Magical Wedding in Niagara | Stone Mill, St.Catharines + Niagara Botanical Gardens
This couple met through a dating app at the height of pandemic restrictions, so all they could do together was take walks outside. They spent just one month going for walks and talking before Stephen knew he wanted to spend the rest of his life with Rebecca, and he introduced her to his parents.
A short year later, the couple was planning their wedding in Niagara Falls and the Stone Mill Inn.
Keeping tradition alive
When they started planning their wedding, Rebecca knew that incorporating her Greek heritage into their wedding was going to be incredibly important. One such tradition was that the couple gets married in the Greek church and selecting a Koumbara. In the Greek culture, a Koumbara is a person, or persons, who are there to guide the couple through their marriage and are usually asked to godparents of the couple’s future children. For Rebecca, her Koumbara is her cousin who played a huge role in her upbringing.
Getting ready on the wedding day | Stone Mill Inn, St. Catharines
On the morning of their wedding, Stephen got ready with his dad and his groomsmen. They enjoy some relaxing time together, hanging out while one groomsmen entertained everyone by playing his guitar.
At the same time, Rebecca was getting ready with her friends and her side of the family. She had many loved ones stop by their room to show their love while she was getting ready.
The wedding ceremony | Greek Orthodox Church of St. Catharines And District, St. Catharines
Rebecca and Stephen knew it was important to get married in the Greek Church and that their wedding ceremony followed the traditions of the Greek wedding ceremony, including
- The Service of Betrothal
- The Service of Crowning
- The Joining of Right Hands
- The Common Cup and reading from the Gospel
- The Ceremonial Walk
After their wedding ceremony, the couple exited the church to be greeted by all their guests, showering them with streamers.
The Wedding Photoshoot | Niagara Botanical Gardens
As a Niagara wedding photographer, I suggested having their pictures done at the Niagara Botanical Gardens. The interlocking brick path surrounded by flowers and lush greens was perfect for their wedding pictures. There is also an adorable pond with a bridge crossing over it that we took pictures of as well.
The Wedding Reception | The Stone Mill, St. Catharines
After the photo shoot, all the guests headed back to The Stone Mill for the reception.
The reception space was decorated with white linens and each table had three gold candlesticks with white votive candles on top of them. They also had greenery with white roses as a centrepiece.
Their guests enjoyed beautiful, heartfelt speeches followed by a night of dancing – including traditional Greek dances. Everyone had a great time and really enjoyed the reception.
At the end of the night, there was a send-off for the couple, complete with sparklers that illuminated the night.
From the pandemic love story to the perfect big day, this love story is everything Rebecca and Stephen dreamed of.
