I kind of love it when my biggest issue with blogging is that I have so many photos I want to post that I just can’t shave them down to a reasonable number. It’s like the images are running away on me, making their own choices, and I belong to them.

I’ve spent a full week gazing at this wedding–I just can’t take my eyes off of it.

So, here’s an unreasonable amount of photos of an unreasonably spectacular day.

This wedding was, for me, perfect in every way—but not perfect like seamless fondant on the cake and every moment timed to a ‘t’—this was the kind of serendipitous perfection that arises out of a genuine love of something and a heartfelt desire to share that love in ways that are personal and unique to the authors of the creation. It was both a wedding and a work of art. Unintentionally perfect.

Shannon & Navin had a hand in every little thing that made their wedding special–it’s incredible how you can know people for just a very short time, attend their wedding and then feel like you understand them so well.

I think the photos say it all, but I have to gush about it a little here:

Shannon got ready in a light-filled room with robin’s-egg blue walls which sits atop the cozy tasting room and wine shop on the rolling property of Ravine Vineyard in Niagara. Ravine is a little bit off the beaten track, nestled in the town of St. David’s, but is known for it’s adorable restaurant and patio and the wonderful delicacies sold in it’s specialty food shop (inside the restaurant). There are mismatched antique tables and chairs throughout the place, rustic rough wood exteriors, a beautiful forested backdrop and, of course, hills full of grapes. Staff brought up wine and peonies to the ladies, and I explored the grounds to get a sense of the day–a bold white tent filled with multi-coloured flags sewn by Shannon’s aunt, a table of photographs of the couple journeying through various parts of the world, a lemonade bar, punchy spring flowers packed into mason jars in rows down the centre of the three long guest tables, giant woodcarved numbers, a charming retro table for two—the lover’s vantage point.

For their ceremony, Shannon & Navin had everyone meander between the grapevines to a clearing at the bottom of the hill where a circle of chairs and flower petals marked the spot. Under full sun and the occasional gusty breeze, they exchanged self-written stories and vows encircled by all their people. It felt like a secret, this ceremony, like, meet at so & so place at such & such time and you’ll be witness to this sacred fleeting thing—then the chairs will be carried back, the flower petals blown away, and there will be no trace of the happening, just the bouncing of the sunlight and the buzzing of bees. It was lovely like that.

Obviously, being at a winery, with all formalities said & done, it becomes all about the wine…and champagne. Toasts were made, a few portraits taken for history’s sake, and the festivities were on. I have to mention Shannon & Navin’s impeccable taste in music here–the whole day was soundtracked to the likes of Wilco, M Ward, Van Morrison and Nina Simone. In fact, with Shannon being a graphic designer and both of them obviously sharing a profound love of music, they made their wedding invitation into a cd package that was sent out as a musical prelude to the day. I love it!

Check out Shannon’s drawing of her & Navin on their save-the-dates and the photo we took to compliment it.

Check out the ka-pow! name cards.

Check out the little booklets she made for their vows.

Check out the facebook photo seating plan board.

Okay, I’ve overflown.

I hope it’s clear S & N, I fell in love with your wedding.

I still dream about it. You two are an inspiration.

Happy long lives.

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