Maria in Vancouver
Guide to Planning a Wedding in 2 Months
By Matte Laurel-Zalko
Are you recently engaged and find yourself in a bit of a pickle because you and your fiancé have only a short amount of time to plan, organise and execute your dream wedding? Fret not, my friend. I was once in your situation and believe it or not, my then fiancé and I were able to pull off a romantic mountaintop wedding with a huge help from our nearest and dearest friends.
Photo courtesy of Vancouver’s top photographer, William Orsua.
Below are the following steps that we did to ensure that our wedding went through without a major hitch:
- Establish a theme for your wedding. It really helps to establish a theme so you can find a creative inspiration to build your wedding plans from.
- Next, establish your budget and you must stick with it. This is a must and extremely important to have an allotted budget to ensure that you can afford your dream wedding.
- Then, you have to establish your guest list and keep it small. The good thing about having a short time frame of organising your wedding is that your guest count will most likely be lower if people have less time to plan for it. Keep your wedding plans simple and circus-free!
- Next, do your research well! I can’t stress enough how important it is to do an extensive research on ceremony and reception venues, officiants, live entertainment, videographer, photographer, hair stylists and makeup artists.
- Buy your wedding dress/groom’s suit off the rack. When you’re pressed for time, head to a bridal salon and see what’s available. Gown salons usually have the widest array of dresses and that’s the best place to start when it comes to finding your dream wedding gown or your groom’s suit. That’s what I did! I bought my wedding gown off the rack and had it altered minimally.
- Book your preferred vendors immediately. Once you’ve settled with your preferred vendors, book them right away!
- Choose a weekday to exchange your vows. If you’re majorly short on time for preparing your wedding, choose a weekday to have your wedding, because venues and vendors are more likely to be available than a prime weekend date.
- For reception, choose a restaurant. It’s always easier and more practical to hold it in a restaurant so you don’t have to worry about searching for an outside caterer or other rentals.
- For wedding invitations, send a digital one. Use your engagement photos as an invitation — by going digital, you save time, money and most importantly, trees!
- Choose your entourage well just like you choose your inner circle well! It is also extremely important for the Bride to be surrounded by a trusted entourage who will help them execute their wedding plans to perfection.
- Take the time to relax on your wedding day. Remember that all weddings aren’t perfect weddings in real life. There’s bound to be some hiccups but accept it with grace and pat yourself on your back because you were able to pull off a wedding in such a short time. On the day of your wedding, sit back, enjoy and savour every moment because you’re both meant to be there because of love and commitment.
Photo courtesy of Vancouver’s top photographer, William Orsua,
I want to share how our own wedding turned out in spite of being pressed for time when it came to organising it. First, let’s go down the memory lane and revisit how our love story started. Ron Zalko, Vancouver, Canada’s legendary Fitness Guru, Architect, Visionary, Founder of Ironman Canada, and Owner/CEO of Ron Zalko Fitness and Yoga met yours truly, Matte Laurel, a Filipina-Canadian former hotelier, restaurateur, and at present, a lifestyle columnist (Maria in Vancouver) on September 8, 2018 through a blind date set up by our mutual friend, international actor, Byron Mann.
Our first date lasted for 7 hours. We were supposed to meet only for an afternoon tea at the Westin Bayshore Hotel in Vancouver; the afternoon tea turned into happy hour at Cardero’s, a swanky restaurant in the idyllic neighbourhood of Coal Harbour where I lived with my only son. Ron and I enjoyed each other’s company so much, our happy hour turned into a 4-hour dinner at another restaurant next door, Lift Bar and Grille Restaurant. Ron and I discovered on our first date that we had a lot of things to talk about; we found each other conversationally stimulating; we both share a quirky sense of humour, and we both move in the same circle in Vancouver.
Photo courtesy of Vancouver’s top photographer, William Orsua.On our second date (which Ron already scheduled during our first date), we both agreed to get rid of all our online dating app profiles. Ron and I closed all our dating profiles on Tinder, Bumble, Match and EHarmony. Ron and I dated exclusively and after a year of dating, we started living together and working together professionally in Ron’s business. The pandemic brought us even closer as a couple.
The fact that we can live and work together 24/7 over the last three years and nine months while living amidst a pandemic says a lot about our relationship. We experienced the highest of highs and the lowest of lows and we learned to appreciate each other more because we were at both ends of the spectrum as a couple. Believe it or not, the COVID lockdown brought us even closer together; we are so comfortable with each other; we love how we can be our natural selves and feel so at home with each other.
Photo courtesy of Vancouver’s top photographer, William Orsua.
Ron proposed on the morning of May 25, 2022 after 3 years and nine months of being together. He proposed behind closed doors at the private room at Tiffany & Co. jewellery store in Vancouver. Ron arranged a breakfast proposal complete with croissants au jambon et au fromage, Laduree macarons, and Ruinart champagne. For our engagement, Ron told me about his plans to propose a week before and so it wasn’t really a surprise. I decided to dress up for the proposal channelling Audrey Hepburn’s Holly Golightly character in Breakfast at Tiffany’s. Ron arranged for a videographer and a photographer to capture our engagement.
Ron asked me to have breakfast at Tiffany’s and he meticulously chose to have our engagement ring custom made by Tiffany’s (coordinated via their NY headquarters) because he knew that Breakfast at Tiffany’s has always been my most beloved and number one all-time favourite movie. When I was a single mom for 21 years, I used to watch it every Sunday dreaming and hoping for my very own Paul Varjak! As a single Mom, I didn’t date for 21 years! I was focused on raising my only son on my own. When Ron entered our (my son and mine’s) lives in 2018, that was the turning point — from that day onwards, my son and I shared our daily lives with Ron. When Ron proposed in May 2022, that day, William and I realised that we’re now going to be a family of 6 (Us three and Ron’s son, Dorian and his wife, Suba, and their baby girl, Mia). After the breakfast proposal at Tiffany’s, Ron and I went for a romantic stroll at Stanley Park. It was extremely thoughtful and romantic of Ron to organise, arrange, and come up with an engagement proposal that has a connection with my favourite movie; Ron turned my dream into our reality.
Photo courtesy of Vancouver’s top photographer, William Orsua.
Also, Ron asked me five months before the breakfast proposal at Tiffany’s if I could give him an idea on what type of ring I would wear. I’ve always wanted a blue gem stone because I’ve always admired Princess Diana’s rings (I’m also a huge fan of Catherine, the Duchess of Cambridge) — her sapphire engagement ring and her aquamarine ring. Ron had an engagement ring especially custom made to represent many special hidden meanings in our lives. The centre stone is a 22-carat emerald cut Aquamarine, set on a yellow gold band. Aquamarine is often associated with hope, fidelity, serenity, tranquillity, and universal harmony. It apparently helps sustain and blossom love in marriage and relationships.
Photo courtesy of Vancouver’s top photographer, William Orsua.
Ron and I didn’t want a long engagement because we’ve been together long enough to know that we wanted to be each other’s happily ever after. Ron and I agreed to set our wedding date on July 25, 2022 — a Monday and at 12 noon. Pressed for time and with only exactly two months to prepare for our union, Ron and I decided to have a micro wedding rather than a huge wedding. Ron and I also knew that we wanted a solemn and an intimate ceremony celebrated with only our nearest and dearest close friends whom we call our chosen family. Our intimate wedding was so exclusive — we narrowed down our guest list to only 12 invitees! We didn’t hire any wedding planners or stylists. We were on our own and we happily took on the Herculean task of arranging and organising our wedding on a tight timeline. Ron and I also wanted a simple and fuss-free after ceremony reception.
Photo courtesy of Vancouver’s top photographer, William Orsua.
I am most fortunate that I had a background and experience in planning and executing events because I used to be a former hotelier and a restaurateur so I was able to use my skills and expertise. We were also fortunate that my then future husband, Ron, was an expert in executing plans and making things happen. We both did our research on who to contact locally in Vancouver when it came to floral decorations, live entertainment, officiant, hair stylists, makeup artists, photography, videography, and reception venue.
Ron and I organised and coordinated our wedding with the idea that if the movie Breakfast at Tiffany’s had a wedding scene for its ending, it’s going to look very much like our micro wedding day — an intimate mountaintop wedding! We focused and concentrated on that particular theme but with a twist — it was Breakfast at Tiffany’s meets My Best Friend’s Wedding.
Photo courtesy of Vancouver’s top photographer, William Orsua.The end result was truly an enchanting experience in the middle of wilderness on a mountaintop complete with other fascinating details such as the releasing of butterflies during the ceremony, purple statice flowers on purple baskets, and the bride’s classic posy of white Colombian roses and baby’s breath. Our colour motif was 2022’s Pantone colour, very peri, which was worn by the bridal entourage which consisted of six Fairy Goddesses (Instead of having bridesmaids, we opted for using the term, “Fairy Goddesses”). The Fairy Goddesses happen to be the bride’s tribe of amazing and successful Filipina-Canadian business women/best friends in Vancouver. The Fairy Goddesses sprinkled mauve rose petals during the bridal procession and released 30 live Painted Lady butterflies during the ceremony. Ron’s best man was the actor Byron Mann. While I was given away by my only son, my unico hijo William.
Photo courtesy of Vancouver’s top photographer, William Orsua.
I was extremely fortunate that I had a wonderful support system from my small circle of female best friends whom I refer to as my Sisterhood Tribe! During our wedding, instead of using the term “bridesmaids”, I opted for the term “Fairy Goddesses”, simply because they are that! My girlfriends are successful Filipina-Canadian businesswomen juggling family life in Vancouver and yet they are the kindest, most generous souls a woman could have in her life. They are my chosen sisters. Our wedding would not have turned out as successful as it did if it weren’t for my girlfriends’ organisational skills!
One of them whom I call my Tequila BFF, Liberty, helped me throughout the day before my wedding and during our wedding day. She and her husband Danny stayed by my side and Ron’s side. Our best friends Michelle, Malu, Tessa, Mylene, and Babes coordinated the day of the wedding making sure everything ran smoothly. They even sang and recorded the song “I Say a Little Prayer” as our first dance as a couple at our dinner reception. Babes was their director and organised the recording of the song. Fairy Goddess Michelle was my go-to for my “something borrowed” item.
Photo courtesy of Vancouver’s top photographer, William Orsua.At one point during the wedding, before the ceremony, I misplaced my wedding band so I ended up borrowing Michelle’s wedding band during the ring exchange! I met all my Fairy Goddesses through a long time family friend, Tessa — she’s been a great friend to my family throughout the years! Tessa, Malu, and Mylene helped with the overall coordination before and during our micro wedding. We’re extremely blessed to have our Fairy Goddesses in our lives indeed!
Photo courtesy of Vancouver’s top photographer, William Orsua.
For our intimate ceremony, Ron and I chose the panoramic Howe Sound Lookout at the Sea to Sky Gondola location. It is located on Highway 99 just south of Squamish, a scenic 45-minute drive from downtown Vancouver. A 10-minute gondola ride will take you up to a truly magical place with some of the most spectacular views you will ever see. Our intimate wedding venue was 3,000 feet above sea level overlooking water, mountains, and fjords.
As you rise from the water’s edge on the valley floor, the view opens up before you: the bright blue water of Howe Sound, dotted with green islands and backed by the steep mountains of the Coast Range; the majestic Stawamus Chief; and a bird’s eye view of the town of Squamish with the rugged, snow-capped mountains to the north. With such a breathtaking “deep in nature” setting, we didn’t need to spend a fortune on flowers and decoration. We allowed nature to do its wonders in decorating our nuptials. The only man-made decor we had was a gold circle arch draped with lush greenery bedecked with white summer floral courtesy of Elle Weddings, which served as an additional backdrop aside from the mountains and fjords in the background.
Photo courtesy of Vancouver’s top photographer, William Orsua.We also specifically chose a woman officiant, Erika Enns, from Vancouver’s top and award-winning company for wedding officiants, Young, Hip, and Married company to conduct and preside over our wedding ceremony. My other half, Ron was born in Jerusalem and is a proud Israeli Navy Officer before he became Vancouver’s Fitness Guru so we incorporated a few Jewish wedding traditions such as the Circling or Hakafot, a beautiful Jewish tradition (where the bride circles the groom seven times) and the Groom’s breaking of the glass at the end of the ceremony. What a meaningful way to honour Ron’s heritage! Ron and I wanted a short and sweet ceremony that wouldn’t go beyond 25 minutes. Oh, and we also wrote our own vows!
We also hired harpist Melissa Heartt to play during our ceremony. The harpist played the song “La Vie En Rose” during the processional walk down the aisle for the Fairy Goddesses. I chose a different processional music during my walk down the aisle. I walked towards my groom to the tune of “Moon River”, the theme song from the classic movie, Breakfast at Tiffany’s which also served as my “something borrowed”. I specifically chose Moon River because I could totally relate to its lyrics and because again, my DVD of the movie, Breakfast at Tiffany’s is one of my most treasured possessions.
Photo courtesy of Vancouver’s top photographer, William Orsua.
My “something blue” was, of course, my custom made Tiffany & Co. 22.22-carat aquamarine engagement ring with yellow gold butterfly and eleven diamonds. I also matched my engagement ring with aquamarine earrings from a jeweller in Tel Aviv, Israel — a thoughtful anniversary present from Ron.
Our “something old” were both our age! Kidding aside, Ron and I are both grateful we found each other at a later stage in our lives — it’s true, you really do save the best for last!
Photo courtesy of Vancouver’s top photographer, William Orsua.
My “something new” was my wedding dress. My wedding gown with its’ portrait neckline and full skirt is a modern nod to the wedding gown that First Lady Jackie Kennedy wore at her wedding to JFK. The gown was made by the House of San Patrick of Pronovias, a wedding dress design power-brand based in Barcelona. The gown is from San Patrick’s 2015 wedding Glamour collection. It’s a princess style ball gown with a drop waist — where the Alençon lace (handmade from Normandy), the volume of the gown, and the French silk tulle — make the most of the feminine silhouette.
I also opted for a matching fingertip Mantilla length veil trimmed with Alençon lace. Just like the Duchess of Cambridge’s wedding gown, it’s devoid of the trendy 3-D floral appliqués and trendy embellishments; the floral lace were all hand embroidered and added into ivory silk tulle — the old-fashioned way. For me, it has always been less is more. I decided on a classic Princess ball gown style without the embellishments but with lots of hand embroidered Alençon lace, pearls, and lots of tulle because for me, it represents every woman’s fantasy of a traditional fairytale wedding.
Photo courtesy of Vancouver’s top photographer, William Orsua.
My groom wore a bespoke charcoal suit and a very peri silk tie from Brooks Brothers to match his classic black leather shoes (also from the same shop). Ron also wore a black Italian linen shirt from Brooks Brothers. He accessorised with his Tiffany platinum wedding band with a solitaire diamond ring (a post engagement present from yours truly), and an elegant white Colombian rose with baby’s breath boutonnière.
Photo courtesy of Vancouver’s top photographer, William Orsua.
Both my hair and makeup was done by Vancouver’s award-winning makeup artist, Faye Smith. I chose to wear my hair down, parted on the side with glamorous old style Hollywood waves. I had smokey eyes and nude matte lips. It’s all contoured and full of glam! Oh and yes, I wore Chanel No. 5 to my special day!
Photo courtesy of Vancouver’s top photographer, William Orsua.
The Bride’s Court of Honour, the Fairy Goddesses wore different shades of very peri from lavender, to purple to lilac and with different styles that complemented their individual characteristics. I gave my Fairy Goddesses a free hand when it came to choosing their gowns, their style, and their shades of very peri. I wanted their respective characters to shine through during our wedding. Incidentally, my Fairy Goddesses found their respective gowns from online shopping — through SHEIN!
Photo courtesy of Vancouver’s top photographer, William Orsua.
After we were pronounced as husband and wife, we signed our marriage licence while the harpist played “What A Wonderful World” in the background. We ended our wedding ceremony by having our first dance as a couple. Instead of having our first dance during the ceremony, we opted to have it right after the signing of our marriage licence. We danced to the tune of Michael Buble’s song, “Sway”, played by our harpist. This song also served as our recessional music! How utterly romantic! As we danced, the Fairy Goddesses showered Ron and me with more mauve rose petals.
Since our wedding was held at noon, Ron and I also prepared a light picnic at the ceremony venue in the middle of the wilderness. Together with our 12 guests, and our vendors, we all enjoyed a delicious spread of Middle Eastern bagel sandwiches such as wild smoked salmon, turkey, Parma ham, and smoked meat. We also served bourekas (popular baked pastries in Sephardic Jewish cuisine and Israeli cuisine), semolina cakes, and baklavas. After our picnic, our entourage traversed the dramatic 100 metre long suspension bridge to enjoy the jaw dropping views of the mountains, coastline and valleys — all the way up to the main deck for our champagne toast. After 3pm, our party drove all the way back to Yaletown (downtown Vancouver) to our dinner reception — it was a scenic one and a half hour drive.
Photo courtesy of Vancouver’s top photographer, William Orsua.Ron and I are both foodies and wine enthusiasts. For our dinner wedding reception, we decided to have a sit down 4-course plated dinner at the Atlantic private dining room of Vancouver’s fine dining restaurant specialising in seafood West Coast cuisine. Blue Water Cafe is Vancouver’s definitive destination for seafood, and consistently awarded Best Seafood Restaurant in Vancouver. Housed in a handsome brick and beam heritage warehouse conversion, Blue Water Cafe is in the heart of the historic and vibrant Yaletown neighbourhood in Vancouver.
An anchor in Vancouver’s culinary landscape, Blue Water Cafe is lauded as the City’s definitive destination for seafood. Executive Chef Frank Pabst is known for his innovative and brilliantly executed West Coast plates, that showcase the freshest and most sustainable local fin and shellfish.
Photo courtesy of Vancouver’s top photographer, William Orsua.
Enhanced by the intuitive service from Stephan Cachard’s dedicated team, the dynamic dining room provides action views of the opposing ‘East meets West’ kitchen and raw bar. The sweeping main bar leads out to the heated patio and the private wine room holds the extensive award-winning wine and bubble selection.
Photo courtesy of Vancouver’s top photographer, William Orsua.
Our 12 guests feasted on a mouthwatering 4-course menu. We were served a welcome drink — the couple’s signature drink, the “Ron and Matte Very Peri Champagne Cocktail” (this personalised cocktail has a touch of violet liqueur, a splash of lemon, and is topped with brut champagne). The first course was a Seafood Tower, a selection of oysters and sushi, prawns, steelhead tartare, seared red tuna, clams, mussels, and scallop ceviche paired with Taittinger Cuvée Prestige, Brut from France’s famous Champagne House, Taittinger.
Photo courtesy of Vancouver’s top photographer, William Orsua.
The second course was a choice of either the Dungeness Crab and Shrimp Cake(avocado crema, baby arugula, harissa aioli), or Seasonal Mixed Greens of blueberries, shaved fennel, pistachio crumble elderflower pink peppercorn dressing or Carrot Soup (with tamarind crumble, duck prosciutto marcona almonds, citrus crème fraiche) and was paired with Château d’Esclans Whispering Angel, Côtes de Provence 2021 rosé wine.
Photo courtesy of Vancouver’s top photographer, William Orsua.
For the main course or principal plates, the guests had a choice of either West Coast Sablefish with miso sake glaze, baby bok choy, edamame, quinoa shiitake mushrooms, dashi with soy and yuzu or Alberta Beef Tenderloin paired with broccolini, grape tomatoes, roasted potato cake pearl onions, bordelaise sauce with fresh thyme. For vegetarians, they can choose to have the Baked Polenta with Truffle Miso served with sautéed mushrooms, zucchini, broccolini, roasted red pepper sauce, and parsley pesto. The principal plate was paired either with a Californian white wine, Buehler Vineyards Russian River Valley Chardonnay, Sonoma County 2018 or Catena Appellation Vista Flores Malbec, Mendoza 2019 — a delicious red wine from Argentina.
Photo courtesy of Vancouver’s top photographer, William Orsua.
For the dessert, everyone was offered either sorbet or Lime Panna Cotta served with mango compote and mango spice gelato or they could also choose to have Pistachio Creme Brulee with silky chocolate mousse, and apricot coulis — the last course was paired with Blue Mountain R.D., Brut rosé.
Photo courtesy of Vancouver’s top photographer, William Orsua.
Vancouver’s top French bakery, Ganache Patisserie, baked our wedding cake. It was a small three-tier buttercream cake decorated with classic fondant drapes, white fondant butterflies, fresh white roses and cascades of baby’s breath. Ron and I went for traditional cake flavours! The bottom tier was a moist chocolate cake with salted caramel filling. The second tier was a red velvet cake with cream cheese filling. The top layer was a vanilla cake infused with the couple’s favourite champagne, Taittinger brut champagne filling.
Photo courtesy of Vancouver’s top photographer, William Orsua.
We also had another memorable couple’s dance during our dinner reception. This time, we danced while being serenaded by our Fairy Goddesses with the theme song from the movie, “My Best Friend’s Wedding” — I Say a Little Prayer. My “Sisterhood Tribe” recorded the song and gave it as part of their wedding gifts to Ron and I!
Like all weddings, it had its share of imperfect moments such as: one of the roses in my bridal bouquet was a different shade of white, we didn’t know our formation because we never had a wedding rehearsal, everything was done impromptu; I accidentally misplaced my wedding band and so I had to borrow my best friend, Michelle’s own wedding band; my Gen Z son forgot to remove the Hugo Boss red label on his suit; my son ended up tapping my groom during the first look when it was supposedly to have only been me; the time (noon) of the wedding presented harsh lighting for photography; we bungled up our vows! But much to our surprise, when we saw the video and the photos, everything looked absolutely perfect! Our photographer and videographer captured what mattered most on that day: the love between myself and my husband, the genuine happiness that everyone felt that day! That’s all that truly mattered! Our wedding turned out to be imperfectly perfect!
Photo courtesy of Vancouver’s top photographer, William Orsua.
Here’s a link to our wedding teaser on You Tube: https://youtu.be/EM8c30pHw4o
Here’s a link to our engagement video: https://mediazilla.com/HwsWCsIKdy
