…. From the stunning display of flowers to their adorable corgi, this farm wedding was full of dreamy details that reflected both who Matt and Denise are as a couple and of the loving friends and family who surrounded them.

WHAT ARE SOME THINGS TO KEEP IN MIND WHILE PLANNING AN OUTDOOR WEDDING?

It’s a good idea to remind the guests that with the wedding being outdoors to have proper footwear on! Also, we had a little set up where there were extra umbrellas and bug spray for the guests to use. Another thing we had to consider is the ice for the bar – doing research for my wedding, I had stumbled upon an “ice calculator” that helps you estimate the amount of ice you will need to purchase.

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WAS THERE A SPECIFIC WAY YOU HANDLED THE NERVES OF AN OUTDOOR WEDDING?

This sounds simple but I had to remind myself that there is absolutely nothing I can change about the weather. If it’s going to rain, it’s going to rain. At the end of the day, you’re still marrying the person you love the most.

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WHAT WERE SOME OF YOUR FAVOURITE MOMENTS OF THE DAY?

We were so incredibly lucky that it even when it did rain, it was during the dinner service while everyone was in the tent. The day felt even more magical when a beautiful rainbow took over the sky. We loved taking sunset photos out by the garden and field – it was such a romantic experience. We loved seeing all our friends and family having fun – whether it was challenging one another at a lawn game or sitting by the fire pits roasting marshmallows! Last but not least – the farm to table dinner service was to die for!

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DO YOU HAVE ONE SPECIFIC MEMORY THAT YOU WILL CHERISH AS A COUPLE?

We are crazy dog people and we loved that our dog was able to spend our entire wedding day with us. From the ceremony to the limo ride home! We also will never forget walking through the field at sunset and having time to ourselves to talk about the craziness of the day.

WERE YOU WORKING TOWARDS CREATING ATMOSPHERE FOR YOUR WEDDING?

Matt and I always find it awkward when weddings or any events are too formal so we knew we wanted to avoid that. We wanted to create a comfortable and relaxing environment for our guests – as if they were just attending a backyard barbecue at a friend’s place. Even though we had over 100 guests, by keeping everything as simple as we could, we were still able to give off an intimate vibe.

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WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO COUPLES IN THE PLANNING PROCESS?

Consider having a sweetheart table during the reception. It was probably one of the best decisions we made – we loved that we got to have some time to ourselves!

IS THERE SOMETHING ABOUT YOUR WEDDING PEOPLE KEEP TALKING ABOUT?

Yes!! People swooned over the family-style food prepared by the staff at the Gathered. They absolutely loved how fresh all the ingredients were. The flavours were just amazing!! Also- the donuts. People loved choosing their own toppings for the freshly made donuts.

WHAT IS THE ONE THING THAT SURPRISED YOU?

Matt and I have family that are used to attending traditional Chinese weddings and we were so surprised when they told us how much fun they had at an outdoor wedding. They loved seeing the farm animals and being able to walk around the fields.

IS THERE ANYTHING YOU WISH YOU WOULD HAVE THOUGHT OF?

I had a bunch of lawn games set up but didn’t even think to bring some cards or board games for people to enjoy inside the tent if it did rain! Something to consider for sure!

WAS THERE A WORRY YOUR FAMILY HAD THAT NEVER HAPPENED, OR HAPPENED BUT WASN’T A BIG DEAL?

Naturally, everyone was worried that it would rain on our wedding day. It did but the staff had quickly shut the sides of the tent to prevent the rain from getting in. Luckily, the rain started during dinner and it didn’t last long! We even got to see a beautiful rainbow at the end.

WHAT DID YOU LOVE ABOUT HAVING YOUR WEDDING AT THE GATHERED FARM?

We loved absolutely everything about having our wedding at the Gathered Farm. Alysa and Elaine were so helpful throughout the entire process. They gave us advice on what had worked and what didn’t work in previous weddings that they’ve had. The venue is beautiful and is exactly what a rustic, romantic wedding would look like. Having good food was one of our priorities cause that’s usually what the guests remember and boy, did Elaine accomplish that. The food was just out of this world. The venue and the tent are so picturesque, that minimal decorations were required. I could spend all day talking about how perfect the Gathered was for our farm wedding! We could not have chosen a better team and venue for our wedding day!

Images: Kristyn Harder Photography 

Florals: Pine for Cedar

Rentals: Orange Trunk

Dress: Pearl and Dot

Hair & Makeup: The Pretty Haus

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• Gathering Around the Dinner Table – Family and Slow Food by Elaine
• Meet the Team: Nicole Schlaugat
• A YEAR IN REVIEW