Do you want to bring your Disney-themed wedding to the next stage? Find a castle surrounded by mountains and snow, and fill its grand ballrooms and halls with red roses. Sounds too good to be true? This real Canadian wedding will fulfill any Disney princess bride’s dreams.
Banff has a breathtaking view. This regal affair is set against the crystalline lake in the Canadian Rockies. It’s always a surprise to see castle venues in North America. Mount Stephen Hall at Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel could have come straight from the French Alps or Beauty and the Beast.
Natalie and Jonathan’s love of Disney was reflected excellently yet straightforwardly. The couple’s wedding is not “themey” thanks to subtle details and careful planning. The wedding is a fairytale with grand ballrooms, ornate elements, a tall cake, a regal setting, endless roses, and Natalie’s royal bridal crown.
The Proposal
When I first visited Disney World with Jonathan’s parents in 2011, I realized how much I love Disney. Since then, I have dreamed about being proposed in a Disney park. Jonathan and his family planned a trip to Orlando 2014 with my parents. He asked for my hand at a formal family dinner shortly after.
We were going to the Magic Kingdom on the first day. I was dressed in my princess clothes. As we entered the park, an elderly lady approached us and handed me a rose with a scroll. She knew my name. I opened the scroll and found a picture of “Beauty and the Beast,” me and Jonathan, and instructions from “Belle.” The instructions said that Belle and Beast were trying to leave us a secret message, but they had to cover the clues in roses hidden in the Magic Kingdom as the villains wanted to destroy it.
The villains had cast a spell on the roses; if I could not locate them all, the message would disappear forever. I had no idea what was happening, but I started the scavenger hunt. Each rose remembered my time with Jonathan and clues that led around the park during our five years together. The last rose told me to walk to the front of Cinderella Castle.
A CLUE WAS ON THE GROUND when I got close to the castle. We had to put blindfolds over our eyes to reveal the secret message. The “helper,” who had come to remove his blindfold, told him to take mine off. I then felt “pixie dust,” and he said to do so. All the magic began when I removed my blindfold. I saw him kneeling in front of Cinderella Castle with a large crowd surrounding us, and he held the most beautiful ring I had ever seen. I burst into tears, hugged, and said, “YES!”.
The Theme
Our wedding theme was Walt Disney’s Beauty and the Beast. Our wedding was a theme throughout all aspects, including the proposal, engagement, invitations, and venue selection. It included decorations, menus, floral design, and the first dance song.
We chose our venue because of its castle-like features and location in the Rocky Mountains. We chose a large, open, high-ceilinged hall with chandeliers, stained glass windows, and antique knights’ armor.
The theme colors were golden yellow, navy blue, and red. Flowers were selected as red roses to represent the link to ‘Beauty and the Beast. Our vision for our wedding was to invite only our closest family and friends to share a magical Disney-like experience while showcasing our love for each other.
The Venue
The venue was the most luxurious part of our wedding. The Mount Stephen Hall at the Fairmont Banff Springs is like an enormous hall in a painting. You will be left breathless when you enter this space, as the Canadian Rocky Mountains of the Banff National Park surround it.
The Planning
Our families and wedding party became closer as we planned our wedding. The planning process was an opportunity to meet each other’s families and parents and learn how to work together before our marriage. Despite our busy schedules, we met to select colors, flowers, decorations, and tasting menus. This element of planning was enjoyable because we could create so many memories.
The Ceremony
Our minister, Pastor Kim, led a traditional Christian ceremony. Deborah Nyack played the music for our service. She also performed during the wedding marches of the bridal party, parents, and bride. During the ceremony, she played the “Tale as Old as Time” from “Beauty and the Beast,” the central theme. This enhanced the theme of the wedding and was very magical!
We also had our mothers light a unity candle to signify the union of both families. We also had a traditional Korean ceremony, “Pae Baek,” held during the reception. Our guests were able to experience our Canadian tradition. The bride and groom and their mothers changed into traditional Korean clothing, called “Han Bok,” and elders, such as aunts, uncles, and grandmothers. The bride and groom throw dates to each other, which symbolizes health, wealth, and the blessing of their children after marriage.
Favorite Moment
The ceremony was our favorite part of the day. Our family and friends were there to celebrate our marriage. We were no longer nervous after the ceremony. Now we could enjoy our wedding with all our guests, take pictures with our bridal party, and enjoy the food at the reception. The excitement, pride, and gratitude of being married were overwhelming.
The Photographer
Carey Nash took our engagement photos, photos of the wedding day, and adventure photos the day after. He captured our favorite moments into beautiful images that we will cherish forever. His approach to our wedding was creative, passionate, and energetic. He chose beautiful locations in the mountains, by a lake, and at our wedding venue for our adventure shoot.