Bark Lake Wedding in Ontario
The A-Team – as they had been coined – had a history of giving dicey wedding speeches. It had become a sort of tradition for these best friends to toy, joke and embarrass the groom on his wedding day, and today, Mike was on deck. Armed with a script of paper and a microphone, six of Mike’s groomsmen approached the podium. Mike and Christie braced themselves for what they were about to witness, but it wasn’t long before the whole room – the bride and groom included – had erupted into cheers and laughter. As the A-Team read aloud a series of e-mails that Mike had written to his best friends while working in a field camp in the arctic, the truth about his early feelings for his wife were revealed. It was here where he had met Christie, and where he realized – e-mail after e-mail – that this colleague of his may not just be a girl…she may actually be the girl he was going to marry. Of course – given Mike’s sense of humour, along with his gentle heart – these e-mails were more than just a series of jokes among friends; they were short, they were sweet, but above all, they would show how important Christie had been to him from the very beginning.
Christie and Mike were married on a very blustery Summer day at Bark Lake Leadership Centre. The rain may not have stopped once that day, but a covered gazebo and the shelter of the Bark Lake cabins gave us plenty of retreats from the storm. It was here where we began our morning, and photographed Christie’s incredible bridal details.
Christie had some of the finest bridal details on her wedding day: a jewelry box, gifted by her brother years earlier; her grandmother’s gold wedding band; and a collection of earrings and bracelets that had been flawlessly curated for this day.
When it came to tying the bow on Christie’s sash, her seamstress had given her one strict instruction: don’t overthink it. The advice was spot on.
Christie won over my heart when she told us that her dress had actually been purchased second-hand, and then altered with ornate straps and an ivory sash to fit her vision for the day. The creativity and re-purposeing warms my heart.
Across the campground, Mike and his groomsmen were eagerly waiting for the morning events to being.
A short walk down the path, and we were at the covered gazebo where the Ceremony was soon to begin.
The Reception was held in the campground’s Dining Hall, where we were greeted with the sweet folk melodies of Corinna Rose, Thanya Iyer and Bridgitte Naggar.
If you look closely, you’ll see that their pinecone cake-toppers have a diamond ring, a veil and a velvet top hat…it’s official…you guy rock.
And then the A-Team entertained us with their awesome readings of Mike’s arctic camp e-mails…
…but as if that wasn’t enough, they then revealed this hand-painted canvas to the bride and groom…(yes, those baby birds oddly resemble Christie and Mike; it’s not just you).
A clear win for the A-Team.
The rest of the night was filled with more heartwarming speeches, banjo wielding, and dancing.
Mike and Christie!! Thank you for inviting me to celebrate the weekend at Bark Lake Leadership Centre with you. The rain may have been constant, but I didn’t see you complain once – you are truly incredible people and I couldn’t feel more honoured to have been your wedding photographer. You are truly appreciated! x
Thank you to the following vendors for your contribution to Mike and Christie’s wedding!
Ceremony + Reception venue: Bark Lake Leadership Centre
Bridal hair: Ciao Bella Hair and Makeup
Bridal makeup: Ciao Bella Hair and Makeup
Florals: Minden Florist
DJ: Matt Ferguson
Musicians: Corinna Rose, Thanya Iyer, Bridgitte Naggar
Linens + rentals: Lux Event Rental
Photography: Amy Sturgeon Photography
And follow us on Instagram! : @amy.sturgeon @luxeventrental @barklakelc @ciaobellahairandmakeup