Dreaming about a wedding on her parent’s lakeside dock since childhood, this beautiful bride got the chance when her handsome counterpart popped the question! All hands were on deck for this DIY-centric fête: mom planted pots of flowers for ceremony décor and dad handmade the pergola where the couple said their vows! The gallery is brimming with sweet details shot to perfection by Sugar & Soul Photography, so be sure to paddle on over!
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From the Bride… Our wedding was everything we dreamed of and more! The ceremony was held at my parents’ boat access home on West Hawk Lake in the Whiteshell Provincial Park. Our guests were transported over to the dock by barge and were seated on benches on the dock under the pergola that my dad built for our big day. My mom planted tons of flowers in her rock gardens, pots and hanging baskets to decorate the site. We said our vows on the dock, overlooking the lake and surrounded by our closest friends and family. Our reception was held at Falcon Trails Resort in a big white tent that we rented and decorated ourselves. I did many DIY projects with my fiancé, mom and bridesmaids, including making our invitations; making a picture book for our guests to sign, which was filled with our engagement photos; personalizing each guest’s mason jar cup with their name on chalkboard labels; and making wood chalkboard signs to display our seating chart and menu. We also filled a canoe with ice and beer for behind the bar to go along with our lake theme!
My favorite parts of the day were seeing my husband to be for the first time when we did our “first look” in the woods and having my dad walk me down the aisle and seeing Kevin at the end, surrounded by all the people we love at our favorite place in the world.
My advice for couples planning their big day: first, find an amazing photographer that you “click” with. Our photographer, Melissa, captured every little detail of our big day in her photos, as well the happiness of us and our guests. I am so happy with our decision to invest in such an amazing photographer, as we will cherish these images for the rest of our lives. Second, find a venue that reflects your style. I always dreamed of getting married on my parents’ dock. Although it took a lot of planning to make our dream a reality, it was worth it in the end! And last, enjoy every minute of the planning and especially enjoy the big day — it all goes by so fast!
Wedding Photography: Melissa Johnstone of Sugar & Soul Photography / Ceremony: The Bride’s Parents’ Home at West Hawk Lake in Whiteshell Provincial Park, Manitoba / Reception: Falcon Trails Resort in Falcon Lake, Manitoba / Wedding Invitations, Guest Book, Mason Jar Personalization, Seating Chart + Menu: DIY / Wedding Dress: Allure Bridals via 7th Avenue Fashions / Bride’s Heels: Le Chateau / Bride’s Flats: Spring Shoes / Bride’s Headpiece: Etsy / Bride’s Earrings + Bracelet: Her Grandmother’s / Hair: Urban Shag / Makeup: Two Chicks & a Bag of Makeup