Hannah Gown in a Cherry Hill Club Wedding | Emily + Phil

Phil was the first boy Emily had ever brought home to meet her parents. The introduction became a little more of a party! “My entire family decided that they also wanted to be there for the first introduction. Obviously, being a bit of a nerve-wracking situation, he exceeded all my expectations, and from that moment on, I knew that he was going to be around for a while (and now a lifetime!)”

A Perfect Moment on a Philippine Beach

A trip to spend time with Emily’s brother and sister-in-law in Southeast Asia led to Phil’s proposal on a beach in the Philippines at sunset, and some special witnesses! “Coincidentally, there were a couple of local dogs that were there with us during the proposal. We have a dog at home, and I always thought she would be there for the proposal, so it felt fitting that she was “still there in spirit with us.” The whole evening was so incredibly special and intimate and is a moment I will never forget!”

A Bird and Her Cranes

Emily’s maiden name is Bird, and growing up, her nickname was ‘Bird’ or ‘Birdy’, and her grandparents on her dad’s side hold a special place in her heart. So, “in their honour, I purchased two blue embroidered cranes that I wanted to be placed somewhere on my dress/veil. Cranes are known to be symbols of longevity, good fortune and wisdom. My grandparents were married for over 60 years and instilled values in us that I continue to live by each and every day.”

When You Know, You Know

With that detail in mind, she sought a timeless wedding dress that reflected her personal style. She thought she knew what she wanted, and discovered her heart had ideas, too. “From what I learned, it is not uncommon for brides to go a very different path from what they initially thought would be their look.” When she met our Hannah dress at our Toronto bridal shop, “Vanessa at Lea-Ann Belter in Toronto made me feel so comfortable, confident and connected to my decision to pick the “Hannah” dress. What I will never forget her saying to me was “do you want people to say wow, her dress is so beautiful or wow, look how beautiful Emily looks in that dress.” She was so helpful in all my fittings and made me feel like the most special bride.”

The elegant cranes who represented so much were hand-sewn onto her cathedral veil. “This is something I will never forget and I am so grateful for their creativity and support in making this sentiment come to life. Thank you to the entire Lea-Ann team for all you did!”

Read on for more of Emily and Phil’s incredible day from our lovely bride below.

How did the two of you meet?

We met online in the deep dark days of the COVID pandemic. He was the one who brought a smile to my face and a sense of comfort and love in a time that was so uncertain.

When did you realize Phil was special?

The first time he interacted with my family was a moment I will never forget. Family is everything to me and it was the first time I had ever brought a boy home to meet my parents. In true fashion, my entire family decided that they also wanted to be there for the first introduction. Obviously being a bit of a nerve-wracking situation, he exceeded all my expectations, and from that moment on, I knew that he was going to be around for a while (& now a lifetime!).

Share your engagement story!

We had planned a trip to go and visit my brother and his wife who live in Singapore. We were planning to travel to some other countries while we were there including Thailand, Vietnam and the Philippines. We spent a few days with my brother and sister-in-law in the Philippines, which was very special since we don’t get to spend a lot of time with them in person anymore. He had planned months in advance to have them not only there on the day but also be key contributors in the engagement itself. It was right at sunset on this awesome beach – and coincidentally, there were a couple of local dogs that were there with us during the proposal. We have a dog at home, and I always thought she would be there for the proposal, so it felt fitting that she was “still there in spirit with us.” The whole evening was so incredibly special and intimate and is a moment I will never forget!

What atmosphere did you want to create for your celebration?

We wanted to create a warm, and intimate environment for all our favourite people to be in one room together and just simply enjoy themselves. Our ceremony was in a chapel that has been around since 1979, and our ceremony was at a golf course that was founded in 1922. Both venues truly spoke for themselves and their rustic, historic charm was exactly what we environed for the space we said, “I Do.”

Tell us about finding your gown! What made you know it was perfect for your day?

Finding my gown was such an exciting time! I went into the search with a very (what I thought) clear understanding of what I wanted. From what I learned, it is not uncommon for brides to go a very different path from what they initially thought would be their look. Vanessa at Lea-Ann Belter in Toronto made me feel so comfortable, confident and connected to my decision to pick the “Hannah” dress. What I will never forget her saying to me was “do you want people to say wow, her dress is so beautiful or wow, look how beautiful Emily looks in that dress.” She was so helpful in all my fittings and made me feel like the most special bride right up until the day before my wedding. Thank you to the entire Lea-Ann team for all you did!

What little detail or decision are you especially glad you included?

The Lea-Ann Belter team worked with me on a very sentimental component of my veil that I am so happy I did. My maiden name is Bird and I was going to be changing my name to Smith. Having a unique last name growing up, many people actually referred to me as “Bird” or “Birdy.” My grandparents on my dad’s side also held a very special place in my heart. In their honour, I purchased two blue embroidered cranes that I wanted to be placed somewhere on my dress/veil. Cranes are known to be symbols of longevity, good fortune and wisdom. My grandparents were married for over 60 years and instilled values in us that I continue to live by each and every day. The Lea-Ann team helped my vision come to life and hand sewed the cranes in my veil. This is something I will never forget and am so grateful for their creativity and support in making this sentiment come to life.

What unexpected moment brings a smile when you think back on your day?

The minute I walked into the chapel I looked right at my only living grandparent, and also my namesake. We both instantly started crying and then I looked straight and saw the love of my life waiting for me at the altar. That is a moment I will never be able to replicate again in my life and one I will always remember.

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Tags: ballgowns, Hannah