PACKRAT LOUIE WEDDING, EDMONTON

TRACY AND BEN GET MARRIED

Sometimes you choose a venue for your wedding because it is available, and sometimes because it fits the budget, but for Tracy and Ben, they picked their reception venue because it perfectly reflected their view of what a wedding should be – an intimate dinner party with the ones they loved most. So instead of a traditional venue, the couple opted for a small gathering with a communal feel – and they booked the Packrat Louie restaurant for their wedding reception. They wanted “everyone to feel like they were at a family dinner.” They definitely over achieved on this one. Not really a surprise for these two, though. They are, you see, some of the smartest people I know.

SWEPT OFF HER FEET

It was on the dance floor where Ben initially swept Tracy off her feet, though they had met a year earlier at law school. They saw each other every day in classes and became fast friends, but once Ben flashed his fancy footwork…well, the rest is history. The rest of the wedding party were no slouches either – the minimum requirement of entry to be a groomsman was a Masters degree! They were incredibly intelligent, hilariously silly, and some of the most down to earth people I’ve ever met. They were wonderful.

INTIMATE CEREMONY, INTIMATE RECEPTION

At the end of the dinner service, guests were treated to home-style cakes topped with custom toppers that had been designed to look just like the couple. Alongside the cakes were photographs of the newlywed’s parents and grandparents on their wedding days. The evening was filled with deep conversation, and laughter as guests enjoyed the photobooth, and even a little dancing. But it was the exchanging of their vows that takes the honour of Tracy and Ben’s favourite moment: “it was a very surreal experience and it felt like we were the only two people in the church at that moment.”

The All Saints’ Anglican Cathedral ceremony was indeed touching, but for me, well I absolutely LOVED the reception venue. Packrat Louie was a wonderfully warm and intimate place to host a wedding. The food was outstanding, and the ambiance with all the exposed brick was delightful. And it fit perfectly with Tracy and Ben, who were a treat to be around. They laughed easily and loved openly, and those are traits that I adore. I truly couldn’t have asked for better company to spend the day with. Thanks again guys for making me feel like I was a part of your family.