We were totally enchanted when we saw Jena and Jacobs fall wedding photos! The romance, the gold accents and the cake table were amazing! We had to get behind the scenes of this charming and timeless wedding – it really was the perfect pairing. Below, our lovely newly wed, Jena gives us some insight into the planning process.

What creative influence was behind your décor theme? 

I am a huge fan of the movie ‘Beauty and the Beast’! I wanted everything romantic, elegant and gold. I had gold candelabras scattered across some of the tables as centerpieces – it was gorgeous and timeless paired with solid white florals and ivory tones! The décor I chose for both the ceremony and reception matched well with the LIUNA Station.

How was the process when bringing it to life? 
The process involved a lot of Pinterest and Instagram! I looked at many past brides for inspiration. I shared my vision with several vendors, and they had fantastic ideas to share as well.

What was the most challenging aspect of planning?  
Trying to envision everything in my head. When you have a colour, you want to work with (for me it was gold) you want to make sure you don’t overdo it. It was hard to image all the pieces together sometimes, especially as more time passes (we were engaged and planning for 18 months). I often found myself forgetting things, like which linen pattern I picked out or what colour the chair seats were. I recommend taking pictures on your phone of everything you select! Great way to reference all the pieces and to try to match colour tones of future selections.

What ballroom did you choose and why? 
We chose the Grand Central Ballroom at LIUNA Station. It was gorgeous (obviously) but it also accommodated our large family and many friends! Super spacious, comfortable and stunning. It was also fantastic to have the foyer for our receiving line and midnight buffet.

What was it like working with our facility co-ordinators and vendors? 
Nicole was our event coordinator and she was an angel. She always made herself available to answer any questions over phone or email (even late at night when a random thought would come to mind). We met with her several times and always walked away feeling excited, motivated and supported. We couldn’t have pulled together the day without her. On the day of the wedding the entire LIUNA Station staff was AMAZING! I heard from several guests how accommodating they were. Even as the bride and groom we had several staff members come up to us frequently throughout the night to make sure we were okay and to check if we needed anything. Literally the best service from the kindest people.

What would you do differently? 
If I could go back in time, I think I would just tell myself to not stress so much. I really wanted the entire day to be absolutely perfect, so I often found myself getting bogged down by the small details. In the end none of it really mattered – the day was going to be perfect and special no matter what.

How did you decide on your menu? 
We attended LIUNA Station’s Valentine’s Day event in February 2019. It was such a fun evening full of dancing and food! We got the opportunity to try everything they had to offer food-wise, and we based our entire wedding menu off that evening’s experience.  

What was your dessert table like? Favourite part of it? 
Our dessert table was amazing! Such a great variety and SO much food. Part of the midnight buffet included the red and white pizzas – they were to die for! It was nice to have sweet and savoury options.

Describe your day in 3 words? 
Special beyond words

Any little tips on how to keep everyone happy and enjoying the party all night long? 
Make sure the entire wedding party (including bride and groom!) are singing, dancing and partying! Guests are generally drawn to the wedding party – I found when we were on the dance floor many came to join us. We also sat down with our DJ the week before our wedding to plan out what music (genre, tempo, etc.) to play throughout the evening so it catered well to all generations and languages in the room.

One piece of advice you’d offer to another bride and groom who are starting the planning process? 
Leverage people around you to help throughout the process! Your family, wedding party and friends. They actually WANT to help so don’t be afraid to include them in the process. Your vendors are also experienced in what they do and can offer a wealth of knowledge – don’t be worried about “bugging them” by asking “too many” questions. We became very close with our vendors and on the day of it really helped because they totally understood our vision and how to execute.

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From all of us at LIUNA Events, thank you for following along!

Vendors:
Bride’s Hair: Nadia
Bride’s Makeup: Fancy Face Inc
Photography & Cinematography: Goody Cambay
Planner: Holly Matrimony
Florals: Luv With Flowers
DJ: DJ Sam
A/V Technology: Soundbox
Cake: Just Temptations
The Dress: Enzoani