Date

Guests

30

May 24, 2014

Carli and Courtney met while volunteering at an elephant conservation project in Namibia. Carli lived in South Africa and Courtney in Canada, but the two were determined to keep their relationship going after their month-long volunteer placement wrapped up. "Something inside of me ignited when I really saw her, and there would be a hollow without her in my life," Courtney explains. "Thousands of texts were sent, hundreds of emails, hours of Skype calls and eventually I managed to bring her to Canada. But, again, our time was limited. When she had to leave Canada after a few short weeks that felt somehow both like an instant and an infinity, no one could talk me out of it: I was going to be with her, no matter what. I returned to Namibia to volunteer again, where she surprised me for a weekend visit." Courtney was eventually granted a year-long travel visa for South Africa and she packed her bags to be with Carli. It wasn't long after that the couple decided to tie the knot. "We had something unique in all the world and no matter what got between us, we would never give up. We decided to get married."

The couple's wedding was intimate and sweet, with only 30 guests in attendance. The brides organized most of the wedding themselves, taking care of everything from the catering to the music.

Travel featured prominently in Carli and Courtney's celebration. The invitations were made of customized world map post cards, and the guest book was a world map. "An old suitcase that held dozens of letters that had been sent while we were long distance and world map printed diaries from our time in Namibia together all found their way into the décor as well," Courtney explains.

The brides agree that being able to include their dog in their celebration was extremely special. "This one may seem strange to some people, but our dog, Kobane, is part of our family. We decided that we must include him somehow, and so after the ceremony was over a family member brought him to the loft. He was even dressed up in a bow tie! Guests blew bubbles at us while we danced, and Kobane jumped after the bubbles. It was important to include our puppy and we are both very happy that we did, and that we chose to be married in a place that would allow us to include him," says Courtney.

Vendors
Ceremony and reception location: Rockwood Park Stables
Bridal gowns: Mori Lee from Heavenly Gowns
Invitations: Vista Print
Hair and makeup: Essential Esthetic & Hair Studio
Cake: Shannon Piccott ([email protected])
Catering: DIY