1. Real Weddings

Catherine & Jonathan: A Bird Themed Wedding in Vancouver, British Columbia

Though Catherine and Jonathan met in high school (she was friends with his younger sister), they didn’t start dating until college. After being togeth

Though Catherine and Jonathan met in high school (she was friends with his younger sister), they didn’t start dating until college. After being together for six years, Jonathan moved to Ottawa for a job. Despite the distance factor, the couple made it work. The Bride Catherine Tang, 30, operations manager The Groom Jonathan Suen, 31, toxicologist The Date July 25 When they had started dating, Jonathan had given Catherine a Ring Pop as a present. Eleven years later, on New Year’s Eve, he gave a nod to the memory and proposed with a Ring Pop. Catherine happily accepted, and the two started planning a summer wedding in their hometown. On their wedding day, they had been together for exactly 11 years and 11 months.

The ceremony took place on the back lawn of the Cecil Green Park House, a heritage mansion at Catherine’s alma mater. Catherine had ordered pink hydrangeas for the alter arrangement, but a heat wave wilted all of the flowers. Fortunately, the florist had white hydrangeas on hand and was able to spray-paint them pink!
Though they served their guests cupcakes, Catherine had her heart set on a traditional cake cutting and ordered this two-tiered red velvet cake for her and Jonathan to take home with them. Two faux birds, a white and black sugar-made anemone flower, and a “ruffled” cake stand kept the cake in line with the vintage-y bird theme.
To honor the bird theme, guests received tiny twine bird’s nests filled with chocolate eggs as favors.
Catherine and Jonathan made signs out of scrap pieces of wood to lead their guests to the ceremony site.
Catherine made her escort cards out of red and white bakers twine, buttons, mini manila envelopes, doilies, and bird stamps (to keep with her theme). Inside each mini envelope was an inventory tag with the guest’s table stamped on it.
For dessert, guests snacked on red velvet and chocolate cupcakes, each topped with edible red buttons that matched the wedding stationery.
For their guest book, Catherine and Jonathan set out manila inventory tags, stamped with birds, for guests to sign and write messages. They left metal birdcages outside of the mansion for guests to put the notes in as they entered the reception.
Catherine kept her look simple and glamorous with vintage-inspired jewelry and a delicate headband.
Catherine handmade the menus and place cards at each seat. As a cheeky nod to their theme, she added “Bon Appetweet!” to the bottom of each menu.
The reception centerpieces consisted of pink hydrangeas and garden roses set atop fuchsia pin-tucked satin linens.
Catherine loved her BCBG Runway Collection bridesmaid dresses so much that she bought one for herself too! The pale mocha color paired with fuchsia shoes fit with her vintage theme and was nicely complemented by the pink garden rose bouquets.