Issue link: http://digital.canadawide.com/i/391714
She and Tony initially considered tying the knot in September, in B.C.'s sun-drenched Okanagan. But, as they continued to weigh their options, it became clear that what they really wanted was to throw the kind of party their family and friends would never forget. "We started zeroing in on New Year's Eve — it's a night that's either really memorable or completely forgettable," Allison explains. "We thought, 'What if we got to celebrate our anniversary every year on December 31?' New Year's would never be a letdown again." "Allison loves the holidays like no one else," Tony adds. "So, to do it at that time of year just made sense." With help from event planner Stephanie Reitsma of Sweetheart Events, Tony and Allison chose the Fairmont Hotel Vancouver as their venue. Ornate, with gold accents and elegant décor, the hotel perfectly suited the Old World feel they were after. "Best of all, rather than have to fight to find a cab home on New Year's Eve, our guests had the option of staying at the hotel overnight," Tony explains. On the morning of her wedding, Allison, mimosa in hand, had her hair and makeup done in one of the hotel's newlywed suites. With help from her bridesmaids, she slipped into her form-fitting Paloma Blanca gown, purchased from Isabelle's Bridal in North Vancouver. A lace bolero and embellished belt gave the dress "winter" appeal. "I had originally purchased a veil, but when we put everything together, it was too much," she says. "We weren't getting married in a church so, in the end, the veil didn't make the cut." e ceremony took place in the hotel's Vancouver Island Room, with matching marble fireplaces and a gilded ceiling strung with crystal chandeliers. Tony, dapper in a DKNY suit, thought his bride looked "absolutely gorgeous" as she walked with her parents down the aisle. After the "I do's," the party moved upstairs to the Roof Restaurant + Bar, situated on the hotel's 15th floor. On the menu: signature cocktails, a multi-course meal of Pemberton beets, Haida Gwaii halibut, Alberta tenderloin and salted caramel cheesecake, followed by the couple's first dance to Hall & Oates' "You Make My Dreams Come True." "We went with an upbeat dance tune and made sure to encourage our friends to jump in with us almost right away," Tony says. "People flooded the dance floor to dance with us and it really set the tone for the rest of the night." Rather than a cake, the couple opted for a six-tier champagne tower and handed out custom-made chocolates from Cinnamon's 54 real weddings Fall/Winter 2014 A New Year's Eve wedding meant the perfect opportunity for a glamorous occasion, featuring classic black and white with touches of glitzy gold, signature cocktails, hints of a Jazz Age/Gatsby influence, and, of course, noisemakers and party hats to ring in the New Year.