Surf Cat

Though wakeboarding is not a leisure time activity of either Desiree Poirier or Dallas Coulter, it was the wakeboarding festival Wakestock that brought them together. That first meeting in Collingwood in 2012 launched a love story that led to their wedding at Belcroft Estate in Gilford on September 14, 2019.

“My friend asked me to come to Wakestock for a night away,” recalls Desiree. “Dallas’ best friend was wakeboarding, so they came together. We met at a house party that evening and the rest is history.”

For more Wedding Trends articles – click here

That history includes a proposal that happened after a day of wine tasting and running some fast cars around a track at Niagara-on-the-Lake. When the couple was back at their hotel, Dallas dropped to one knee and asked the question. Desiree said yes.

“It was quite lovely,” says Desiree. “I’m very much a person who likes to be organized and know what’s going on, but he caught me completely off guard.”

When they were considering wedding venues, Dallas’ love of the outdoors had them looking at places that offered outdoor wedding ceremonies. They also wanted a venue close to Innisfil they were building their home. When they saw the Belfield Estates with its forests and stunning property, they knew this was where they would marry.

Their wedding date was chosen to allow the cottagers among their 189 guests to enjoy dock time during the last weekends of summer. Being from Parry Sound, Dallas knew that was important. Desiree asked her sister Dani Poirier to be her Maid of Honour and Dallas tagged brother Parker Coulter as his Best Man.

The ceremony was performed in a serene spot beside the Marquee Tent where the reception was held. But prior to the festivities, Dallas and Desiree had a most unusual First Look.

“I knew we’d need something to lighten the mood so I asked our friend Brendan how he would feel about putting on a wedding dress and tapping Dallas on the shoulder,” says Desiree. “Dallas would turn around and see him instead of me. Brendan did and it was definitely one of the highlights of the day. I was hiding behind a tree and the wedding planner gave me the nod to tap Dallas’ shoulder afterwards. He still shed some tears. It was perfect.”

Though Desiree thought the hilarious First Look might take away some emotion from the ceremony, it was not the case. The ring bearer was the couple’s French Bulldog Louis, looking sharp in a bowtie. The doggo sat beside the bride’s father to help him with the emotions of the moment.

The bride came down the aisle to meet her love to “I Get To Love You” by Ruelle. Desiree and Dallas wrote their own vows in custom-made vow books decorated in their wedding colours. After being declared husband and wife and sealing it with a kiss, the newlyweds headed to a celebratory cocktail hour with their guests.

At the reception, the elegant Marquee Tent was laid out to allow guests to further enjoy the gorgeous property. The French style service dinner included garden salad, steak or stuffed chicken, potato and vegetable medley with a vanilla-filled crepe drizzled with chocolate for dessert. Later in the evening, sliders, grilled cheese sandwiches and poutine were available for snacking.

For the newlyweds, one of the highlights of the reception was DJ Gary G from Hype Nite. After the arrival of the wedding party and introduction of Mr. and Mrs. Coulter, Gary G got everyone up on the dance floor with a hot mix of dance music.

“Everyone was fist bumping, jumping and dancing including my 92-year-old grandfather,” said Desiree, with a smile. “It was such a great way bring everyone together. They all had an instant connection by the time they sat down. The energy was up and it set a light-hearted, fun tone.”

In the midst of the party, the couple took a friend’s advice to find a few minutes during the reception to relax and be alone.

“At 10 p.m., we went down by the pond and got to see each other,” recalls Desiree. “That was lovely. We were both so busy and things go by so fast. We took a moment to really cherish each other.”

Having had a two-year engagement, Desiree and Dallas recommend having a longer time to look at options, book vendors and take a breath between decisions when planning a wedding. Desiree also recommends using a wedding planner or Day Of Co-ordinator.

“With someone there who is reliable, taking care of things and can solve problems, you have the freedom to enjoy the day,” says Desiree. “If you can find a bit of flexibility financially, it is 100 percent worthwhile.”