issue five SPRING 2014 canadian westcoast
the refinery T H E W E D D I N G L I F EST Y L E M AGA Z I N E
table of contents
issue five SPRING 2014
8
sweet & salty a valentine's DIY
jamie & chris
real engagements 24
olivia & joel
32
carly & bobbi
40
don & julia jenn & tyler
48 56
64 a creative love
owl always love you
a stylized BRIDESMAID GUIDE
74
real weddings 88 101 112
chanel & sam jesse & mala hart & allan
a bout
122
to suit
secluded seaside
146
BLOOM & BLUSH
156
ainsley
madison
a letter from the EDITORS... Hello Friends! Happy Valentine's Day! Exactly one year ago today we were biting our nails, pulling our hair, and just slightly freaking out over the launch of our first issue, and here we are, one year later doing just that! As always, we've got some inspiring, creative and fun content to help you create your big day! We can't thank you enough for coming back time and time again to The Refinery, and if you are just finding out about us, we're so glad you stopped by! In this issue, we've got an abundance of pretty - from a seaside rehearsal dinner with the new to Vancouver, Lani Elias Photography, to our cover shoot with Ophelia & Romeo Photographers. There is beauty to be had on every page! This issue packs a punch with a bevy of engagement sessions! We are challenging you to find the unique for your upcoming session we know it's the season of love, and we're looking forward to seeing all of your engagement photos in the next few months! If you think you have something we might like - send it in! 2014 is going to bring a lot of great new things for The Refinery Magazine, and we're happy to have you with us! We would love for you to keep up to date on what is happening by following us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and of course, Pinterest! Cheers to another year older and another year with the ones you love. xo Ainsley & Madison
OUR regular contributors,
TAHNEE SANDERS for CELSIA FLORIST
ce lsia flora l. com
CAILYN BAYS
from DELOVELY CREATIVE
del ovelycreative . com
CHELSEY & DENE
from BEST DAY EVER CREATIVE EVENTS
be stdayeve rva n. com
photo g raphy: c ai lyn - b e l l aphoto . c a
thank you to all of our amazing
CONTRIBUTORS
PHOTOGRAPHY b lair m ar ie ph o t ography c h r is t ie grah am ph o t ograp hy l an i elias ph o t ography o p h el ia an d ro m eo ph o t ography s h er r i ko op ph o t ography
F L ORAL DESIG N celsia flor ist delovely creat ive t h e flower fact o r y HAI R AND M AKEUP
CLO THING & ACCESSORIES f roc ks mode rn vanc ouve r the lip lounge show of f a dorn ate lie r love rs te mpo
PLANNING & DECOR ainsley's af f airs be st day eve r c re ative eve nts de love ly c re ative
d en ise elliot m akeu p ar t istry emily ch en g m akeu p an d ha ir k a t ie elwood m akeu p an d hair
E ATS & SW EETS
STATIONARY
arc hima llows c ake by nic ole railtown c ate ring c afe & c ate ring whe n pig s f ly pastrie s
h o pe & co
SWEET & SALTY CAPTURED BY BLAIR MARIE PHOTOGRAPHY
photography BLAIR MARIE PHOTOGRAPHY stationary KATE KLASSEN of UHOHMYDEER floral design REBECCA DAWN FLORAL DESIGN concept & styling AJ of PINK AND HONEY
SALTED CARAMELS from shutterbean.com
find the recipe here!
SWEET & SALTY STEP 1 Bring home something pretty from your local florist. There are some great ones around town, and a few are even featured in this issue! If florals aren’t their speed, try something more their style - maybe a classic record from your local vinyl shop, like Red Cat Records. STEP 2 Smother each other with hugs and kisses - come on you know you wanna! STEP 3 Write your love notes together. Write down what you love about them in that moment in time. Then share it aloud, or don’t - just make it special. Grab a card from a local gift shop, here are 3 to check out: Brick & Mortar Living, Lofty Living, Meadow Gifts & Apparel STEP 4 Whip out the baking ingredients, it's time to get those hands dirty, in a sweet kind of way! Make some Sweet & Salty Caramels to enjoy in the weeks (who are we kidding - days, or hours) to come!
Jamie & Chris CAPTURED BY SARAH VAUGHAN PHOTOGRAPHY
Olivia & Joel CAPTURED BY DANAEA LI PHOTOGRAPHY
HOW WE MET Olivia transferred to my high school in grade 10.
Early that morning, one of my groomsmen and I
Although we didn’t hang out in the same group,
woke up at 4am to bring the canoe to the lake and
we started to notice each other in the halls. At our
to set the scene. We got to the base of the trail, and
school’s Christmas Banquet of that year, I sang and
started the trek with the canoe on our shoulders.
played guitar as entertainment. Olivia remembers
I originally thought that the hike would take
that as one of the first big moments for her; I swept
about 30 minutes, but it was a lot steeper than I
her off her feet.
expected. We navigated around boulders and trees, and stopped frequently for breaks. My groomsman
Later that year, a group of mutual friends got
suggested on numerous occasions that we turn
together to watch some scary movies, and I made
back and think of something else, but I was too
sure to sit by Olivia, who was the cutest girl there.
excited and determined to propose.
Seizing the opportunity, Olivia grabbed my arm and snuggled up to me. That may not be exactly
We finally made it up and I had to run back down
how she remembers it, but it certainly made an
to meet Olivia in time. I picked her up and we then
impression on me. Throughout that summer we
began the hike ourselves. When we got to the top,
started hanging out alone, taking frequent walks
I led Olivia to the canoe, which was set up with
around the lake near my house.
rose petals and my guitar. As I paddled us out onto the lake, it began pouring rain, setting the perfect
On one of those walks, I finally got up the courage
mood. I got out my guitar, and played her I song
to tell Olivia that I “liked” her, and she replied, “ I
that I had written for her, and she began to cry.
like you to...I guess”. Having just turned sixteen, we
Getting on one knee out in the canoe in the middle
decided to put off dating for a while. Unfortunately,
of the lake, I asked Olivia to marry me. I could not
I didn’t have the patience, so I kept asking her to
have imagined a more perfect moment.
be my girlfriend. After being shut down numerous times, we finally decided that we didn’t care how
THE BIG DAY
young we were and that we couldn’t drive and we
Our big day will be held at the Harrison Resort and
decided to make it official. Through some ups and
Spa on June 1, 2014. The outdoor ceremony site is
downs in high school, we stuck together, and our
surrounded by flowers and is absolutely beautiful,
love blossomed.
which made picking a venue very easy. We’re planning for a bigger wedding to accommodate
THE PROPOSAL
all of our family members and friends. We want it
Olivia and I had been together for nearly five years,
to feel classic and elegant, but the most important
and had been talking about marriage for some
thing for us is that our guests have a lot of fun. We
time. A friend of mine recommended a nearby
are so excited to celebrate with everyone and can
lake, where he thought I could carry a canoe, and
not wait to be married!
set something up, and I thought that was a great idea. Having never been there, myself, I had no idea what I was getting myself into.
Carly & Bobbi CAPTURED BY ERIN WALLIS PHOTOGRAPHY
Don & Julia CAPTURED BY DALLAS KOLOTYLO PHOTOGRAPHY
Jenn & Tyler CAPTURED BY SWEET HEIRLOOM PHOTOGRAPHY
THE WEDDING DATE
Tyler was on one knee. To say I was shocked is
September 13th 2014
an understatement, all I could say was "Oh my god" over and over and over again. It was the
HOW WE MET
best, most unforgettable day of my life (to date).
Somehow we ran in the same circle of friends but never met! When we did finally meet, it was
Things about each other that made us
at a party (Beerster Egg Hunt, so great right?).
fall in love:
Tyler swears it was love at first sight, maybe it
Jenn: So many things, where to start... his
was the hair!? The first words he ever said to me
sense of humour and his passion for life, he is
was "Look at your hair! It's beautiful, and you
the type of person who always lives life to the
have lots of it!". He was a real keener! He asked
fullest. He is so caring and compassionate and is
for my number at the end of the night, and then
always doing little things to make me smile. He
called me the next morning at 6am for coffee.
tells me on a regular basis how much he loves
We have literally been insperable ever since.
and appreciates me. Daily he says to me "have I told you how much I love you today?" His eyes
THE ENGAGEMENT STORY
made me fall in love instantly, they are full of
Last February we went to Tofino for a few days to
kindness. I could go on and on and on. Oh and
enjoy some hiking and surfing. I had no idea that
he has great abs!
he was going to ask me. NO CLUE! Like a true gentlemen Tyler asked my Dads permission. On
Tyler: Her personality is award winning, full of
our last day in Tofino, we went surfing followed
light, passion and just pure joy. Her love for her
by a nice long walk on the beach. While walking
family and friends is like no other, and she puts
we spotted a big rock bluff that we just had to
me and them first always. Jenn's zest for life, her
hike up to. It was the most spectacular view I
smile, her eyes, her big red hair are all things
had ever seen. It was very stormy waves crashing
that made me fall in love. Loving each other is
in and nothing but us and the Pacific Ocean. I
easy and I fall in love more and more each day.
was standing on the edge and realized it was very quiet, too quiet. I turned around and there
Jenn: I truly feel like we are soul mates and fate brought us together.
OWL ALWAYS LOVE YOU captured by wonderlust photography
KARLI & PETER HOW WE MET We first met in July 2007 at my cousin's
THE ENGAGEMENT SHOOT
wedding, who happens to be Peter's long time
The owl theme started as a joke-text. The
friend. A little background: Peter grew up
summer before the engagement, while
with my cousins in church. Incidentally, and
shopping in Vancouver's Gastown, I came
forgotten by both of us, we had actually met as
across some alley graffiti. It was of an owl
children. We went to the same birthday and
with a big red heart. I took a photo and
summer parties held by my cousin's family.
texted it to Peter with the caption "Owl
After searching through old photo albums,
Always Love You". It stuck. It became the
we realized there were actually photos of us
wedding and engagement inspiration.
together from parties in the 80s and 90s! We feel we were meant to find one another as we
The idea to shoot with Birds of Prey came
had crossed paths many times in the past.
to me in a dream. I surprised both the photographers and Peter with the idea
THE PROPOSAL
at our first meeting. It was an amazing
It was the first gloomy day of September
experience to work the rescued birds, with
2012 and summer was officially over. We had
Hagrid, the owl, the falcons, the hawks,
planned to visit the Matisse exhibit at the
and an eagle as well. Why birds of prey?
Vancouver Art Gallery, but were too early to
The juxtaposition of the beauty of the bride
head there right away. After grabbing coffee,
and groom and the raw nature of the birds
we walked to our favorite spot, Charleston
of prey really harnessed the essence of a
Park. After a walk, we ended up sitting and
wedding's emotions. The wedding day will
chatting on a bench at the top of the waterfall
be one of the happiest days of a bride and
over-looking the dog park. I was blown away
grooms lives, but it is also a vulnerable one.
when Peter pulled the ring box from his pocket
Brides and grooms exclaim their love for
and presented the ring and the proposal. No
one another so publicly on their wedding
frills, no special effects: a pure and intimate
day. This is beautiful. And vulnerable.
moment. Elated, we visited the Matisse
And raw. Just like birds of prey are
exhibit and kept our secret to ourselves until
beautiful, vulnerable, and raw. Wonderlust
later that evening. It was a romantic day
Photography
knowing we had a huge secret and it was just
expertly through the engagement photos.
between the two of us.
showcased
this
contrast
OUR WEDDING DAY It was a whirlwind. The ceremony was full
Meanwhile Harriet, a young owl, joined the
of tradition. It meant so much to be married
guests back at the hall for cocktail hour.
in the church Peter grew up in. The photos
Guests could take turns holding Harriet
were taken in an abandoned barn full of
and take their photo with her, while waiting
bricks near Vancouver's Olympic Village.
for the bridal party to arrive. Our decor was
Wonderlust Photography found our dream
turquoise and white. The favor boxes, wine
location. The building had beautiful colours
labels, and the cake matched the colors and
and textures to enhance the photos. We
were Owl themed.
were adamant that our photos be pieces of fine art to frame in our home, not ordinary
SOMETHING SWEET
wedding photos. We also wanted to show
Peter: What I love about Karli is that she
the contrast between the pristine bride
may be high-energy, but she still enjoys
and groom on their wedding day and the
simple things such as beers and people
realism of the city. Weddings are a beautiful
watching on a promenade, and quiet mid-
spectacle; however, marriages are real life.
afternoon couch naps.
Through the photos they wanted to show that as a couple they are fully prepared
Karli: Peter is so patient. He reminds me to
to live in their fairytale whether it is a
measure before I cut and take time to do it
spectacle or it is realistic. We are there for
right. He makes me slow down in life to take
each other whether it is living in a brick
another perspective and see things another
barn, or walking the seawall. We'll take
way. He really is my balance.
what life gives us as a team.
A stylized bridesmaid's guide by BEST DAY EVER CREATIVE EVENTS CAPTURED BY CHRISTIE GRAHAM PHOTOGRAPHY
A stylized bridesmaid's guide by BEST DAY EVER EVENTS We’re sure most of you can relate to having
Our line-up of ladies included the ‘girl next
to embrace a bridesmaid look that just isn’t
door’, ‘rocker’, ‘boho beauty’, ‘free spirit’ and
quite you. You don’t hate it (ok, maybe you
‘glam girl’. With a colour palette of cobalt and
do), but the dress just doesn’t quite flatter
navy blues, we visited local bridal shops and
your figure and definitely doesn’t fall in line
fashion boutiques on the hunt for dresses
with your personal style. No offense brides,
that complimented each girl and hinted at
we know it’s your day and you should have
their unique individual styles. And, we didn’t
the ultimate say, but wouldn’t you rather
stop at attire; what really brings these looks
know that your girls not only look, but also
full circle is tying in jewelry selection, floral
feel amazing standing up there next to you?
bouquets flawlessly designed by The Flower Factory and the perfect hair and unifying
Of course, there’s always the fear that if each
makeup (which in this case featured a bold
bridesmaid wears a different dress, different
oxblood lip). A matching oxblood nail polish
jewelry and carries a slightly different
from lacc, found at Shut Up I Love This, was
bouquet, the wedding party isn’t going to
a natural choice, not only because the colour
look like they are part of the same wedding.
matched the lip perfectly, but because this
That is simply not the case!
pretty polish is also vegan and paraben free.
It’s important to incorporate a few common
There’s no doubt that playing on each girl’s
elements so that the looks do come together
individual style and finding unique pieces
in a really beautiful and cohesive way. Unify
from local boutiques around the city can all
the bridesmaids with your colour palette
come together in a really amazing way. Here’s
of choice, a consistent makeup look and
to doing things a little differently!
bouquets that use similar blooms while still allowing your girls’ personal styles and personalities to shine through.
Anna; The Rocker THE DETAILS
One shoulder dress from Show Off! Gorjana Teagan gold ring and rhinestone spike gold ring from Shut Up I Love This and Alexandra Dodds double ring from Cavalier adds an edgy, hip vibe. Bouquet of feathers and succulents brings a sense of ‘really freaking cool’ to this wedding party.
Jessica; The Girl Next Door THE DETAILS
Lela Rose chiffon dress with sweetheart neckline and feminine draping from Frocks. Elsa Corsi pearl bracelet with crystal embellished clasp and drop earrings from Jeweliette. Bouquet with pretty blue ribbon and pearls finishes off this classically sweet look.
Jenny; The Free Spirit THE DETAILS
Watters Iris lace dress from Frocks. Olsen gold fill chain necklace with black onyx pendant by Lisbeth Jewelry, By Boe pyramid diamond gold earrings and ring and gold black Swarovski crystal bracelet from Shut Up I Love This and Matti Martin blue sapphire ring from Cavalier. Cascading floral bouquet adds wild whimsical flair to this pretty yet carefree look.
Alicia; The Boho Beauty THE DETAILS
Watters Pine chiffon maxi and Adorn Atelier braided headband from Frocks. Assorted rings from Cavalier featuring local designers: Alexandra Dodds, Wolf Circus and Foe & Dear. A thick wool wrapped bouquet with trailing ribbon plays up this bohemian styling.
Ashleigh; The Glam Girl THE DETAILS
Mod inspired dress from The Lip Lounge. Elsa Corsi jeweled earrings and stacked black Swarovski crystal bracelets from Jeweliette. A big blue bow adorns this ravishing bouquet to complete the quintessential glam girl’s style.
photography CHRISTIE GRAHAM PHOTOGRAPHY styling BEST DAY EVER EVENTS floral design THE FLOWER FACTORY make up DENISE ELLIOT MAKEUP ARTISTRY dresses THE LIP LOUNGE, FROCKS and SHOW OFF! hair SABRINA FETTERKIND for Denise Elliot Makeup Artistry jewelry CAVALIER, LISBETH, SHUT UP I LOVE THIS and JEWELIETTE
Chanel & Sam CAPTURED BY JAMIE DELAINE PHOTOGRAPHY
venue BRIX RESTAURANT photographer JAMIE DELAINE hair & makeup JAYNA MARIE MAKEUP ARTISTRY
OWL & FOX STUDIOS
...for weddings that are stupid good fun! A I N S L E YSA FFA I R S .COM | FB.COM /A I N S L E YSA FFA I RS
Jesse & Mala CAPTURED BY GUCIO PHOTOGRAPHY
venue VANDUSEN GARDENS photographer GUCIO PHOTOGRAPHY
visit jarushabrown.com
Hart & Allan CAPTURED BY STEFANIE CEPEDA PHOTOGRAPHY
wedding planning ALL & SUNDRY COLLECTIVE cake MEGAN HIMMEL florist FLEURTATION FLOWERS venue SFU DIAMOND ALUMNI CENTRE
FROM THE PHOTOGRAPER, Stefanie Cepeda
Hart & Allen's wedding was cozily
to climb the stairs towards us for
nestled
Diamond
their team photo. I quickly called
Alumni Centre on a rainy day. The
Hart & Allen back to the top, and
westcoast decor designed by All
the football team swarmed around
and Sundry Collective was inspired
us and gave a huge cheer to
by the evergreen forest outside and
celebrate their wedding day. I've
used natural fabrics, neutral tones,
seen a lot of people congratulate
and lush greens.
a newly married couple, but I've
inside
SFU's
never seen them cheered by a One of my favourite moments of
whole football team. It set an
the day happened during the bridal
amazing energy for the rest of the
party photos. We had just finished
day which turned into an awesome
taking photos at the top of the stairs
dance party that lasted late in to
at the SFU Quad when suddenly
the night.
the entire SFU football team began
secluded seaside ELEMENTS FOR AN INTIMATE REHEARSAL DINNER CAPTURED BY LANI ELIAS PHOTOGRAPHY STYLING by DELOVELY CREATIVE
floral design & styling DELOVELY CREATIVE hair, makeup & wardrobe styling EMILY CHENG for BENEFIT models RICHARDS MODELS and FAMILY MANAGEMENT food RAILTOWN CATERING & CAFE cake CAKE BY NICOLE favours ARCHIMALLOWS produced by THE REFINERY MAGAZINE
A BOUT TO SUIT CAPTURED BY SHERRI KOOP PHOTOGRAPHY WRITTEN by TAHNEE SANDERS
A BOUT TO SUIT WRITTEN by TAHNEE SANDERS
When it comes to weddings we tend to spend a lot of time focusing on the bride. From the dress to the shoes, veil and accessories, planning the attire of the bride-to-be is often far more involved than that of the groom. The same goes for flowers. It’s highly likely there are significantly more pictures of bridal bouquets on Pinterest boards than there are of boutonnieres. In many ways, this makes sense. A floral designer will always make boutonnieres to complement the bridal style and colour scheme, so trusting their expertise to work their magic is always a safe option. But just as a bridal bouquet is designed to suit the bride and her vision and personality, what if we gave a little more thought to constructing boutonnieres that were a reflection of the groom? Here are a few bouts we created with this idea in mind. For the graphic inspired: Being bold with shapes and colour through the use of craspedia, succulents and a mini cymbidium orchid.
For the foodie: Not entirely edible but close; made from ornamental kale, blackberrry, mint and rosemary, tied off loosely with brown velvet ribbon. For the adventurer: Embracing the outdoors with fern, bog myrtle branches, eucalyptus pods and a twine stem wrap. For the romantic: An ever-so-soft white ranunculus, meaning “you are radiant with charms”, complemented by snippets from flowering vine and privet berry. For the nature lover: Taking a lead from what nature does best, a leaf cut from a potted begonia, along with acacia fern and a calla lily. For the formal type: Adhering to tradition with a luxuious garden rose, paired with hanging amaranthus, a little seeded eucalyptus and a full-stem black ribbon wrap. For the Winter enthusiast: Keeping to a cool colour palette with a succulent leaf, lavender, dusty miller and silver brunia, finished with a linen ribbon. For the playful: A fun mixture of heather, stock, succulents, eucalyptus and a bold silver ribbon.
While here we have focused on berries, flowers
HISTORY AND ETIQUETTE
and foliage as our ingredients, there are many
The words boutonniere, itself, comes from the
different elements that give a boutonniere
French word for buttonhole which is how these
personality and they don’t all need to be floral
little floral accents were traditionally worn
related.
– through the lapel buttonhole on the left of a man’s suit. A corsage, is simply the female
We’ve created all manner of boutonnieres in
version of a boutonniere, either pinned to the
the past; an antique key, fishing fly and feathers
lady’s clothing or worn on the wrist.
being just some of the more unique elements. One of the questions we most commonly get Even something as simple as the style of the
asked during wedding consultation is “who
ribbon wrap can completely change the look
should wear a boutonniere?”.
and feel of a bout, taking it from something more casual to formal, and everything in
At the end of the day, it is entirely up to you.
between.
A recommendation is that at minimum you would have the groom, groomsmen, and then
At the end of the day, while you might not
direct family members, such as parents, wear a
think much attention will be paid to the flower
boutonniere or corsage. You can opt to include
pinned to the groom’s chest, it’s sure nice to
siblings and grandparents, should you wish.
know it was designed with love, intention and the individual in mind.
As well as being decorative, boutonnieres and corsages also serve the purpose of identifying people of particular significance in your wedding. You may choose to have these personal
Tahnee is a writer and floral designer, Tahnee is the Wedding and Event Director at Vancouver’s Celsia Floral. www.celsiafloral.com @celsiafloral
flowers made for ring bearers, ushers, MCs and anyone else who has a special role to play in your nuptials. Some cultural traditions even involve offering a simple boutonniere to every guest in attendance! The choice is all yours.
bloom and blush CAPTURED BY OPHELIA AND ROMEO PHOTOGRAPHY
hair & makeup KATIE ELWOOD MAKEUP & HAIR accessories ADORN ATELIER jewelry LOVERS TEMPO floral design CELSIA FLORIST dress FROCKS sweets & treats WHEN PIGS FLY PASTRIES stationary HOPE & CO. model CHRISTIE GRAHAM styling MADISON HOPE for THE REFINERY MAGAZINE
AN INTERACTIVE & FUN WAY TO SELECT YOUR WEDDING TEAM
VEILT V.COM
VANCOUVER
|
NEW YORK
see you in march for our first american issue!
THEREFINERYMAG.COM