Issue link: http://digital.canadawide.com/i/582166
Aleksandra Rogula Jesse Hodgins August 29, 2014 Brock House Restaurant, Vancouver J.K. Rowling's bestselling fantasy books were the inspiration behind this Vancouver couple's magical I do's Written by Noa Nichol Photographed by Anna Spong & Kasia Stromecki, Gucio Photography AleksAndrA rogulA And Jesse Hodgins may both be into fantasy and escapism, but they didn't meet in a galaxy far, far away. "We found each other on OkCupid," says Aleksandra with a smile, adding that at the time both she and Jesse were "nearing 30 and wanting the whole family thing… so we decided to take matters into our own hands." Chatting online, they quickly discovered they shared similar goals and values. A date at a local dog park con-rmed it, further revealing that each had a "geeky" side, over which they formed a fast bond. €e idea of marriage came up within a year and, after their son was born, Jesse proposed, o‚ering Aleksandra a ring they'd chosen together. "We started planning right away," says Aleksandra. "I'm Polish and have always pictured a play on those customs on my wedding day, but it wouldn't have necessarily worked for us as a couple. He's the one who came up with the Harry Potter theme." "Just after we'd started dating, the -nal movie was coming out," Jesse explains. "I was working out of town, and Aleksandra showed up for a visit, only to get me dressed in full Harry Potter gear and take me to a midnight showing of the -lm. It was something she did completely for me, so when we were discussing our wedding, that moment kept playing in my mind." €eir -rst order of business was hiring Petite Pearl Events to help manifest their vision. From save-the-date magnets inspired by a Hogwarts Express train ticket to "Marauder's Map" wedding invitations (made by Aleksandra herself), the couple found plenty of imaginative ways to incorporate Harry into their big day. 20 real weddings ŒŽ''/""•–—˜ ™š›œ Ptte Wddin A VerY