As a couple, Cristiane and Mauricio have always had a great passion in common: skiing. So, there seemed nowhere more fitting to celebrate their love than in Canada, surrounded by snow. This magical place, with stunning landscapes, turned Cristiane and Mauricio’s destination wedding into a dream event. Here’s all the details of their wedding below, we hope it makes perfect inspiration for a winter wedding.
A passion for skiing
Physiotherapist Cristiane and doctor Mauricio met at Santa Casa, Portugal, where they worked together. From there onwards, their love for each other grew stronger every day, and they embarked on many skiing trips together to make the best kind of memories. Cristiane also learned to snowboard with Mauricio so that they could surf the mountain the same way.
An engagement in the mountains
On one of their trips to a ski resort in Mammoth, California, came the much desired proposal. Cristiane was not expecting the proposal at the time, which was made by Mauricio after he ‘fell ‘ from his snowboard to get down on one knee. She accepted, of course, and from there the couple began a real marathon of preparations for an incredible destination wedding in Canada.
Cinematic scenery
The couple chose a chalet at the Fairmont Chateau Whistler as their venue, nestled in the snow of Whistler mountain. The bride was delighted with the hotel, since it provided all the necessities for the wedding, along with delicious food and a flawless service. The venue was transformed into a dining hall, while the guests indulged in local fresh cuisine in the welcome drinks area next door, which later became a dance floor! The couple chose a rustic-chic style in total harmony with the essence of a Canadian ski resort.
A DIY couple
To successfully organize a destination wedding for 50 guests, the couple took care of everything a year in advance. Cristiane and Maurice traveled to Whistler to meet the locals and suppliers. They acted as their own wedding planners as well as travel agents for all of their guests, taking care of everything from ski passes and visas to accommodation, airport transfers and ski lessons!
Photo session by the lake
During the ceremony, Cristiane and Mauricio faced the guests all the time. This way, guests felt very much part of such an important moment for the couple, who wanted to include their loved ones in the whole process. “We wanted everyone’s blessing,” Cristiane told us. Another great emotional moment was the photo session by the lake, because despite the cold, incredible feelings of love and happiness took over the couple, who felt so much at ease with the photographer that they even performed a private tango for the camera.
Tips from the Bride
We asked Cristiane for some tips to help those currently at the initial wedding planning stages. Firstly, she explained, a destination wedding should not be treated in the same way as if you were planning a wedding closer to home. “Deciding everything from a distance is very complicated, so having someone that you trust on the other side, such as a wedding planner or hotel co-ordinator, is very important,” she added.
The bride also explains that their aim was to have a wedding that echoed the real essence of their destination, with the best regional food and drink. “The place was already beautiful by itself, despite the fact that there aren’t any flowers in winter, so we wanted warming and delicious food to be the icing on the cake.”
On the big day, Cristiane’s tip is to relax and enjoy yourself, without worrying about the details that may have not gone as you imagined, for “with love and truth, everything will be beautiful anyway. The love of the bride and groom overflows and nobody notices anything else, everyone is just happy to enjoy the moment with you,” she said. We couldn’t agree more!
Credits:
Wedding dress: DIY (handmade by the Bride) | Hair and Make-up: Farfalla Hair Whistler | Suit: Hugo Boss | Flowers/decoration: Celebrate | Venue: Fairmont Chateau Whistler | Food, dessert and cake: Fairmont Chateau Whistler | Photography: Logan Swayze
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