When Catherine first told us about her vision for an art deco style wedding at her friend’s cottage estate, we were naturally very excited! In an incredible feat of ultimate DIY, she designed and crafted the invitations, gold accents, and pretty signs on her own, while her sister created her dress along with the incredible bespoke bridesmaid dresses. Family came together to hand pick wildflowers for the gold-dipped vases, and the team from Chef Rudy’s Toronto-based restaurant, Lamesa, catered with colourful Filipino cuisine.

What set this apart from most other weddings were the details we hadn’t anticipated–like the emerald water, the haunting Gamelan tune performed by Rudy’s bandmates that ushered Catherine to the beach, and the assortment of beautifully dressed guests that seemed to blend perfectly with the scene. It couldn’t have been more perfect. Though we were quite possibly the only non-Filipino guests at the party, our immersion in this energy and culture of fun and togetherness was almost vacation-like.