Intimate Backyard Wedding Bash

When it came time to celebrate their union, Terry Ann and Mark knew they wanted something unique—an event that would feel personal, meaningful, and budget-friendly. After careful thought, they decided on a backyard wedding, a perfect blend of intimacy and love. Their vision was to create a space that reflected both their African heritage and their shared passion for movies, blending the richness of their culture with the magic of film. With a classic black and white palette, accented by touches of gold, they set out to host the ultimate backyard celebration—one that was as memorable as it was beautiful.

COUPLE: Terry Ann & Mark

DATE: August 26, 2023

CEREMONY & RECEPTION LOCATION: Private Residence “We decided to have our backyard wedding because we wanted a small, intimate and cost effective way to celebrate our union with those we loved!” – T

GUEST #: 45

PHOTOGRAPHER: Fedora Media “We chose Fedora Media because out of many other choices, they just fit our price point perfectly and they had the best package for what we needed. Photography was one of the most important elements of our wedding day. I knew I wanted to ensure that the photographer we chose was able to capture all our beautiful moments. Fedora Media exceeded our expectations from the start when we did our engagement photos with them to the day of our wedding!” – T

COLOUR PALETTE: “The overall theme had a combination of African culture with our love for movies! We wanted to throw the ultimate backyard wedding! Our colours were black and white with a touch of gold.” – T

TELL US YOUR STORY: “Mark and I met on Bumble during the Pandemic. Although this was a dark time for everyone, it ended up being a silver lining for us. Because of the isolation and free time, we were in the right place at the right time and were able to make a connection. After a lot of late nights messaging back and forth, we both decided to meet face to face.

Again, this was in a time when quarantine and social distancing were at their peak but we took the risk. We met outdoors near a local coffee shop. Had some pleasant, yet nervous conversations and eventually called it a night. But as we parted ways, Mark repeatedly kept looking back as though he wanted to say something but didn’t. As he exited the parking lot I called his phone and asked if he had something to say. He explained how he was holding back the urge to kiss me before leaving, it being the pandemic and all. With very little convincing from me, he returned to the parking lot and we shared our first kiss.

After that night , we were inseparable! Taking every moment we could to see each other at our homes and just making memories together until the restrictions started lifting and we could go places together. We quickly came to realize that our relationship was a match made in heaven! It took Mark exactly one year later to pop the question and I, without hesitation said yes! We then made plans to move in together and share our lives a few months later, while planning for a wedding we knew we wanted to have happen as soon as possible!” – T

DECOR: The Rose Gold Grand Inc.

FLORAL: Costco Wholesale

BRIDES ATTIRE & ACCESSORIES: The Haven Connection, Makel Design (My dress, headpiece, earrings, and pocket squares)

GROOMS ATTIRE: Tiptop Tailors

DJ: DJ XTC Entertainment Services

HAIR & MAKE-UP: Ellegant Touches

DAY-OF-COORDINATOR: Envision Weddings + Events

OFFICIANT: “My brother and sister in law. It was a commitment ceremony.” – T

TENT RENTAL: Tiptop Tent Rentals

CATERING: Hakka Hut Indo-Chinese & Thai Cuisine

SERVICE STAFF: About Last Night Bartending & Services

BIGGEST CHALLENGE: “Our biggest challenge was that we had to start from scratch. Having a backyard wedding is no easy feat, especially when you’re the one that has to find everything required to transform it into celebratory space! We didn’t have a wedding planner because it just didn’t fit our budget however we were able to hire a day of coordinator which helped put all the pieces together during the last month leading up to our wedding day. She was a lifesaver! We had no real issues finding vendors and gathering supplies but there were some minute details that were being overlooked that our coordinator was able to provide major support for!” – T

BEST MEMORY: “My best memory was walking down the aisle with my father and son and seeing all the elements of our wedding come together so beautifully. Also seeing all our lovely family and friends that came to celebrate with us!” – T

ADVICE FROM ONE COUPLE TO ANOTHER: “My advice to couples planning their wedding, make sure to create a vision board of the elements of your wedding day that you would want to see, and make a budget. After you’ve done that, don’t overthink your ideas and choices because in the end, it will all come together wonderfully. Also, get a good day of coordinator if you can’t afford a wedding planner. They’re going to be worth the investment.” – T