Katie & Ian McNeil
MARRIED JULY 13, 2019
Never in a million years did I think that I would end up marrying a Tinder date. I remember thinking at the time that it was just going to be another date that was going nowhere, and I almost cancelled mine and Ian’s first date altogether! But the first date turned into the second date, which turned into the third - and by the fourth date I stopped counting, as we were spending every minute we could together. Four years later, we were tying the knot!
A few years into our relationship, Ian and I went to the mall one day to look at rings - because, what girl doesn’t find it fun to try on countless beautiful rings and dream of her wedding day?! Five months to that day, we went for a hike in the local woods with my sister and our dog. It was the middle of winter, and as I bundled up in my warmest scarf, my sister looked at me with a disgusted face and said: “Ew, that scarf is ugly! You should wear this one.” As I put on the ‘pretty’ scarf, I remember wondering why it even mattered what scarf I was wearing! We were going for a hike in the middle of the woods, and no one was going to see me. As we drove to the trail, I started overthinking and wondering if Ian was going to pop the question, realizing that might be the reason I had to wear the ‘pretty’ scarf. Once we got to the trail, I started second-guessing my assumptions as we passed by all of the spots that would offer a picture perfect proposal. Finally, when we got half way through the trail, Ian asked my sister to take a picture of us with our dog. All of a sudden, Ian got down on one knee and asked the big question. I was overwhelmed with joy, and without a doubt, I said “Yes!”.
When it came to wedding planning, I was initially not very excited at all, and I wished for someone else to organize everything for me. Although there wasn’t much I knew about wedding planning, one thing I knew that I didn’t want was to get married at a golf course. I wasn’t into sharing spaces with golfers, or having my pictures look like your typical golf course wedding. As we searched for wedding locations, my dreams were slowly being crushed as some places were completely booked for a year or two out, or their prices were way over our budget. My mother heard amazing things about the St. Marys Golf and Country Club, and encouraged me to be open-minded, saying that it wouldn’t hurt to book a tour and just see what they offered. I took her advice and booked a tour with Courtney. Just like that pivotal Tinder date, I went into the venue not expecting to leave completely blown away and so beyond excited. Firstly, Courtney greeted us with an authentic smile on her face, and she was excited, passionate, and made the whole experience feel special – a feeling every bride deserves to have at the place that hosts her day. When Courtney showed us the Hideaway, I knew right then and there that I was going to get married at SMGCC. I couldn’t believe I had fallen in love with a golf course venue! But SMGCC does not do typical golf course weddings. What they offer to their couples is so unique. The Hideaway Room is beyond beautiful. It has a modern rustic vibe, feels very intimate, and does not make you feel like you are in a traditional banquet hall! Plus, with the four glass garage doors that open up to the surrounding grounds, the venue feels like you’re basically outdoors.
Plus, their packages include everything from planning, to coordination to catering. Courtney took the time to walk us through all the options that fit our budget, she recommended local vendors, and she offered us a few dates for the following year. As we drove home, we all talked about how perfect the St. Marys Golf and Country Club was for us. It took us 24 hours to decide that we were going to pick one of the dates that Courtney gave us, and then all of the fun began!
Once we booked the venue, the next step was to choose all the other wedding vendors, including the photographer, videographer, florist, decorator, and DJ. Again, Courtney came to the rescue with a preferred list of vendors that SMGCC had worked with and would highly recommend. It got to the point that if I needed help with anything, Courtney was there to offer her guidance. When it came to the décor and the overall feel of the wedding, I knew I wanted it to be classy but laidback. I met with Kim from Above and Beyond Event Design and told her my vision. She knew exactly what I wanted and how to pull it all together - everything from the reception space, to the ceremony grounds, to the outdoor patio areas. Kim considers every detail to the point that on the day of the wedding, when she found out that I forgot to bring a cake stand, she went all the way back to her shop in Stratford just to ensure I would have one that fit the look of our wedding. From those little details to the overall design, I was completely speechless seeing how all the decor had come together so perfectly on our wedding day.
When it came to floral, I had big dreams for this aspect of our day, and Lyric Flowers absolutely nailed it. During my first meeting with Lanny, we went over everything that you normally would - from the bridesmaids’ bouquets, to my dog’s flower girl collar, to the centerpieces - and then he asked me if I have any other requests. I told him I wanted the entire ceremony aisle to be covered in white rose pedals! He was up to the challenge, and was just as excited as I was. On the day of our wedding, I showed up to a white carpet of 500 fresh rose petals - and again, I was completely speechless! It was by far one of the best parts of our wedding, and a jaw-dropping detail that so many of our guests still bring up to this day.
Picking your wedding photographer is a big deal! You want to ensure that you have pictures to look back on in 20+ years that you still love. Nina Polidoro was a no-brainer for us. Not only was she highly recommended by SMGCC, but she was also recommended by a family friend. Nina made sure to capture all of the perfect moments that happen so fast - moments that I didn’t even remember had happened - and she made everyone feel comfortable and relaxed the whole day. Not only is she amazing at her craft, but Nina is one of those special people in life that you can talk to for five minutes and feel like you have known her your whole life.
Yunco Weddings was the videographer that we picked to capture our day. Following our choice of venue, this was the best decision we made for our wedding! During the whole day, they never made us feel like we were on camera. Most of the time, I forgot they were even there, yet the video they created truly shows just how present they were. And when it came to editing the video, they were so flexible in modifying even the smallest detail if we wanted something different. I cannot express how grateful I am that we were able to work with them on our wedding day, and after seeing our final video, countless people have even told me it was the best one they have ever seen!
I will never forget showing up to the venue on the day of our wedding. The sky was very dark, and you could see rain in the distance. But as I walked up to the Hideaway entrance, my nerves started to subside as I started to take everything in. Before getting into my dress, I spent some time walking around in my robe, looking at all the décor, the flowers, the venue details. Everything was absolutely perfect and better than what I imagined - I was over the moon! This is something every bride should do before her guests arrive, so you don’t regret missing the smallest details that you spend so many months planning.
Taryn was our day of coordinator, and like all the SMGCC staff, she greeted me full of smiles. Right away, she reassured me that she had been checking the weather all morning, that the rain was going to pass, and that I would still be able to have my dream outdoor wedding. Lanny and Jay had already set up the rose pedal aisle, and it seemed everyone was on board to make sure this wedding would happen outside! Not only did Taryn ensure I had everything I needed on arrival and leading up to the ceremony, but she constantly checked in on our whole wedding party throughout dinner and until the party started. She was so attentive and such a calming presence to have around.
Looking back on our wedding experience, I cannot brag enough about how smoothly our day went and how I did not have one thing to stress about. From the time my guests started arriving to the very last dance, Ian and I truly had the best time we could have asked for - and that is all thanks to the amazing staff at the St. Marys Golf and Country Club, and all of the amazing vendors we had the pleasure of working with. We wish we could do it all over again the exact same way!
