Often people ask me: what makes a wedding great? What can I add to my wedding day to create a better experience for my guest?

June and Van’s wedding at Ancaster Fairgrounds was just that, a perfect example of what makes a great wedding day. At Gentle Planner, we had the unique privilege of working with this pair to experience something really special. We worked backwards from our main attraction, the couple. By understanding their wedding day needs we collaborated on a clear timeline for their priorities. With a coordinated rehearsal we led at Ancaster Fairgrounds, the family and couple felt comfortable and the wedding day went seamlessly.

Our goal is to lead with the heart. Which is why Gentle Planner encourages couples to create a wedding day that represents their love story and add experiences that are special to them. When I met June she shared how the wedding guest experience is the most important to them as they want their family and friends to have a great time and enjoy themselves. She also wanted to ensure her family did not have to stress on the day-off to figure out any last minute details. Furthermore, June requested that vendors had a clear point of contact for the day to streamline proceedings. As their wedding coordinator, Gentle Planner took care of any hurdles that occurred prior to the start of the wedding day, collaborated closely with vendors for any questions they had, and encouraged the couple to relax and take in the day and enjoy the drinks and food.

We supported June & Van to memorialise their special day with sunset photos. During the main course, our team put in enough buffer space into the timeline so that the couple was able to leave the dinner to have a private photoshoot with their photographer and videographer. This allowed them to have some alone time on their wedding day and it led to a few of the most spectacular shots in their photo collection.

The couple also had a traditional Chinese Tea Ceremony on their wedding day. When incorporating a Chinese Tea Ceremony in the timeline, it is important to consider the time it takes to change outfits, take photos, and the ceremony itself. After taking a note of all the various factors, June and Van were not sure if there would be enough time for this. At Gentle Planner we moved quickly to secure added time to incorporate the culture and heritage on their wedding day. With swift changes to their wedding timeline, this tradition was a unique and beautiful moment to share with their families.

And that was June & Van’s wedding day! Here are is the community behind the magic that made their wedding day great.

The People- Guests, family, and friends are an important part of your wedding day. June and Van both had supportive families who helped them in the wedding preparations and were ready to celebrate their special occasion. The dance floor and bar were full throughout the night. They were surrounded by lovely people to celebrate their union and love story. Their toasts were filled with laughter and struck a perfect balance between sentimental and comedy in the best way possible. A wedding is truly a celebration of your love and the people around you make a big difference in how your wedding day goes. It was such a privilege to be part of their experience with so much joy, love, and warmth.

DIY Wedding Magic- Ancaster Fairgrounds is a blank slate. You have flexibility to arrange everything that you want to bring in to the space. With the high ceilings in this venue, you can create any kind of design you want. The downside is you have to be more organized and contract more vendors compared to an all inclusive venue. June and Van created beautiful floral arrangements, table settings, and worked with vendors for various rentals. They also designed a unique and interactive dessert wall which had mini cakes guests could choose to eat. For those renting this space: ensure that you can rent it for additional days (if needed) to have a day for set up and tear down. June & Van provided alcohol used for their reception, complete with speciality drinks. Also, do not forget to consider your audio visual and lighting if you are using a venue that is similar to a community centre. The couple had personal name cards for each guest. This is not a necessity but we feel it always makes guest feel wanted on your wedding day. For those considering doing more DIY projects for your wedding day: start early, delegate tasks and create a checklist of the to do’s. DIY projects can be fun and June & Van are a great example of how the can be a part of beautiful wedding day, but they do take time and commitment.

Love Story - Do not forget your personalities and love story when you plan your wedding. June & Van integrated that elegantly into their wedding day. The couple is fun, light hearted, foodies, and connected. The couple reflected this in many aspects of their wedding day, they had fusion food and lots of interesting appetizers by Enville Catering. They also had a Saxophonist open the dance floor as they enjoy jazz and with only three toasts, they kept their agenda short to prioritize the fun stuff. They had enough drinks for an open bar with lots of different drink options and had an intimate and traditional family ceremony with 20 guests. They kept their ceremony intimate with thoughtful vows.

That’s the amazing time Gentle Planner had in coordinating June & Van’s wedding. If you would like to chat about your wedding day needs we would love to hear from you. Inquire with us here.

Vendor Team:
Gentle Planner
Kendra Ruth Photography
Ancaster Fairgrounds, Jerseyville, ON
Raw Media
La Patisserie
Enville Catering
Complete Rent-Alls

All the photos featured in the gallery have been taken by Kendra Ruth Photography.