This article is from the Spring 2024 issue of Life on the coast Magazine.

If you want a Lord of the Rings-style wedding or a recreation of the lavish, over-the-top wedding from The Wedding Planner, then La Vonne Girard, who has designed wedding sets for films such as The Wedding Planner and Love Again, is the person for you.

The award-winning filmmaker has designed films, television series and commercials for major networks and studios. She has decorated lavish and traditional outdoor weddings, not to mention galas, balls and cocktail parties. Her sprawling, impressive five-acre estate near

Shirley Macey Park offers everything needed for a unique and unforgettable connection in picturesque Grantham’s Landing.

La Vonne dons her wellies and takes us on a tour of her sprawling property on Crow Farm, where she runs her business Rustic Weddings as well as the One Foot Crow distillery with her partner Bob Bottieri. She compares planning and executing a wedding to “taking a couple on a journey.” It’s late January, but despite the time of year, I can imagine summer weddings with handfasting ceremonies or other multicultural traditions under a 10-foot tree canopy in the fairytale forest.

Currently, the lavender field is being prepared for winter, but I can already smell the intoxicating aroma of the plants, hear the hypnotic buzz of the bees, and see a newlywed couple walking hand in hand through the purple haze.

“We currently have half an acre of lavender plants, consisting of three varieties. They make an incredibly beautiful backdrop for weddings. The public can pick the plants themselves (in June and July). We also use the lavender in our One Foot Crow Lavender Gin, as well as for lavender oil, lavender bundles and sachets,” says La Vonne.

A white Victorian-style gazebo that would look great on one of the Coast Cookie Company’s picture-perfect wedding cakes sits in a grove of trees, with a hammock hanging where, La Vonne says, six-foot-long charcuterie boards hang from ropes like swings to feed guests.

La Vonne tells me that after the ceremony, the wedding party can help themselves to a champagne wall with crystal flutes to toast the newlyweds as the sun sets, followed by stunning water walls and spirals of light flowing from discreetly wired trees while surrounded by romantic fairy lights.

She opens the weathered door of the wedding barn to find a stash of velvet couches, rugs, gilded chiavari chairs with white leather seats, and long wooden harvest tables fit for a medieval feast. La Vonne and Bob’s large Spanish-style home is full of antique silver teapots, mercury glasses, and other decorations from previous weddings they’ve hosted. Their 40 years of experience in set design and decorating is evident in their wedding and event services.

“Although the venue is rustic, we offer a level of elegance with beautifully set tables and decorations. Couples can simply rent the venue or let us handle the entire experience from the ceremony to the music and everything in between,” says La Vonne.

La Vonne begins planning with a couple up to a year in advance.

“Planning a wedding is a collaborative effort. It is vitally important to listen to the couple and understand their vision. Many hours are spent talking and looking at pictures. The hard work pays off when you see the joy on their faces. Nothing is more encouraging to me than hearing a bride say, ‘This is beyond what I expected’ or ‘I wouldn’t have changed a thing,'” explains La Vonne.

She gives couples a tip on how to save money on the wedding reception by serving it as a beautifully arranged banquet where guests can help themselves to the culinary delights. La Vonne arranges the food on rustic wooden boards. She works with local suppliers as often as possible and likes to hire female entrepreneurs.

“One of the most important elements of any wedding is the feast and for that we have a really talented caterer (Fresh Thinking Catering) who delivers delicious food with artistic flair and beautiful presentation at a reasonable price. We have catered weddings for 20 to 150 guests,” says La Vonne.

What sets them apart from other coastal wedding suppliers, aside from the quality of the decor and attention to detail in their weddings, is the fact that they are only a five-minute drive from Langdale Ferry Terminal, allowing guests to travel on foot during peak season.

“The ferry is part of everyday life here on the coast. We no longer have to worry about finding hotels or catching ferries,” says La Vonne. La Vonne and Bob maintain an extensive network with the film industry in the Lower Mainland.

“Having worked as a set designer for the past few decades, I have relationships with countless prop rental companies, florists, lighting designers and display companies. If we don’t have something, I know where to get it,” she says.

Crow Farm has also hosted multi-day events that include kayaking, sailing, ale trail tours, spa treatments and shopping at Gibsons Landing, hiking Soames Hill and mountain biking. La Vonne’s chef brings an al forno oven to whip up pizza, desserts and other baked delights after days of beach glass collecting and Instagram-worthy moments.

La Vonne and Bob support Gibsons Public Market by donating experiences at Crow Farm for fundraising, providing spirits for the signature cocktail at the market’s annual fundraising gala, and building the stage set for the event.

For a wedding or event that will be remembered for decades and generations to come, Rustic Weddings at the Crow can make your dreams come true.