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Wedding Trends

W H AT M A K E S A PE R F E C T V E N U E ?

I S I T T H E A M BI E N C E , T H E A M E N I T I E S O R S O M ET H I N G T H AT R E F L E C T S T H E

C OU P L E’ S OWN S E N S E O F ST Y L E ? O N LY Y OU AN D Y OU R I N T E N D E D K N OW

WH AT Y OU R P R I O R I T I E S AR E . BY F O C U S I N G O N WH AT M AT T E R S M O ST

T O T H E T W O O F Y OU, Y OU C AN C R E AT E AN EV E N T

T H AT I S T RU LY M E AN I N GF U L F O R EV E RY O N E .

Location, Location••

B Y B E T H W I L S O N

V E N U E R U M B A L L CA M P F O R T H E D E A F

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IN THE SPAN OF ONE YE AR , T WO SISTERS WERE MARRIED at the Rumball Camp of the Deaf, Parry Sound, with their father Derek Rumball , the camp’s executive director, officiating, their mother, Shelley Rumball , co-coordinating and Michael Steingard behind the camera lens. Internationally renowned advocate for the deaf, pastor Bob Rumball , Derek’s father, established the camp in 1960. Hillary Rumball was the first of Derek’s daughters to get married there in the summer of 2012, followed by Meghan Rumball this past summer. While they shared the same venue and many of the same resources, the differences in personalities and tastes between the couples shone through so that each wedding made its own distinct statement.

B Y S A N DY P O I T R A S P H O T O G R A P H E R M I C H A E L S T E I N G A R D

Meghan&ScottJune 22, 2013 • Parry Sound

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Real Weddings

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Real Weddings

A W E D D I N G T A L E O F T W O S I S T E R S A T T H E R U M B A L L C A M P O F T H E D E A F

Hillary&CurtisAugust 25, 2012 • Parry Sound

Hillary Rumball, who works in the deaf community as a sign language interpreter and children’s program

coordinator for the hearing impaired, married Curtis Handy August 2012 surrounded by a theme of “Rustic Elegance.” � ey achieved the look with muted tones of champagne and ivory with peach accents — the same accent colour Hillary’s mother used for her wedding 25 years earlier. “� e overall feel was antique and rustic to match the feel of the camp,” Hillary describes. “Also Curtis and I are old souls so the northern feel and the antiquated look matched our personalities well.”

Curtis and Hillary met Halloween 2008 while collecting donations for the local food bank. “I was dressed as Minnie

Mouse, with giant mouse puppet hands, and Curtis was not dressed up at all,” laughs Hillary.

While she claims not to have noticed him, Curtis “couldn’t forget that girl dressed up as Minnie Mouse.” � ey met again one year later at a Halloween party hosted by Curtis at his new house, where they now live. Curtis proposed to Hillary Christmas 2011, at the Rumball household, after convincing his sleepy, unsuspecting � ancée-to-be to get up extra early and sneak down to the Christmas tree so they could “open one gift early.” She loved her gift, and said ‘yes.’

� e Rumball family knows how to throw wedding showers. Hillary’s lingerie shower at Roy � omson Hall in

THE WEDDING OF HILLARY RUMBALL AND CURTIS HANDY HANDMADE WITH LOVE

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Real WeddingsReal WeddingsReal Weddings A Wedding by the Lake

Not Ordinary.

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Extraordinary!Gerber daisies will forever remind Meghan Whynot of the day her husband proposed.

“Every month prior to being engaged, and every month since, Scott has given me a Gerber daisy on our 'monthiversary,' says the bride.

Meghan was taken on a bit of a wild daisy hunt the day Scott proposed on the grounds of the Rumball Camp of the Deaf. After an ATV ride through the forest, he guided his sweetheart to the top of a waterfall, where the spectacularly coloured daisies lay scattered everywhere. “Each daisy had a picture attached with a note on the back saying 'If you marry me...' and then a promise related to the picture,” Meghan describes. After she collected herself, and all the daisies together, Scott got down on one knee and proposed. His stealthy brother, who hid in the woods nearby, even captured the moment on camera.

Scott Whynot of London, Ontario, and Meghan Rumball of Innis� l met when they were students at Western University in London, where they both joined the club Campus for Christ. After three years as friends, Scott � nally asked Meghan out on a date to get ice cream on a cold November evening. Eighteen months later, Scott’s marriage proposal warmed Meghan’s heart.

Along with the “traditional” lingerie shower at Roy � omson Hall that began with her sister Hillary’s wedding, the couple was given a family shower at the Bob Rumball Centre for the Deaf, Toronto, as well as showers hosted by family and friends from West London Alliance Church and Barrie Free Methodist Church. � e memorable engagement party began on a � oat during the Barrie Santa Claus Parade, complete

with bridesmaids and groomsmen dressed in full holiday glam, and wrapped up with hot chocolate and an “ugly sweater party” at their church.

� e couple exchanged vows this past summer with Meghan’s father o� ciating, on a � oating dock he designed himself, facing their 200 guests who sat along the shoreline. Afterwards the gazebo served as a “mini reception” resplendent with homemade treats, a lemonade stand, vegetable and strawberry patches and other o� erings that � t their “Romantic Garden” theme.

“� is really was a family a� air. Most of the credit for the design of the decorations, the format for the day, the food and all the little details goes to my mother; she is a fantastic wedding planner.” Meghan says. She also gives credit to her Grandma Dottie, aunt Tania and aunt Sanja. Some of those “little details” included a garland chandelier, topiary trees and a ceiling-mounted swing at the main lodge where the reception was held. � ere were pontoon rides, garden games, a photo booth and a � reworks/laser light show in the evening.

� e couple’s punchy royal blue and white colour scheme, with hints of other blue shades, set against the rich green tones of summer, made for brilliant, eye-catching wedding photographs that clearly capture the sheer joy of the day. “Despite all the hard work of my family, it was really a gift from God that made our wedding so beautiful, as we had the perfect weather for the day,” says Meghan. � e wedding party consisted of nine bridesmaids, nine groomsmen and � ve biblical bridesmaids (bridesmaids that line the aisle and throw � owers as the rest walk down the aisle).

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THE WEDDING OF MEGHAN RUMBALL &

SCOTT WHYNOTREFLECTIONS OF FAITH

T H E C O U PL E exchanged vows

O N A fl oating dock

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Real WeddingsReal WeddingsReal Weddings I T ' S A L L I N T H E D E T A I L S

SHARED RESOURCES:P H OTO G R A P H E R / V I D E O G R A P H E R Michael SteingardC E R E M O N Y & R E C E P T I O N Rumball Camp of the Deaf, Parry SoundCAT E R E R Heather Martinez, Toronto (personal friend)F L O R I S T Tania Kerr, MississaugaM A K E U P Kendall Webb, BarrieH A I R Maryjo’s Hair Design, Parry SoundT U X S H O P Moores Clothing for Men, BarrieD R E S S A LT E R AT I O N Ina’s Alterations

DIFFERING RESOURCES:M E G H A N ’ S D R E S S David’s Bridal, Kentucky H I L L A RY ’ S D R E S S Loved Again Bridal Boutique, BarrieH I L L A RY ’ S B R I DA L PA RT Y AT T I R E Deb’s, debshop.comM U S I C I A N S MEGHAN & SCOTT: Greg Heywood, & Cory Adrian, UxbridgeM U S I C I A N S HILLARY & CURTIS: Garth & Carrie Webb, Karen Francis, BarrieV I D E O G R A P H E R MEGHAN & SCOTT: Kevin Du� et, Toronto

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES LISTED BY HILLARY RUMBALL & CURTIS HANDY:J E W E L L E RY

ENGAGEMENT RING: VIP Diamond Jewelry, Newmarket CA K E Shelley Rumball Designs (Mother of the Bride)FAVO U R S Chocolates by Monique Lunardo ( family friend) & candy barH O N E Y M O O N Samana, Dominican Republic

Toronto was such a hit that her sister Meghan did the same for her wedding the following year. � e couple’s engagement party was held at the retro Roller Skating Place in Orillia and their church community held showers as well. Hillary’s aunt hosted the rehearsal dinner at her cottage in Seguin Township.

� e bride took full advantage of the artistic and crafty skills of the people in her life to realize the wedding day she and her groom envisioned. “� is was a home-grown, DIY (Do It Yourself ) wedding, where a signi� cant amount of things were done by family and friends,” Hillary says. “It was more meaningful for me to have people I knew, and who knew me, contribute their time, skills, and talents.”

Every contribution had meaning including the bouquets that were made by her aunt Tania Kerr, the catering done by chef/family friend Heather Martinez, the makeup by friend/professional stylist Kendall Webb, music arranged by siblings of friends and her father, who o� ciated. “From the handmade programs, centerpieces, waving ribbons, photo booth and more, it was a crafting extravaganza,” Hillary enthuses.

Hillary’s six bridesmaids wore pleated champagne dresses, while the six groomsmen sported out� ts from Moores Clothing for Men. Curtis’ niece Hillary (L’il Hill) was the � ower girl and his nephew Eli was the ring bearer.

About 180 guests attended wedding, which was � lled with little nostalgic touches. “We had Jones Soda bottles with our pictures on them, which my grandmother purchased for the wedding,” Hillary says. “She passed away three weeks before the wedding so when they arrived in the mail, it was a blessing.” Her grandmother had also sewn a shoe bag using fabric from Hillary’s mother’s wedding gown. Photos of the bride’s grandmothers and mother on their wedding day adorned the reception area, as well as little cards indicating

the family and friends who made the desserts for the day. Remarkably, an article Curtis’ aunt had written about Hillary’s grandfather Bob Rumball - well before the newlyweds were even born - was also displayed.

Highlights of the reception included a choreographed dance number by the bridesmaids (which inspired Meghan to do the same at her wedding), a baby video of the couple, and even a “Trash the Dress” video whereby Hillary and Curtis sported older wedding attire and performed various stunts from riding Sea-Doos and ATVs to tubing and roller skating.

“I just want to inspire brides-to-be that you can have an amazingly beautiful, meaningful, and special wedding on a budget, with help from your family and friends. It was my main goal to spend as little money as possible, but to create an amazing experience for all my guests, my husband and myself,” says Hillary. “It was the perfect day, after eight months of intensive planning and preparation, but it was worth it.”

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I T WA S MO RE M E A N I N GF U L F O R M E to have people I knew, and who knew me,

C O N T RI BU T E T H E I R

time, skills, and talents

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