Real Weddings — January 15, 2019

Real Wedding: Jordanna and Ian’s Fall Tented Wedding at Rocking R Guest Ranch

Harvest tables, lawn games and marsala florals under a tent on the Alberta prairie.

There is no question these two are soulmates. Both biological engineers, Jordanna and Ian are as clever as they are quietly funny — and that playful streak ran through every decision they made. (Wedding favours were boxes of "Mixed Nuts.")

Every choice came back to the same question: what will our guests actually experience? They wanted a venue where people could move from the ceremony straight into lawn games, cocktail hour, and a reception without ever being shuffled into a car. Guests sat at long harvest tables and were served family style — beet salad, cedar plank salmon, braised short rib. Some of the best wedding food I have had the privilege to eat. The bride has a weakness for macarons, so dessert was never in doubt.

Style mattered to them both. The groom and groomsmen wore custom deep blue suits with orange accents; the bridesmaids answered in dusty blue full-length gowns. The bride chose a lace-covered gown with her dad's help, wore one-of-a-kind butterfly shoes for the ceremony, and slipped into her cowboy boots for the reception. Her father built the gazebo they married under — it now lives in the newlyweds' own garden. It was dressed in rich marsala, bright orange and coral blooms with loose greenery, echoed in a garden-style bridal bouquet and gerbera-flecked garlands down the tables.

It was a beautiful autumn day on the prairie. The dance floor stayed full to the very end.

In the bride's words:

"For us, it was all about the surrounding landscape we were in, and highlighting the beautiful autumn colours. We are both originally from British Columbia, but met in Alberta, where we fell in love with each other and the gorgeous Alberta skies, mountains, and everything in between. We wanted to celebrate in the prairie countryside with an outdoor wedding, complete with lots of lawn games for our guests." — Jordanna, Bride

The team behind the day

Planning & Design: Cathy MacRae, Creative Weddings Planning & Design

Photography: Edward Ross Photography

Ceremony & Reception Venue: Rocking R Guest Ranch (Strathmore, Alberta)

Officiant: Bruce Adlington, Engaging Weddings

Flowers: Wedding Flowers With Love By Fiori Con Amore

Stationery: Wedding Paper Divas

Catering: Chef Judy Wood, Meez Cuisine & Catering

Cake: The groom's aunt

Dessert: Ollia Macarons & Tea

Hair: Colleen Sams

Make-Up: Michelle Shampaign, Trena Laine Makeup Artists