A Lakeside Wedding Laced in Lilies and Laughter

A Closer Look

Sophia and Brendan's wedding on Big Rideau Lake looked classic, but it felt easy and inviting from start to finish. Baillie David and Co. built it from a few clear decisions and repeated each one with care. White lilies were the flower of the day, used at every scale. Green came in shade after shade, so a two-color palette never went flat. And nearly every printed piece had a scalloped edge or a trim of lace, which made each one feel considered.

The lilies started small. Each bridesmaid carried a single stem, while Sophia's bouquet cascaded almost to her knees. The bridesmaids wore mismatched satin in moss, olive, chartreuse and forest, and the mix gave the group more depth than one matched green could have. Sophia's gown kept to the classic side, with a scoop neckline, thin straps, a fitted bodice and a full tulle skirt, and no lace or beading to interrupt the line. Pink Mary Janes with little bows were her own sweet note. Brendan wore a midnight-blue shawl-collar tuxedo.

At the ceremony, the lilies became sculpture. Maison Anthea built two loose, leaning columns of them where the stone path met the dock, with blooms heaped at the base, and let the lake do the rest. Guests sat beneath white market umbrellas on the lawn, and their shaggy dog claimed a front-row spot at Brendan's feet for the vows. After the ceremony, the couple slipped away in a wooden boat. It was the first of several boats that day, and each one appeared with a light hand.

Out on the lawn, oysters on the half shell and cold beer were packed on ice in a green canoe. A coupe tower waited on an olive-draped table until Sophia and Brendan poured champagne down it together. Signature cocktails were listed in an ornate silver frame, the bar menu featured a sketch of their dog, and bottles of hot sauce were labeled as the couple's favourite. Each choice said something personal about them, and that warmth kept the classic look from ever feeling too formal.

Guests found their seats on the sail of a model sailboat whose hull bore the couple's new last name, and deep green matchbooks carried their initials and one more sailboat. Inside the sailcloth tent, greenery wound up the poles beneath café lights and a disco ball, and round and serpentine tables were dressed in ivory linen. That was where the details came into focus. Menus were cut into ovals and trimmed in lace, scalloped name tags slipped over the stems of the glasses, and olive napkins rested on silver chargers. White tulips and lilies filled the centerpieces between tall tapers. Each piece was a small gesture, and together they made every place setting feel finished by hand. The greens kept layering as well, from green name tags to the green and white checkerboard dance floor.

The lilies reached their fullest form at the sweetheart table, where an installation spilled off olive satin and down onto the grass. After dark, paper confetti flew over the dance floor and fireworks went up over the trees. The cake was as classic as everything else, with two ruffled white tiers piped in black script. Somewhere around the cutting, the top tier slid right off. Sophia and Brendan met it with big smiles, and it made the perfect last word for a day that took its style seriously and itself lightly.