With the help of Ashley’s girlfriends I planned a “girls night out,” little did Ashley know that I had organized a private room and prearranged floral decoration at the restaurant. Upon her arrival, expecting to meet with her girlfriends, she finds me on one knee with my family heirloom asking for her hand.
How did you meet?
Reggie: We met seven years ago through a mutual friend. We hung out a few times with our group of friends till I convinced Ashley to go on a date. Even at that time, our dates would involve a few other people. I guess that’s why our foundation was strong from the beginning as we have the stamp of approval from our close friends.
What do you love most about one another?
We love that we share similar values and goals in life. We appreciate how each of us takes care of our families and how we treat our friends. Even though we are two different people, we are able to compromise and respect our differences. Most importantly, we love having fun and we love doing that together.
Could you share your proposal story?
Reggie: Ashley was previously “proposed” by my family with my parents, Usha and Peter’s, first engagement ring on one of our family Tuesday dinners. But that was not what I had in mind; I wanted to surprise my soon-to-be wife. With the help of Ashley’s girlfriends I planned a “girls night out”, little did Ashley know that I had organized a private room and prearranged floral decoration at the restaurant. Upon her arrival, expecting to meet with her girlfriends, she finds me on one knee with my family heirloom asking for her hand.
Describe your wedding day. What was your favourite moment?
Ashley: Our wedding day was wonderful; everyone was in high-spirits and having fun. Every detail was perfect with the help of our loved ones. We were blessed to have so many people stepping up to ensure it was a stress-free day for us. The day went by in a blink of an eye and we tried to indulge every moment.
It’s hard to pinpoint a favourite moment; we loved all the heartfelt speeches and the poem, and after seeing the photos it’s incredible to see how our dog, Hottie, sat quietly beside us during the ceremony.
Could you tell us about your reception?
Ashley: The reception was held in Fairmont Waterfront Hotel, which took us six months for everyone in the family to be on board. The decision prolonged because we considered the comfort and hospitality as important factors for our guests and we were pleased with the professionalism from the Fairmont team. We were lucky to have one of the best wedding planners, Reggie’s sister Renita, to oversee every detail – from decor, flowers to name tags. Through dance performances on both Indian and Chinese songs, we wanted to have parts of our culture reflected into the reception. Overall it was a great party and it lasted way longer than expected.
Can you describe your outfits?
Ashley: Reggie’s tuxedo was custom made by a well-known tailor in Vancouver, it was a detailed blue and black-coloured tuxedo with fabrics from Italy. His cufflinks were detailed with diamond crust. I wore two outfits; my main wedding dress was made and designed by me along with inputs from few other people. It was a sweetheart neckline rigid constructed A-line gown with lace pattern decorated with beadings throughout. My evening outfit was a ready-to-wear, mermaid-cut sheer lace gown that was light and easy to dance in. Red has a significant meaning to us hence we were both wearing Christian Louboutin and it was our accent colour for the wedding.
Where did you honeymoon?
Reggie: We think we may have started a new trend with this. We were in four different countries in Eastern Europe with my family and we ended our honeymoon alone in Greece. We often joke with our closed ones that we went on a family honeymoon and it was a great opportunity to bond.
What are your goals as a couple?
Ashley: Our goals are simple, we want to keep each other happy and continue growing our love and trust for one another.
Photos: HN Wedding