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.
Nancy Curott says
Mazeltov!! It looks like such a wonderful, love-filled day for all of you. Wonderful that you took so much care in making sure everything was vegan. May each together grow with more happiness and love than the day before!
Sam Turnbull says
Absolutely! Vegan all the way 🙂
Dianna says
Congratulations Sam and Adam! You both looked AMAZING and your setting was so fresh, warm and colorful with the beautiful flowers all around. I LOVED your idea of the large picture frame which is so unique and creative. The food was so artistic and delicious to the eyes (and I’m sure to the taste buds). Sam, your dress was sooooo PERFECT as you were STUNNING and Adam certainly dazzled as well!!!!
Thank you for sharing this beautiful day with all of us. I am so happy for you both! Cheers to a long loving lifetime together!❤️❤️
-Dianna
Sam Turnbull says
Thank you so much, Dianna! I really appreciate your special message 🙂
Theresa says
CONGRATS!!!!!
Beautiful wedding in these crazy times.
Sam Turnbull says
Yes it was a real treat 🙂
Barbara says
Just beautiful!! Congratulations!!!
Sam Turnbull says
Thank you Barbara!
Pamela Sierzan says
Absolutely wonderful. I couldn't be happier for you. Congratulations!
Sam Turnbull says
Thank you so much, Pamela!
Carolyn Turnbull says
That is absolutely lovely. Thank you Sam and Adam for a wonderful day, a beautiful post telling the tale and all the best for a fun and fabulous life together.
Love mOm
Sam Turnbull says
Aww thank you so much Mom! Thank you for hosting this amazing day!
Kim says
Congratulations! Your photographs are beautiful. Wishing the two of you the best of luck. <3
Sam Turnbull says
Thank you Kim!
Joann m lakes says
Congratulations! Wishing you both a long and happy life together!
Sam Turnbull says
Thank you so much, Joann!
Liane says
What a beautiful wedding - the flowers, the food, and the two of you look so very happy! Mazel tov!
Sam Turnbull says
Thank you Liane!
Marion B says
What a beautiful wedding!!! Rustic elegance. The food looks wonderful, as do youand your handsome frlla. Congratulations!!!
Sam Turnbull says
Thank you Marion!
Erin says
How lovely! Wishing you and Adam much joy, Sam!
Sam Turnbull says
Thank you Erin!
Ann says
Absolutely stunning! How beautiful and unique to both of you! I adore the huge picture frame out among the birch trees and peonies! The food looked incredible! Thanks for sharing your special day Warm blessings to you and Adam!
Marie says
Aaah! You look beautiful and your Adam is a dish.Congratulations and best wishes! Thank you for sharing your special day. We wish you joy.
Sam Turnbull says
Haha thank you Marie!
Sam Turnbull says
Thank you so much, Ann! It was a very special day 🙂
Nancy from Louisiana USA says
Congratulations!
So happy for you and your wedding was beautiful!!
Love the flowers too.
Sam Turnbull says
Can't go wrong with a feild of peonies!
sue says
'Congratulatons and Best wishes to the both of you!
Sam Turnbull says
Thank you sue!
Lynne Wright says
Thank you for sharing your wedding day with your fans! I appreciate your openness in allowing us to learn about your fabulous special day. Your photos were wonderful to see. While I LOVE your recipes, this was a really exceptional post that I really enjoyed. May you and Adam enjoy a long, happy, and healthy life together!
Sam Turnbull says
So happy you loved the post so much, Lynne, thank you!
Bruce Arthurs says
Congratulations, and a toast towards many happy years together for both of you!
Sam Turnbull says
Thank you Bruce!
Martina says
WOW, such wonderful news! Congrats to you and Adam - you both look amazing and the photos of your vegan wedding are absolutely stunning! :))
Sam Turnbull says
Thank you Martina!!
Lucia says
Huge congrats to you both! Thanks for sharing your special day with us!
Sam Turnbull says
Thank you so much, Lucia 🙂
Rebecca says
Thank you for sharing your wedding with us. You both looked amazing and the menu sounds scrumptious!
Sam Turnbull says
Thank you Rebecca!
Jen says
Many congratulations!!! So beautiful.
Joni says
Congratulations and nothing but the best for you both going forward in this crazy life!
Sam Turnbull says
Thank you Joni!
Sam Turnbull says
Thank you Jen!