Lis Simon Bride Danielle

Buckle up friends, this wedding blog has got to be our cutest one yet. Danielle + Kevin tied the knot with a modern simplicity (yet bougie) wedding at The Wallace Venue in North Vancouver. This wedding is the perfect inspiration for the modern and Pinterest-loving brides.

T H E L O V E S T O R Y

Danielle and Kevin go all the way back in 2007. Two young individuals who met by chance, but neither of them remembered their first meeting. Their paths first crossed through Little People of America, an organization that served as a community that supported individuals with dwarfism. Although the two grew up in the same circle of friends, somehow they never had the opportunity to connect – “I guess you could say we knew each other, but it wasn’t the time to know each other”.

Fast-forward to 2020, despite being the year of chaos and isolation, fate played its magic again. Who knew, a simple social media platform became the matchmaker to these two. They had followed one another on Instagram, and Danielle slid into Kevin’s DMs after he posted something on his story. Their conversation flowed effortlessly, as if they were old friends rather than strangers. From that moment onward, that simple conversation lead to more and more, and the rest is history.

“Again, we always knew of each other, but it goes to show that there is a purpose behind the right moment you get to really know someone”.

T H E P R O P O S A L

August 23rd, 2022

Danielle and Kevin’s long-distance relationship limited their in-person time together. In the beginning of summer 2022, she couldn’t help but anticipate a question from him – the question of when she’ll visit him in Cleveland. In July, she finally had the chance to meet most of his family before leaving for the Commonwealth Games. When she returned, thinking it would be just a simple day of meeting up with a friend for coffee and dinner with Kevin at night. Little did she know, a whole proposal event was waiting for her. As she stepped onto the rooftop, the panoramic view of the city welcomed her, drones capturing every moment from the sky, a guitarist who helped set the ambience, and a photographer who captured the magical moment. The surprises didn’t end there, Kevin also planned a surprise dinner with both of their parents. It was an unforgettable day filled with so much love and surprises – a day that holds an everlasting memory in Cleveland.

You can watch their engagement video here!!

T H E D R E S S

“My dress shopping experience was an absolute DREAM!”

Danielle went to an extraordinary boutique located just outside Montreal, Ma Cherie Bleue. Feeling apprehensive at first, not knowing if she would find a dress that would fit her body type, her experiences with alterations played on her mind. When she waked into the boutique, she was greeted with open arms by the friendliest staffs, Nathale and Dora. Their warm personality and exceptional expertise made the whole shopping experience remarkable. They went above and beyond, and made Danielle and her party comfortable.

MARIA, the 3rd dress she tried on, sparked her interest, but she wanted to see more options before making a decision. Danielle wanted an open back with a cape veil, and the MARIA dress was a little different from what she had in mind. Although she had tried on different dresses, they kept coming back to MARIA and how she seemed like the right choice. She tried it on again, with a veil this time, and the water works started streaming down: “I guess that’s a sign that it might be the right dress”.

Danielle, an athlete who had represented Canada on the Paralympic National Team, had a unique body type with different measurements all over. From an average-sized torso and short legs to bigger hips and “swimmer shoulders”, finding a dress that fit perfectly was challenging. However, the customizable measurements of the MARIA dress proved to be a true blessing. They were able to alter the dress to her specific needs, replaced the jersey-satin back with a delicate mesh fabric that not only added depth to the dress, but also provided a nice flow of air on the wedding day.

“It was a dream, getting to have a wedding dress that was made to fit me exactly how I needed to. I have spent my life trying to fit into clothing that was never designed for people like me, so having my wedding dress be so custom-made, was truly a gift”.

W E D D I N G & R E C E P T I O N

August 24th, 2023 at The Wallace Venue in North Vancouver

The reception was a PARTY! The couple chose to forgo the traditional sit-down dinner and embraced the idea of a lively cocktail reception. With the ceremony scheduled for 4pm, the guests had the opportunity to eat and explore the shipyards in North Vancouver before the scheduled reception at 7pm.

Upon entering the venue, guests were warmly welcomed by an extraordinary champagne wall, designed and crafted by Danielle's talented father himself. A crafted seating chart, courtesy of Crosstown Metal, is printed on a piece of sheet metal that made a statement (and an art work) at the reception. Once everyone was seated, the couple made their grand entrance to the song “Sign, Sealed, Delivered (I’m Yours)”, an iconic song choice that added a perfect touch of sentiment. The two gracefully went to the dance floor to begin the tradition of cutting their wedding cake, which replicated Kevin’s first camera (courtesy of his dearest wife, Danielle).

As the sun began to cast its warm golden glow over the venue, Danielle + Kevin glided onto the dance floor for their first dance. Followed by heartfelt speeches, food was served and allowed the guests to mingle around, take photos, and to enjoy themselves. A group photo was taken out on the terrace, and the night progressed into an unforgettable evening. And to make the night even better, an open bar, coffee cart, candy table, and donuts were provided and kept the party going.

“We loved everything flowed from one thing to another! It really felt like a fancy cocktail with all our family and friends – exactly what we wanted”.

HIGHLIGHTS FROM YOUR SPECIAL DAY

Anecdotes from the bride:

We didn’t do a first look, but we also didn’t want the whole day to go by and not see each other! So in the morning we went for coffee together, just the two of us, and it was perfect.
My husband and I are Christians, so we wanted our ceremony to reflect our faith and what we believe in.
There’s this story in the Bible where Jesus washes his disciples’ feet, it’s a picture of servanthood, and it’s an act of humility as you humble yourself to serve the other person. So we took a moment during our ceremony to wash each other’s feet in front of our guests, and it was really beautiful – to get down on the ground, in your nice clothes and humbly show that you are willing to serve your partner…. It was very powerful.
Definitely the reception! I’m so glad we hired a DJ! They really made the party run smoothly and without having a sit down dinner, the whole reception felt like one giant hangout. Fun tip: Put your bar and candy table beside your dance floor… you are way more likely to get more people out and dancing that way!

PREPARATIONS & INSPIRATIONS

Danielle fell in love with the industrial rooftop vibe of their venue and wanted to keep everything simple, yet bougie – “I guess you could say that the theme was simple yet modern bougie”. For decorations, they opted for pampas grass, and kept the colour palette clean and modern with black, white, nudes, gold, and champagne. To make their day more personal, they added a neon sign, champagne wall, large sheet metal photo prints, custom platform at the ceremony, and a DIY signage – “the whole day felt like us”.

Pinterest and Instagram Reels were her most used app in 2023 (mostly Pinterest) that helped her plan her dream wedding.

HONEYMOON

Danielle + Kevin went to Bali right after their wedding!

“It was AMAZING! The views, the people, the food, culture – we already want to go back!”

From Danielle

As much as I was on Pinterest for a lot of my inspiration, I really wish I didn’t go on it as much as I did. In the end it made me second guess a lot of decisions and ideas I had, when I couldn’t make the photo I saw come to life I would get sad, and the fact that a lot of “trending” wedding things you see online are just so dang expensive! So I would look online in the beginning, but then keep it to a minimum and just go with your heart :)
We prayed for slow motion moments throughout the day and that came true! Your wedding day goes by SO FAST, and it can feel so full and busy. Even though our day came and left too quickly, so many moments felt like they went by slowly, and we were truly able to soak it all in. I am forever grateful for the pace this day had and the people who really helped make it the Best. Day. Ever.

Special thanks to:

Most of my vendors I found through a couple google searches. Our photographer is friends with my husband, so he flew in from Cleveland. Our (amazing) wedding coordinator and I grew up playing softball together, and other vendors like our DJ and Caterer came as recommendations from our Venue.

Bridal Boutique: Ma Cherie Bleue

Dress Designer: Lis Simon

Veil: Evie Young Bridal

Venue: The Wallace

Hair/Makeup: Denise Elliott Beauty Co.

Catering: Railtown Catering

Donuts: Cartems

Coffee Cart: Latte Booth

DJ: About Town Entertainment

Photographer: Danny Murtaugh

Videographer: Grey House Visual

Wedding Coordinator: Kiana from Sweet Bliss Weddings