I’ve been to a lot of insanely beautiful weddings and I have to say, Ali & Derek’s Belcroft Estate Wedding is one of the loveliest I’ve seen. The venue and details were all stunning but what made it truly wonderful was the warmth, laughter, and love that filled the day from start to finish. I could tell you alllll about this story but I’m going to let Ali & Derek tell you about their big day in their own words below. Thank you so much for having us guys – we love you so much! Huge thanks to Belcroft Estate Weddings for being such gracious hosts, can’t wait to come back!
Derek and I (Ali) met in high school, in our grade ten history class to be exact! We have been together for 11 years. Derek proposed to me on January 29th, 2017 the first day we had just moved into our new home. He had been to the house before me and had rose petals & flowers leading me to him on his one knee. Corny, but it was cute & perfect just us in the privacy of our new home.
Our inspiration was something outdoors in the summer breeze with lots of greenery surrounding us. Our venue (Belcroft Estate) was everything we could have dreamed of and we had the perfect weather to make this venue/ day even more enjoyable. We wanted an effortless day for ourselves and our guests. Guests could just show up and enjoy themselves while celebrating our special day.
The tent at Belcroft Estate offered us everything we wanted and made it so easy to bring our vision to life, with some greenery, flowers and candles to add ambiance. The grounds, ponds, outdoor fireplace, LOVE sign and so much more were what attracted us to this venue. All of the above made for great photo opportunities for guests and a fun and memorable night for everyone. A good time for all is exactly what we were aiming for.
Our wedding party was top notch- Our friends and family who have been with us since the beginning of our relationship and have witnessed us grow into who we are today. Such kind, supportive and fun people. The best you could ask for.
We opted to have an “Unplugged Ceremony”. I’m not sure everyone listened but definitely more people were tuned in to us and the ceremony rather than focused on their devices and trying to get their own perfect picture. I would recommend others to go with an unplugged ceremony!
Some special moments from our day included getting ready with our friends the morning of. We loved that the day didn’t fly by and everyone was able to genuinely enjoy themselves. Seeing the venue/ceremony space decorated with the vision we had been planning for 16 months was amazing. It came together thanks to “Posh Beyond Events” and “Cabin Calligraphy” for the amazing signs/seating chart.
Our first look was super important to us and made both of us feel more at ease. Also, doing the first look did not take away from Derek seeing me as I walked down the aisle. It gave us a chance to see each other for a few minutes to take in the moment and chat before the ceremony because after that the night just flew by.
I also loved driving in the old car with my dad over to the ceremony- allowed for some one on one time to just sit back and chat.
One of my very favourite moments was when we were introduced for the reception and the DJ got everyone up to the dance floor, this was fun to see everyone run up to the dance floor and set the stage for the night.
I’d give other couples this advice:
Relax, don’t sweat the small stuff – nobody will notice if something didn’t go as planned.
Enjoy the day with your girls/guys. Try to absorb everything.
If you can hire somebody or delegate family to do the decor/take down at the end of the night so you don’t have to worry about it.
The night will fly by, you can’t speak to everyone and thats okay. People understand.
Enjoy yourself.
Want to see more of this gorgeous pair? Check out their Engagement Session Here!!
Belcroft Estate Wedding | Alliston Wedding Photographer | Unplugged Wedding | Toronto Wedding Photographer
Vendor Team:
Venue: Belcroft Estate
Hair & Makeup: Waking Up Sexy
Officiant: Tom Cooke
DJ: DJ Gary G
Caterer: Cabral Catering
Florals & Decor: Posh Beyond Events
Signage & Lettering: Cabin Calligraphy
Videography: SunMoon Media
Desserts: CupKates & Kate
Latenight Pizza: Bonfire Catering
Limo: Rosemont Limousines
