Hannah and Tom featuring Kyle Hamilton Photography

— Wedding Story —

Hannah and Tom

PHOTOGRAPHER KYLE HAMILTON

Kylehamiltonphotography.com

Tom and Hannah met on the

ski hill through Fernie Winter Sports School, where they both worked as ski instructors. “We started hanging out and skiing together, and despite being a lot more experienced than me, Tom was happy to go at my pace, even on powder days…that’s when I knew it was love,” says Hannah.

Both Hannah and Tom are from the UK originally, but Tom made Canada his home ten years ago, and has been living in Fernie for the last six. “I came out to do a ski season, thinking I’d only be visiting for six months before moving on to the next adventure. Fernie and Tom stole my heart, and it wasn’t long before I started flying back to Canada in between uni and work. I’m currently at med school in the UK, so we arranged our wedding to mark the end of my academic year and the start of living together in the town we’ve chosen to call home. Guess it’s true what they say – come for winter and stay for summer!”

Hannah did the majority of the planning, which was a bit challenging being in the UK, but everyone she dealt with in Fernie made the process a lot easier.

“We used Elk View Lodge as our venue, Kyle Hamilton for photography, Crumbs for our cake, Fernie Brewing Company for the beer, The Tipple for wine and spirits, Beanpod for chocolates, Lizard Creek Lodge for catering and servers, Patti’s Rentals for linens and décor and DJ Geoff for music in the evening. Our commissioner was Lynn Rogers, who was absolutely incredible. We also think a special mention is hugely deserved to Jeff Steirt – he sang at our wedding and reception. His professionalism, caring attitude and amazing performance; everyone at the wedding was on their feet and his closing song of ACDC was a favourite moment for both Tom and I.”

Tom and Hannah wanted the wedding to showcase the best of Fernie while keeping British elements throughout. The wedding spanned the weekend, with people arriving Friday and those from out of town staying at Elk View Lodge, where they hosted 40 guests.

“Saturday, we went to Silver Springs and FBC, before having a relaxed dinner in the evening. Our wedding day on Sunday saw a further 30 guests arrive to the Lodge in the afternoon. We had our ceremony on the lawn in beautiful weather, with the ski hill and the Three Sisters as our backdrop,” Hannah says. “Throughout the weekend we tried to blend Fernie and London – we had Fernie beers and BC wines, with London gin

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An ideal wedding venue located at the base of Fernie Alpine Resort

RED FLANNEL PHOTOGRAPHY

RED FLANNEL PHOTOGRAPHY

45 guest rooms & fully-equipped condos. Heated indoor pool & outdoor hot tub. Great wedding & group rates on rooms. Ample parking. www.grizinn.com 1-800-661-0118

Features include a stone fireplace, cathedral ceilings, stage with dance floor, and a large patio for your ceremony & reception with amazing views of the surrounding mountains.Restaurant space for up to 150 guests. www.rustyedge.net 5369 Ski Hill Rd, Fernie

and tonic. We had a British hymn sung at the ceremony, with readings from North American authors. Our table names were Fernie ski runs (which are actually perfect for a wedding – Knot Chutes, Diamond Back, Heartland, etc.) and the cake was the traditional British Victoria Sponge, but with a handmade wooden ski themed cake topper. It was little details like this that gave our wedding a really personal and intimate feel.” It was the best weekend of our lives and we couldn’t have asked for a more beautiful wedding. It was a mix of luck (like the weather!) and hard work, but it was worth every moment spent in the planning, and we are so thankful for all the services and people in Fernie, as well as the beauty of the town, that made it such an incredible weekend.”

Why did you choose to get married in Fernie?

Getting married in Fernie was a nobrainer – we both love this town and think it’s the most beautiful setting for a wedding. We were also keen for all our British family and friends to come out and see why we’ve chosen it as our home, and enjoy everything Fernie has to offer.

What is your favourite moment of your wedding day?

Personally, my favourite moment of the wedding was the speeches. We decided to not have formal ones, but instead had two of our friends MC the night, asking people throughout dinner to share funny stories about Tom and I, or how they knew us. This meant that we had a wonderful collection of stories from friends and family, from the UK and Canada, in a beautifully authentic and natural way.

What advice would you give those planning their own wedding day?

It’ll be okay. It can seem incredibly stressful, and there will be details that you sweat for hours over that people might not even notice, but as long as everyone is having a good time (which they will!) then it doesn’t matter. I would also like to pass on advice given to me by my best friend – take a moment every now and then to just take a mental snapshot; absorb what’s going on and commit it to memory. It will fly by and I’m so grateful that I have distinct moments that are ingrained in my memory.

Deep-Fried Pickles and “I Do”

BY JESSE BELL PHOTOS BY MATT KUHN

Our wedding was a little different. We signed our marriage license at our dining room table at home in Fernie, then promptly went for a bike ride and ordered pizza. Two weeks later we had a ceremony on a beach on the coast before telling everyone we’d eloped and then escaped for seven days in a tent along the Cape Scott Trail. After returning home we threw a party at the Rusty Edge (deemed our Fake Wedding). Though no vows were exchanged publicly and there was no three-course meal or party favours, our Fake Wedding felt as real as any other.

There was deep-fried pickles, a cake and pie bar, polaroid cameras and tequila-infused speeches. My sister and I danced on top of speakers to Tina Turner. But mostly, there was a ton of feels, and feels are the reason we all love weddings in the first place. We wanted to stay true to ourselves, while still meeting with some of the traditions that make weddings magical. There really is nothing more marvellous than all of the people you love, from all different times in your life, in the same place at the same time. My heart nearly bursts just thinking of the love from that night, even now.

Fernie is the best place for a wedding, and here are a few special reasons why.

The mountains: they’re so incredible, and not just for photographs. The mountains provide a playground for your friends and family, and give them the best reason to arrive before the vows and stay long after the hangover. There are easy hikes to waterfalls for the guest who prefers heels and hair-dos, and extreme hikes up fossil-laden cliffs for those who seek infiniteness. We took a group of friends along the 16-kilometre Rocky Rd. Trail to Island Lake after our Fake Wedding, and our friend from Australia (who had never hiked in that capacity before) saw a moose. Ronnie saw a moose!

The town: Fernie’s downtown is vibrant. Lively restaurants and sunny patios, morning coffees and afternoon cocktails. The historic downtown isn’t just for wedding party photos, there’s a plethora of shops and boutiques making it easy to spend an afternoon perusing, and plenty of bars for those enthusiastic for nightlife. Our house, filled with faraway wedding guests, spent almost every evening walking the few short blocks for ice cream at Happy Cow. There’s nostalgia in biking the

quiet streets to secret swim holes with friends, and memories to be made in going to the spa for pedicures with your mom and mother-inlaw. Take those moments, savour them.

The people: they’re the reason for everything. Weddings can be overwhelming (even if they’re fake) and it’s important to have a tribe of people you trust to help you get through the sticky spots. Ang Magliocco from Silver Lining Events was my saving grace. When I requested deep-fried pickles, she laughed and then promptly asked, “how many?” She made it possible for me to ballad out with Tina Turner on a speaker and not fall off—though if I had fallen, she would’ve been there to pick me up. Our photographer and friend Matt Kuhn made for a painless mountain photoshoot, and captured everything my tequila-hazed mind can’t remember. Friends and family helped pick wildflowers for floral arrangements and make homemade cakes and pies so I didn’t have to. Everyone who did anything, even by

just showing up, made our Fake Wedding real.

It doesn’t matter if you wear a white gown or a romper, if you carry a bouquet of roses or none at all, if you get married at the river or your kitchen table, a wedding in Fernie is magical. Because of the location, absolutely, but more so because of all the little things between. The evenings watching Sex and the City with your girlfriends because you’re too hungover to do anything else, the days fighting wasps on the beach at your stagette. The best night you might not fully remember, with the people you’ll never forget.

Jesse Bell is a writer and passionate Fernie resident who was born, raised and (fake) married in Fernie!

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