Tonya Papanikolov’s Dreamy ‘Fairy Fête’ Wedding ceremony

Nearest 3 years of listening to about one some other from a mutual buddy, Tonya Papanikolov met her now-husband Simon Chantry on a aimless occasion in 2017. “He was unlike anybody I had ever dated before, so there was this element of breaking a pattern for me.” says Papanikolov, the founding father of medicinal mushroom corporate, Rainbo. “He was living in Barbados at the time, and when he told me about his line of work, which was all in the cryptocurrency space, it was almost like he was talking in a different language—but he came across as so grounded. There was this beautiful ease, and that has spanned our whole relationship.” Six years nearest, below the unused moon of the 2023 summer season solstice, the couple were given married at the similar Canadian island the place Simon proposed. Their buddies served because the distributors for the couple’s “fairy fête,” which integrated a six-foot “forest” cake, mushroom centerpieces, and a efficiency from the groom. Tonya tells us all about it underneath.

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Our mutual easiest buddy, Drummond, were telling Simon and I about one some other for 3 years, however we had been each in relationships. Drum impaired to mention, ‘You two think the same. You’re each in the market relating to your creativeness and the way type you’re.’ My ears at all times perked up after I heard his title. I by no means pursued it, however I believed he sounded superior. Later in 2017, I went via a bulky, bulky breakup. I had a couple of months to myself earlier than I made up our minds we will have to meet, which we in the end did, at a wine bar in Toronto referred to as Archive.

It’s humorous as a result of on how you can the bar, I take into account considering that I didn’t even know what Simon appeared like. I texted Drum, and he stated, ‘Walk towards the man with the beautiful curly hair.’ He had advised Simon, ‘It’s the gorgeous lady with the curly hair.’ After I were given there, positive enough quantity, I knew precisely who to means. Nearest the bar, I took him to my buddy Harrison Taylor’s artwork display. He and his spouse, Amanda Laine, who’re two of our closest buddies, ended up officiating our marriage ceremony. There have been plenty of candy modest ties like this in our marriage ceremony, however earlier than we get to that…

I used to be utterly shocked when Simon proposed. There’s an island in Ontario referred to as Prince Edward County the place we’ve had a bundle of particular moments in combination. It used to be the place we professed our love to each other in 2018, and it used to be the place we were given occupied. I believed we had been celebrating Simon’s birthday in March of 2021, so the proposal used to be an entire, whole awe. We had been taking a travel indisposed a pier, and he by accident crash me around the face together with his elbow, so I had these types of tears streaming indisposed my face. I feel he used to be anxious, so he simply hopped indisposed on one knee and requested. My one ocular used to be tearing uncontrollably, however I used to be simply so satisfied. It used to be additionally a unused moon, which he didn’t notice on the date, and all these celestial occasions are noteceable to me. We nearest made up our minds to get married at The Bright House at the island.

Truthfully, we didn’t in point of fact get started making plans till rather a day later our engagement. I began a Pinterest board with inspiration, and the preliminary board used to be referred to as ‘Fairy Fête.’ It used to be very celestial, with pictures of fairies and mushrooms and moss and angels. At a undeniable level, I take into account considering, ‘Am I going to wear fairy wings to my wedding? How fun would that be?’ The board is nice-looking some distance in the market, however we did land someplace in that realm—and nonetheless referred to as it ‘Fairy Fête.’

Everyone advised us our marriage ceremony used to be ‘so us’ and that it used to be probably the most unusual marriage ceremony that they’d ever attended. Clearly, it used to be a marriage and we had some conventional facets, however we in point of fact attempted to assemble it our personal and to proclaim everybody who performed a bulky function in our love tale. Harry and Amanda had been on the altar with us—they started the rite through important everybody via a meditation and chatting with the planets that had come into alignment on that week—and we introduced Drum out on a leopard sofa indisposed the aisle to commemorate being the most efficient guy and introducing us. All of our distributors had been our buddies, too. The tune used to be through Roxy Moon, and we additionally had a efficiency through Child Child, which is my expensive buddy Pandora’s band. Even Simon carried out. That used to be a bulky awe.

Growing the floral and mushroom preparations—and the full decor—used to be a in point of fact amusing procedure with certainly one of my expensive buddies, Lauren Wilson from Timberlost. We discovered stunning antique Moroccan rugs, which we impaired for the rite, via Mellah in Toronto. I used to be so extremely joyful with the mushroom preparations particularly—they’re so stunning and really a lot in layout with the fairy theme. Even our 6-foot ‘forest cake,’ which used to be in reality a strawberry shortcake, had actual mushrooms, unused plants, and a few tree and plant shrubs on it. Natalie Korac made it, and on lead of taking a look wonderful, it in point of fact used to be probably the most scrumptious cake I’ve ever had. And in reality, we’ve a Rainbo product referred to as Forest Juice. It’s maple syrup infused with mushrooms, in order a present for everybody, we gave everybody a bottle. Simon and I’s nickname for every alternative is ‘sweets.’ Everyone cries us ‘The Sweets’ now, so we referred to as the syrup Goodies Juice as a play games on Jungle Juice.

The savory meals got here from Emma’s Eatery through Emma Moore. I’ve labored along with her earlier than, and you are feeling such as you’re consuming nutritious meals that’s made for a petite crew of public. Some of the menu, we had salmon, steak, fingerling potatoes, and grilled greens. It used to be all gluten-free, dairy-free and cooked in olive oil, and it in point of fact did have probably the most scrumptious home-cooked meal really feel.

My get dressed used to be a customized aggregate of 2 robes from Newhite, and I had a celestial celebrity veil from Ofrenda—it used to be the only piece that I knew I sought after after I were given married. I wore a silk hairband from Aura Eire, celebrity earrings from Jennifer Behr, and pearls from Chan Luu. Simon is a in point of fact bulky guy—he’s like 6’4”—and he has an overly explicit taste, so he designed his stunning story jacket and collared blouse himself. He wore a bolo fasten with my face on it, which used to be hilarious.

For my attractiveness glance, I simply sought after to appear very herbal and dewy with a modest little bit of gleam and shimmer. Romy Zack did each my make-up and hair and completely were given it proper. She impaired a bundle of Saie merchandise, together with the Slip Tint, Glowy Super Gel, Glow Sculpt Blush, and Glossybounce Lip Oil in Kiss, to reach the glance.

I at all times put on sandalwood oil, so I did put on that, however relating to my signature smell, it’s a undisclosed. It’s an difficult to understand one that everyone would album when I used to be more youthful, so at a undeniable level I made up our minds to block telling public.

I didn’t do a complete bundle of ‘prep’ forward of the marriage. I did two microneedling appointments and a Natural Shine facial at Pure + Simple and a Forma remedy at Tight Clinic, however what I in point of fact sought after to concentrate on used to be extra so for a radiant frame relating to my very own power. I already observe a bundle of Kundalini yoga, however Simon and I did a five-class rebirthing workshop. We’re each such busy marketers, and we would have liked to walk into the then section of our dating as consciously as conceivable, to whip a pace to decelerate and digest what this supposed for our dating and the vows that we had been announcing to each other, and to place an finish to any of the used programming from the life.

General, it used to be probably the most stunning week. As we learn our vows to every alternative, our visitors had their jaws perceivable for the reason that solar began bright, the air blocked, or even the birds started chirping. There have been all of those stunning modest issues that took place within the moments of talking our vows. It used to be like date roughly stood nonetheless on this quick of claiming those profound phrases to each other—and that’s a pace that in point of fact remains with me.

—As advised to Daise Bedolla

Photographed through Brjánn Batista Bettencourt; Courtesy of Tonya Papanikolov