Sophia & Michael
This couple first met at UBC Medical School in Vancouver. Their relationship started with a few study dates to work on weekly assignments. While Sophia showed up ready to study, Michael had done all the work ahead of time so they could spend more time getting to know each other. It didn’t take long for them to realize how much they had in common, from their family values to love of travel and new experiences. Eight years later, the rest is history.
The proposal: In June of 2019, Sophia’s parents were visiting Vancouver to celebrate her Family Medicine residency graduation. While Michael was “parking the car”, both families sat down for dinner and noticed a beautiful bouquet of roses on the table. On the card, Michael had written directions for Sophia to meet him in Queen Elizabeth Park, passing over a bridge to a secluded lookout point with a beautiful view of the garden. He got down on one knee, then popped a bottle of bubbly, and enjoyed spending the evening celebrating their engagement with their families.
A rainy day: “After patiently waiting through two years of pandemic postponements, we were thrilled to finally celebrate our wedding day in July 2022,” says Sophia. “The morning of our wedding, we woke up to threatening clouds in the sky, and were initially disappointed when it started to rain on our way to take photos at Alta Lake. We ended up having to improvise a new covered spot for our first look – under a canopy of trees to shield ourselves from the wind and rain. Surprisingly, this ended up being the most magical, secluded spot, which made for beautiful photos and a moment together we will never forget.”
Traditions: Sophia says, “One of our favourite parts of our wedding ceremony was blending our respective cultures and traditions. As Michael is Jewish, we were married under a Chuppah, and we celebrated afterwards with a Hora in front of the Whistler mountain backdrop. My parents had a blast being lifted up on chairs during the festivities, while Michael’s family enjoyed trying tasty Indian canapés during cocktail hour, curated by the Westin chef and inspired by my grandmother’s recipes. To make things even more special, the sun serendipitously came out during our ceremony (I actually looked up at the sky in disbelief multiple times!) and it truly was a day we will never forget.”
Wedding management & coordination: Perrier Planning
Location: The Grill & Vine, Westin Resort & Spa, Whistler
Photography: Christine Pienaar Photography
Hair & makeup: Kerry Waring Makeup + Hair
Venue & catering: Grill and Vine Whistler
Flowers: Billies House
Décor: Bespoke Decor
Ceremony entertainment: Musos Entertainment
Reception entertainment: Airwaves Music
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