“Allison and Paul are our ideal couple to photograph and knew when we first met them, we had to photograph them. They are incredibly laid back, friendly, they are all about different and unique locations, and they trusted us completely with all the portrait locations we threw their way. The end result was really different yet dramatic wedding photos, which is everything we strive to achieve in our photography.” – Will Pursell Photography

What is your favorite wedding day memory?

It’s hard to pick just one favorite moment… but the most unforgettable one, is definitely the moment Paul and I read our vows we wrote. As we choked back tears, we finally got to promise our lives to each other, in front of a remarkable amount of family and friends; most of whom had traveled from far away to join us on our special day.

What did you DIY for your wedding?

We tried really hard to incorporate lots of personal and handmade touches into our wedding day. I designed the invitations, programs and guestbook, and with Paul’s help, made all of the centerpieces & seating cards. My favorite DIY project was the paper flowers I made with poems from Paul for my bouquet. The decor that stood out the most though, was the strings of light intertwined with large panels of draping. Which we almost decided not to do because of the difficult logistics of hanging them in our venue… we had to get very creative to make that one work!

Something old, new, borrowed and blue?

My something old and something borrowed was the lace from my late Mothers wedding dress that I wrapped around my bouquet. My something new was the necklace I bought for myself with our wedding date engraved. And my something blue was my garter.

Any advice for brides currently in the planning process?

Don’t stress the little things. As much as I was told that, and as much as I tried to listen, I still worried too much about things that no one but myself would notice. The day goes by with a blink of the eye, and when you are finally in the moment, none of those little things matter as much as the experience itself. – Allison, the bride

Event Credits

Photographer: Will Pursell Photography // Venue: UBC Boathouse // Wedding Planner: Meme Brooks - Down the Aisle // Flowers: Budget Blooms // Catering, cake and desserts: Emelle's Catering // Officiant: Brent Sheppard // Ceremony music: Jeff Dick // DJ: Brendon Clement // Videographer: Shutter House Films // Transportation: Time Limousine // Rentals: Spruce Vintage Rentals // Dress: Ethos Bridal // Veil and alterations: Sew Sweets Bridal // Hair and makeup: Let's Face It Beauty // Groom and groomsmen attire: H&M