Lush met industrial for Mackenzie and Justin’s wedding at The Broadview Hotel! This couple’s venue provided the perfect amount of edge to their classic wedding style. We love all of the creative photos Ally + Nicholas captured of the two and their crew hanging out on the rooftop, as well as every intimate ceremony moment and all the details in between! If you’re into romantic bridal style, you’re sure to swoon over Mackenzie’s Karen Willis Holmes dress she got from Sash + Bustle. Get ready for swoon-worthy florals, the perfect blush, magenta, and burgundy color palette, and so much more from this beautiful Toronto wedding day!
If you keep up with all-things Junebug, you know we’re obsessed with everything about weddings. We swoon over pretty decor, get jazzed when we receive an email from a designer about new bridesmaid dress styles, spend hours researching and predicting wedding color trends…the list goes on. But there’s something more important than all of the adorable little things you can see — and it’s your vows. Your vows are the reason we get to google-eye over all those other things in the first place. With that big of a purpose, we want you to rock them!
So we reached out to our experts and put together this list of vow writing tips to help you get started:
Don’t overthink it
Take time to reflect on your relationship
Write about things you’ve experienced together
Envision your person in front of you
Include deeply meaningful and personal promises
Read on to see what our experts had to say about these awesome tips!
Why it can be meaningful to write your own vows
We’ve said it once—and we’ll say it again—writing your own vows can be incredibly meaningful. And, yes, a little scary. The most important thing to remember is that it’s about the two of you. These vows are something you will have to cling to when times get tough, they’ll what you will have to remember when you’re old and grey, and they’re really important.
“Our biggest piece of advice for our couples is this: absolutely write your own vows. Some couples are shy and/or get stage fright, so we see them pass on writing their own. We actually (sadly) did the same thing for our own wedding six years ago, and it’s one of our biggest regrets! The weddings we shoot where the couples write their own personal vows are ten times more romantic and moving to be a part of.” — Matt & Jess, wedding videography team
“Don’t overthink it. The more you stress about finding the right words, the harder they will be to find. Deep down in your heart, you already know what to say you just have to find the best way to express those feelings. Start by just thinking about how the other person makes you feel. Close your eyes and just imagine them standing there – what are they doing? Is there a glow around their head? Are they smiling, laughing, making a funny face? Is their hair blowing slowly in the wind? Are they dressed up or dressed down? Picturing yourself standing there with them will not only help bring out those feelings but it will make the process of actually standing there in front of them easier because it will feel like you’ve already been there before.
The thing with writing, in any context, is that it needs to sound like you – not some polished, professionally-written essay for your high school English teacher. How would you talk if you were talking to a friend? What kinds of words would you use? Would you be funny or would you be deep and poetic? Do you and your partner find yourself quoting TV shows or movies all the time, or maybe you are musical and want to throw that in somehow? Then, just speak from the heart; whatever you decide to say is going to be the right thing.” — Shannon Bellisle, Ontario-based wedding planner (Check out her Junebug member portfolio here!)
“It’s often hard to figure out where to start and what to say and how to make your vows authentic. Take some time to yourself and reflect on your relationship and what the other person means to you. Take note of how you feel when you think of your other half and the great times you’ve had together (looking at photos can help!). Once you have everything written down, you can then move things around so that they flow nicely and make more sense.
It also helps to think about the kind of things you would like to hear and then look at it from your future spouse’s perspective. You can write your vows up until less than an hour before you walk down the aisle before the wedding, sometimes it’s easier under pressure and you’re feeling loved and ready to say I do. It also gives you less time to overthink it.” — Louise Schnetler of Runaway Romance, South Africa-based intimate wedding and elopement planner (Check out her Junebug member portfolio here!)
Write about the things you’ve experienced together.
“If you plan on doing a wedding video, beautifully written vows are so important. The more unique and poetic the vows, the more inspired we are to make an equally unique and poetic wedding film. Write about your story – the moment you first saw one another, the qualities about the other person that made you want to commit forever, the places you’ve been and things you’ve done together. Try to skip the generic and get as personal as you feel comfortable with. People love crying at weddings, so help them do it!” — Matt & Jess, Los Angeles-based wedding videography team (Check out their Junebug member portfolio here!)
Envision your person in front of you.
“Envision the person in front of you as you are writing the words of your love story. This is the time you’re able to express yourself in as open, honest, and genuinely as possible. Think deeply about your thoughts and intentions. This should probably not be something you come up with drunk the night before the wedding with your friends, and rarely something you want to make off the cuff.” — Kanoa Utler of Eyeconik Media, Hawaii-based wedding videographer (Check out their Junebug member portfolio here!)
“These don’t have to be the traditional “for richer or poorer” vows; you can include very personal promises that mean something to you and your partner. What is something in your relationship that your partner always asks you to do? What does your partner love doing with you? What are the things that mean the most to them? How do you want your marriage to look and what can you promise them that will help you both achieve that?” — Maclean & Erin of Hello Tomorrow, Vancouver-based wedding videographer team (Check out their Junebug member portfolio here!)
We hope you’re feeling inspired to start writing your vows! Looking for more?
Whether flowers aren’t your vibe or you’re looking to decorate your wedding on a budget, floral alternatives are a creative way to style your day! Even if you’re a big fan of flowers, unfortunately, you may not be able to access them in 2020 and 2021 weddings. COVID-19 is impacting the wedding industry in a variety of ways, from weddings being postponed to small businesses hurting. One aspect you may not realize is being affected are flowers! Wedding florists, who have been hit some of the hardest by the pandemic, have not only lost business but are seeing a shortage in flowers as wholesale businesses were shuttered during quarantine. With fewer flowers available, we wanted to offer up some of our favorite alternatives to using flowers throughout your day.
Not convinced you can decorate without flowers? These floral alternatives will change your mind:
Dried flowers, pampas grass, and leaves
Linens
Neon signs
Candles and lanterns
Terrariums
Greenery
Read on for examples of these floral alternatives in use plus some of our favorite shops + products to use in your wedding.
DRIED FLOWERS, PAMPAS GRASS, & LEAVES
Okay, okay, we know this is supposed to be a floral alternatives roundup, but hear us out. While fresh florals might be hard to come by due to COVID, dried florals are a beautiful alternative that also happens to be trending this year! From fluffy pampas grass to dried palms to exquisite arrangements crafted from dried flowers, you don’t have to rely on fresh blooms when decorating your wedding. Dried botanicals can have a big impact on your wedding style, too, whether you’re going for an edgy moody vibe or romantic fairy tale look.
CHECK OUT OUR FAVORITE ETSY SHOPS FOR DRIED LEAVES + PAMPAS GRASS:
When designing your wedding, don’t forget to start with a strong foundation! Linens like patterned table runners or bold napkins in your wedding colors can be a great way to infuse your personal style into your decor. Plus, your table settings need napkins anyway, so why not make them a memorable part of your design!
Wedding decor doesn’t have to be so serious, so consider adding a playful element to your day with a neon sign! Lots of wedding rental companies have romantic neon signs you can use, but if you’re down for the investment we love the idea of getting a personalized neon sign you can display in your home after the wedding is through. Pro tip: neon signs make a great addition to your sweetheart table setup or as part of the display above your dessert table or reception bar.
Say yes to styling and ambiance with a collection of candles and lanterns around your wedding space! There’s nothing more romantic than dining by candlelight, so don’t be stingy. Candles can also be the answer to two big styling issues when decorating your wedding: contributing to your color palette and creating levels in your decor. Use candles in hues from your palette at varying heights to create visual interest throughout your design. Lanterns and other candle holders can also help you carry out your thematic vision, whether it’s rustic, Moroccan, modern, or bohemian.
Looking for a solution that’s chic and natural? Terrariums are the answer you’ve been looking for! Terrariums make great centerpieces or decor on your dessert or gift tables, plus they can serve double duty as favors for your guests at the end of the night. Keep them simple with a succulent or air plant in a diamond-shaped glass terrarium or make a major style statement with an assortment of plants inside of unique geometric shapes. Pro tip: consider hanging small terrariums from an arch or the ceiling to help fill your space.
No matter your venue, adding greenery to your decor creates a lush environment for tying the knot. From tropical fronds to fresh eucalyptus to putting your favorite houseplants on display, you not only incorporate natural elements but also carry out a theme by curating greenery to match your intended vibe. Use leaves sparingly and intentionally for a minimalist look or go big with full garlands on tables and arrangements hanging from the ceiling.
Junebug Weddings uses cookies to ensure you get the best experience on our website. We also use cookies to show advertising that is most relevant to you. If you continue you agree to the use of cookies on Junebug Weddings.
Terms & Conditions
photo by 
.jpg "Photographers")
