Mehndi party

Nikkah Ceremony at the Mosque

Pan Pacific Vancouver

Family Brunch

Afternoon Walk

Thames Rivercruise Reading

Day before -  Boat Party

The Barn at the Bottle & Glass Inn

UK Wedding Garden Party

Wedding Day

Ceremony

Reception

The Maker Space at the Crown

Day after - Brunch

Summer

Our families and friends are predominantly spread across Canada (East and West), and the UK, so we're having three wedding celebrations, one in each of these locations.

Our Wedding

Anisa and Grahame's relationship grew organically from a chance crossing of paths while working on agricultural technology projects. Grahame was intrigued by this adventurous and out going woman, who was always out doing something, whether that be cycling long distances or running marathons. Anisa was taken in by this man who had a particularly slow walk, which gave the impression that he'd never been in a hurry in his life; to this day she doesn't really understand why this was attractive. Love is strange. Their first date was by most accounts a disaster. Grahame had invited Anisa to come climbing with him, but Anisa needed to pick up a new bike to test first, so they decided to travel separately. On his way Grahame saw the first signs of "heavy snow", and warned Anisa that it was too dangerous to travel by bike so she should probably not come. Little did he know that she was a seasoned ultra-cyclist and also spent many years in Canada where UK levels of snow aren't even categorised as snow! Anisa stayed home anyway and asked Grahame if he would like to drop by for a cup of tea, so after he finished his climbing session, he bravely fought the elements so that he could pop over for a hot drink.

First Date

A few months after their first date Anisa broke her shoulder and was finding it difficult to carry things. She invited Grahame on a trip to Canada to meet the family, which she still claims to this day had nothing to do with her attraction for him, and everything to do with the logistics of travelling with a broken shoulder. Her father, Tim, picked them up from the airport and was initially a little unsure why the "bag carrier" was getting in the car with them, but it was not long until they formed a good friendship. It was a fairly short stay, but they packed a lot in and Grahame managed to meet many of the family at a party arranged at Anisa's sisters house. Not long after they returned, an opportunity came up for Anisa to meet Grahame's father, as they happened to be passing nearby his house whilst picking up new wheels for her Mini. They had a lovely meal together at a local eatery, where most of the evening Grahame was the butt of the jokes. Grahame left slightly worried that Anisa actually much preferred his Dad.

Meet the parents

For two people who were scared of commitment they knew that the topic of marriage had to come up sooner or later. However its urgency became apparent in spring of 2023. Tim, who had been undergoing treatment for cancer for a couple of years at this stage, received news that it was progressing fast. They both agreed that if they were going to get married, it was extremely important that he could be there for the Wedding to celebrate with us. So in the early summertime Anisa and Grahame took their Van (named Walden) out for a drive in the country side in the beautiful Chiltern hills (UK). They spent the night camping and went on walk/run along nearby walking paths. Grahame was constantly on the look out for an appropriate spot to propose and eventually one appeared. Halfway up a steep climb, the trees opened out into a field overlooking a Gliding centre alongside acres of Farmland, a perfect spot on a perfect day.&nbsp;

An Engagement

Now that the decision was made they had to act fast. Thankfully they had a crack team at work, Roshan, Sarah and Anisa. Grahame was also there.&nbsp;Under advisement of Roshan, they quickly decided upon a Wedding date, 1st of July (yes Canada day!). Conversation quickly turned to deciding on the minimum preparation needed to achieve this date; perhaps a small family-only gathering at the family home, with some catered food… Of course, as this was a party planned by the Aubin’s, it far exceeded these minimum requirements, with over 100 guests in attendance!

A Wedding

After a whistlestop two day honeymoon Grahame had to return home to England, so the newly weds spent nearly a month apart, whilst Anisa remained by her father’s side. Anisa came home at the end of July with plans to return to Canada in a couple of weeks, but they got a call from Roshan early into her stay, sad news, Tim had taken a bad turn. They hopped on a flight early the next day to find that Tim was bed bound. Over the next week the family took shifts so that someone was always by his side. Many close friends and family came by to wish him well, and thankfully he had some good moments, fully alert and able to join in the conversation. One thing he never lost was his sense of humour. Tim passed away peacefully in the early hours of the morning of the 2nd of August with his wife and two daughters by his side.&nbsp;A lifelong organic farmer, Tim did not want to leave a negative impact on the environment so he chose not to be embalmed. He had also hand picked a beautiful 100% wooden casket to make his final journey in. Only a day after his passing a celebration of life ceremony was held at his local church. It was clear that he had touched so many lives because the church was packed beyond capacity. Tim now rests in a beautiful cemetery where he is visited frequently by the cows in the adjacent farm land.

And a Funeral

Then the Nikah.. photos to come

Our Story

Photos

Wedding Party

Q + A

Wedding Venue<a href="https://goo.gl/maps/7vYo9cmFxbB4LZ6k8" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">3510 Donnelly Drive, Kemptville, On, K0G1J0 </a>. There will be ample parking, but we encourage car pooling where possible. AccommodationThere are few hotel options in Kemptville, but we have a few spare rooms with friends and family, so please contact us up to a week in advance of the wedding to arrange your stay. We also have a few rooms reserved at one of the local hotels for any out of towners.

Travel

Things to Do

Registry Original

We prefer experiences over possessions and are blessed with great charity shops nearby so get most of the things that we need pre-loved. Your presence is our present, we don't need anything else, but if you must give something we have put together a collection of funds that you can contribute to (we can provide bank details if needed): 1. <a href="https://www.ocf-fco.ca/aubin-family-fund/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Aubin Family Charity Fund </a> ( In CAD set up in memory of Dad's passing)2. Mini Honeymoon (Hotel &amp; Spa)3. Canada/Family visits (Contribution for our travel funds)4. Plants - We would happily have a cutting of your favourite plant to build our garden.5. Adventure: Bike tours, climbing and hiking6. Dining out: We like to support local cafes and eateries around Berkshire/Oxfordshire of which there are plenty. Please use the UK address provided below for any deliveries. 74 Shiplake BottomPeppard CommonHenley-on-ThamesOxforshireRG95HPUK

Grahame + Anisa

Grahame + Anisa

Photos

Photos coming soon!