Tiny Army Founder Tara Tomimoto and Tombolo Co-Founder Michael Sard met at a party he was hosting, during their last year at Harvard Business School. “As he tells it, I caught his eye after spilling my martini on the carpet and scrambling to clean it up before anyone noticed,” Tara laughs. However, their romance didn’t begin until they had both moved to New York City after graduating. Six years later, Michael proposed. Tara reminisces, “Despite Michael insisting I wear a white dress that afternoon, I was completely surprised!”
While Michael is a born-and-raised New Yorker, Tara grew up in Calgary, Alberta, and they wanted to show their wedding guests what true Western Canadian hospitality is all about. Kananaskis Mountain Lodge set the stage for the weekend. “We organized a three-day celebration that included a mountainside welcome dinner, a Nordic spa party, a live rodeo with professional cowboys—featuring barrel racing, bull riding, and saddle-bronc riding—and a tented reception overlooking the Rockies,” Tara explains. To bring their vision to life, the couple enlisted the help of Lovebirds and Moments by Madeleine. And The Brothers Martens lensed every exciting moment.
For her Labor Day Weekend wedding wardrobe, Tara enlisted the help of Over The Moon Style Director Grace Givens to curate her looks. The welcome party called for a semi-custom Danielle Frankel set. “Grace encouraged me to add a silk shoulder strap to the bustier—a small detail that completely transformed the ensemble,” Tara shares. Bottega Veneta natural pink freshwater pearl earrings and Aquazzura shoes completed the outfit.
That night, the after-party started in the property’s nordic spa at 10 p.m. “I wanted to wear a kimono as a nod to my Japanese heritage. I stumbled upon a hand-painted, archival 1998 Dolce & Gabbana kimono from Morphew Vintage and fell in love,” Tara gushes. “I paired it with a Magda Butrym swimsuit, Dries Van Noten wedge, Sophie Buhai purse, and Loren Stewart necklace.”
The next day, the couple brought a touch of the Calgary Stampede’s rodeo magic to Boundary Ranch for a private showcase after a barbecue dinner. For this lively event, “I worked with Grace to design a custom suede dress by ONE OF by Patricia Voto, inspired by vintage Ralph Lauren,” Tara shares. “Collaborating with Grace and Patricia was a dream—they’re both deeply knowledgeable about archival fashion and practically walking fashion encyclopedias. We pulled from vintage references, and the result was a white suede mini dress adorned with intricate metal beadwork—a nod to the Ralph Lauren Spring 2011 collection.”
Every detail of the look was carefully thought out. “For accessories, Grace went above and beyond—even escorting me to the Hamptons Vintage Market, where we sourced the most incredible pair of sterling silver and turquoise earrings,” the bride says. “We paired the dress with off-white cowboy boots from Kemo Sabe and a matching Kemo Sabe hat that I had designed during my bachelorette. To finish the look, we selected the Demi Western clutch by Gabriela Hearst and a studded suede jacket by Khaite to keep me warm in the cooler mountain air.”
On August 31, 2025, Tara got ready for the ceremony in a silk slip dress by Elizabeth Fillmore, paired with Manolo Blahniks and Jennifer Behr earrings, while bridesmaids donned gifted Danielle Frankel pajamas. Makeup artist Kaylee Ashley of Blush & Co. made the bride feel like the best version of herself. “My mom helped me get into my dress—she wore a semi-custom Naeem Khan gown which we chose together in New York,” Tara shares.
Grace also aided in curating a collection of dresses for the bridal party. “I wanted my bridesmaids’ attire to reflect my eclectic, maximalist design vision, so I worked with Grace to help curate each of their dresses—highlights included a patterned Dries Van Noten piece—which I never would have chosen myself—a chartreuse Rachel Gilbert beaded gown and a bright green Oscar de la Renta embellished gown with floral appliqué,” Tara says.
The bride then put on her strapless Vera Wang dress with a lace bodice and full tulle A-line skirt. “I also wanted a lace high-neck bolero for the ceremony, and Vera’s was the only one that felt truly seamless with the gown. I paired the dress with the Maria Jose veil, to which I added extra layers of tulle and lace for heightened drama,” Tara explains. “The gown was designed to be worn with lace gloves, which I found so chic. I slipped them on just before our first dance, and it felt like such a moment. For shoes, I selected the Jimmy Choo Heloise satin platforms, and I had our initials engraved on the soles, a bespoke detail arranged through Over The Moon.”
Beauty was well considered. “For makeup, I chose a minimal, natural look, and on Grace’s advice, wore my hair in a sleek, simple bun to let the dress speak for itself,” Tara shares.
At the base of the Canadian Rocky Mountains at Star 6 Ranch, Tara and Michael wed overlooking the Kananaskis River. Strings from Angela Smart and The Fretless Femmes added to the romantic ambiance. “One of the quirkier things about Michael and me is that we are both die-hard Lord of the Rings fans,” Tara smiles. “I walked down the aisle to a violin rendition blending ‘Concerning Hobbits’ and ‘Canon in D.’ Michael’s sister officiated our ceremony, beautifully incorporating both Catholic and Jewish traditions. The most serendipitous moment of our wedding was when Michael and I shared our vows out loud and both unknowingly ended them with the same quote from Lord of the Rings—it felt meant to be!”
The reception was designed to feel like an eclectic New York hotel with bold arrangements by Fall for Florals and playful patterns. Tables featured menus designed by Brogan Scott Studio.
After dinner from Concorde Entertainment Group, the newlyweds shared a first dance to “Silver Springs” by Fleetwood Mac. “A bit of a subversive choice, given it is one of music history’s most famous breakup songs, but we’ve always loved this song and how it builds, and once we considered it, there was no going back!” Tara exclaims.
Free Label Love then opened up the dance floor with a lively hora, before Tara changed into her last look—a mirrored glass Oscar de la Renta dress from the Fall 2025 Collection. “To play off the dress’s disco feel, I paired it with a Paco Rabanne silver chain-mail bag in the shape of a disco ball and Jimmy Choo silver heels adorned with tiny, mirrored spheres,” Tara says.
When she returned, DJ Joash Charles had taken over, and Tara rolled out a cart of “shafts”—a Canadian twist on espresso martinis, meant to be sipped through a straw. That fueled loved ones through the very end of the night.
Immediately following the wedding weekend, The Sards headed off to Italy for five nights. Tara concludes, “It was a nice soft landing between the dream of the wedding and returning to reality!”
