Issue link: http://digital.canadawide.com/i/307716
realweddings.ca 53 In white F From the moment she met Katie Prentice at the Boathouse Restaurant in English Bay, Holly Wakeman, who was working there as a bartender at the time, felt a spark. Katie felt it as well, but she was already in a relationship. Fortunately, a second chance encounter occurred several months later, turning into a year- and-a-half-long romance that culminated in a romantic winter proposal. Holly chose a ring and, thanks to her Boathouse manager, staged an elaborate surprise for Katie on one of Vancouver's most coveted outdoor patios. "I draped everything in white linen and filled the space with hundreds of tealights," she recalls. "Katie had been considering marriage, too, but I beat her to the punch." e couple's search for a wedding venue started that summer with a trip to one of their favourite destinations: the Okanagan. Several winery tours and a few sips of wine later, Katie and Holly chose Spirit Ridge Vineyard, which boasts an open-air, rooftop venue with panoramic views of rolling green vineyards, smoky blue mountains and sparkling Lake Osoyoos. "We liked that it was a five-star resort and our guests could stay there comfortably," Holly says. "We very much wanted it to be a family event." A self-described "details girl," Holly chose to forego a wedding planner and make it a true DIY affair, scouring thrift stores, flea markets and antique shops for vintage vases, mismatched picture frames, wire birdcages — anything that would easily take a coat of white paint. "Katie hates shopping, so I hijacked the colour palette," Holly laughs, adding that her goal for the event was to "include as much white as possible." She even hosted a "paint party," enlisting friends and family to help paint the items she had bought. e two most important alabaster features, of course, were the gowns, which the brides somehow managed to keep secret from each other until their big day. "I was worried that the dresses wouldn't match," Holly admits. "I didn't know if she was going for white or off-white, lace or tulle, straps or strapless, so I had a friend peek at Katie's dress. She didn't tell me what it looked like, but when we went shopping for my gown, she was able to veto anything I tried on that really didn't go." In the end, Katie's romantic Maggie Sottero number and Holly's dramatic Vera Wang design complemented each other perfectly while staying true to each bride's unique sense of style. "I actually fell in love with a Vera Wang gown called 'Holly,' but it was over my budget," A sweet DIY affair in the Okanagan celebrates the love of a lifetime Written by Noa Glouberman Photographed by Nomo Akisawa, Simply Sweet Photography p52-55_Holly+Katie.indd 53 14-04-17 1:07 PM