Harneet and Sim, British Columbia, Canada
This lockdown wedding was a beautiful, boho-themed affair that took place in the backyard of the bride's parents' home.
Hailing from large families, the thought of an intimate wedding for Harneet and Sim was out of the question. However, the COVID-19 pandemic forced them to redraw all their plans. Here, bride Harneet shares how her lockdown wedding hosted in her backyard at home was every bit as lovely as she had initially envisioned it.
How They Met
Harneet shares, “From our first meeting itself, there was an instant connection between Sim and I. It almost felt as if we had known each other our entire lives. Our first date was spent talking about our shared love for travelling, especially to places like Bali which is a place where we want to build a future in. Soon, we realized that we had grown up in the same neighborhoods, attended the same high school, and numerous members of our families were friends. There were so many ways we could have met, but it actually happened online.”
Wedding Planning
“We always had the vision of an intimate wedding in mind. However, both of us acknowledged that doing so would be difficult as we come from big families. For a long time, I had dreamt of a boho style summer wedding in my parents’ backyard, under a pergola adorned with fresh flowers, and loved the idea of being able to watch my groom arrive at the house and walk down the aisle as the guests watched from their seats. Additionally, I also felt comforted by the thought of tying the knot in my family home, where I have so many cherished memories. And, even though we did give these plans a great deal of thought, during the initial stages of planning, it felt impossible given the number of guests we had on our list.”
“Eventually, we settled on a Gurudwara ceremony, a plan which we had to change as the pandemic started spreading. However, that didn’t dampen our spirits. Both of us were adamant about moving ahead with the nuptials and tackled each challenge and change head-on. Safety was of utmost importance to us and we took every possible precaution to ensure that all 34 of our guests could enjoy it without a worry. Throughout all of this, our families were extremely supportive.”
“I only had a few weeks until our wedding, so my family and I united very quickly to plan the decor, food, and zero in on other vendors. And, now that we were going to have a backyard wedding, I contacted the vendors of a boho photoshoot that I and my family were inspired by, and within about a week I had booked them. It was amazing to know that the wedding I had dreamt of could come to reality. As for the safety measures, we decided to forgo the week of festivities before the wedding. My mehndi ceremony was executed with a limited guest list and on the wedding day, we had personalized hand sanitizers for every guest and a handwashing station nears the ceremony along with designated seating that followed all the social distancing rules.”
The duo booked Amrit Photography to capture their beautiful moments for posterity, alongside Studio 101 for the videography. Hair and makeup artist Aquarius Art and the team from Finesse Decor made sure that everything, from the bride to the setups, looked flawless.
Weddings Functions
Wedding
“For our big day, we ultimately settled on an intimate, boho-garden themed wedding in my parents’ backyard that I’d initially envisioned! I loved being able to watch Sim arrive at the house for the milni and walk down the aisle from my window. It was absolutely spectacular to watch everyone waiting for my arrival.
Unfortunately, not all of our friends and family could be there but we did make sure that they were with us digitally via a live stream. Hundreds of our family members and friends tuned in as we got married and I couldn’t have been any happier with the way it all turned out. Every bit of it was magical, and now, we’re looking forward to our future in Bali after the pandemic is behind us.”
Advice for couples
When quizzed about her lockdown wedding experience, Harneet advises, “Don’t be overwhelmed by the changes. Instead, look at the positive side of things as COVID-19 has now allowed couples to be creative about their weddings. While it may be daunting to plan a wedding that isn’t typical or normal, it is also exciting because now you can focus on yourself and your partner completely.
The Wedding Makers
Location: British Columbia, Canada
Decor: Finesse Decor
Decor Accessories: Cfleursdesign (Ribbons), Natural Oasis Events (Canopy)
Florist: Da Fiori Floral Design
Outfits: Vivah Collection
Makeup and Hairstyling: Aquarius Art
Photography: Amrit Photography
Videography: Studio 101
