Date

Guests

65

October 27, 2012

For his surprise proposal, Nick planned a romantic weekend trip up north at a lodge in the Kawarthas for Gwen's birthday. On the Sunday, after a day of snow-shoeing, skating and laughing at each other's outdoorsy skills (or lack thereof), Nick rushed Gwen back to their room so they could catch the sunset. "Knowing he wanted to propose, Nick had us upgraded to a room that boasted the best views of the sunset," recalls Gwen. "He lit a fire and surprised me by pulling an ice bucket and Veuve out from a hiding spot. I didn't think anything of it since it was the day after my birthday." Gwen didn't think twice when he pulled out a box of fancy chocolates from their favourite local shop, Ambiance in Toronto's Leslieville. "He asked me to dig through the box to find this jalapeño flavour they had told him was delicious, so I did, and there was a ring box!" Gwen exclaims. "The best part was that he caught the entire proposal on video from his iPhone, which he had casually placed on a staircase hoping it would at least catch the audio." Luckily, it framed the couple perfectly with the sunset in the background. "We've watched it a couple of times since then, and it's such a great memento to have."

For their autumn wedding, Nick and Gwen opted for a chic, vintage theme with lots of antique copper and brass vases, burlap and twine, mixing in polished accents like black and cream ribbon and all-white flowers. Their ceremony and reception were held at St. Lawrence Market in Toronto, which provided the perfect atmosphere for their antique motif. Gwen's favourite moment of the day was when her mom ironed her wedding dress while she was wearing it! "As there were no outlets in the bathrooms, we stood in the hallway of the St. Lawrence Market," laughs Gwen.

Gwen McAuley and Nicolas Matsell, October 27, 2012, Toronto, Ontario.

Vendors
Ceremony and reception location: St. Lawrence Market
Bridal gown: J. Crew
Hair and makeup: Meghan Morrow
Groom's tux: Hugo Boss
Cake: Made by a friend of the bride
Caterer: Petite Thuet
Favours: St. Lawrence Market
Music: Aaron Milic of After Hours Harmony
Stationery: Ashley Leder and Cry If I Want To
Bridal bouquet: Quince Flowers