Date

Guests

175

May 18, 2013

Ben and Alwin lived in different cities, but their stars aligned when a mutual friend arranged for all of them to go sailing on Ben's boat. "Before making it out into the Toronto harbour, Ben accidentally and (only slightly) crashed the boat into the docks," explains Alwin. "It was like the moment in the Sound of Music when Maria sat on a pinecone at dinner - awkward at the time, but it made a lasting impression! We chatted the rest of the evening and never turned back."

The couple wanted their wedding to reflect the diversity in our lives and to celebrate their love of friends and family. They both also have nieces and nephews, and made an effort to make their celebration a very kid-friendly party. "As a memento of our love for our family, we used origami butterflies as boutonnieres and corsages that we found at the Edmonton Folk Fest," shares Alwin. "Ben's family has been attending the Folk Fest for over 25 years so it was special for us to have a memento from there."

Ben and Alwin celebrated their cultural diversity by including many traditional Chinese wedding elements such as a lion dance, along with the more Western wedding traditions. Ben also worked for many years in Mexico, inspiring the couple to opt for a Mexican-themed cocktail hour, complete with a mariachi band.

Photography courtesy of Lauren Hannah Photography.

Vendors
Ceremony location: Trinity-St. Paul's United Church
Reception location: Hart House
Groom's tux: Harry Rosen and Maxwell Tailor
Cake: La Casa Dolce
Favours: Chop Chopsticks
Lion dancers: Toronto Chinese Lion Dancers Association
Music: Conor Cutz
Rings: Tiffany & Co.
Flowers: Kay & Young Florists (416-922-5651)
Stationery: Designed by the brother of the groom
Mariachi band: Mariachi Fuego

See more photos of this elegant wedding in Toronto, Ontario.