Saturday September 24, 2022
Vancouver, BC, Canada
947 days 23 hrs ago
Story
Who knew that what started as a mutual love of Survivor and the simple swipe of the finger could turn into something like this!? But the real framework of our relationship came into place over the first two very special dates.
Date #1 was planned by Mitchell, and to those who know him well know that he can display a certain manic nervousness when faced with new (and potentially dangerous) situations. This usually manifests itself as an inability to eat when in this mood, so naturally the plan was set to meet up at a modern Japanese restaurant. When the two met outside the restaurant Mitchell went in for the handshake, Michael went in for the hug, an early sign that "opposites attract" was going to work out in their favour. Together they went inside the restaurant, the fancy modern Japanese restaurant, and simply drank beers. Didn't eat any food because Mitchell was too nervous, just drank beers and had some of the best conversation ever before Michael graciously ran Mitchell (literally ran) all the way down to his Sea Bus home.
Date #2 was planned by Michael, who to those who know him well know that he puts in 110% when trying to do something for someone he cares about. The night started off meeting at Cats Social House on Granville Island, where this time Mitchell thankfully partook in food. After that they strolled over to Theatre Sports League (a soon to be favourite destination of theirs) where they laughed over drinks and improv, and when intermission took place they shared their first kiss on the patio overlooking the moonlit marina (likely in front of many people). From there, the sparks of love burst forth!
Tidbits
How did you first meet?
See Our Story!
Who made the first move? How?
We both did! Well... We both sort of blacked out when we first kissed. We like to think it's because there was love in the air, but it was likely a potent combination of nerves and excitement!
Who's going to take out the trash?
Michael. Hands down. If Mitchell has to clean the bathrooms then Michael has to take out the garbages!
What was your most memorable date?
Too many to count! Spelunking, skydiving, you name it! It's not memorable if someone doesn't feel slightly nauseous after (here's looking at you wedding-hangover)!
What's your favorite activity together?
Hiking has got to be up there, but to be honest nothing beats a Friday night in with sushi and an episode of RuPauls Drag Race to watch.
Where are you going for your honeymoon?
It's a toss up! So far it's either Japan (Date #1 was a premonition all along!) or potentially New Zealand!
A life goal of ours
To have kiddos! We don't know how we'll get there but you best believe we'll have rugrats in no time!
We are regulars at
Nelly's Bar and Grill - its an average every day diner, but they have good benny's and there is never a line.
Schedule
Saturday, September 24, 2022
Ceremony
3:30 PM
We'll be getting married overlooking Heron Lake in the VanDusen Gardens. There is free parking available on site, and from the entrance it's roughly a 5 minute walk on a gravel/dirt path through the gardens to get to Heron Lake. If mobility is a concern there is a separate entrance that we can access on request. Please contact us if needed.
You also have free admittance into the gardens for the afternoon on the day of the wedding - if you'd like to come earlier and waltz around, be our guest!
Semi-Formal / Festive
Cocktail Hour(s)
5:00 PM to 6:30 AM
The Cocktail hour will follow after the ceremony at 430pm. You'll have some time in between to waltz around the gardens. It's less than a 5 minute walk through the gardens to the reception location - the reception venue is colocated with the gardens.
Reception
6:30 PM to 12:00 PM
After cocktail hour, there will be a plated dinner, speeches, followed by dancing! We'll wrap up around midnight :)
Travel
Getting In
We recommend flying into Vancouver International Airport (YVR). If you looking to take something like Swoop, they land in Abbotsford, which can be about a 60 min drive to Vancouver ($80 cab ride).
Getting Downtown
There a lots of ways to get into downtown Vancouver from the Airport! There are several car rental options from the airport, and Lyft and Uber are relatively inexpensive. If you are feeling more adventurous, the sky train is roughly about ten dollars to downtown Vancouver and takes about 25 minutes!
Sylvia's Restaurant and Lounge, Sylvia Hotel, Gilford Street, Vancouver, BC, Canada
When looking at these hotel recommendations please know we have never spent a single night at any of these places, BUT I used to bike past this one all the time and its a gorgeous building in arguably the best location in the entire city. Give it a look!
The Westin Bayshore, Bayshore Drive, Vancouver, BC, Canada
Oh so you want to go bougie eh? Well look no further! Imagine sprawling ocean views and glimpses of the famous north shore mountains and this is what you will get! Located downtown this hotel is bound to make you want to stay forever!
Stay in our old stomping grounds of Kitsilano
Can't say enough good things about Kitsilano! This is just one Airbnb I pulled up quickly but I'm sure there are plenty more in the area! Not only is it close to the wedding, but its also close to a lot of our favorite restaurants and us!
For 5 guests
Another Airbnb in Kitsilano cause why not!
Same as before, I just like the look of this one! Seems plenty cozy and again in a great neighbourhood! If you have any questions about specific neighbourhoods when booking please don't hesitate to ask
For 6 guests
Our Favorite Restaurants
Things to do in Vancouver
Booking Assistant - Find Hotels Near Our Venue
Suggested Stay:
Fri, September 23 - Sun, September 25
Vancouver, BC, Canada
Q & A
For all our friends and family who have lots of questions, please check out our Q & A first!
When is the RSVP deadline?
Please RSVP at your earliest convenience (but at the latest by April 15th).
Can I bring a date?
We've done the best we can to include everyones partner in the invites but if we happened to miss someone please let us know!
Are kids welcome?
As much as we love your little ones, this is going to be an adults only event! We appreciate you making accommodations ahead of time and please reach out if you have questions!
What will the weather be like?
Welcome to Vancouver, all of you out-of-towners! The weather here can be unpredictable. We're hoping for sunshiny weather, but even so at the end of September we could get a cool rainy day! Preparing for anything is probably the best practice in this city - meaning rain coats, umbrellas, etc.
Where should I park?
There is plenty of parking in the main parking lot of VanDusen Gardens free of charge! If that happens to fill up then there is lots of street parking just outside of that.
Are the ceremony and reception locations wheelchair accessible?
Yes, both the ceremony and reception locations are fully wheelchair accessable! However for those with other mobility issues please contact us before the wedding, as there is an alternate entrance you can use that will get you closer to the ceremony location without having to walk through the entire gardens.
What should I wear?
Dress code is Semi-Formal/ Festive. It's a gay wedding for goodness sake have a little fun with your outfit!
Is the wedding indoors or outdoors?
Our wedding ceremony is outdoors at Heron Lake in VanDusen Gardens, but our reception will be indoors at the Shaugnessy Restaurant in the building adjacent.
What kind of shoes should/shouldn't I wear?
Calling all ladies (maybe even some fellas)! Do not wear heels. I repeat, do not wear heels [If you really want to, bring a change of shoes]. The ceremony will be taking place outside on a grassy field so there is no need to do anything that will jeopardize the structural integrity of your ankles. We will applaud you if you do, but there is no need to be a hero on our behalf.
Is it okay to take pictures with our phones and cameras during the wedding?
During the reception, of course take photos to your hearts desire. Just make sure we look good in them. However, please refrain from taking photos during the ceremony, we'll have someone for that and it's their job.
What about COVID-19?
This is hopefully far enough in the future when COVID is a distant memory, but our venue is a restaurant and they follow local guidelines - so they require masks, and a vaccination records or proof of test. Not really sure what this is going to look like in the future, but as it stands for now we'll follow our local guidelines.
Will there be dancing?
duh.