Tee Time 8:00 AM

It was a rough morning weather wise. At first it looked like the round of golf would be scrubbed but then the rain subsided and they went ahead.

Morris remembers, “that morning I got up about 5:30 AM. I had a really crummy front nine. The guys were making fun, asking me if I was nervous. Then Robert, our photographer, turned up and I started playing better.”

Robert McGee laughs and says, “The first fellow who went to tee off swung and popped one right off a tree. I thought, ‘oh boy, the presence of the camera isn’t working very well’ but then Morris started playing better.”

They finished the full round and had breakfast on the patio by 11:00. Morris suddenly realized time was running out. “I thought, ‘I better get going. I need to shave.’ The guys came over to my parents’ house about an hour and a half ahead of time. We got dressed and then headed over the two blocks to Lisa’s place.”

At Home 10:00 AM

The family home was busy that morning. Lisa Loewen says, “We had lots of relatives staying in the house. Every room was being used. The kids were dressing in my parents’ room so we all used the guest room. It was the least busy.

“I have been to a few weddings where everything was chaotic and the bride was crazy about the details. So from the beginning I told myself, ‘I’m going to work hard and enjoy working hard to get ready, but on the day I’m just going to sit back and enjoy myself.’ Sandy was really good about letting that happen.” Wedding event coordinator Sandy Godfree played a key role in organizing the event and keeping things on track.

“When the hair stylist and makeup artist arrived Sandy suggested that I take off, go downtown and get my hair and makeup done. I had a quiet time there and when I got back to the house all of the bridesmaids and Mom were done. And Morris arrived shortly thereafter about 2 pm.”

The Ceremony 3:00 PM

It had been drizzling all day. The decision to hold the ceremony outside was only made at the last minute. Literally ten minutes to the appointed time the sun broke out over Burnaby. They removed the covers from the seats and the flowers and seated the 187 guests—all close friends and family.

“We wanted to have people there who would live life with us.” explains Lisa. “We wanted the people who were witnessing the ceremony to be the people who would be witnessing our marriage.”

Lisa remembers the warmth of the sun and then the men all lined up. “When we were standing there the sun was actually warm on us. Morris and the guys were standing there. As my Dad walked me down I could see the emotion on Morris’ face.” Morris says, “It was quite emotional for me. I was pretty relaxed until she started down the aisle then I started to loose it. It was good.”

Dinner 6:00 PM

The table tops were spectacular. “I wanted to have a floral style similar to my Mom’s. I love the way she arranges hers. I also knew I wanted a variety of heights to give creativity to the room. The candle sticks Sandy found were incredibly perfect,” explains Lisa.

Vancouver caterer David Peake prepared the menu. Lisa and Morris asked David to “surprise us with something different.” And David delivered. Apart from a fantastic six course meal including ahi, roast lamb, roast duck and lemon sorbet each course was served to each person at the head table by their own dedicated server.

On a cue from David the whole head table was served simultaneously. Between courses they had time to mingle then when the caterer was ready his ‘maestro’ would come and take Lisa by the hand and escort her back to her seat. “Everyone got excited because they knew some fantastic course was going to come out. It was a very special, unexpected touch that made everyone at the wedding table feel very special.”

Into The Night 10:00 PM

The sparkler parade was borrowed from Martha Stewart. Lisa explains “One of the themes of the wedding was that it was my gift to the guests for coming. It wasn’t a party for my husband and I. It was a party for the guests. I didn’t want anything at this wedding to be static. I wanted surprises. The sparklers seemed like a lot of fun.” Morris remembers, “One of Lisa’s goals was to give everyone who came there a good night out. It was better than any other wedding I’ve ever been to.”
The next morning they flew to Maui.