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It was over thirteen years ago that Bryan and I tied the knot but with Valentine’s Day top of mind, I thought it would be nice to share some of my favourite memories of our big day. It feels like a long time ago, but as soon as I sat down and started to write some notes for this piece, the whole day became very clear.
It was a warm September day back in 2004. We had put together the whole wedding in a short three months because I had found out in the early summer of 2004 that I was pregnant with our now thirteen-year-old son, Quintyn. This wasn’t planned, we had originally thought our engagement would be much longer but as we all know, best-laid plans of mice and men often go awry. However, the fact that we had to work quickly to get the day organized meant that we didn’t overthink things. Our choices were at times limited, so we made decisions based on our gut reaction, and in our opinion, the day turned out better than if we’d had a year to plan it.
The wedding was relatively small, we had 89 guests, but more than enough to have a good party (which we did!). It was the ideal amount as it still felt very intimate and personal. We had our loved ones and the special people in our lives with us – exactly what we both wanted. Bryan and I are both of the belief that being surrounded by loved ones is all that truly matters on a wedding day.
Like all great parties, exceptional cuisine was at the top of our priority list (along with great wine!). The food we had was above and beyond anything we could have anticipated. Our wedding planner worked closely with us to bring in a sushi chef to prepare a special course in memory of our time together in British Columbia. Bryan and I had moved out to British Columbia together after only three months of dating, but soon realized that we were each other’s happily ever after. The West Coast has always played a very important role in our relationship and having a sushi course to commemorate that time in our lives was truly very special to us. Throughout our planning, we included elements that reflected our histories, our families, and our distinct personalities.
As some of you may know I have a very sweet tooth. I often find myself searching for chocolate when I’m at the office. It’s a bad habit, I know, but I just can’t help myself. So due to this fact, and the fact that I am not a huge fan of wedding cakes, unconventional desserts took centre stage at our wedding. Although we did we have a traditional layered wedding cake (partially to appease the family for photos!), we also had two served desserts (one of which was Crème brûlée which is Bryan’s favourite), but we also had an ice cream bar, candy bar, and the most jaw dropping cheese bar that you have ever seen. It was delicious, and although not at all traditional, it meant I was able to enjoy our sweet treats, and enjoy I did!
The day was a very special one, and even though there are times when life gets busy and our anniversary passes by with barely a mention, our wedding day meant the world to us. I wouldn’t have changed a thing about it, it was personal to us and we were surrounded by the people we care for the most.
So, a Happy Valentine’s Day to you all, I hope you are able to share it with someone near and dear, and thank you HGTV Canada for allowing me to reminisce and relive mine and Bryan’s special day!
Sarah Baeumler’s passion for design led her to join husband Bryan Baeumler on the front lines of his real estate and renovations business. She stars in Home to Win, and co-hosts Bryan Inc. alongside Bryan.
