Real Bride

#EnzoaniRealBride: Jill + Donny

Ethereal. Beautiful. Magical.

About 6 years ago, Jill and Donny met through a mutual friend kind of by coincidence.

Jill was invited last minute to a weekend-long New Year's Eve Bash at a beautiful Canadian cottage because another guest had bailed. She could never really refuse the offer of ringing in the New Year at a cottage, so she decided very VERY last minute, that even though she only knew two people going, why not? So Jill and her friend Dara - who was dating Donny's friend at the time - took the drive to Donny's cottage to ring in the New Year.

Featured Above: BT 17-08 | Beautiful Bridal by Enzoani

Jill and Donny were formally introduced over cocktails and something had just clicked into place. Maybe it was their shared love of music - Donny being an avid musician on guitar, and Jill being an amateur musician on piano. Love at first sight? Some don't believe in it.

Featured Above: BT 17-08 | Beautiful Bridal by Enzoani

On that beautiful snowy New Year's Eve, they had an unforgettable night with a delicious communal dinner, dancing, and a roaring bonfire (don't forget the s'mores). The weekend seemed to snap to an end - time flies when you're having fun. Regular life settled back in. Jill and Donny were both students at different universities at the time (in the same city). They began hanging out often and became close friends.

Featured Above: BT 17-08 | Beautiful Bridal by Enzoani

That friendship quickly blossomed into romance and they have been inseparable ever since. Life happened in the meantime. Graduations, post-grads, more graduation, a move that brought them long distance for a short time, the death of Jill's father, the invention of a new instrument in the family, new jobs, job loss, career jumps, new friends, the birth of a nephew, and so much more. After a couple years of dating, Jill and Donny decided to make the next move - literally! They found a cute little apartment in a trendy part of town and settled in with each other.

Featured Above: BT 17-08 | Beautiful Bridal by Enzoani

After some time in that quaint apartment, it was time to start dreaming bigger. Jill and Donny found their perfect house in their perfect neighbourhood - it was meant to be, surely. They scooped it up quicker than you can say PUPPY! And so their beautiful rescue dog Ruby came into their lives. Ruby became part of the family and the three have been inseparable.

Featured Above: BT 17-08 | Beautiful Bridal by Enzoani

Wow, all this time and travel hasn't been mentioned yet. Jill caught the travel bug in her youth - maybe it was genetic from her nomadic family. Whatever it was, it was contagious. Jill and Donny started doing short trips to Montreal, Toronto, and New York City. It wasn't long before they booked an all-inclusive vacation to Punta Cana - their first out of the way trip (of many). They had a fabulous time lounging on the white sand beaches and snorkelling with the fish, but they wanted more.

Featured Above: BT 17-08 | Beautiful Bridal by Enzoani

Since then, Jill and Donny have promised to travel the world together.

From their modest travel beginnings, they have since gone to Canada, the USA, Mexico, Brazil, Japan, Argentina, Dominican Republic, Costa Rica, Cuba, Iceland, Denmark, Sweden, Germany, the UK, Portugal, Spain, France, Italy, Vatican City, Monaco, Malta, Greece, and Thailand. They have their sights set on Morocco or Egypt next, but they are always open to suggestions!

Featured Above: BT 17-08 | Beautiful Bridal by Enzoani

In August of 2016, Jill and Donny took a trip to Jill's favourite country - Denmark - and one of Donny's favourite - Iceland. As the trip was coming to an end, on their last day they spent horseback riding through the surreal Icelandic mountains and then relaxing at the vibrant Blue Lagoon Spa. At the very end of that magical day, there, on the banks of the Atlantic at the Sun Voyage in Iceland, they knew it was the perfect moment and vowed to love each other for the rest of their lives.

Featured Above: BT 17-08 | Beautiful Bridal by Enzoani

They were happily married their perfect fairytale wedding on June 23, 2018. Now, Jill, Donny, and their dog Ruby can all usually be found at the cottage, swimming, or enjoying good food and drinks on the sunset deck. Does love at first sight exist? Jill and Donny sure believe in it.

Featured Above: BT 17-08 | Beautiful Bridal by Enzoani

The Dress

Long before I met my husband, I used to walk by this whimsical bridal shop every day to get to work. I would sigh and press my face against the window and wish.

Featured Above: BT 17-08 | Beautiful Bridal by Enzoani

Flash forward to my soon-to-be husband, Donny, and I are planning the wedding. I had tried on about 25 dresses at all different locations, but nothing was close to 'The Dress'. I hummed and hawed about the boutique I used to walk by until Donny suggested I just go. Who would've thought it would be that simple??

Featured Above: BT 17-08 | Beautiful Bridal by Enzoani

So I went and met my fairy godmother. Janine Adamyk herself found my dress, first shot. I would never have picked it out for myself. The dress was BT17-08 and it fit perfectly. I knew right away that it was the one. It was the perfect combination of a woodsy fairy tale and elegance that I always wanted.

Featured Above: BT 17-08 | Beautiful Bridal by Enzoani

It truly was beautiful and amazing, one of the greatest moments.

Featured Above: BT 17-08 | Beautiful Bridal by Enzoani

Most Memorable

I actually have two that really stand out - I must be a very lucky bride.

Featured Above: BT 17-08 | Beautiful Bridal by Enzoani

It rained for most of the day, and we LOVED it! Because we were in a forest, everything turned a beautiful, full, lush green. It magically stopped raining in time for our outdoor ceremony in front of a large old oak tree. The birds came out and were chirping and the small woodland creatures emerged from the foliage to be curious as the ceremony was taking place. Our guests actually asked us if we had used a recording for birds because they were so loud and cheerful! If I had to do it all over again, I would choose rain every time.

Featured Above: BT 17-08 | Beautiful Bridal by Enzoani

Later in the night, my husband and I were able to escape after dinner to spend some time together, just us. By luck we had found a little garden in the forest that was lit up by fireflies - I'll never forget it.