Summer weddings may be all the rage in the Kootenay area of British Columbia, but for those who have spent any amount of time in Rossland know just how perfect it is for a stunningly beautiful winter wedding. With the addition of the grand boutique space, The Josie Hotel, at the base of Red Mountain, we had the perfect atmosphere for T+R to host their family and close friends for an epic apre ski celebration.
Working with T+R was such a joy. Both of them are lovers of the outdoors, relaxed, and easy-going but also knew the exact vibes they wanted their wedding to give off. They were honest about the fact that planning a wedding was something they had never done before and neither had the schedule to dedicate fully to each aspect. I was super excited to jump on board and aid in bringing their ideas and wishes together alongside them. With a rapid event day approach, due to starting their planning for their February wedding day in November, T+R learned quickly to be flexible, make sound decisions when the time came and trust in their vendor team. All qualities that other couples could adopt to make their planning process smoother, especially in this current time.
Being a family who skis and spends plenty of time enjoying the Kootenay flakes, planning a wedding that encompassed their love for each other, gave a view of their home ski hill, but was ultimately stress-free and still felt elegant and beautiful was important. They chose The Josie Hotel's Velvet Lounge Patio, which looks directly at the Red Resort ski hill, for their Ceremony space and the Monashee Banquet Room for their 97 person Reception and Dance.
What a day was had! These two pulled out all the stops to ensure their special day was memorable and fun for all. Both Bride + Groom skied into their Ceremony, which happened to be hit by a sudden snowstorm just before showtime. Luckily they and their guests took the gigantic falling flakes in stride and warmed up during cocktail hour as they enjoyed their welcome drinks. We custom made a Gondola Photobooth for some photo fun, accessorized with plenty of retro ski gear, and guests were invited to step up to the shot ski, topped with Baileys and Fireball, throughout the Reception. To finish up the evening, everyone tore up the dancefloor with retro neon props (T+R even changed into full-on retro outfits for the party!) and snacked on The Velvet Restaurant's delicious poutine.
This was definitely a wedding I was sad to see fly by. Working with T+R and getting to know their family was such a blessing. Not to mention their wedding day guests and party were a riot and made the crazy busy day so enjoyable! This particular wedding was also filled with a ton of firsts and myself and the team learned a lot through the process. It is wedding days like this that make the challenges and lessons of this job so rewarding.
Check out the amazing wedding day photography captured by FRESH Photography. Carmen has an incredibly artistic way of telling a couple's story through her lens and I look so forward to working with her and her team again in the future.
Huge thank you to all the amazing Wedding Professionals who played a part in bringing together this winter wedding!
Photography: FRESH Photography
Full-Service Venue: The Josie Hotel
Florist: Olea Floral
Baker: Starbird Bakehouse
Rentals: BV Rentals and Wild Smile Events
Pastor: Andrew Freeman
Transportation: Kootenay Gateway
DJ: Mike Cole
Hair: Sam Fricke
Makeup: Ulli Konig Hair
Stationary + Printing: Hall Printing
Planning + Styling: Wild Smile Events
Photobooth Creation: Wild Smile Events
Bridal Gown: Anthropologie
Grooms Party: Calvin Klein
Bridesmaid Gown: Honest In Ivory