JOCELYN + JOHN-ELLIOT
August 29th, 2020
Jocelyn and John-Elliot planned to have a small 60 person wedding with family and close friends in Tulum, in the fall of 2020. Just as they were about to put the deposit down in March, Canada went into lockdown.
A few months went by, yet Covid regulations still left everything uncertain. By July, the couple made the decision to have an intimate ceremony with just 12 family members on a small, remote island. When John-Elliot was little, he told his mom that one day he’d get married at the family cottage his grandparents built. And 20 something years later, this came to fruition. Jocelyn’s family in Taiwan, and the couple’s closest friends celebrated virtually on Zoom.
The couple wanted the ceremony to be at their spot – a small island in the middle of the lake that they named “Party Island”. No decorations or seating…Jocelyn’s only request was a new red canoe with roses in it, so John-Elliot could romantically row her out to the island. She ended up helping – it was such a windy day!
After the ceremony, the group drove back to the Perl’s residence in Toronto for a memorable evening in the garden. The menu included fresh seafood platters, grilled steaks, and fancy cocktails that flowed all night. The decor was simple but elegant: twinkle lights, lanterns, and white floral arrangements. An oldies playlist John-Elliot curated played in the background. We all felt like we were transported to a vineyard in southern France. It was just perfect.
“John-Elliot and I met through a mutual friend on St. Patrick’s Day. We were friends for a couple of years before we officially started dating…that was over 9 years ago!
He proposed this past January. We were in Florida with family on our annual Christmas holiday. I had no idea he had anything in the works, but apparently his plan was to pop the question before new years eve. Unfortunately, I came down with bronchitis the day we got there, so naturally he had to wait until I recovered.
I started feeling better on January 2nd, so he suggested we go out for dinner. Before dinner, we drove down to a private beach to take a walk. The ocean was calm and the moon was bright that night. He read me a beautiful letter he’d written and got down on one knee. I cried and of course said yes!”
the L.L.S. dress
“Due to the short time frame I was working with (4 weeks!), a friend suggested I visit Loversland in downtown Toronto. Loversland created a beautiful and dreamy space called “The Haven” for brides to find their perfect dress.
I have to admit, it was a very weird time to try on wedding dresses. With the new normal, the whole experience felt surreal. Due to Covid regulations, facemasks were mandatory, and I was not really allowed to touch anything for obvious safety reasons. I worked with one of the owners, Danielle, and she was amazing. We still had lots of laughs and fun (even without any champagne).
I’m so grateful that I had them both at the appointment because I’m not really a “wedding” person. I only tried on about 5 – 6 dresses in the end, because the second I tried on the L.L.S. dress from NEWHITE, I knew it was THE dress.”
the details
Photography: Mango Studios
Florals: The Rosarium
Retailer: Loversland
Chef: Craig Wong of Patois + Bar Mignonette
Hair + Makeup: Tony Pham + Jessica Savedra
Earrings + Shoes: Dior
