A pretty real wedding in Niagara-on-the-Lake

Lisa Simone Richards & Steve Morales

Lisa tells us all about how she and Steve met, fell in love and said, “I do!”

Tell us a bit about your love story:
We connected on Bumble and immediately hit it off, sharing podcast recommendations, our love of eating everything, our animal obsessions, and trading stories of various activities and sports that we play. It’s funny to fast forward four years now and while we don’t listen to the same shows and we have yet to get a dog, we’re always experimenting in the kitchen together and staying active as a couple – two of our core values.

Funny story: when we ended up going on our first date at the now-closed Batch House in Toronto, we each showed up with what we now know were fake stories as to why we had to leave after a drink, instead of stretching our first meeting into dinner!

During August 2019, for Steve’s birthday, we decided to spend the weekend at Niagara-on-the-Lake and fell in love with the dramatic arch at The Hare Wine Co. as soon as we saw it. Three months later we were heading on a weeklong adventure in Egypt. En route, we had a layover in Paris and during our few hours there we went to visit the Eiffel Tower and Steve surprised me by getting down on one knee and asking if I’d marry him. Two years after that birthday weekend, we got married in the Hare courtyard, under the stunning arch.

What were your original plans for your wedding day?
Luckily our original plans for the day are exactly what happened. The only minor shift we had to make was having the dinner outdoors instead of in the winery’s tasting room. We’re actually much happier with how that turned out!

What was your favourite part of the day?
One of our favourite moments of the day was spying on our guests from the bridal suite as they arrived. It was so fun for us to hang out together, sip champagne pre-ceremony and exchange stories of how we knew everyone as we watched them stroll in.

Favourite wedding detail?
Food is one of our biggest shared values. Steve had pre-arranged with our caterer to bring me a shrimp cocktail during the ceremony, so after saying “I promise to keep you fed,” he then signaled a server to walk up the aisle with my snack while he continued reading. Not only was it so uniquely us, but it was also one of the only things that made me tear up that day.

What will guests remember most about the day?
Definitely the music. The musical duo of Brent and Sarah from Brent Miller Live made the event so unique and fun with keyboard-and-cello renditions of Gold Digger, Heartbreaker, and Kiss the Girl. Our personal favourite was when they played a classical-inspired version of the Super Mario Bros. theme song, leaving many of the guests with that familiar feeling of recognizing the song, but not actually being sure that’s what they were indeed hearing.

What advice can you give to couples planning a winery wedding?
Make sure that not only do you love the venue itself, but make sure you love the venue’s wine too, since that’s what you’ll likely be serving your guests. We’re lucky to have not only loved the Hare Wine Co.’s space, but we really love their wines (especially the Vidal) and loved overhearing our guests rave about it too.

On a more practical note, have heel stoppers available for guests (and the bride!). Hare Wine Co. – like many wineries and other venues – has beautiful green spaces, but many of our guests would have struggled with heels sinking deep into the grass.

Number of guests: 65
Ceremony/reception venue: The Hare Wine Co.
Wedding dress: Allure Bridals, Kleinfeld
Suit: Indochino
Photographer: Timeless Tree Weddings
Décor: Simply Beautiful Decor
Flowers: My Motif
Invitations: Red Paper Bicycle Co.
Caterer: Fig & Lemon
Planner: Lasting Events
Hair: Kuhl.er
Makeup: The Blush Parlour
DJ: Brent Miller Live
Videographer: Timeless Tree Weddings