REAL WEDDING Aleem & Victor

A leem Kassam and Victor Kazakov first met over 12 years ago, shortly after Aleem had returned home to Vancouver after living in London, Milan, and Chicago, ready to focus on his career. Within a week, he joined the dating app Grindr and connected with Victor. Sparks flew on their first date, and within a month, Aleem was spending most of his time at Victor’s apartment. In 2021, after nine years of dating, Victor surprised Aleem with a heartfelt proposal at home, just before they were set to leave for a spa trip. The day unfolded with a series of extraordinary surprises, including a private flight over Vancouver and the Gulf Islands, a luxurious spa experience, an engagement photoshoot, and a breathtaking helicopter ride home. Victor also arranged a private shopping experience at Gucci, followed by a romantic dinner and final champagne toasts to celebrate their future. Aleem and Victor are a power couple in Vancouver, each excelling in their respective fields while building a life full of love, resilience, and impact. Aleem is the owner of the award-winning and internationally published interior design studio, Kalu Interiors. Victor, with an equally impressive career, now serves as the Co-Founding Lead Engineer of an innovative AI technology company, Catio. Together, they are deeply rooted in their community, not only as successful professionals but as advocates for equality and representation. When it came time to plan their wedding, Aleem and Victor commissioned event planning and design gurus Jenny Roberts and Soha Lavin of CountDown Events to orchestrate an entirely unique wedding that would challenge and redefine “traditional” wedding norms. The high-fashion celebration was held over a three day weekend in British Columbia's beautiful Okanagan Valley, with the ceremony and reception at Phantom Creek Estates Winery. The fashionista couple knew they wanted their wedding wardrobe to play a starring role. They chose Denis Gagnon, a renowned couturier from Montreal, Quebec, as their wedding designer—a decision that perfectly aligned with their vision for boundary-pushing, bespoke fashion. Known for bending the rules of traditional couture with modern and fashion-forward elements, Denis was a natural choice for the couple, who had been loyal clients for nearly a decade. When Denis and his team agreed to design their wedding attire, Aleem and Victor were thrilled, commissioning not one but three distinct ensembles for each groom. These outfits, composed of 18 intricately detailed pieces, represented a true departure from conventional wedding fashion and featured removable elements and accessories, ensuring they could be repurposed beyond the wedding day. Collaborating with a designer across the country was no small task, requiring three trips to Montreal over six months, and countless hours of design discussions, sketches, emails, calls, and fittings. The process also brought its share of challenges, including a nerve-wracking moment when all the outfits went missing in transit to Vancouver just one week before the wedding!

VERSATILE STYLE Aleem and Victor designed their wedding looks to be versatile and timeless, curating ensembles with separates and interchangeable pieces for adaptability and longevity. Aleem’s look featured a massive bow and train attached by a corset overlaying his blazer, while Victor’s bow seamlessly integrated with his blazer, tied elegantly to one side. The use of mixed textiles—crisp white and ivory, satin and matte textures, and bold hardware like oversized ivory pearls—added depth and sophistication. Even their ceremony entrance reflected their unity, as they walked down opposite sides of the amphitheater and met in the middle, where their looks interlocked through mirrored draping and complementary design.

DRAMATIC DEPARTURE After the ceremony, a helicopter whisked the newlyweds away for a dramatic and scenic photoshoot led by Ellen Ho of HONG PHOTOGRAPHY, while guests enjoyed cocktail hour.

RAINBOW CONNECTION Set atop the mountains in Canadian wine country, PHANTOM CREEK ESTATES WINERY provided the perfect backdrop as the rain cleared just in time for the ceremony, where a rainbow appeared at the exact moment Aleem and Victor exchanged vows—a truly magical moment.

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