Like many girls, Celine Desnoyers always wanted to get married.
But when the 29-year-old Ottawan got engaged last month, she realized that — beyond marrying in a church — she had no idea what else she wanted.
She and her fiance, Ed Kwok, have planned their May 23, 2009, Chinese-Catholic wedding in a Rockland church, and the reception. They have a photographer. But yesterday, they came to the Ottawa Wedding Show, hoping it would inspire the rest.
The annual show at Lansdowne Park is a spring tradition as “a one-stop shop for brides, so they don’t have to run all over the city to find a florist and … the cake,” said show manager Yolande Adams.
The couple — he’s an emergency room doctor; she’s a nurse — has a year before the big day, but their busy schedules require that they plan ahead. With no set budget, they were hoping the show would give them an idea of things they needed.
“Have you thought about flowers?” Kwok asks his fiance, as they walk past a display.
“No,” she replies. “Maybe tulips, because it’s spring?”
A black stretch limo catches Kwok’s eye. “We need to transport people from the church on one end of the city to the reception on the other,” said Kwok. “I’m thinking a Hummer limo.”
They find a videographer, but balk at the $1,000 price tag.
“I find it kind of steep,” said Kwok. “And to be honest, you know how people make you sit and watch? I hate it.”
“It’s not for other people, it’s for you,” said Desnoyers. “And I’m sure your kids would enjoy it.”
They move onto deejays. An exhibitor tells them about light show and fog machine options.
They both like the idea of cupcakes, instead of a traditional cake.
Figuring she has time, Desnoyers spends only minutes in the gown showroom.
They leave the show without concrete plans, but have a better idea of what they do and don’t want.
“It reminded us of stuff we haven’t thought of,” she said.
