November 15, 2016

Bailey and Tom had an intimate tented wedding celebration on Bailey’s family farm in Stouffville. They wanted the wedding to reflect who they are; fun and casual, so the family farm was a perfect fit. The farm kept it rustic and elegant and together with the couple’s family and friends, they were able to do everything themselves. Not only did this save money, but left an impression of the couple, their style, and their life ambitions together.

I love photographing a farm wedding, there’s never any shortage of rustic props laying around!

We couldn’t have asked for better weather that day. The bride and her bridesmaids made sure to soak up some of the warm, summer sunshine and took a walk around the property before it was time to get glammed up.

Bailey included a portion of her mom’s dress in her dress, as well as a picture of her dad on her bouquet as he had passed away – even though her stepdad walked her down the aisle, she still had a piece of both her mom and dad with her.

Tom first met Bailey in Toronto, so his cuff-links were a map of the city (which also happened to show Stouffville, the location of the wedding).

Tom and his groomsmen were pumped up and ready to have some fun that day so I put them to work and got some great action shots out of them.

Bailey loves horses, so she wanted to arrive in a horse and carriage as a surprise to everyone except her mom. All décor and details were collected, donated, or bought by the wedding party and parents of the bride and groom.

Hay bales were covered with burlap as ceremony seating, and a fake flower arch was the focal point for the ceremony. I had never seen a fake flower arch but I was impressed at how real it looked. It is a brilliant idea to prepare if you plan on doing your own flowers ahead of time!

“First seeing Bailey as she arrived in the horse drawn carriage and walked down the aisle was by far the most perfect wedding moment.”

You could feel the love on this gorgeous wedding day, understanding that family and friendship means the world to Bailey and Tom. The afternoon ceremony was tearful and heartfelt as the couple pronounced their affectionate vows to each other. There wasn’t a dry eye in the field.

“After the ceremony was over, walking down the aisle hand in hand with Tom to everyone clapping and cheering – it hit me that we were officially married and could now celebrate!”

You could see that Bailey and Tom were enjoying every minute of their wedding as they kept each other laughing throughout the day. 

Everything was scheduled on site which made the day relaxed and all about the party! Guests were invited to camp out on the property and a cozy seating area dotted around a campfire circle waiting in anticipation for marshmallow roasting.

The couple’s fun touches were the “Dance Floor Rules Sign” as well as two of their favourite drinks as Signature Drinks. Bailey’s family collects classic cars, so they incorporated some of the cars into the décor as well as the pictures. Bailey’s mom and aunt did the planter arrangements, and Bailey’s family friend Patty Yake did the head table decor, dessert and gift table as well as the flowers for the arch.

Another friend named Patti Skelton was a huge support for the family from beginning to end and was in charge of purchasing decor, and the runner for last minute errands on the wedding day. All in all, the couple had a huge support system that they can’t thank enough!

No farm wedding is complete without some yummy pies at the dessert table!

“My favourite detail was the homemade jam favours, as the bridesmaids and moms made it together. It took an entire day of prepping the jars, making the actual jam, and tying on the burlap tops with the perfect bow.”

The bridesmaids and moms helped make all the guest favour home-made jams and the set-up of the reception was a full family effort. Overall, the decor was simple and elegant with a country rustic flair.

These rustic wood slices were the perfect prop for the table centerpieces.

“The bridal party entrance to the reception was one of my favourite moments. We all got to have a lot of fun with that and it set the tone for the rest of the night.”

“Our first dance was “10,000 Emerald Pools” by Borns. We both love this song and Borns, so the acoustic version of this song seemed like the perfect fit for our first dance. Also as sappy as it may sound, the lyrics capture the way we feel about each other – at the end of the day all we need is the other person.”

This moment perfectly captures the overall vibe of Bailey & Tom’s wedding…fun, laughter and happiness!

I just love that Bailey and Tom decided to pass on a traditional wedding cake and go with a pie instead for the “cake” cutting portion of the festivities. So fitting for their rustic themed wedding.

Dancing the night away definitely calls for bare feet and Bailey wasted no time kicking her heels off to get her groove on with her new husband!

I couldn’t be more honoured to be there to capture the day. Bailey and Tom; you have something truly special. I hope you remind yourselves everyday of the love, friendship and admiration you had for one another the moment you said “I will”.

All the best to you both!

xx – april

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Venue: Bailey’s family farm in Stouffville // Officiant: Leslie Sedore // ceremony musicians: Walla Music // dj: Bob Hawkins // horse drawn carriage: Lionel’s Farm // Furniture + decor rentals: Affair Rentals // Flowers: Stouffville Florist // makeup: Katie Assinck //hair: Rhonda Cox // dress: David’s Bridal //shoes: Project Elegance // suit: Newman’s Menswear //bridal party attire: Bill Levkoff // bridal party gifts: Bridesmaids: robe, champagne glass, embroidered makeup bag, Kate Spade Bracelet; Groomsmen: Cufflinks, bottle of liquor, tickets to Jays game // stationary: Debbie LeBuffe // pies: John Leadbetter // favours: Homemade jam // budget: $20-30K // number of guests: 125 // second shooter: Lelania