Dreamy wedding at The Falls Inn & Spa overlooking Walters Falls
Couple:
Amanda & Stephen
Location:
Walter’s Falls
From the Photographer:
When Stephen and Amanda reached out to me, I immediately fell in love with them! They have been together for 8 years and they are the type of couple that can spend every minute of everyday together and not get tired of it or fight. They are fun, playful and truly adore each other! You know that saying about 'You will find love when you aren't looking'? That was Amanda. When the two of them met, Amanda was a student and was determined not to get distracted while she was finishing school. When she met Stephen, they had an instant connection and all of her plans to avoid distractions vanished haha! Isn't that the thing about love? You don't choose it, it chooses you. They are why I am so excited about featuring their wedding. It was a day to celebrate them and their love!
- Loni Carroll, Loni Carroll Photography
From the Couple:
How did you choose your venue?: We had started planning the wedding about 9 months before the date we wanted to get married, and so we were having some difficulty finding a venue that was still available and within our budget. I was pretty set on the date and didn't want to change it. Then I remembered this great little place that my mom and I had spent a girls weekend at. The Falls Inn. I immediately thought, that's the place! I remember how much we enjoyed ourselves and how beautiful the surroundings were. Suddenly the date wasn't important anymore and I was willing to accept what was available because I knew this was the right venue. There was one Saturday still available and I strongly believe it was meant for us.
What was the most important thing for you for your wedding day?: It was important to us that everyone enjoyed themselves and we felt that good food and good music were the way to do that. We already knew the venue has amazing food so I didn't have to think twice about that. Finding the right musician was a little more difficult, but we snagged the right guy, Gareth Bush. He played the ceremony, cocktail hour and the reception, keeping our guests entertained the whole time. We also tried to do the majority of the photography prior to the ceremony so that we could spend more time with our families.
Please describe any unique details from your day and why they were special to you: Our officiant was originally my massage therapist who my husband introduced me to when we first met. She has this incredible energy and you can't help but feel good when she is around. When we found out she became an officiant, we couldn't think of anyone better to marry us. It was really special to be married by someone who has been a part of our lives right from the start.
What was the atmosphere you were trying to create?: I wanted the whole day to feel like a family gathering and not a formal event. It was important to us that our families enjoyed themselves, especially since we got married during COVID. The venue did a great job at helping us make sure everyone was safe so that we could have a stress-free day.
What area of your wedding did you splurge on? (what was your top priority): We splurged on two things, photography and music. From the start I knew we would pay whatever it cost to have the right photographer. We were extremely lucky to find Loni and even though it was a splurge, we feel like we got much more than we paid for with her. For music, we initially had a budget but once we found our musician, we were hooked and knew right away we had to have him. He made our day feel more personal.
What area of your wedding did you save on?: It was not intentional but we ended up saving on the wedding dress. I found a great consignment bridle shop and was able to buy the dress and veil for less than my husband spent on his suit.
What wedding advice would you give to someone planning their wedding now?: Don't sweat the small stuff! Focus on the big picture and leave all the little details to the experts. We hired great vendors who were able to guide us through the process and take our ideas and turn it into something beautiful. I didn't know exactly what my flowers would look like or what the cake would taste like until the day of, but I had faith in the businesses we worked with and knew they would make sure everything was great. And it was!
What was your most memorable moment of the day?: There were so many moments but getting ready to walk down the aisle stands out to me the most. I'm not an overly emotional person so I always expected not to cry on my wedding day. But when I was walking towards the aisle with my father and then I heard Gareth start to sing the processional song, it just hit me and I couldn't hold the tears back. It completely suprised me!
What was your biggest challenge in the planning process?: COVID was our biggest challenge. To plan the wedding safely for everyone, there were compromises we had to make and rules were constantly changing so it was challenging at times. Flexibility and a go-with-the-flow attitude were key to not stressing out. Everything else seemed to fall into place for us.
What was your first dance song?: No Matter What by Papa Roach, sung by Gareth Bush
VENDORS:
Venue & Catering: The Falls Inn & Spa
Photography: Loni Carroll
Flowers and Decor: Markdale Flowers
Wedding Cake & Favours: Babs & Castles
Hair & Nails: The Creative Hairstyling Boutique
Dress: Maggie Sottero, purchased from Loved Again Bridal
Groom Attire: Moores
Guitarist: Gareth Bush
