Love During Lockdown - Suzy & Colin

Colin and I met while both working a show at a local venue, 99ten. I was the DJ, he was the sound engineer. We talked all night. The conversation flowed, we both love music, psychology & business and at the end of the night, he asked me out on a date.

Our relationship blossomed during the pandemic.. through difficult times our love grew stronger. We both made our livelihoods in the music, entertainment and hospitality industry. Lockdowns and closures meant we were out of work and stuck at home, just the two of us and a fur baby. Self care and caring for each other became our number one priority. Connecting with nature, meditation, exercise and healthy eating prepared us to cope with the challenging decisions ahead.

On August 16, 2020, Colin planned a special hike & picnic for my birthday. Normally we would chat about life, goals, and dreams but he was very quiet that day. We hiked from Hawrelak park to the “End of the World” lookout point. A popular spot for photos & meetups – we sat down, enjoyed the view and a snack. Finally, the people cleared out and we walked over for our moment to snap a photo. I turned around and he was on one knee with a ring in hand!!!! I said YES!!!

The pandemic has reminded us how precious life is. We decided to move forward with a “small” backyard wedding on August 21, 2021. The theme: garden chic: romantic and dreamy (just like us), with lots of greenery and flowers. We wanted to dance under the moon and stars with the grass at our feet. January till August was a whirlwind, as our family and friends helped us get all of the pieces together to pull off a magical D.I.Y. backyard wedding. Restrictions had lifted and our guestlist grew from 20 to 85 of our nearest and dearest loved ones (some of whom we’d only met on Zoom calls). The day arrived and all worries melted away. I was finally marrying my person! While guests arrived a dear friend played acoustic covers of pop songs followed by a beautiful rendition of Clare De Lune on the piano as we walked down the aisle. It set the tone for a majestic ceremony and fairytale-like evening.

With the help of our loved ones and many local businesses, we transformed the backyard into a cozy secret garden, with high fashion flair. Guests loved the expertly crafted cocktails and the music - a combination of indie & classic rock, electronic, soul and disco. The intimate occasion was the first gathering in sometime for most guests - we felt so lucky to be the reason for a group of amazing people coming together. Warmth poured from everyone’s hearts, and for one day we left our troubles aside to appreciate & celebrate the most important part of life - the people we love!

THE DETAILS

BRIDE’S NAME: Suzy Kenny

GROOM’S NAME: Colin Noël

WEDDING DATE: August 21, 2021

HOW LONG WERE YOU ENGAGED? 1 year

WEDDING VENUE – CEREMONY: Private Residence. My Mom & Step-Dad’s backyard. DIY venue, everything was outdoors.

WEDDING VENUE – RECEPTION: Private Residence. My Mom & Step-Dad’s backyard. DIY venue, dinner, and dance in the tent outdoors.

HAIR & MAKE-UP: Hair by Reanne Bachand, Makeup by Renee Rampersand

BRIDAL GOWN: Lis Simon bridal from the White Gallery.

BRIDAL PARTY DRESSES: Aritzia

GROOM’S ATTIRE: Ted Baker from The Bay

GROOMSMAN ATTIRE: Made by a local tailor

RINGS: Custom by Kelty Pelechytik Fine Jewellry

WEDDING PLANNER: The Bride and family and friends

OFFICIANT: Semi Vujcic

CATERER: The Common gastro-lounge

BARTENDER: Perfect Pour Bartending

FLOWERS: Costco

DECOR RENTALS: Special Event Rentals

TENT & LIGHTS: DJ Chad Cook

ENTERTAINMENT: Joses Martin from The Grindstone

PIANIST: Vinnie Willets

PHOTOGRAPHER: Saige Ashton, Saige Ashton Photography

PHOTOGRAPHY LOCATION SHOTS: UofA and surrounding area… First Look - in front of the house on Saskatchewan Drive. Couple photos - at the U of A. The rest at the house in the front and backyard.

HONEYMOON DESTINATION: We spent one night at the Fairmont MacDonald hotel before heading to Victoria, BC for a week of relaxation.