Couple:

Kayla & Jonathan

Location:

Bayfield Inlet, Georgian Bay

From the Photographer:

My first authentic Georgian Bay wedding! The bride has a smile that shines for miles and miles and her entire wedding was DIY! Even the benches were handmade by family members! The ceremony took place on an island overlooking the open water and the reception was at Pointe au Baril Community Centre. With the amount of work put into every detail, you would think that the community centre was an actual wedding venue with a wedding planner, however, everything was put together by family and friends. This wedding was unique because of the authentic love between the bride and groom and the fact that they have a true love for Georgian Bay and it shows in every detail of their wedding day. The entire wedding wasn't just ON Georgian Bay, it was THEMED Georgian Bay!

FROM THE COUPLE:

How did you choose your venue?: Having strong family roots in the Bayfield Inlet and Pointe au Baril areas of Georgian Bay, it was no surprise that it was my dream to be married on one of the 30,000 islands. My vision was an intimate island ceremony followed by a grand celebration on the mainland. After the engagement on July 1st of 2018, when Jon proposed on the rocky shores at sunset...the planning began! Without a second thought, Jonathan was onboard with my dream wedding location. The Bayfield Inlet island chosen for the ceremony was a fifteen minute boat ride from the mainland, uninhabited, and delivered a flat granite surface for bench seating and incredible vistas of the bay. What we didn’t realize right away was the logistical nightmare of transporting 100+ friends and family to and from this island for the ceremony. With the help of local cottagers and family members, boat taxis were established for transportation. After the ceremony, the guests were shuttled back to the mainland and made their way to the Pointe au Baril Community Centre. The community centre offered all of the necessities for hosting a celebration. A large kitchen suited for the caterer, a bar area for cocktails, and a large enclosed deck with views of the bay! It was the perfect choice.

What was the most important thing for you for your wedding day?: Sharing this day and this special place with our family and friends was most important to us. We wanted our guests to experience the true beauty of the bay while celebrating our love!

Please describe any unique details from your day and why they were special to you: Jonathan and I decided on a nautical theme for our special day. Our colours were navy blue and white, with striped accents. Rather than traditional table numbers, each table was named after a local island. This made our reception so personal! Guests were able to locate all of the islands on a map if they were curious. Something also very special to us, was our wedding favours. My husband’s sister, Laura, hand painted Georgian Bay rocks with different scenes of the bay. Our guests were so pleased with this special gift and to this day, when we visit friends or family, we often see these favours on display on a windowsill, bookshelf, in a planter, or out in the garden!

What was the atmosphere you were trying to create?: Nautical/Rustic. To accomplish this we used lanterns, stripes, rope, driftwood, galvanized steel, anchors, and maps.

What area of your wedding did you splurge on? (what was your top priority): Our top priority was the venue & location but luckily that was something that we didn’t have to splurge on! Jonathan and I tried to be very conscious of the budget with many of our decisions and purchases. We did splurge however on renting a handmade barn board backdrop for the head table. It was something we didn’t really need but it made all the difference to the atmosphere in the community centre. It looked so rustic, beautiful, and nautical!

What area of your wedding did you save on?: Many of our wedding details were thrifty!
- The dress: My dress was secondhand purchased through Loved Again Bridal Boutique in Barrie.
- Beauty: All hair and make-up was done at the cottage by the bridesmaids themselves!
- Centrepieces and floral decor: Arranged by hand using Costco bulk flowers and garlands.
- Ceremony decor: Mother of the bride’s potted flowers were used and water lilies were gathered from nearby areas.
- The Music: Instead of splurging on a DJ, we used the “The Jukestar” app and “Spotify” to run the show!

What wedding advice would you give to someone planning their wedding now?: Enjoy the process! It can be stressful and overwhelming at times, but it goes by quickly and is so exciting at the same time. Bask in the moments of finding the perfect dress, preparing the invitations, and searching for all of the beautiful decor!

What was your most memorable moment of the day?: There are so many memorable moments from the day. The whole day was magical but walking down the aisle to “I Get To Love You” by Ruelle was unforgettable!

What was your biggest challenge in the planning process?: Thankfully I had my mother, Marianna, working out many of the fine details of the wedding. She should honestly consider becoming an official wedding planner. She definitely has our seal of approval! One of the biggest challenges we faced was coordinating guests in terms of parking, transportation to and from the island ceremony and guest/wedding party accommodations. In the end, we communicated information and updates to guests through our wedding website. We had local cottagers and family help with transportation, and in terms of accommodations, some guests drove home and some stayed in hotels nearby in Parry Sound. For our wedding party, we rented cabins at a local park and even enjoyed a campfire after a long night on the dance floor!

What was your first dance song?: Beyond the Sea - Robbie Williams