Church is a big part of Ivony and Philip’s lives—these two met and have spent a lot of time together at their church in Toronto. So, when they went on a trip to Rome with Ivony’s family and Philip insisted on revisiting Chiesa Nuova, an ancient church in Rome important to both of them, she didn’t think anything of it. That is, until he proposed! Shares our sweet bride, “As my family and our friend prayed in the pews, he led me to the main altar, knelt down and proposed. Much to my surprise, everyone was in on it and they were secretly filming the whole thing. I said yes, of course, and we went to celebrate at a rooftop restaurant in Piazza della Minerva.”
Once back home, the two set about planning a big June wedding, until the world was turned on its head due to the pandemic. They decided to postpone until fall when they were wed in a smaller ceremony incorporating Filipino traditions and celebrated with an intimate reception. Explains Ivony, “Our ceremony took place at the church where we met and spent a lot of our time. This was so important to us because all of the parishioners, priests, and brothers are like family. We decided to incorporate Filipino traditions to the ceremony, which included candles, a veil, a chord, and coins. Each aspect is administered by “sponsors,” who in our case were close friends and family. The candles represent the presence of God in our married life, the coins represent a promise to care for and love another, the veil a symbol of unity and purity, and chord symbolizing the unbreakable bond of marriage. After the ceremony, our very good priest friend drove us in a vintage Mustang to our reception. The food was amazing and the company was even better. Although we weren’t able to dance, everyone enjoyed catching up and spending quality time with each other. It was an amazing day!”
Read more about Philip and Ivony’s celebration and how she found the perfect gown below from our bride, whose first dance with Phillip was to “Can’t Help Falling in Love” by Elvis Presley, played on the violin by their good friend, Hiro!
How did you choose your gown?
“Lea-Ann Belter was one of my top choices of stores to check out in Toronto because I loved the traditional French laces and classic styles. As soon as I spoke with Vanessa and started trying on gowns, I knew I would eventually find my dress there. I was having trouble finding modest styles at other stores but Vanessa was so helpful in suggesting customizations to make exactly what I had in mind. When I finally settled on a design but wasn’t convinced on the lace, she showed me another pattern that I immediately fell in love with. I later learned that the flowers were roses, which was extra special because that’s my middle name!”
wedding dress: custom Lea-Ann Belter via the flagship Toronto bridal boutique | photographer: Nate Kim Photography | full vendor list below
Tell us about your day!
“Our original wedding date was June 20, 2020 and we were expecting to invite over 200 people, but we made the difficult decision to postpone until September 26th after the government put a 10-person limit on all gatherings, including ceremonies. It worked out for the best because by the time our new date came around, we were able to have 50 people at a reception. Unfortunately, there were still limitations on the number of people at the ceremony so our videographers live-streamed it.
Our ceremony took place at the church where we met and spent a lot of our time. This was so important to us because all of the parishioners, priests, and brothers are like family. We decided to incorporate Filipino traditions to the ceremony, which included candles, a veil, a chord, and coins. Each aspect is administered by “sponsors,” who in our case were close friends and family. The candles represent the presence of God in our married life, the coins represent a promise to care for and love another, the veil a symbol of unity and purity, and chord symbolizing the unbreakable bond of marriage. After the ceremony, our very good priest friend drove us in a vintage Mustang to our reception. The food was amazing and the company was even better. Although we weren’t able to dance, everyone enjoyed catching up and spending quality time with each other. It was an amazing day!”
Three words that best describe Philip:
“He’s patient, funny, and reliable.”
Any advice for future planning couples?
“Don’t be afraid to ask for help. Your friends and family want your day to go as perfectly as you do! If you’re not going to have a wedding coordinator, loop your bridal party into the plan for the day so that they can keep an eye out for what’s happening next and you can relax and take it all in. But make sure to be thorough and give them all they need to succeed.”
