nichola and dru | intimate minden elopement on canning lake

Nichola, a talented stone mason. and Dru, a tech guru by day and fitness guru by night, contacted me early in 2023 about their plans for an intimate wedding at Dru’s family cottage. Their inquiry was one of those ones as a wedding photographer that makes you squeal with giddiness and excitement.

Every bit of their plans had me excited: only 11 guests, a Minden cottage wedding , 2 dogs would be there, locally made food by Feast and Fusion, locally sourced florals by August Tree Floral Farm and Nichola, and so much more.

Their day comes and we couldn’t have had better weather. The whole day was relaxed, stress free, and intimate, just what Nichola and Dru wanted. From the moment I got there, the happiness and love was all around and radiating. So much so, that I felt so incredibly respected, loved and included from the moment I got there to the intimate dinner on the deck where they made a place for me right beside Dru. Also, if you’re looking for the best locally made food for your day, you MUST contact Mitch at F & F, I still dream about that dinner :)>

Nichola and Dru, THANK YOU. It truly was a day I will always remember. I feel so darn lucky that you found me and I hope you love reliving your day through this little post

xo Megan

Danielle + Alex | Rocky Crest Wedding Muskoka

After years of planning and delays, Danielle and Alex FINALLY got to say “I do” and the best part, I got to be the one to document their day!

Their day was absolutely perfect and I have been itching to shoot at the beautiful Rocky Crest venue in MacTier. Muskoka weddings always have a certain look and feel and never disapoint. Well, neither did their day.

When I first met these two, we instantly connected and then we did their engagement photos with their beautiful daughter and puppy (in a Peterborough photography studio), and I loved them even MORE!

We had so much fun together and they planned a very chill, boho party surrounded by amazing friends and family.

Thank you for having me D & A, I love reliving your day xoxo

Florist: Something Borrowed Blooms

Hair + Make up : CBBeauty

Dress Maker: Allure bridal

Shannon + Dave | lakeside Sandy Lane Resort Wedding in Haliburton

Another day, another beautiful 2022 wedding and this one, SO close to our home in Fenelon Falls.

Shannon and Dave chose one of my favourite venues in Haliburton County. This was actually my second time shooting at Sandy Lane Resort and I love it even more with each visit. From the beach ceremony spot, to the adorable cottages for ALL your guests to stay and then the most stunning sunsets which of course, we visit at sunset.

Shannon and Dave, THANK YOU for everything. I Truly had so much fun with you two and your day was the most perfect mix of emotion, chill, beauty and fun.

Can’t wait to shoot another wedding in Haliburton and hopefully back on this beach

Megan

tamara + patrick | an intimate forest wedding at Whispering Springs Wilderness Retreat

It’s no secret that Whispering Springs is one of my favorite Ontario Wedding Venues. I LOVE that 1-3 times a year, I get to drive to Prince Edward County to be at this beautiful and dreamy Glamping Wedding Venue. I feel so at home here :)

Now this wedding is the wedding of Tamara and Patrick, who were one of my “no matter what!!” couples for 2021. No matter what happened with the Pandemic (and uncertainty that came with it), they were getting married. All that mattered was marrying their best friend and well, I of course am all for that.

Leading up to their day, two weeks prior to their original date, they had to move their wedding. They were patient, calm and went with the flow and thankfully, even with last minute date changes, they were still able to have most of their friends and family present. It was a day full of emotion, laughs and so so much beauty. From the second I arrived, their friends and family were SO kind and caring.

Not only were these two perfect, and their day, but it was a team of all-stars when it came to the vendor team with Hugh Whitaker (at my side, who I called in last minute and he was so amazing as always), Kath Films on Video, Flower Treasures and more!

Thank you Tamara and Patrick xoxo

lauren + kent | an ontario glamping weekend wedding at the Whispering Springs

Lauren and Kent are two of the kindest humans I have had the pleasure of working with. As we all know by now, 2020 wasn’t the best year for most but when it comes to trying to plan your wedding, it had the potential to ruin your wedding. Well, L + K didn’t let it.

Instead of postponing their wedding, Lauren and Kent decided to embrace the change and plan two weddings, both appealing to different people in their lives and their want for different things on their wedding day. When the gathering limits kept changing, Lauren and Kent decided to a more traditional church ceremony and lunch at Eagles Nest Golf Club with their parents, siblings and godparents on September 12th. Then, they planned a forest ceremony and weekend away with their best friends, their bridal party, at Whispering Springs on September 26th.

Their wedding was truly the best of both worlds and I am so happy to of been a part of both days. On the 26th, Lauren and Kent just kept saying how happy they were that they did both. Their happiness radiates through ALL the photos and I am so so happy they embraced the change and made their special days into their own.

Here is a peek at their forest + glamping wedding <3


jessy + barry | a lakehouse cottage wedding

I am so excited to finally be able to share a 2020 wedding (a few more to come too!). As most know and most have experienced, 2020 hasn’t been the best year. With a global pandemic happening, many people are going through the unthinkable and having a wedding is the last thing on some couples minds but like my boy Harry Potter said “Maybe that’s the best reason to have it. Because of everything that’s going on”. Couldn’t agree more Harry.

Cue Jessy and Barry, who were forced to change their plans multiple times. From a large wedding at an Ottawa wedding venue, to a medium sized wedding at her parents Crow Lake cottage to a small, intimate and romantic wedding at the Tichborn area cottage of only 20 people.

The day welcomed them with very unpredictable weather but one of the best things about an intimate guest list is you can change on the fly and go with the flow. When a storm rolled in over the lake, we all decided to just wait it out. No rush for the ceremony as that gave everyone extra time to get ready, feed the babies (Jessy and Barry have two beautiful twin girls as you will see) and take some extra downtime and make sure everything was ready. When it came time for the ceremony, there was a little rainbow and the clouds parted with the dreamiest light. From there, the day continued to be dreamy and I need to mention, these two have the kindest families and friends who treated me like family from the moment I got there. When I got in my car at the end of the day, my face hurt from smiling so much and I had puffy eyes from crying because their day was that perfect and you could feel the love every single second everywhere.

Jessy and Barry, THANK YOU! I am so so happy I got to be the person to document your day. It was one of my favorite days I have ever been a part of and you two are truly meant to be together (and you make beautiful babies taboot! :) )

Love you guys and thanks for checking this wedding out everyone!

-Megan

lauren + james | rainy Northridge Inn Wedding in Muskoka

I met Lauren and James a few years ago when thier dear friends, Mackenzie and Leslie, got married in my hometown. Lauren was in the bridal party and we instantly hit it off. Fast forward a few years, and Lauren reaching out about me documenting their Thanksgiving wedding, I was instantly excited and SO in.

They couldn’t of picked a better venue, Northridge Inn, to have a fall wedding at. The venue is nestled in the forest, on Lake Bernard, just outside of Sundridge ON, which is basically between the Muskokas and Algonquin Park. Northridge has EVERYTHING you would ever dream of. From an island ceremony location to glamping to cabins and rooms for all to a pool and even beaches! Not to mention, the most beautiful reception space and incredible decor throughout the whole space. When I asked Lauren how they chose their venue, she said “We (I?) had really wanted a rustic cottage-y feel to our wedding. We love spending time at the family cottage's in the summer so we wanted the same for our big day! We went to visit the Northridge Inn and as soon as we walked in, we fell in love. It perfectly suited both of our styles- James preferring more rustic, and I preferring more 'on trend' styles. We also loved the fact that at Northridge, we could have the entire venue exclusively to ourselves and our guests for our 'Wedding Weekend'. It was perfect. Like a cottage weekend with a wedding in the middle.

It was super important to Lauren that the rest of their vendors follow suit when it came to vibe and style. With Northridge being pretty all-inclusive, they didnt have to worry about too much more in addition to their booking. They booked me (obviously haha) but then also added a personal vibe by having James’ grandfather conduct the ceremony which made it so special.

When I asked them if they would do anything differently, they said “Well, maybe the weather” because they truly had the rainiest wedding day I have had in recent years. BUT boy oh boy every single person there was a trooper and sat through a pouring rain ceremony and let me take their photos in the rain. The rain added an unexpected element but fun and there truly is nothing you can do, but embrace it!

brianne + alex | rustic wedding at Bark Lake Leadership Center in Haliburton

When Brianne + Alex started to plan their wedding, they booked an amazing photographer friend of mine. Leading up to their wedding date, she was blessed with a pregnancy and in the end, they needed to find someone else to photograph their day. Well, I feel super honoured and lucky they chose me.

Bark Lake Leadership Centre is one of my favorite Ontario Camp Wedding venues, I could literally photograph here every weekend and be okay with it. It has everything you could want: cabins for your guests, activities for your guests, an amazing mess hall/dining space, fire pits, a beautiful ceremony spot under the trees, a beach or two and so much more. Ontario Camp Weddings are becoming more common and I am oh so happy they are.

Brianne and Alex planned a relaxed day surrounded by those they love the most. They wanted their photographs to really capture the emotion, vibe of the day and just candid fun. I think we did just that. From the kids playing in the water before the ceremony, to getting into a canoe, to a bonfire and so much more, we love all their photos and their wedding so much. So much so, we had to share it with the world, so enjoy!

Bri and Alex, THANK YOU!!!

Hair + Make up : Shelby Down

Dress Maker:  Tilted veil

Second Shooter: Eleanor Dobbins

Blog Curated by: Tallie Garey

kayla + taylor | charming Eganridge Resort wedding in Fenelon Falls

As many people know, Corrigan and I purchased his families old cottage in 2018 in Fenelon Falls and since then, it has been a goal of mine/ours to work more in the area. There are so many beautiful wedding spots in the Kawarthas and Eganridge Resort is definitely one of them. Nothing beats a spot that you can stay at for a weekend with all your guests under one roof and with no traveling around on the day of.

Kayla and Taylor contacted me shortly before we purchased our cottage and I was so excited and eager for their day. Knowing we had mutual friends whom I love, I knew we would be a GREAT fit (thanks Erin!).

Fast forward to their wedding day, they kept it relaxed, simple and invited the sweetest friends and family. The ceremony spot under a giant willow tree on Sturgeon Lake is a dream and the sunset we got to see was amazing. They even included dog treat for everyone to bring home for their pups, those are my kind of people!

Thanks so much Kayla and Taylor for a great day xoxo

katie + alex | rustic Parry Sound wedding at camp tapawingo

As a couple planning a wedding it is so important to find a wedding photographer who’s work you love but also that you love them as a person too.

As a wedding photographer, I make sure to meet my couples beforehand, even if its just a call, to make sure everyone is on the same page and that the couple are my kind of people.

Alex + Katie couldn’t be more my kind of people and their day/cottage weekend was so my jam.

Katie’s family has a cottage on Georgian Bay and a lot of her life and now their time together as a couple, has been spent up in the Parry Sound area so when it came to choosing a location, it was pretty easy and Camp Tapawingo was perfect!

They planned a weekend with their family and friends where everyone stayed in the kids camp bunks/cottages, swam lots, had campfires and was able to spend more then just an evening together which is pretty special.

My favorite party of the day? (other then hanging out with all of these amazing people) their dog Rory was a huge part of the day and has so much personality from greeting her momma in the “aisle” (the dock), to sleeping/snoring through the ceremony and to crashing the reception and jumping into her parents lap. She was just the best!


Here is a peek at their day! Thank you so so much Alex + Katie for having me xo

Venue: Camp Tapawingo

Florist: Pardon My Garden, @pardonmygarden

Caterer: Glenn Burney Lodge

MU: @beautybydaniellejones

Hair: kaileedixonn

Blog Curated by: Tallie Garey

laura + scott | laid-back Owen Sound wedding at Serenity Cottage

I have been dying to share this Serenity Cottage wedding since Corrie and I documented it. Not only is the venue perfect, intimate and unique but these lovebirds are some of my closest friends AND I introduced them! I will take credit for their relationship forever :)

Laura + Scott planned the best weekend get away turned wedding filled with relaxation, water sports, dancing and more.

I asked Laura a little about their love, their wedding and what they would recommend to future couples planning either a cottage wedding or an intimate one.

Have a read and enjoy these beauties!

Tell everyone a little bit about your love story…

Scott and I heard about each other in December 2010, when he saw my picture on Megan’s Facebook. After he asked her who I was and what I was all about, she thought it would be great if we met. Megan organized a night out downtown where a bunch of us just hung out, drank and danced. We instantly became the best of friends and hung out basically every day from that day on. Throughout our year as "just friends" we continuously heard many of our friends say "you two will be married one day". Those comments quickly started to feel like that could become true when we evolved from the just friends status to boyfriend and girlfriend. We have a bond that is so special and rare and has been since day one. My dad once told me that in order to have a successful and happy marriage you need to be best friends before lovers, and that quote rings true about us. After 6 years together, right before Christmas, Scott came home with a journal (which I had asked for for Christmas) for me to open, Swiss Chalet take out, and wine. I opened the first page of the journal and began reading a beautiful letter Scott wrote me and looked up to find him on one knee. The answer was obviously yes (followed by a few 'holy effs'), I couldn't wait to marry my best friend.

At what point in the planning process did you guys decide to keep it small and intimate? and then a wedding weekend?

Scott and I are the most laid back people so wedding planning just kept getting put on the back burner. We instantly knew we both wanted something small and intimate, that was never a question or thought for us. We went back and forth with the idea of just having a ceremony in a field, and a cool dinner out. But after talking we kept saying we didn't want dinner to be done than the night was over. So we looked into a few places where our guests were able to stay over night. We stumbled upon Serenity Cottage which would sleep the perfect amount of people for our immediate family and wedding party. We thought this would be the perfect way for us to celebrate our wedding, with our best friends and family. We are so so happy we followed through with our wants because the whole weekend was so perfect and just completely us.

What were 3-5 things that were of most importance to you both?

The most important things for us were: 1. It was done our way. 2. it was laid back and easy 3. the food was good. 4. the whole environment was pretty and chill 5. everyone would have fun.

For anyone planning a small intimate wedding, do you have any advice for them? 

My advice for anyone planning a small intimate wedding would be to only think of the two of you, what it is that you two want to do, what will make it 'you guys'. Pick five things that you feel are the most important to you and focus on those and do not worry about the little details. Our five things were 1. Great photographer (nailed it x1000 - we couldn't have asked for better) 2. Food is delish (it was unreal.. major shout out to Justins Oven) 3. good tunes 4. good wine 5. an environment that everyone will feel themselves and relaxed. Another piece of advice my sister gave me, was to take a minute during your big day and just look around and appreciate everything that's going on around you. While all of our guests were having a drink on the downstairs patio before heading down to the ceremony, I sat on the back porch in my dress with my dad and just talked about how awesome this moment was and looked around at everything and everyone. It is a moment I will always cherish.

What made you decide on serenity cottage?

We chose Serenity Cottage because it was beautiful, rustic, and on Georgian bay (we both LOVE that body of water). Serenity had so much to offer for everyone attending. It had a kids play ground, horse shoe pit, a seadoo, stand up paddle boards, darts, and so much more! It allowed our guests to do whatever they felt like when ever they felt like it. Everyone enjoyed all that Serenity had to offer throughout the weekend. It allowed for our environment to be chill, relaxed, and so much fun. The cottage also had enough rooms to sleep all of our guests, and enough space for everyone to comfortably get ready for the wedding. I would definitely recommend Serenity Cottage to anyone who wishes to have an intimate (perfect) wedding.

Looking back on your wedding weekend, would you do anything differently?

The only thing we would do differently was make it a tad longer!!! I know everyone says their wedding was perfect... and I could totally say the same thing... but ours was just completely "us" and that is the most important thing!!

Curated by: Tallie Garey

Second Shot by: Corrigan, Megan Michelle Photography

Venue: Serenity Cottage

Skirt: Breeyn McCarney, @breeynmccarney

Florals: The Flower Place, Barrie, @theflowerplacebarrie

Caterer: Justins Oven

christina + zach | an intimate grand bend family cottage wedding

Now I will start this post off by saying that Christina and Zach's wedding in Grand Bend was absolute wedding goals and will forever be one of my favorites. They did everything for them and for those that mattered to them most. 

So Christina and I go back now I believe a decade and met through her brother Jason and we all played softball together (she was good, I am not haha). After years of playing together and hanging out a lot, I got to meet Zach. I don't think I could of ever imagined up a better person and best friend for Christina, they really are two peas in a pod. 

Christina rocked not one but TWO unique and beautiful dresses. The little white top over the first one was made by Christina herself. It was so fun to do a second look with the next dress, on the beach at sunset. 

The venue was their cottage growing up and then a few years ago when Christina's parents were ready to retire, what better plan then to renovate the cottage and live there forever. Their home was so perfect and as you will see, the backyard space was the BEST! To have your ceremony outside, on the water, surrounded by 50 of your nearest and dearest while boats are driving by and honking... perfection.

The night was filled with some of the best first dances, speeches and even live music (by one of my favs Kevin Foster) that I have ever seen. It was one of those weddings I did not want to leave and I am so excited and happy to share it with you all! 

C + Z, THANK YOU!! xo

andrea + shane | a relaxed, fun cottage resort wedding at Bark Leadership Centre in Haliburton

Andrea and Shane were recommended to me by one of their friends who has been a guest and bridesmaid at several weddings I have shot (thanks Robyn!!). When we initially met for a coffee, it was love at first sight (photographer and couple sort of love) and I knew we were a great fit. They had booked Bark Lake Leadership Centre, which for the most part is a kids camp, but you can also book for weddings too. When they described their wedding, they used the words "fun, relaxed and personal" which are the three words I would want for my wedding too, it doesn't get much better then that. 

"When we looked for our venue, we wanted a place that would hold all of our friends and family together for a weekend. We saw our wedding as an opportunity to bring everyone we loved together and spend quality time with them, instead of being rushed through an evening. Bark Lake gave us the opportunity to have an outdoor wedding with our favourite activities, while having the added bonus of being an absolutely stunning place to get married. We loved having everyone stay over and having brunch with everyone the next morning- we felt surrounded by love the whole time. The staff at Bark Lake were also very flexible and open to our ideas when we met with them, and were happy to support our visions, like finding room for an amazing twelve piece band to help us dance the night away, and having the groomsmen paddle in in a voyageur canoe
 

Obviously a venue like this isn't for everyone and it can take a lot of blood sweat and tears to make it perfect and personal, but Andrea and Shane did it, with flying colours. 

"I don't think we realized when we booked our venue that getting married in an less traditional location would require extra work and coordination, as we live in Toronto and we tried to get vendors that were local to the area.  We ended up doing a lot more DIY work than we originally thought we'd have to, and our biggest stress was trying to figure out how much alcohol to bring in to the woods. But we were lucky to have a supportive family, and a venue that was so open to talking with us (maybe a million times!!) to figure things out. In the end, it was totally worth it, because we really got to design every aspect of the entire weekend, and we truly felt like the wedding was a perfect reflection of who we are as a couple. We also had to be a bit flexible with the weather which was stressful on the day; we received multiple tornado warnings and weather alerts. We were so lucky that our dream came true and we got married under the trees... but we hid from a massive storm for the rest of the night!!  If you're doing something similar, make sure you have a solid rain plan in place!"

As a photographer I continue to try and grow and improve but more importantly, find those couples who make their day about them and aren't afraid to throw tradition to the curb and have fun with their wedding and make it unique and relaxed. When I find those couples, the connection is much stronger as I find those couples are my kind of people and whom I would want to be friends with and surround myself by. These two were positive, fun, candid, so deep in love and overall, a fun amazing couple who I can't wait to hang out with and hopefully work together again in the future.

Love you guys! 

xo - Megan 

Wedding Planner - Lucy Myers Events

Videographer - Kathryn Fudurich

Florals - Tanya List Designs

Band - Kim and Company

First Dance Musicians - Mike and Cassandra

Dress - Ferre Sposa

Tux - Sur Mesur

Custom Rings - Ron Pollock imports