We’ve heard about honeymoon cruises, but how about meeting your partner-to-be on the high seas? Daniel and Meghan met while working on a cruise ship—he as a musician while she helped run children’s activities. We know…so many opportunities for romantic moments! The romance continued after these two disembarked, and Daniel upped the ante with a truly dreamy proposal at a Niagara winery (more on that soon!).
Daniel (an American) and Meghan (a Canadian) decided to begin their lives together in the US and set about planning a wedding in one of the country’s oldest, most historic cities—Philadelphia. Meghan had always dreamed of a large, black-tie affair, however due to the immigration process necessarily reframed her vision to something more intimate but no less elegant.
More from our beautiful bride, who was a star in her customized Astrid & Mercedes Joy gown and whose first dance song was a string quartet version of Fleetwood Mac’s “Everywhere” (!):
How did your sweetie propose?
“The Niagara region has a special place in our hearts, so he organized a private sommelier to take us around to multiple wineries. At Pillitteri Estates, he worked with the employees to have my favourite flowers places in the wine cellar on their art installation. He then got down on one knee while we took a closer at the wine barrels. It was so sweet and unexpectedly creative.”
wedding dress: Astrid & Mercedes Joy via the flagship Toronto bridal boutique | photographer: Matt Genders Photography | full vendor list below
How did you choose your gown?
“My gown process was a long one, but once I arrived at Lea-Ann Belter Bridal everything fell into place. I’m so glad that I had the support of my bridesmaids and my mother that day. When we walked into the salon we saw the Joy dress on a mannequin and both myself and one of my bridesmaids were instantly drawn to it. Once I had the dress on I fell in love and didn’t want to take it off. The raw silk fabric was so elegant, the slight raise of the hem was such a fun detail, and of course the pockets were a treat. The cherry on top was when Vanessa explained that I had ability to customize certain aspects of the gown to suit my specific taste. I had the dress hem lowered slightly, I added an extra 20 inches to the train (I think it was about 20 inches), I had more volume added to the skirt to make it fuller, I changed the straps to be slightly thinner, I had the back of the gown changed to be more open/rounded and I had a few satin buttons placed on the top of the zipper. At that point I knew that I had found my dream gown.”
Tell us about your day!
“My husband Daniel is American and lived in Philadelphia, so with the immigration process our wedding day had to be intimate. I had always dreamed of a large black-tie wedding, so I switched course and styled our day to be an elegant black-tie dinner party so we could achieve a similar feel to a large wedding. We got married in the penthouse ballroom at Davio’s in downtown Philadelphia. The building was originally a bank and the penthouse was the bank manager’s private quarters. We had our ceremony on the skyline patio which was just down the hall from our reception space. In our ceremony we included a mix of Jewish and Celtic traditions; signing of the ketubah, drinking from the kiddush cup, the seven blessings, the Celtic hand-fasting ceremony, and the ringing of the Celtic wedding bell. We had organized a string quartet to play during the ceremony, cocktail hour and our first dance. It was very important to us that we captured the metropolitan feel of being in an old historic city.“
What was your first dance song?
“Our first dance was to a string quartet composition of “Everywhere” by Fleetwood Mac. The song reminded us of our long-distance love.”
Describe your wedding day in five words or fewer:
“Elegant, Delicate, Cosmopolitan, Bliss, Serene”
What was the funniest moment of your day?
“I made Daniel promise me I wouldn’t be dropped off the chair during the traditional Jewish Horah dance, but I guess the gentlemen were stronger than they realized and I went flying.”
What was your something old, something new, something borrowed and something blue?
“My something old was also my something blue, and it was my late Grandmother’s blue Catholic Women’s Association pin which I attached to a layer of my gown. For something borrowed, my Mother lent me my late Grandfather’s handkerchief and my something new were my earrings that I picked out with my Mother.”
Three words that best describe your partner:
“Daniel is intelligent, devoted and compassionate.
Meghan is courageous, empathetic, and beautiful.”
Where did you go on your honeymoon?
“I moved to Philadelphia only a few days before our wedding, so since we are in the middle of my immigration process we chose to take a mini-moon to Key West, Florida. After our large Canadian reception next spring we will be going on a honeymoon to Switzerland.”
Any advice for future brides/grooms?
“Daniel and I were given tons of amazing advice on our wedding day but there were two specific pieces which really resonated with us. Firstly, things will inevitably go wrong but ask yourself if it will matter in five years. If it won’t, then try and brush it off and enjoy the rest of your beautiful day. Secondly, don’t keep score. Do kind gestures because you love each other not because you want or expect something in return.”
wedding dress: Astrid & Mercedes Joy via the flagship Toronto bridal boutique | photographer: Matt Genders Photography | decor + florals: Petals Lane | stationary + name cards: Rose Tree Calligraphy | venue: Davio’s Northern Italian Steakhouse in Philadelphia | groom’s custom tuxedo: Suit Supply