130 WINTER/SPRING 2015 • TORONTO EDITION

p r o p o s a l

Rachel Linke and Sam Gagner first met in 2008, but didn’t start dating until two years later due to their busy careers—Rachel is a doctor and Sam is an NHL player for the Arizona Coyotes. After three years of dating, Sam proposed while the pair were enjoying a romantic holiday in Colorado. “He booked a gorgeous suite overlooking the mountains where he got down on one knee and asked me to marry him,” remembers Rachel.

w e e k e n d w e d d i n g The couple hosted an elegant weekend wedding in Muskoka, Ontario and officially said “I Do” on July 12, 2014. “Our number one priority was that our friends and family had the best weekend of their lives, as many of our guests traveled from North America and the UK to attend the wedding,” Rachel shares.

Anne Anderson of Anne Anderson Events was commissioned to provide event design and full-service planning for the celebration.

PHOTOGRAPHY BY: MANGO STUDIOS

SAMRACHEL

A HINT OF GATSBY AND A MUSKOKA LOCATION INSPIRE A NORTHERN ONTARIO WEEKEND WEDDING.

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The weekend wedding kicked off with a Great Gatsby-themed dinner on a private luxury steamship. The couple and their guests dressed in traditional 1920s garb for the occasion and enjoyed mint juleps as they sailed the scenic Muskoka lakes.

Frank Rea, Forget Me Not Flowers produced the floral and decor for the event, including Rachel’s all-white bouquet composed of peonies and lisianthus flowers. The bouquet was wrapped in lace to match the bride’s dress.

p e r s o n a l i z e d c e r e m o n y Rachel and Sam recited personalized vows at Muskoka’s Trinity United Church. Frank Rea and team lined the aisle with white and cream blooms placed on wooden pillars for the ceremony. Two beautiful arrangements made of tall birch trees accented with roses and wisteria flanked the altar. Phil Kniesel, a pastor at the church Rachel’s family attends in Edmonton, flew in to officiate the ceremony. A string quartet from The Classic String Quartet played

“Skinny Love” by Bon Iver as the bride made her way down the aisle. The ceremony also included a touching performance of Ellie Goulding’s “How Long Will I Love You” sung by Sam’s sister with Rachel’s brother on guitar.

s t y l e d e t a i l s On the morning of the wedding, Rachel and her bridesmaids got ready at a beautiful lakeside cottage. The bride wore a gown by Inbal Dror from White Toronto paired with diamond jewellery from Fortunes Fine Jewellers and suede Prada heels from Bergdorf Goodman. Eduardo Mella styled the bride’s hair and Michelle Rosen from Judy Inc. provided makeup.

Rachel’s bridesmaids wore pale gold, sequinned dresses by Alice + Olivia. Sam was dressed in a custom light grey suit from Garrison Bespoke.

g a r d e n p a r t y The reception took place in an outdoor tent on the grounds of the Taboo Muskoka Resort. The tent was draped in white fabric by Eventure Inc. Inside, Frank Rea, Forget Me Not Flowers beautifully decorated with crystal chandeliers adorned with white flowers and wisteria. Round tables were topped with white table linens provided by Covers Couture and paired with white Chiavari chairs from Chair-man Mills. Tall floral centrepieces with lush blooms and gold charger plates from Anne Anderson Events added to the opulent, garden party feel.

The bride’s favourite design detail was the long head table that was covered in a sea of candlelight and flowers. A large floral arch composed of birch trees, hanging tealight candles, and white and blush pink flowers decorated the area behind the table.

“It was very luxurious and special. Frank was amazing, any ideas I had for flowers or decorations he made come to life,” notes Rachel.

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Drinks were served at a custom gold and white striped bar that featured the couple’s wedding monogram in the centre.

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e n d n o t e s Taboo Muskoka Resort catered a four-course meal that included a starter of vermouth and mint pressed watermelon and feta salad. Alex Flye of Flye Catering and Kerr Street Cafe created the couple’s vanilla cake with marshmallow frosting.

The Toronto band The Digs performed during the entire event and received rave reviews from guests while a DJ from Sole Power Productions had everyone on the dance floor. Cloud Nine Creative Inc. filmed the entire day and created one of their signature Same-Day-Edits that was screened during the reception.

After Rachel and Sam’s Saturday nuptials, the weekend wedding concluded with a celebratory brunch and lake party on the Sunday. “We both view our wedding as a once in a lifetime weekend,” shares Rachel.

Rachel and Sam offered their guests two signature drinks; a sparkling wine with raspberries (Rachel’s choice) and the “89 Greyhound” (Sam’s choice, named for his former Edmonton Oilers’ jersey number).

Instead of a traditional guestbook, attendees wrote congratulatory messages on two wooden canoe paddles for the couple to cherish for years to come.

The couple’s custom monogram created by PALETTERA Custom Correspondences was woven throughout the wedding stationery. It also appeared on the dance floor produced by Dance Floor Décor.

s w e e t e s c a p e The couple enjoyed a romantic, five-day honeymoon in Saint Lucia. The pair stayed at the luxurious Sugar Beach, A Viceroy Resort in a private villa where they had their own pool and a dedicated butler who catered to their every whim.

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