Find out what matters most to brides at - Bridal Fantasy

BF: When did you know you wanted to
marry her?
Joel: The first time I met Sam, I was lovestruck.
I knew I wanted to marry Samantha a couple
years later when we met up in Lake Como,
Italy in July of 2007. We had trouble finding
each other, so I had to check into a hotel and
log onto my hotmail account to tell her
where I was. It took an entire day to finally
find each other; when she jumped into my
arms in the town’s main square, I knew I
couldn’t live my life without her.
BF: What advice do you have for
grooms-to-be?
Joel: Follow your gut instinct and don’t be
afraid to open your heart to love. If you need
some time to make sure that getting
married is the right decision for you, then
take the time. Be true to yourself. When you
do decide to get married, know that it’s a
partnership and that you are in the
relationship together. What matters to your
wife or fiancé is more important then what
matters to you. Put your bride before
yourself and know that compromising is key
to a successful relationship.
BF: What is the funniest thing that
happened at your wedding?
Joel: It must have been my buddy, Brennan
Watts, giving me a big wet kiss at the head
table. It lasted for about five seconds. Daryl
McIntyre’s song that he wrote for me and
Sam (called Dancing on Air) also provided
plenty of laughs. The speech by my best
men and groomsman, Rob Williams, Dave
Parker and Brennan Watts was also pretty
funny. They were kind enough to give me
some hay after seeing my CTV News
promotional spot on why I love Edmonton.
BF: Which of your groomsmen
embarrassed you the most, and why?
Joel: I’d have to say Brennan embarrassed
me the most with the big wet kiss. (It was
more than I expected).
BF: What did you do for your stag?
Joel: My stag was amazing. I couldn’t have
asked for a better party. Brennan, my
groomsman, organized an awesome day of
golf at Blackhawk. I played 3 holes with
every group, so I got to make the rounds. It
got pretty crazy when I golfed with my
former News Director Steve Hogle and my
current News Director Glenn Kubish. Let’s
“Samantha and Joel were an absolute pleasure to work for; a
perfect couple. There was such a positive vibe all day. It was
one big party! They didn’t make us feel like someone they
hired, they made us feel like guests.”
– Bill Cowen, Bill Cowen Photography
just say that after my session with them,
beer started tasting like soda water. After
golfing we had an awesome dinner in the
clubhouse. In the evening, a stretch limo
picked us up and we toured the city for an
hour. We ended up at Suede where we met
up with my Sam and her stagette. I know it
breaks from tradition, but I really wanted to
hook up with the woman of my dreams the
night of my stag. Although some of the
guys weren’t crazy about the idea, I’m glad
we did it that way. So is Samantha.
BF: Any stag survival tips?
Joel: Don’t let your buddies make you drink
stuff that you don’t want to drink. Stay
hydrated, pace yourself, have fun, and make
sure you hook up with your fiancé at the end
of the night. I also recommend having the
stag a week or more before your wedding,
so you have enough time to feel fantastic for
your wedding day. ■
2009 Bridal Fantasy 119