Mel | Vancouver Wedding Planner & Designer

When Marilyn and Devan asked me to be their Wedding Planner before they were even engaged, I was floored by the trust they placed in me. Marilyn is the sister of one of my longtime friends and I’ve known her, her brother and their family for over 20 years. Their home has been a place I’ve returned to time and time again, so being invited into such an important family celebration felt incredibly full-circle and deeply meaningful. Devan is the perfect match for Marilyn, something that became so clear throughout the planning process. After meeting the warmth shared with his family and friends, it was easy to understand what a stand up guy he is with all those that surround him. Their wedding day was exactly what it should have been for them. Rooted in nature and deeply personal. We incorporated evergreens gathered from Marilyn’s family home to bring a literal sense of home into the design because that space holds so much meaning for her. While we originally considered hosting the ceremony at the family home, we instead chose to hold their First Look and an intimate vow reading there with close family and their wedding party. From there, we moved to Shaughnessy Restaurant at VanDusen Garden for the ceremony and reception, allowing the day to unfold naturally and intentionally. Aesthetically, everything flowed beautifully with their personalities but it was the words that truly carried the day. This wedding had eleven speeches (yes, eleven), and while the logistics required careful pacing, those heartfelt moments became the emotional backbone of the celebration. They were honest, loving and unforgettable. A true glimpse into who Marilyn and Devan are as individuals and how deeply they are loved by the people around them. A day I will never forget and always be honoured for being a part of. A wedding coordinated by @keepsakeevents with vendor team @hereandvowstudio @djsage60 @shaughnessyrestaurant @gardenpartyflowers @gardenpartyflowers_weddings @elenatartistry @byvictoriay @nicolethecakelady and our couple @myopong @devanfrancis #vancouverweddingplanner #heartfeltwedding #weddingwithmeaning #vancouverwedding #intentionalweddingdesign weddingspeeches

The kind of dress that feels like a French daydream 🤍 . . . Planning & design: @keepsakeevents Photography & Creative Direction: @saminphotography Floral design: @rogue_florist Stationery: @aylapena Makeup: @makeupbysupernova Hair: @hairline_vancouver Modeling Agency: @keymodels Gown: @millia.london Hairpieces : @erinrhyne Lingerie: @davieandchiyo Rental: @bespokedecor Ring: @cavaliergastown Venue: @thewallace_venue French Wedding, Paris Wedding Photographer, Destination Pre-wedding Photographer

While our highlights on here are built around people, this one kept pulling us back to the room of Karen and Michael's wedding. Decor this lovely deserves its own post. 🤍 @keepsakeevents @ainafloral @kvd_photography @noyocreativeweddings @jeiscoco @djsage604 @gotthegooods @pedersenseventrentals @expressionsphotobooth @beta5chocolates @rosewoodhotelgeorgia #vancovuerweddingvideographer #super8wedding #super8 #vancouverweddingvideography #rosewoodhotelgeorgia vancouverwedding

From the moment we step into your wedding day, we’re already in motion. Often the first ones onsite and almost always the last to leave. Unpacking your favourite details, placing every personal touch just right, then quietly packing it all away once the celebration winds down. While you focus on the moments that matter most, our team manages timelines, coordinates vendors, solves problems before they arise and protects your vision from start to finish. Just a few of the multitude of things floating through our brains. The best part? When we do our job right, you barely see us. If you’re looking for a planning team that will show up for you on your special day and carry your vision with care, let’s connect. @keepsakeevents @beigeweddings @divine_decor @oakandwillowflorist @wkmdj @dreamsodacreative @jeiscoco @vancouverclub @legateaubakeshop @vitaraduo @fluxentertainment @leslietfleung @nicolewsma #vancouverweddingplanner #vancouverweddings #bcweddingplanner

This October wedding was a masterclass in design collaboration. From the very beginning, our bride shared a clear visual direction anchored by a serpentine table that would become the heart of the room. From there, every decision followed with intention. The floor plan evolved into a study of contrast and flow. Curved lines paired with round tables, a half-circle sweetheart table and asymmetry that felt effortless and as always, our common theme is intention. We went deep into the details with ribbons tied one by one around restaurant-style menus, clips securing place cards, ruched linens hugging every curve of the serpentine, a styled champagne tower shared with our cake. Candlelight and uplighting layered in the warmth and a hint of drama, transforming the space into something more than just a layout, a mood. This is what design-led planning looks like: pulling every piece together, considering how each element speaks to the next while creating a room that feels as intentional as it is beautiful. The best plans are complete when the space feels just as good as it looks and our fall wedding delivered on both 🤍 Planned, designed, coordinated by @keepsakeevents with a wonderful vendor team @ainafloral @kvd_photography @noyocreativeweddings @jeiscoco @djsage604 @gotthegooods @pedersenseventrentals @expressionsphotobooth @beta5chocolates @rosewoodhotelgeorgia #vancouverweddingplanner #designforwardwedding #rosewoodhotelgeorgiawedding #weddingdesigninspo #serpentinetable

It’s easy to assume that a smaller guest count means fewer details to plan. But while design doesn’t scale down, we make sure it focuses in. For this intimate wedding of 20, every element was considered with the same care we give a celebration of 200. Florals were chosen for movement and texture and we loved adding in all of those bold bursts of colour. Tables were layered to create depth and each detail played a role in the overall experience of this intimate wedding. Meaningful design doesn’t boil down to how many seats you fill. Its purpose is to create your personal vibe that emanates from the space itself. Intimate or expansive, we love it when intention leads the way. While they may be small in size, with us they will always be thoughtful by design If this approach resonates, you’ll understand how we design always with our couples in mind. From a wedding we planned and designed @keepsakeevents with coordination by @keepsakeevents_agnes along with vendors @dafioridesign @harthouseweddings @harthouserestaurant @pedersenseventrentals @reel_silks @alisha_hopps @photographer_foreveryoung #vancouverweddingdesign #vancouverintimatewedding #vancouverweddingaesthetic #vancouverweddingplanner #intimateweddingdecoration

I’ve been a Wedding Planner for 11 years and I’m not afraid to admit that: 1. I spend more hours than you know obsessing over all of the details. I can go down a rabbit hole because that’s where the magic usually lives. 2. I still feel nervous before sharing a design board. It isn’t because I doubt my work but because I care deeply about getting it right for them. 3. I haven’t worked in every venue in Vancouver. Even after 11 years in this business, there are still iconic spaces I haven’t planned in. I’ve learned that adaptability matters more than familiarity. 4. Sometimes I feel the mental overload of juggling work, life, timelines and a million moving parts. My brain never really shuts off, it’s just constantly learning how to prioritize better. 5. This New Year, I didn’t rush into big future planning. While I have envy over others making vision boards and goal setting, I’ve been fully in the work trying to maintain presence, focus and gratitude. 6. I’m learning how to say no. I still take on too much at times but each boundary gets easier and better for everyone involved. 7. As I I grow and my couples stay the same age, I sometimes wonder what longevity looks like in this industry. Then I remember that experience, intuition and trust don’t age out (and they are hard to teach). I’m still figuring it out but I’m proud of how present I’ve become for my family, my couples and myself. Each wedding and relationship continues to shape me into a strong planner and person From a wedding designed by @keepsakeevents , coordinated by @keepsakeevents_agnes and with a wonderful vendor team @jumistory @oakandwillowflorist @cakesinabox @siecollectionyvr @pedersenseventrentals @hycroftuwcv @vancouverharp @silviapromua @amecollectiveinc #weddingplannerperspective #behindtheplanning #intentionalbusiness #vancouverweddingplanner #experiencematters

Behind the planning comes the setup. It’s a lot of prep work and then on the day, anything goes. What are we prepared to do? Whatever it takes. For this shoot, we were assembling lanterns, tying ribbons, layering rolls of fabric, styling spools of thread, and placing every small atelier detail to make the scene feel true to the craft behind it. A raw backdrop showcasing the beauty behind the creation of the most stunning dresses. Climbing a ladder on top of a work desk? No problem. Multiple setups while maintaining truth to our subject matter? We made it happen. These timelapse clips give a glimpse into the work behind the scenes. This might seem far outside the scope of a wedding day, but we bring the same passion, intention and drive whatever the project. We kept our vendor team small and with purpose. The right people to bring our vision life and meaning. Forever thankful for the chance to create. @oumaatelier @jumistory @makeupbysupernova @hairline_vancouver @keepsakeevents @soominshimi @alaeriaagency #behindtheatelier #weddingdesigner #editorialphotoshoot #vancouvercreatives

I started 2025 thinking it would be about expansion. Instead, it became about intention. I imagined adding more through offerings, scaling up and just more. Slowing down to listen to what was really needed led me to a quiet refinement of skills and processes, always learning and evolving to what weddings and events need, what our couples need. This year asked me to trust my instincts even when the path looked different than planned and that trust shaped everything. How I work. Who I work with. The energy my team brings into each celebration. The result? More presence. More meaning. More space to do this work the way it deserves to be done. As this year closes, I’m carrying forward clarity, intention and gratitude for the couples who trusted me, the teams who collaborated with care and the moments that reminded me why I do this. Here’s to moving into the next season with purpose and with many thanks for sharing the journey together 🤍 Cover photo @jumistory @oumaatelier @makeupbysupernova @hairline_vancouver @soominshimi @keepsakeevents

As if drifting home from a grand evening in couture, she falls asleep and wakes somewhere between memory and imagination. The atelier becomes her dreamscape — lanterns glowing low, fabrics breathing, sewing machines humming like distant music. Here, time softens. She plays, wanders, and creates, dressed in fantasy as if she has always belonged to this world. A quiet childhood wish resurfaces: to be a designer, to touch beauty with her own hands, to rule her own dream — crowned, joyful, and unafraid. Recent editorial shoot featuring OUMA's newest evening dress Iryna. Creative direction: @ouma_designer Installation design: @keepsakeevents Photography: @jumistory . Beauty: @makeupbysupernova Hair: @hairline_vancouver Model: @soominshimi from @alaeriaagency

Michelle and Chris chose to have both a private first look and a public one during their ceremony. Each moment was intimate, heartfelt and so special to share with their closest friends, family, and of course, their fur baby! Swipe through to see the raw emotion that carried through their entire day. @nadiahungco @shyahkfilms @hanakifloral @bespokedecor @djsamfx @jeiscoco @cecilgreenparkhouse Full Planning & Coordination @keepsakeevents #vancouverweddings #vancouverweddingplanner #vancouvercouples #yvrweddings #yvrweddingplanner #weddingstory #weddingmoments #firstlook #weddingdog #cecilgreenwedding #ubcwedding

Sustainable wedding design doesn’t mean compromising on style. For C&A, we created refined garden-inspired tablescapes using concrete vessels filled with lavender, herbs, and trailing vine plants, bringing fragrance, texture, and timeless elegance to their long reception tables. Instead of single-use florals, these potted plants were taken by select guests to be replanted in a local community garden, allowing the celebration to live on long after the wedding day. Thoughtful. Refined. Purposeful. ✨ Planning with intention is always in style. Ready to design a wedding that’s both beautiful and meaningful? Take over planning, design & coordination @keepsakeevents Photography & Videography @beautifullifebc Floral design @forflora.ca Venue @hycroftuwcv Decor rentals @pedersenseventrentals Officiant @younghipandmarried @marriedbyerika Makeup makeupbyemmylou Stationery @makingmemories.stationery Ceremony Musicians Feu Noir Trio with Jennifer Moersch DJ Mike Levons, DJ Unicode Tent @pacificcoasttents #SustainableWeddingDesign #VancouverWeddingPlanner #PottedPlantsWedding #EcoFriendlyWedding #TimelessWeddingDecor #WeddingTablescapeIdeas #WeddingDesignInspiration #WeddingPlanningVancouver #IntentionalWedding #ElegantWeddingIdeas #WeddingReceptions #BCwedding