and feelings. That everyone was saying it was the best wedding ever. That everyone could feel our love," Irina reflects on the key moment they’ll remember from the wedding. This sentimentality, coupled with their carefully curated theme, made their wedding not just an event, but a heartfelt celebration of their union.

Morning details

"We had digital invitations," Irina explains, "George created a personal website for us." Selecting their wedding bands was a tale of elegance, with James Allen being their jeweler of choice. Irina's ring was a perfect match to her engagement ring, while George opted for a classic yellow-gold band.

As for special jewelry, the bride shares, “I had earrings created specially for my wedding day by Ukrainian jewelry designer Oleksandra Sabadash. Veil and gloves fully hand beaded with rhinestone crystals made by me.”

Bride getting ready

"I made my own wedding gowns. As a designer, I understood that no one would make a better dress for me than I would," Irina, a seasoned fashion designer, states. Crafting not one, but two dresses - a satin ball gown for the ceremony and a mermaid style for the dance, the process took 1.5 months. "I created it from scratch at my design studio," she recalls. The accessories were equally bespoke, featuring Aquazzura shoes and unique jewelry from Oleksandra Sabadash.

"I had a white bouquet and fuchsia-burgundy bouquets for my bridesmaids," Irina shares. These stunning arrangements were crafted by Margo Oudalova, their planner, decorator, and florist. Being there with her maid of honor, her twin sister Yana, and her bridesmaids Sofiya, Tess, and Liza made it all the more special for Irina.

Irina also took the reins in designing the bridesmaids' dresses. " The dresses have the same concept, in white colour with fuchsia and burgundy ombré, but the styles are a little bit different," she explains. "Each dress is unique to match their beautiful personality."

Groom getting ready

Indochino was George's choice for his sleek tuxedo. Their condo transformed into a mini studio for the getting ready photoshoot. He spent the morning with his best man and groomsmen.

First Look

The first look was a moment of pure emotion. George had tears and was thinking how lucky he was to get married to this woman. For Irina, it was all about the surprise. "First of all, I didn’t know George is going to be in a white tuxedo. He supposed to wear a black one. It was a surprise for me. I was the happiest in the world," she beams.

Ceremony

Their ceremony was a heartfelt fusion of traditions. "During the ceremony, we had Ukrainian and Jewish wedding traditions. I am Ukrainian and George is Jewish and we wanted to keep our traditions," Irina starts. “As a Ukrainian tradition, we had Korovai. Korovai is a wedding beautiful finished bread. The bride and groom both chip off a bit of bread, and whoever comes away with the bigger slice will be the head of the household. As a Jewish tradition, we had a breaking of the glass. The groom breaks a glass and it demonstrates that marriage holds sorrow as well as joy and is a representation of the commitment to stand by one another even in hard times.”

The ceremony, held on the terrace of Copper Creek Golf Club, was gorgeous. Walking down the aisle was magical for both Irina and George. "We had a live violinist. For George, it was “Perfect” by Ed Sheeran. For me - Hallelujah" These songs added a deeply personal touch to their procession.

Photoshoot after the ceremony

They chose the golf course of Copper Creek for the shoot. This setting provided a serene backdrop for their post-ceremony photoshoot, capturing their first moments as husband and wife.

Wedding Venue & Decor

"Black and white, crystals and gold," Irina describes their decor. From personalized macarons with their logo to the meticulously chosen color palette, every detail echoed their refined taste.

The choice of the venue was quite simple. “Our friends got married there and we fell in love with this place,” they recall.

Reception

Their first dance was to a song from ‘Enchanted’. "We recreated the final dance scene what I have dreamt to dance for years,” Irina shares, her eyes lighting up. "Thanks to Vamos Events and Labelle Fusion Band for recreating the song and singing live in front of our family and friends we could have my dream come true."

The reception was a culinary delight, catering to diverse dietary needs and topped off with a spectacular cake from Inna's Art Cake. “We had lots of special requests for our vegan friends, guests with allergies etc.
We had multiple signature drinks. Chocolate fountain, European pastries, and late-night pizza station,” Irina adds.

As for working with vendors, the bride shares. “We had the most exceptional experience with team of our vendors. From the very beginning, they exceeded all expectations. Very professional people. We literally had the best team ever!”