Written by Melissa Valentine

Foreword: Nóbl Events is lucky to be surrounded by a group of women who enjoy wedding planning as much as we do. In this time of uncertainty and fear, we asked some of them to write about moments in their lives where weddings brought happiness to them, as a small reminder of all the joy a wedding can bring. Enjoy!

Ever since I attended my very first wedding as a teenager, I’ve dreamt of planning beautiful weddings.  

I was a grade ten student, unsure of my career path after high school. That spring my mom took our family to see a close work friends say “I do” to the love of her life. At the time, I hadn’t thought much about it, and wasn’t overly excited, but I looked forward to going. “It’s a wedding”, I thought as we pulled up to the church in our best clothes. All the while remembering the homework laying on my desk at home. 

Wedding Memories

As we walked into the church I felt the mellow atmosphere resting on the congregation. Sitting in our pew I looked around at the flowers, the decorations, and the beautiful foliage that lined the altar. Soft, ambient music from the grand piano filled the air, setting the scene for Andrea and Grant’s wedding. Shortly after the priest and the groom came to the altar, everyone turned to prepare for Andrea’s grand entrance. 

As the doors opened, bridesmaids, coupled with their groomsmen, walked in one by one down the aisle, smiling and waving. The bridesmaid’s soft, blush pink dresses, perfectly matched the satin bows that flanked each pew. Their bouquets of lilies matching the bigger fabulous floral arrangements on the altar. 

Here Comes the Bride

And then…
We all stood to our feet, watching the doors open once again. A heavenly romantic piece drifted from the piano as Andrea and her father appeared in the doorway. Three words came to my mind when the glowing bride starting to walk down the aisle with her dad: exquisite, blissful, and radiant. 

I glanced back at her husband-to-be waiting at the altar. He was smiling from ear to ear. I knew he was thinking he had never seen anything as gorgeous in his entire life. And Andrea, holding her father’s arm, taking step after step. Her eyes fixated on the man at the end of the aisle, knowing her future was right before her eyes.

Wedding Planning Make My Heart Skip A Beat

That’s when I knew. 
It had come together. 
The flowers, the decor, the magnificent church, stained glass windows, and the sun streaming in to mark such a spectacular occasion. Music, lights, the awe of the congregation looking up at Andrea and Grant with reverence and love. 

It was as if all aspects of the beauty of life had collided in the most significant way, right before my eyes. Everything had come together to make Andrea and Grant’s dreams come true. And there was an undeniable and unmistakable truth coming into the forefront of my mind, my heart, and my spirit. 

I had to do this for a living – I found my calling.
I spent the rest of my high school years dreaming about becoming a wedding planner, a career choice pondered daily with honour. No other career inspired me or lit a fire in my heart more than this one. I found my “why” in the depths of Andrea and Grant’s wedding, and was already imagining how I’d dedicate my life to helping couples say yes to forever. 

My Chance To Shine

I went on to pursue the Special Events Planning program at George Brown College. The year I graduated, a past coworker of mine reached out on Facebook, asking if I’d be interested in being her wedding planner. She knew of my dreams and ambitions to work in the wedding industry, so, without hesitation, I said “Absolutely!”

While at that time I didn’t have any wedding planning experience, I felt confident my passion and zest for all things weddings would enable me to bring her vision to life. And the best part is, she also believed in me. 

Celeste and Gabriel’s Wedding

I threw Celeste a simple, elegant, rustic backyard wedding, just like she envisioned. Every element of the wedding was a nod to her and her husband. The stacks of books we put together were used as centrepieces since Celeste adored reading and considered herself very much a bookworm. Her bouquet was made from flowers grown and picked from her own garden. All the decor was simple but stunning, using natural foliage and greenery to give the wedding such a life-giving feel. 

A few years before Celeste lost her mother, so to honour her, we set up a Memory Table with framed pictures surrounded by the same homegrown flowers. Every aspect of her wedding was personal and memorable. How rewarding it was to bring such a special and momentous occasion to life. 

What’s Love Got To Do With It?

Celeste’s wedding, and all the weddings I’ve attended before, demonstrates not only the beauty and aesthetic design aspects, but the sentiment, the togetherness, and the unity that shines from each wedding and love story. It was Celeste remembering her mother’s life with both profound pain and joy as she danced in her new husband Gabriel’s arms. At the same time laughing with her as she fed Gabriel a piece of wedding cake, making sure to gently smush some on the side of his face. It’s about Andrea holding onto her dad’s strong arm as he walked her down the aisle, the same strong arms that held her as a little girl. 

Relationships are transformed, solidified and celebrated. 
These are the types of occasions I celebrate, over and over again, something I will never tire of. I mean, how can you?

As a hopeless romantic I ask, “What’s love got to do with it?”

The answer is, everything. Absolutely everything!

“My Wedding Planner ‘Ah-ha’ Moment!”, Melissa Valentine, “Weddings Bring Joy”, Copyright ©2020, Nóbl Events, Nóbl Journal