Whoops, I'm a day late. Let's just hop into the time machine and pretend it's Wednesday for just a moment.
As I mentioned last week, I got a chance to visit the Weddings Through Time event at Fort Edmonton Park over the weekend.
Ian and I weren't able to stay for all the weddings and events happening, but we did manage to catch a bachelor party, a fur trader wedding and reception and some pre-wedding prep going on around the park.
I was bummed that I couldn't catch more weddings, but Fort Edmonton Park has let me snitch some photos from their Facebook page.
Wedding Wednesday is a new feature on Retro-Reporter that I've wanted to introduce for a while. Sometimes it will be about my own wedding, but most of the time I'll be focusing on other vintage wedding ideas from around the net and especially Edmonton.
This weekend at Fort Edmonton Park, you can experience the magic of weddings throughout history - plus a few perks.
I was actually invited by Fort Edmonton Park to cover this event before I was engaged - lucky for me that the timing is impeccible. All my stars must be aligne
The calendar is in full here, but some events I'm looking forward to include Asking Permission to Wed (Ian missed the memo on that one), Victorian Bachelor Party (no Pilsner &peelers here, I bet) and the Jazz Age Wedding (the couple are "the thoroughly modern Penelope Elizabeth Halcombe and Reginald Wesley Haldane, a returned veteran from the Great War who takes his jazz hot and his prohibition on the rocks!")
The most wonderful part of the weekend will be the vow renewal ceremony, where couples can declare their love for one another. How sweet! Check out Fort Edmonton Park's Facebook page this week
And also on for this weekend is a Romance Package at Hotel Selkirk, which includes an overnight stay, wine, dinner for two, breakfast for two, admission and a photo session at Ernest Brown Photography Studio (including a free photo!).
Ian and I will be attending the event, so even if you can't make it out (or don't live in Edmonton!) I will have a re-cap for next week's wedding post. Even if you're not having an 100% "authentic vintage" wedding, or aren't having one in the Park, I hope to have some inspiration for you.
PS - thank you to everyone who has congratulated us on our engagement. We're overwhelmed with the love!
(Sorry for the unimaginative headline. Now that I'm an online journalist, I have a bad case of SEOO - Search Engine Optimization Obsession - and like to make sure stuff like this is easy to find online. So if you came here by way of the Google, welcome!)
Despite feeling unprepared for the holidays this year, I still freakin' love Christmas. Miss Bee and I made double-date plans to go to Christmas Reflections Fort Edmonton Park with our fellas waaaay back in November, and so when we finally went on Thursday we were both pretty excited.
Christmas Reflections is something the park does every year around this time. Most of the summer stuff at the park is shut down, but you can take a wagon tour through the park, do a little shopping, make crafts, sip cider and even visit Santa.
I was also excited that Ian brought along his camera and newly-replaced lens to take fancy photos. I love having a professional photographer for a boyfriend. That said - Ian is a photojournalist, and therefore is all about the candid shots. Be prepared for a lot of derpy photos of me (which is my default/ neutral look, unfortunately).
Ian took ~60 photos, so I've narrowed it down to my favourite 23. Yup. 23. This is a picture heavy post.
We started things off with a little stroll down 1920s street, where we wished the Capitol Theatre didn't falsely advertise that they were showing Clara Bow films. Jerks.
Then, we popped into a store to make a Christmas craft.
Scissors are hard, I need to concentrate.
I was wearing a $9 Christmas sweater and my great-grandma Callsen's brooch.
Socializing. Just not with each other.
I made a Santa button. I'm very passionate about Santa.
EHRMAHGERD SERNTAH CLERSE!
Carrying on...
Look at the mini tree with its ittle topper! SO CUTE.
More derpy pointing action. Aw yeah.
Those cards are seriously awesome. For $2.50 you get a bunch of Christmas cards to cut out yourself. That's cheaper than one modern card!
I'm not the only weirdo.
Writing my letter to Santa, asking for a muff, petticoat and a 54 convertible too (light blue!)
Boom.
These two are adorable.
It was a really nice night weather wise - hovering around -8 or so (I'm not sure) but we still took a chance to warm up with some cider.
Looking normal.....
I call this one "The Canadian Flasher"
Yum, cider.
At this point we had a discussion about the best Christmas songs. Thomas and Ian suggested Christmas in Hollis, while Bee and I waxed poetic about how much we love Sleigh Ride. Then we both admitted that we do a little bouncy Sleigh Ride dance whenever we hear it. This is why we're friends, people.
We ended the night with a bonfire and a wagon ride tour through the park.
XO Laurie
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