Vintage Inspired Vows { reality wedding story }

September 4th, 2010 :: The Clearing, Sheddon & The North American Railway Hall of Fame, St. Thomas

Photography by Dudek Photography | www.dudekphotography.com | Dudek Photography Review

Both Matthew Smith and Evelyn Jolly say their union was a long time coming. Evelyn told The Ring, “Matt had been actively pursuing me for years before I decided to go on a date with him... Once I finally let down my guard I became smitten with him in a hurry.”

Matt proposed to Evelyn on Friday June 11th, 2009 on the back deck they had just finished building together. They were enjoying a glass of wine, surrounded by freshly planted flowers when Matt got down on one knee and popped the question. It was subtle, sweet, and for Evelyn, it was the perfect proposal.

Matt and Evelyn knew right away that they wanted a September wedding. They felt September would be the perfect month “because the weather is usually fantastic.” They now laugh about it, admitting, “We were wrong! It was overcast, very cold and very windy that day. But at least it didn’t rain!” But with an outdoor ceremony in their plans, they knew they’d found THE location in The Ring when they came across a review on The Clearing (a wedding location in Sheddon, Ontario). The couple instantly fell in love with it’s natural beauty.

As if in warning that weather can always play a part in anything outdoors, it actually poured rain on the day they viewed The Clearing. But with a space so gorgeous, they opted not to worry about weather.

Matt and Evelyn chose The North American Railway Hall of Fame in St. Thomas for their reception. It had all the character they were looking for. “The entire building was under construction as part of a restoration program. There was a certain charm to the paint peeling walls and the squeaky floors that I just couldn’t ignore,” remembers Evelyn.

Being the creative one in the relationship, Evelyn took charge of most of the wedding planning. She knew that she wanted something a little bit different and decided on a vintage theme. “I wouldn’t decorate our home with contemporary items, and to me, a wedding should be just as personal as the things you surround yourself with at home.” They wanted all of their guests to remember their wedding. “What better way to do that than having a vintage inspired wedding in today’s modern society?”

To reflect the season, Evelyn chose Marigold Yellow for their primary wedding colour. She liked it because it was close to Fall’s burnt golds and oranges and yet it still had a summery feel to it. “It seemed like a wonderful way to emphasize the changing leaves of autumn and sunny summer skies.”

The invitations were created by Evelyn. Each invite was ivory with a gold ribbon and had a blue vintage button. Evelyn personalized each invitation with a floral stamp and sprinkled them with embossing powder. She used the same design for the programs, seating chart and place cards, tying the style throughout the day from beginning to end.

And so, on Saturday September 4th 2010 at 3:00 pm, the couple exchanged vows in front of ninety-six of their friends and family members surrounded by greenery and overcast (but dry!) skies.

Guests were treated to a traditional home-style, sit-down meal of garden salad with dinner rolls, roast beef and roast chicken, oven roasted potatoes and green beans served with gravy - all of which they finished off with a cherry cheesecake dessert.

The wedding cake was a combined effort of friends and creativity. A friend of the family, who ran a cake shop, supplied a combination of cake and cupcakes for the day. Using a three-tiered stand that was made by another friend, chocolate cupcakes with light yellow icing were placed on the lower two tiers. The top tier held a white, contemporary round cake. Evelyn’s sister then made whimsical little ‘bride and groom’ birds to top the sweet display.

Matt and Evelyn hired two florists for their wedding. One to create fresh floral bouquets, corsages and boutonnieres, and another to take care of their floral centerpieces and table accents - loose stems of lisianthus, curly willow and weeping eucalyptus placed in mason jars and spread out between the large centerpieces. Also among the flowers were eclectic elements such as stacks of old books, candles and freshly picked pears.

In keeping with their yellow theme, Matt’s groomsmen wore matching suits with yellow ties with yellow pocket squares using the same material and colours as the bridesmaids’ dresses. The girls wore floor length strapless dresses with their choice of shoes and jewellery for a personal touch.

Matt and Evelyn hired a string quartet for their ceremony. “It was absolutely amazing and made for a magical walk down the aisle.” They borrowed Matt’s father’s 1929 Hudson which added to the vintage theme. The car helped give the bride and groom a grand entrance into their reception, and it played a part in some fabulous photos as well.

Evelyn found her photographer, Dudek Photography through a recommendation by her sister. When she checked them out online, she was blown away and knew she had to have them for her wedding. “[Damian Dudek’s] talent is hard to come by. His quality of work is outstanding and I enjoyed every minute of working with him. Dudek Photography made our day very relaxing and fun. He’s given us memories that we can look upon and enjoy every day.” Each time Evelyn and Matt look through their photos, they say they’re reliving their day all over again. “It takes us back to that very moment.”

When the events came to a close, the bride and groom sent each guest home with a mason jar filled with the layers of dry cookie ingredients required for their favourite cookie recipe. Evelyn added a square of floral fabric tied with twine to the top of each jar with a recipe card attached, fitting in seamlessly with their overall décor theme.

For Matt and Evelyn, their wedding day was the perfect vintage day they’d dreamed of.  ■

{ From the Fall/Winter 2011 issue of The Wedding Ring Magazine }