IT'S MURDER!

The stage will be set....


The ceremony will be complete and the happy couple will be off getting pictures done while the guests gather in the dining hall to enjoy cocktails and appetizers when, suddenly, a gunshot rings out!  Someone screams...it’s...it’s MURDER!  

Who got shot? The bride? The groom? A pesky family member? A bridemaid in an ugly dress?  Who done it? A guest? Camp staff? (cue: scary organ music dun...dun....dun....)   

We've hired a troupe of actors from Slixer Entertainment to host a murder mystery at the wedding dinner on Saturday night.  Each guest will become a sleuth, responsible for figuring out what's happened and fingering the guilty culprit, before we serve dessert! The actors will be incognito so you'll never know if you're talking to a suspect or the real murderer. 


Not to worry if you're shy - it's an interactive event and participation is encouraged but no one will be singled out and embarrassed. Except us that is, when our parents and wedding party members get a hold of the microphone. By the way, we strongly encourage you to disregard most of what they'll say: we love them but suspect they will make up outrageous stories that only sound like dumb things we would have done in the past.


There's also no need to worry about kids getting scared (or mortified by their parent's senses of humor) because we'll be hiring Camp staff to host a kids' dinner in a separate dining hall.   

Slixer on Youtube

How did we meet?

Patrick's Version 


I met Tammy at a birthday party of a mutual friend, Nancy Ho.  Nancy introduced her to me and my first thought was "wow, she's cute.  Bet she has some goofy lawyer boyfriend" and I didn't give it another thought.  


As we talked, I kept thinking "this woman is amazing!  It's really too bad about the boyfriend...".  At one point when Tammy wasn't looking, Nancy mouthed the words "she's single and she's great" to me.  I was flummoxed.  What happened to the goofy lawyer boyfriend?  It didn't matter.  It was on.  Thankfully, I was wearing my super lucky porkpie hat and a wicked shirt that I'd picked up in Lao that showed off my new muscles.  Plus I had a tan.  Later, when we went to a local bar I pulled out my best dance moves. Poor girl didn't stand a chance.  A couple of hours (and many mojitos) later, after hours of endless charming conversation, I left the bar with her number.  Boo ya!


Tammy's Version 


Just before I met Pat, I went to a wedding that, without exaggeration, changed my life. As a new lawyer, I'd been working ridiculous hours and was considering moving to the Cayman Islands, thinking that if being a lawyer meant working this hard, I might as well sweat it out in a tropical, tax free haven.  


The weekend of Kristina and Damian's wedding was the first weekend that I had taken off in a long time.  I actually forgot about work, hung out with awesome friends that I never made time to see and got to be a part of the coolest wedding that I'd ever been to (it was a surprise wedding at a comedy theatre!!). 


My memory leaves a lot to be desired, but I will NEVER forget how happy Kristina, Damian and their daughter Nicola looked that day. It was then that I realized that I'd gotten my priorities all mixed up. I knew then that if I moved to the Caymans, I'd end up a bitter lawyer who regretted wasting years working around the clock. Very soon after the wedding, I thanked them both for sharing their super awesome day and pulling my head out of my ass. 


And wouldn't you know it, Pat appeared a few weeks later. With his great big smile, crazy dance moves, the kindest eyes I'd ever seen and that bloody hat (that's how I knew that he wasn't too good to be true).   


Two years later, Damian, an ordained minister with the Universal Life Church, is going to marry us at the Camp and Kristina is going to be in the wedding party. Oh yeah, I'm still listening to Pat go on about falling for his lines... 

Weekend Itinerary

Please refer to the handout has been emailed to you and let us know if you need us to re-send it.   

History of Camp Fircom

Camp Fircom has its roots as a mission in the downtown Eastside of Vancouver, Canada’s poorest neighbourhood.  The camp began as an outreach program of First Presbyterian Church (the forerunner of First United Church and Community Services (the forerunner of Social Services).  The name came from these two institutions: FIR from “First” and COM from “Community”.

In 1923, Rev. J. Richmond Craig was already concerned about the crowded living conditions of the rooming houses in Downtown Eastside Vancouver.  He was particularly concerned with the health and welfare of the mothers and children living in the area.  In the early years, Rev. Craig and members of his congregation rowed out into Howe sound to explore a homestead on Gambier Island.  The result was the purchase of 65 acres of property that was developed into Camp Fircom.  This became the heart of a place of rest and healing for many that didn’t have the chance in the grime of the rapidly growing city that was Vancouver. 

Over the years, Camp Fircom developed into a unique place where people could get away from the city for spiritual and wellness retreats, drug recovery or just reconnect with nature.  Camp Fircom has hosted thousands of children and families.  Many people in Vancouver grew up attending the camp and have many memories of summer camps and have maintained their connection with the site. 

In 2008, a major donation from the Ford Family expanded the property to its current 120 acres.  With further substantial investments of up to 7.5 million dollars by the United Church of Canada, Camp Fircom has built new facilities, cottages, and infrastructure and has a vision of becoming a world class centre for sustainability and fostering a healthy connection with the earth.  

FAQ

Who do I tell about dietary restrictions/mobility issues?


Please email us to let us know about any special dietary restrictions or mobility issues.


What should I wear? 


We'll be dressed up for the ceremony but plan to be in shorts and flip flops for the rest of the weekend. Feel free to keep it casual or dress up with us. Costumes are also welcome! Whatever you wear, be sure to bring sensible shoes (read: ladies, leave the heels at home).


Where are you guys registered?  


We don't plan to register for gifts because, as anyone who has seen our *eh-hem* "office" in our apartment knows, we have more than enough stuff. For those of you who didn't know that we have an office in our apartment, it's that small room off the kitchen filled with stuff that we pretend we could actually fit into to work!!   


By far, the most important thing to us is that the people we love the most (and the rest of you haha) are there to celebrate with us on the weekend and have a great time. In lieu of registering for gifts, we'll be setting up a "wishing well" for cards/contributions to our honeymoon fund at the murder mystery dinner. 

Description of Facilities

Sleeping accommodations range from cabins to teepees and are described in more detail below. For the most part, accommodations are shared: 2-4 person dorm-style rooms, 8-10 person teepees and 1-16 person cabin rooms. Anyone who wants more privacy is welcome to bring their own tent. A slide show of the Camp's facilities can be viewed here. 

As far as bathroom and shower facilities go, the Camp was renovated in 2010 so has lots of nice, clean washrooms and showers.

Note: there are no stores at or near the Camp so be sure to bring over everything you’ll need with you (camera, flashlight, batteries, diapers). We will send you a list of what to pack closer to the wedding date.

Bedding

There are a few rooms with bedding that we'll reserve for out of town guests, so most guests will need to bring their own sleeping bag and pillow. When you RSVP, we'll let you know where you'll be sleeping and bedding requirements. Don't worry if you don't have a sleeping bag: Mountain Equipment Co-op rents them. 

Craig Croft

This gorgeous 2 story building lies at the heart of the Fircom site.  There are 12 bedrooms, each with 3 beds. We'll have limited capacity to move beds around to make rooms of 2 or 4. We will primarily use this building for out of town guests because the Camp supplies bedding for these rooms. 

Teepees

Fircom has five prairie First Nation inspired teepees located throughout the site. Each tepee is large enough to accommodate up to 8-10 people on wooden sleep platforms are that built around a fire pit at the centre. Guests sleeping in teepees will need to bring their own bedding and a flashlight for night-time bathroom adventures to nearby buildings.  

Cabins

These classic cabins sleep up to 16 people in dormatory style bunk beds and will take you back to your childhood memories of summer camp. They have electricity but no bathrooms. Guests sleeping in cabins will need to bring their own bedding and a flashlight for night-time bathroom adventures to nearby buildings.

Tents

If none of the above facilities suite your fancy there is the option of bringing your own tent to set up on the site.  Please be sure to email us if you prefer to stay on your own and will be bringing a tent (the overnight fees will remain the same). 

How do I get to the Camp? Where can I park?

Please refer to the handout has been emailed to you and let us know if you need us to re-send it.