I adore each and every day on SMP Canada, but today is extra special. Today I get to share the wedding of a dear friend of mine (who is also somewhat responsible for me meeting my now hubby), and boy is it a pretty one. Not that I am surprised, that’s just how this little lady operates. Kelly has an understated elegance she carries with her everywhere she goes, and it played out beautifully as she tied the knot to her Mr. Right. Their lovely lake cottage set the scene for a perfect day (despite a few snafus) and was filled with details that had so much heart I could burst. It’s prettiness defined, and they deserve nothing less. Here’s to a lifetime of happiness you two, I couldn’t be happier for y’all…See all the gorgeous images from Studio G. R. Martin Photography right here.
Finding a gown for an outdoor cottage wedding is challenging. I didn’t want anything too fancy or heavy, yet you I wanted to avoid the typical chiffon destination-style gown. After 6 or 7 bridal shops I found the perfect elegant form-fitting dress at With Love Bridal Boutique.
Birch and blue hydrangeas were the focus point of our decorations. We handcrafted everything from birch trees that were cut down on our property. Our biggest creation was the birch bar, and the theme was supported by our birch candles, birch tags for the mason jars, birch cupcake stands and birch platters.
Outdoor weddings can have it’s challenges when it come to weather!! The Friday afternoon before our wedding, a massive storm that sparked tornado warnings, swept through southern Ontario and Quebec leaving over 400,000 customers without power. Our task turned from setting up decorations in the tent to “saving the tent”…..Trees fell down all over and on our property. One tree landed on a guest’s car! Thankfully our tents did not fly away but were partially damaged. We were left out of power and obviously, a little shaken up!
Our families and bridal party bond grew stronger together and made the best of the situation. We rented 6 generators in order to be able to power the DJ booth, the kitchen (that was to be used by the caterers) and all the lighting. The bridesmaid and I were able to locate 4 big Hydro-Quebec trucks on the highway, pull them over and convinced them (ok, bribed them, even with brownies…) to come fix our power first. We must have been blessed by a hydro worker with a big heart because our power came back by 8pm the next day just in time for the cake cutting. The generators worked great until then and our 100 guests had been fed ..
An outdoor wedding at a cottage is very challenging to plan. You have to think of everything! Tent and table rentals, porta-potties and hand washing station, lighting and accent lighting, dishes and cutlery, entertainment, alcohol and beverages, safety because we were next to a lake, etc. More importantly, you need to find the right vendors that are willing to drive to your cottage and help create your vision. Overall, having a cottage wedding was more work than we anticipated (and more expensive!), but in the end it was more special and personable than we could have ever imagined.
Photography: Studio G.R. Martin Photography | Floral Design: Fleurs Illico | Cake: La Boite à Gateaux | Wedding Bands: Jubilee | Catering: The Mixing Bowl | Suits: Moore's Clothing | Bride's Jewelry: With Love Bridal Boutique | Bridemaids Dresses: J.Crew | Tents and Rentals: Big Top Tents | Wedding Invitation: Studiono8