Country Style Wedding

Marta Filipski moved from Ontario to Alberta with the intention of meeting a cowboy. Three years later, she married Tim Charles in a barn decorated with hay bales and with brisket and pies on the celebratory menu.

It might not be your typical urban nuptials, but the couple likes to surprise. After all, Tim proposed to Marta after the couple broke up a fight between Marta’s wiener dog, Monster, and a pit bull.

Soon after Tim popped the question, Marta began planning her big day with DIY elements that would surprise friends and family coming from as far away as Luxembourg and London, England.

On September 3, 2011, guests were met at Hotel Arts by painted school buses and driven to a secret location. Each bus came with a bus monitor who drilled guests on “Marta and Tim Trivia” on the way to the destination.

When guests arrived, they were led down a signed path to the venue, which ended up being The Barn, Shawnessy’s unique community centre in Calgary’s deep south. With help from Devour Catering, Marta had decorated the venue with monograms and family photos strung up with clothespins. There was a wiener dog motif for Marta’s four-legged friend, and moustaches in honour of Tim’s mustached looks. The day was a true coming together of friends and family who were excited to celebrate.

“My former roommate and best friend married us,” says Marta, who wore cowboy boots under her lace dress. “Everyone said to me after, ‘If he was my minister, I would go to church.’”

View more photos of Marta and Tim's wedding here.

Photographer Wei Quek (403-830-7460, photobolic.com)
Mystery buses Party Machine Buses (partymachine.ca)
Venue The Barn, Shawnessy Community Centre (224 Shawmeadows Rd. S.W., 403-256-5206)
Catering Devour Catering & Event Planning (10, 4604 37 St. S.W., 403-242-0046)
Glasswear Interior Ink Works (Summerland, B.C., 250-486-6833)
Thank-you tags The Ruffly Owl (etsy.com)
Hotel for guests Hotel Arts (119 12 Ave. S.W., 403-266-4611)
Bride’s ring Custom design from Gurvin Jewellers (2936 West Broadway, Vancouver, B.C., 604-736-5956)
Groom’s ring by Lloyd Wadhams Jr. from Coastal Peoples Fine Arts Gallery (Two locations in Vancouver, 604-685-9298, coastalpeoples.com)
Bride’s gown By Jim Hjelm Blush from With Love Bridal Boutique (Ottawa, 613-435-5542, withlovebridalboutique.ca)
Moustache socks Urban Outfitters (Chinook Centre, 403-264-5844)
Hair Red Bloom (109, 638 11 Ave. S.W., 403-266-8708)