Kelly & Kevin: A Fairytale Wedding at the Golf Country Club 如夢如幻的高爾夫鄉村俱樂部婚禮
Photography & Videography: Rosetta Li Weddings
Ceremony Venue, Reception Venue & Banquet: St. George's Golf and Country Club • Wedding Planner: Wedding Compass • Performer: Kevin Szeto
Hair and Makeup Artist: Satine Makeup & Hair Styling Studio • Wedding Dress: Betty Lai • AV: Danny So • Cake: Shirley's Sweet Creations • Officiant: Joshua Lam
As Featured in The Art of Celebration Annual Edition No.2
“There were many memorable moments on the wedding day, but the most memorable was reading each other’s personalized, handwritten vows during the wedding ceremony.”
Kelly and Kevin first met at Kevin's brother's wedding, where she was helping out with the celebration. Despite their first awkward interactions, Kelly was charmed by Kevin's musical performance, which left a great impression. During the first few months of dating, Kelly got to appreciate Kevin's unique sense of humour and kind heart, while Kevin got to admire Kelly's selfless nature and street smarts. Eventually, Kelly introduced Kevin to the joys of finer dining and sleeping in, while Kevin successfully converted Kelly into a cat person and a hockey fan. Above all, they grew closer by travelling and discovering the world together, traveling to a long list of countries, including Spain, France, Belgium, Germany, Egypt, Japan, Australia, and the Dominican Republic. They envisioned a future of continued adventures and a happy home filled with love, laughter, and lots of cat hair.
Kelly's dream was to have her wedding in a fairytale-like castle. While that was not a realistic option, the next best thing was to have the wedding at a venue that fulfilled the criteria of elegance, with a classic feel. The venue, which was originally built in the 1920s, provided an atmosphere that made guests feel like they had stepped back in time and into history. Moreover, the couple also incorporated unique decor elements like LEGO roses, candles, and fairy lights in mason jars, which, were purposely kept very simple to compliment the venue's innate charm and character.
Kelly and Kevin were set on a venue with an old-world, classic charm. After visiting more than half a dozen different potential spots, they chose St. George's Golf and Country Club. Ironically, neither of them are golfers, so they did not realize until some time later that this was one of the most prestigious golf clubs in all of Canada. Kelly's favourite photo spot was the “princess” balcony beside one of the round towers, overlooking the grounds below.
Popular traditions of a traditional Chinese wedding, such as the door games and tea ceremony, were events that Kelly and Kevin always knew that their wedding would incorporate. The door games were fun and amusing, while the tea ceremony was a tradition deeply rooted in respect and gratitude towards family elders.
The wedding reception was a western style 4-course meal with two appetizers, an entree, and complete with dessert. Kelly and Kevin personally chose all the courses themselves based on which dishes they loved and many guests shared that the food was absolutely delicious.
For the first half of the day and during the tea ceremony, Kelly wore a traditional Chinese red dress that was picked by her mom. Red, of course, is a popular colour during Chinese weddings, symbolizing luck, joy, and happiness.
The cultural and traditional element of the tea ceremony was incorporated in the wedding because it was important to show respect to parents and elders, and the family roots in Chinese culture. The design of the other components of the wedding, including the music and food, was very much western style, which was reflective of their Canadian upbringing and identity.
Guests had to overcome the infamous congestion along Highway 401 in Ontario, while Kelly and Kevin were focused on the uncertainty of the weather. Fortunately, the rain started only after the outdoor cocktail hour had ended, and lasted only for a short while — which poetically is a sign of good luck in Chinese culture as water represents fortune and wealth. All in all, neither challenge stopped Kelly and Kevin from celebrating and feeling blessed on their special day!
Of all the memorable moments on their wedding day, the most memorable was reading each other's personalized, handwritten vows during the ceremony. Though they did not read each other's vows ahead of time, it was nice to discover that they shared some common themes of accepting each other for who they are, as well as respecting and loving each other unconditionally.
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