Issue link: http://digital.canadawide.com/i/430877
realweddings.ca 41 the rain and cold, and drew a ring from his pocket. "It was amazing. I was very surprised," says Erin, who obviously said "yes!" In the months that followed, the pair set their wedding goals and called upon Vancouver's Petite Pearl Events to help bring them to fruition. While Erin's work, as founder of the non-profit movement Raw Beauty Talks, gave her knowledge of several vendors including her photographer, she says the expertise and knowledge of a planner was invaluable in making the process as stress-free as possible. After considering locations both near and far, Erin and Scott chose Rockwater Secret Cove Resort on Halfmoon Bay, a Sunshine Coast venue with both a gorgeous setting and close proximity to ormanby Island, which happens to hold great sentimental value for Erin. Having spent her early summers at the family's cabin on the island, Erin knew she wanted to share this special place with those nearest and dearest to her. e result was Erin and Scott's "Before the I Do BBQ" day at ormanby, transferring guests from Rockwater to the island via boat for "bocce, beer and burgers," before returning to Halfmoon Bay for a pre-wedding bonfire on the beach. Creating a weekend-long event that offered a true "West Coast experience" was key for the couple. ey achieved just that, exchanging vows on a stunningly beautiful day as part of a ceremony they had written themselves. Determined to keep the tradition of not seeing his bride before she walked down the aisle, Scott resisted the urge to peek as Erin arrived at Rockwater via yacht from ormanby, where she had gotten ready. "As a guy getting married, we don't think about the dress and the flowers and all of that. We think about that moment of seeing your bride down the aisle. It was incredibly special." Following the ceremony, the newlyweds joined their bridal party back on the yacht for a champagne toast and the signing of their marriage papers en route to ormanby for photos. Afterwards, they returned to Rockwater to enjoy a family-style dinner with their guests as the sun set over the water, a view of ormanby in the distance. "Just after it had gotten dark out and we were all sitting together having dinner on the lawn, everything felt exactly how we had hoped it would," says Erin. "When we think back, it was such a beautiful celebration and it was really special being in that moment." rw