Vibrant Elegance: Marisa & Jason's Fashion-Forward Wedding at The London Hunt & Country Club

Author: Natali Grace Levine
Wedding date: 08/03/2024
City: London

Love Story

We love a good modern romance, and Marisa and Jason's story is one for the books. "We met through the dating app Hinge shortly after Marisa moved to London for her residency training," the couple shares. "We had our first date at a wine bar with live music and the rest is history…"

Fast forward to their unforgettable proposal on the stunning shores of Lake Como. "We had talked about getting engaged of course, and had gone shopping for the ring together. We planned a trip to Europe and Marisa thought it might be 'the trip' but wasn't sure about the when or how," they recall. Jason orchestrated the most romantic surprise, complete with a secret photographer disguised as a helpful stranger. "Jason handed his phone to a 'stranger' to take a photo of us in a small temple along the lake. The stranger turned out to be our photographer and Jason got down on one knee after the photographer had asked us to do 'something romantic'."

The magic didn't end there. "There was a small crowd of people who cheered when Marisa said yes. Following a photoshoot around the villa, he had planned a private boat cruise along the lake followed by a delicious pasta dinner. It was the perfect proposal."

About Your Wedding

When we asked about their dream wedding vision, their answer perfectly encapsulated their style: "The vision for our dream wedding was something personal, intimate for our guests, and timeless." With approximately 100 guests and just eight months of planning, they created something truly special.

Their wedding concept was beautifully described as "modern meeting traditional. We wanted something special and unique and maybe even a bit 'out there' (see our cake), but also timeless. Marisa is very into fashion and had a vision of the wedding feeling and looking very editorial."

The inspiration came from everywhere. "Finding modern, unique, real weddings that were pushing the boundaries. From Pinterest to Instagram, Marisa spent a lot of time curating the 'look' of the wedding online first," they shared. This meticulous attention to detail would shine through every aspect of their celebration.

Morning Details

The creative couple took a hands-on approach to their stationery. "Marisa designed the invitations, with Jason's keen artistic input of course. We had a few copies printed out for photos, however the rest of our invitations were sent out electronically." All of their beautiful stationery was designed by Marisa and "made and ordered through VistaPrint."

Their ring choices reflected their timeless aesthetic perfectly. "Marisa had always had her heart set on a Tiffany T engagement ring. Jason purchased a beautiful solitaire on a gold band and so the wedding bands were an extension of the engagement ring. Gold, simple, timeless."

The sentimental jewelry choices made our hearts flutter. For the rehearsal dinner, "Marisa wore Jason's grandmother's jade ring that she brought with her from China," a touching tribute to family legacy. On the wedding day, "Marisa wore her mother's 10 year wedding anniversary band, which had been a gift to her mother from her father."

Bride Getting Ready

We can't get over Marisa's stunning bridal look, starting with her show-stopping gown. "Marisa wore a beautiful lace embroidered gown with floral appliqués by Liz Martinez." The story of finding her dress is pure magic: "She serendipitously found this gown while visiting friends in Ottawa, ON one weekend. She was obsessed with Liz Martinez gowns and it turns out that Fairy Bridal Dreams in Ottawa was the only Canadian bridal store that carried this designer at the time."

Even more special? "'The dress' was the first dress that she tried on. Finding her dress was very special because she got to share the experience with two of her best friends." For the reception, Marisa changed into "a white tulle ruffle dress from Sau Lee. This was perfect for dinner and dancing and reflected Marisa's love of dance and ballet."

The getting ready photos took place in their own home, which felt perfectly intimate. "This felt very personal and it was nice to have the home that they share captured in photos."

We're obsessed with the custom details that made her look complete. "A very talented tailor (Top Stitch Tailoring) in Ottawa was able to take the floral embroidery and appliqués from the bottom of the dress after it was hemmed and sew them into her cathedral veil with blusher. Marisa wore custom Jimmy Choos with "M <3 J" written in blue on the soles."

Groom Getting Ready

Jason looked absolutely dapper in his custom creation. "It was a custom tuxedo from Channers in London, ON. He had our names and the date of our wedding embroidered on the inner panel of his tuxedo jacket." We love these personalized touches that make a wedding truly unique.

His getting ready photos were captured "at the Hunt Club in their basement 'bar' area," surrounded by "family members and close friends. His father and father-in-law as well as his nephew were there throughout the morning as well."

Jason added his own meaningful touch with "custom rabbit cuff links, to reflect his Chinese heritage and that he was born in the year of the rabbit."

First Look

The magical moment took place "in one of the beautiful salon rooms at The Hunt Club." When we asked about this pivotal moment, they shared: "We spent the morning apart getting ready and all of the anxious anticipation built up to the moment where Jason turned around to see Marisa in her dress for the first time. Following our first look we said personalized, private vows just to each other. This was such a good idea because we both cried so much we couldn't imagine having to share such personal words in front of a crowd. It was a such a special and unforgettable moment."

Photoshoot Before The Ceremony

We love how thoughtfully they chose their photo locations. "We chose to do our couples photos and family photos in the 'green salon' at The Hunt Club, while we did our bridal party photos outside in the green space/forested area around The Hunt Club." The resulting images are gorgeously timeless—clean, romantic, effortlessly elegant.

Ceremony

The ceremony setting was absolutely breathtaking. "In the ceremony room at The Hunt Club - large windows and heritage wooden floors with a beautiful vintage chandelier." They walked down the aisle to "an acoustic version of 'Can't Help Falling in Love with You'” by a string trio from Encore Music London.

Family played important roles throughout the celebration. Their nieces served as flower girls while their nephews were their ring bearers. The special moments from their ceremony painted a picture of pure joy: "There were so many special moments: Marisa hugging my dad after she walked him down the aisle, saying I do to each other in front of all of our loved ones, our first kiss, when Jason dipped Marisa for a kiss while walking down the aisle after the ceremony."

Photoshoot After The Ceremony

Keeping things intimate and elegant, they continued their photo session at the same location - The Hunt Club, making the most of the beautiful venue's diverse spaces and natural lighting.

Wedding Venue & Decor

We're absolutely in love with their bold color choices. "The colour palette was pretty multicoloured - we wanted something vibrant and unforgettable in the Summer. The bridesmaid dresses reflected the palette well - burnt orange, baby blue, grey blue, poppy red, butter yellow, sage green."

Their floral arrangements were created by the talented team at Tania Floral from London, ON. "She was wonderful to work with and saw our vision so clearly. We went with a combination of orchids, poppies, anthurium, and roses. We also used her flowers to decorate one of our two wedding cakes."

Reception

The reception was filled with meaningful moments and delicious traditions. Their first dance was to "Taylor Swift 'Lover' - Marisa is a huge Taylor Swift fan so this was a no-brainer. They even saw her together on the Eras Tour in LA."

We love how they honored their heritage through food. "Jason is half Chinese and during the cocktail hour we served authentic spring rolls with plum sauce made from his grandmother's recipe. One of the main entrees was a chicken and crispy noodle dish that Jason's Mom taught the Club's chef how to make. Dessert included rice pudding, made from Marisa's Mom's recipe - something she made many times during Marisa's childhood."
Their wedding cakes were created by the talented team at "Sticks and Scones (London, ON)," perfectly capturing their "out there" yet elegant aesthetic.

When we asked about their experience working with their wedding vendor team, their response was glowing: "They were all excellent and we would highly recommend them for other weddings." It's always wonderful to hear when couples have such positive experiences with their wedding professionals - it truly makes all the difference in creating a stress-free celebration.

As our conversation wrapped up, we had to ask if there was anything special they wanted to add. Their answer made our hearts absolutely melt: "We're approaching our one year anniversary and we are currently pregnant with our first child!"