Author: I'm married! On June 19th, 2021, Adam and I tied the knot. Woo-hoo! I literally couldn't be happier or feel luckier. It was such a special day so I wanted to share a little of it with you. ❤️
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, our original guest list of 120 was whittled down to just 13 of us (Adam and I included). So here is what my micro-wedding during a pandemic looked like.
And before we get started, a HUGE thank you goes to the amazing Brittany Williams @brittanymwilliams who took all of these gorgeous photos! I highly recommend checking out Brittany's website and working with her if you are looking for a photographer in the GTA.
The Venue
I grew up on a 100-acre tree and flower farm (I know, I'm lucky), so it was an easy choice to get married there.
In June, there is a several-acre field of peony flowers that come into bloom, and I've always dreamed of getting married during the bloom, so of course, that's what we did! Rows of gorgeous flowers!
Leading to the peony field is this amazing row of birch trees, so this became my aisle to walk down.
A traditional arbor didn't feel right to me, so instead, I had this humongous white picture frame made!
Not only was it a beautiful place to stand while getting married, but I just loved how it framed the beauty of the field. What a work of art! P.S. isn't Adam so cute!?
We were surrounded by natural beauty, and thankfully a clear sunny day (the weather forecast had threatened thunderstorms)!
After the ceremony, the reception and dinner were held in a building on the farm that my parents call 'The Gallery'. This wood and stone building is a mix of modern and old that I just love. With big open doors and flowing white curtains and a ton of sparkly lights, the space was so unique and gorgeous.
The walls and table were covered in peonies that were picked from the field, and we hung a ton of string lights over the dinner table for a romantic feeling.
The Food
Of course, one of the most important parts of the day for me was the food!! Only 3 out of the 13 people attending are fully vegan (Adam, my new mother-in-law Susan, and of course myself). My mom did go vegan for the month before the wedding so bonus points for that too! It was important that the food was spectacular and that everyone would enjoy it whether they were vegan or not.
During the reception, we put out these huge charcuterie boards with vegan cheese and vegan meats from Fair/Square. I highly recommend ordering from Fair/Square or visiting their new shop. They have so many amazing vegan cheeses that everyone was blown away by. I've also ordered gift baskets from them in the past and their customer service is exceptional.
One of my favorite ideas that we had during the dinner was to switch up the seating arrangement halfway through. Since we were dining for so long, this allowed everyone to change it up and chat with different people.
No, we didn't eat rocks, haha! This was the table setting before dinner began.
When it came time for dinner, since there were only 13 of us, we wanted to do something a bit special and a bit different. So we hired Chef Ivan Castro from La Bartola to create us an epic 7-course vegan meal! (Yes, 7 courses!!)
Chef Ivan Castro designed us a unique menu inspired by the farm. Each course was incredibly interesting and super tasty!
There were also a lot of fun surprises throughout the meal. The guests were wowed when each person was presented with a smoke-filled dome which, when opened, revealed a little tree with smoked berries on it that you could pick to top of your salad. How fun is that!? It's very fun. There were several little magical surprises like this throughout the night that just made it all the more special.
I included the full menu above for your viewing pleasure!
And if seven courses weren't enough for you, I had more food afterward. The party went into the wee hours of the night, so at about midnight we pulled out a huge bowl of individual-sized kettle chips, pretzels, and an assortment of vegan cookies and bars from Sweets From the Earth. I also bought a fancy popcorn machine to make movie theater-style popcorn.
The following day, the celebrations continued with an epic vegan brunch put on by Susan (my new mother-in-law!) and vegan caesar cocktails and mimosas made by my new brother-in-law, Ben! For a mid-day snack, we had Sol Cuisine crispy chick'n bites, and then for dinner: an amazing spread of vegan pizzas made by my dear friends Peter and Eleanor.
Over the whole weekend, the food was just an endless stream of vegan deliciousness- my kinda weekend!!!
The Wedding Attire
I had no idea that getting a wedding dress would be so difficult. Getting a wedding dress during the pandemic was a crazy messy process. I first tried doing curbside pickup wedding dress try on's, but I found this super not fun and not productive so I turned to online shopping.
Many of my Instagram friends recommended I try BHLDN, and so I looked there. I have pretty big hips, but a very small waist, so almost nothing fits me off the rack. I was worried about getting alterations, so I decided to order bridal separates hoping that this would fit me better.
I ended up loving the skirt from BHLDN - (special thanks to my aunt Nancy for making it fit me) but the top I ordered was terrible and not at all what I expected. There were hefty import duties ordering from BHLDN to Canada, so instead of trying something else from BHLDN, I decided to turn to Etsy to see what I could find.
I ended up buying this lace top from the amazing Etsy shop White Studio Bridal. Jule from White Studio Bridal was incredibly helpful. I was able to send her my exact measurements and she made the custom lace piece just for me and it fit beautifully. If I could re-do the wedding dress I would work strickly with White Studio Bridal as the shopping experience was so fantastic. Thank you, Jule!
For the shoes, as I was getting married in a bumpy field, heels were a no-no. So I sported a brand new pair of all-white Converse (my fave). I later changed into a pair of vegan heels from the Etsy shop Roni Kantor Shoes for the dinner and reception.
My faux pearl earrings were also found on Etsy, and the hairpiece is from BHLDN.
For Adam's suit, it's actually pretty difficult to find a suit that isn't made of wool (especially when all you have is online shopping). But after a bunch of research, Adam ordered this stunning vegan three-piece suit from RW & Co. The shirt is from H&M, he wore shoes he already owned, and his vegan tie (not silk), tie clip, and pocket square are from Jaan J.
And for the rings, Adam worked with Midwinter Co. to design my engagement ring and wedding band. Isn't it cool how my wedding band fits around my ring like that? The rings are made with ethically sourced gold and diamonds, and I'm obsessed with the beautiful and unique celestial diamond that looks like the moon! Adam went the classic route and chose a simple gold wedding band, also from Midwinter Co.
And that's it! We're married. What a wonderful and special day! It was literally the best day of my life so far... and I feel like it's just beginning!
Back to recipe posts next week, but in the meantime...
Bon Appetegan!
From the now married Sam Turnbull.
Sara says
Everything and everyone looks gorgeous! Congratulations and thanks for sharing!
Sam Turnbull says
Thank you Sara!
Christina says
Congratulations young lady! Wishing you love, peace and blessings in your marriage. Thank you for sharing with us. The menu looks divine.
Mary says
Sounds absolutely perfect. So enjoyed your beautiful pictures.
Sam Turnbull says
Thank you Mary!
Sam Turnbull says
Thank you Christina!
Shanasy Bratt says
Thx for sharing all the great pictures! Congratulations!!!! Super happy for you!
Sam Turnbull says
Thank you so much, Shanasy
Janice Collins says
Congratulations
Sam Turnbull says
Thank you!
Mike says
Congrats on your special day! Looks like a lot of fun and intimate! Like the pic when you both jumped in front of the frame and we see the Converse...great mix of formal and not-so. Enjoy this next chapter....oh...wait...is that a new book title...vegan food for couples?!
Sam Turnbull says
Hahaha! Good idea! Thank you 😉
Rachel Moore says
Congratulations! You look so pretty. What a beautiful dress.
Sam Turnbull says
Thank you Rachel!
Annie says
So beautiful! Thank you for sharing the wonders of your day with us!! Wishing you both every happiness in you married life!!
Jasmine Greene says
Incredibly beautiful wedding! So glad it was magical for you. Thank you for all the wonderful recipes. You are an inspiration to many.
Sam Turnbull says
Thank you Jasmine!
Sam Turnbull says
Thank you Annie!
Sunny says
Thank you, Sam, for sharing your special day with us. You and Adam looks incredibly happy. Sending you congratulations and best wishes for a very happy life together.
All the blessings - Sunny
Sam Turnbull says
Thank you so much, Sunny!
Philip Wergeland says
I’m happy for you and Sam. It was a beautiful wedding with family, friends, great food and great weather. I’ve been married for 54 years to my childhood sweetheart and a vegan for 48 years. Time goes by fast when you’re married to the right person.
Sam Turnbull says
Wow that's amazing!!!
Laura says
Wow, even though I don’t know you, it lifted my spirits and made me smile reading everything you shared about your enchanting vegan wedding! So beautiful and loving all around - very happy for two vegans to unite!! (And yes, he does look very cute, and you look so beautiful too!! May your life together be filled with love for each other and others! Thanks for sharing the joy.
Sam Turnbull says
Aww thank you so much, Laura!
Brigitte says
Sam&Adam !!!
Congratulations, I wish you the best life together. Your pictures are amazing you look so beautiful, your dress your hair ….Adam too he looked very handsome . The food to the venue is like a fairy tale , you don’t need a big wedding to celebrate its pro ably less stressful anyway . Thank you for sharing your pictures with us !!! ❤️
Sam Turnbull says
Thank you so very much, Brigitte!
Cristina L. Brown says
Congratulations! Wishing you the very best years of your life alongside your husband ❤
Sam Turnbull says
Thank you Cristina!
Margaret says
So sweet, so perfect; thank you so much for sharing your vegan wedding. You are a beautiful couple!
Sam Turnbull says
Thank you Margaret!
Patricia Osborn says
How incredibly nice of you to share your beautiful wedding with us, your followers. Thank you for the many wonderful vegan recipes you email us regularly, and for sharing your vegan wedding menu. I wish you a million years of happiness!
Sam Turnbull says
Thank you so much, Patricia 🙂
Jody says
oh! breathtaking! it looks amazing, and the food! wow! thank you for being vegan at your event, and everyday and for sharing your passion with us, and... your recipes! When I'm sharing info to friends or others curious about eating vegan, your page is always the first one I recommend. Congratulations on your wedding. Happy forever!
Sam Turnbull says
Aww thank you so much Jody, that means a lot 🙂
Laura says
Everything looks so beautiful! Congratulations to you both! Cheers to many years of happiness ♥️
Sam Turnbull says
Thank you Laura!
Joanna says
Congratulations on your marriage!!
Following you and your recipes and posts is like opening up a present each time. Your enthusiasm, creativity and kindness shine through each post❤️.
Blessings,
Joanna
Sam Turnbull says
Aww that melts my heart, thank you so much Joanna!
Tori Gillispie says
Congratulations Sam & Adam. I so happy for your new journey in life. Sincerely, Tori in Kingman Arizona:)
Bobby Tarlton says
Congratulations Sam & Adam. I am so happy as you begin a whole new life adventure. Best wishes Bobby.
Sam Turnbull says
Thank you Bobby!
Sam Turnbull says
Thank you so much Tori!
Cenira says
Sam and Adam I wish you all the happiness in the world, congratulations!
Sam, I just wanted to thank you so so much for your website, your recipes. I love all of them.
Cheers!
Ce
Sam Turnbull says
That makes me so happy! You're most welcome 🙂
Dusty Hughes says
Congratulations and best wishes. I’m so glad your day was perfect as you deserve it.
Sam Turnbull says
Thank you Dusty!