The Proposal
It came as no surprise when Derek and Alia really hit if off after meeting through mutual friends. When Derek knew it was time to propose, he planned something big. Always telling Alia he would never propose on Valentine’s Day, he decided to throw her off his scent. So the week before Valentine’s, he showered her with gifts and flowers, getting bigger and more elaborate every day. The day before, he delivered 100 long-stemmed red roses to Alia at her office—she could barely carry them to her car. On Valentine’s morning, he bent down on one knee and proposed marriage.
The Wedding
With just 6 months to plan their wedding, the couple knew they needed a lot of help to pull off the perfect day. Despite Alia’s career in fashion (she’s the daughter of fashion mogul Peter Nygard) and her experience planning high-stress fashion shows and directing photo shoots, she quickly realized that nothing could prepare her for planning a glam wedding with so little time. So once a week until the wedding, the couple met with Events by Emma to make sure their day was like they dreamed. The day started with an intimate first look session between the bride and groom. She sat in her father’s private plane, and he waited for her to come down the stairs. When she walked down the stairs, he said to her, “This is a special, special day.” As she wiped his tears away, they knew their perfect day had truly began.
After a private photo session at Bliss Bridal Boutique, the couple was ready to walk down the aisle at The Gates on Roblin. The ceremony took place outdoors, and Events by Emma created a very glamorous look. Chandeliers hung all down the aisle with purple mokara orchids wired to them. Wanting a very modern look, the couple had a custom acrylic canopy created for the ceremony, covered in hundreds of stems of purple and green orchids, freesia, and calla lilies. The reception was just as elaborate. Since the bride grew up in the Bahamas, 15 cultural dancers started off the reception by leading the bridal party in to dancing and island-style drumming. Guests enjoyed a martinis, oysters, and mac-tinis from food stations outside, then a family-style dinner to promote conversation and an intimate atmosphere despite the large guest list. At midnight, snacks of yam fries and beef sliders were handed out. Glamorous décor created the modern style the couple wanted, like tall candelabras filled with bouquets of white ostrich feathers, lengths of silky white fabric draping the entire ballroom, a mixture of low square floral arrangements, and a dramatic floral centrepiece setting apart the head table. The Danny Kramer Event Band performed “At Last” for their first dance as a married couple, timed perfectly with a confetti canon that showered the couple and the dance floor with metallic purple confetti at the perfect moment. And as a finale to their perfect night, a beautiful fireworks display awed the group.
The Fashion
While traveling to Paris, London, and New York for work throughout their engagement, Alia started the search for her dream dress, but felt that everything looked the same when she was looking for something truly unique. So when she popped into Bliss Bridal Boutique in Winnipeg, the Fuji gown by Pronovias jumped out at her. The strapless A-line dress with beadwork scattered throughout the bodice and ostrich feathers placed through the full length of the skirt and train was the perfect combination of glamour without being pouffy. The men wore custom-designed tuxedos from Harry Rosen Polo Park, and though the bride planned to design the bridesmaids’ dresses herself, they found beautifully understated purple gowns from 7th Avenue Bridal.
“With only 6 months to plan our wedding, we did not have a lot of time. Events by Emma’s team was so organized and guided us through everything. Emma really understood our vision and listened to all our requests. She kept saying that she wanted the wedding to be a reflection of Derek and myself, and it was!” —Alia
Bride: Alia Nygard
Groom: Derek Daneault
Date of Wedding: July 31, 2011
Number of Guests: 400
Ceremony and Reception Location: The Gates on Roblin
Weather: Sunny and hot
Photo Locations: Private Nygard jet, Bliss Bridal Boutique, The Gates on Roblin
by Joel
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