Step into a space… Where the world was Rebecca and Cam’s for one very special day. Where the first look holds a whisper of magic, the air is thick with good vibes and every moment is painted in bliss. In our latest blog post, we invite you to immerse yourself in a dreamy first look, where good vibes radiate and touches of lush greenery weave through every scene. Join us as we journey through Rebecca and Cam’s September wedding day.

To watch their wedding film: CLICK HERE

Enter Rebecca…

We got married at the Gathered in September 2023 and I simply cannot say enough good things
about this place. First and most obvious, the entire property is absolutely beautiful. When we first
toured the space, my husband and I both fell in love with it immediately. It truly took my breath
away. It’s incredibly peaceful, and welcoming, and radiates with love. The perfect vibes you want for
your wedding. From the farm fields and flower gardens to the sunflowers and tall trees, and of
course the stunning and romantic reception tent and bridal cottage, the Gathered is a wedding
venue like no other.

Secondly, the team behind the Gathered is an absolute dream. As a family-run business, you can
feel the heart and passion behind what they do. It’s not about making money for them, they’re truly
passionate about making your wedding dreams come true. I don’t even know where to start with
Alysa and Elaine. From start to finish, they were an absolute dream team to work with. Always on
top of things, with regular emails, information packets, and check-in meetings. Alysa is incredibly
organized, efficient, professional, and knowledgeable. Answering my endless type A emails
(sometimes multiple a day), ensuring everything is in place so the wedding day goes off without a hitch.
And Elaine’s food. OH MY GOD. To die for. That is the #1 comment we got on our wedding: that it
was the best wedding food our guests had ever had. You can taste the passion in her cooking.
I could go on forever because getting married at the Gathered and working with Alysa and Elaine
was an unforgettable experience that I will cherish forever. If you’re looking for an outdoor wedding
venue, I cannot recommend the Gathered enough. You will not be disappointed. In fact, it will
exceed your expectations tenfold!

DID YOU HAVE A FAVOURITE MOMENT OF THE DAY?

Our first look, hands down. I can close my eyes and still see the look on my groom’s face when he
saw me for the first time, and I’ll cherish that forever. The wedding day is busy and sometimes chaotic,
but at that moment, I forgot about everyone and everything else, and it was just us, in love and in
pure bliss.
A close second was walking back down the aisle after being pronounced as Mr. And Mrs. for the
first time. Looking out at a crowd of all our favourite people cheering and crying in joy for us
was really special.

First Look: a moment to cherish

WAS THERE A THEME FOR YOUR WEDDING?

Greenery! Simple and romantic.

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

1. Remember what matters to you, and don’t get caught up in all the wedding industry can throw at you. Your wedding should be a reflection of you two as a couple, not what Instagram tells you what you should do.

2. Be selfish. Don’t let others influence your special day. Stick to what you want because those who love you will support you and be happy for you no matter what.

IS THERE ANYTHING THAT SURPRISED YOU?

How emotional my groom was! I’m the sappy one in the relationship and cry at everything, but he
was much more emotional than I was on our wedding day, which I loved.

WHAT EXPERIENCE DID YOU WANT TO CREATE FOR GUESTS?

An amazing party full of love and joy. And I think we achieved that! Not to brag, but we’ve heard
from the majority of our guests that it was the best wedding they’d been to. And again, I think a lot
of that is because we kept it simple, stayed true to ourselves, and didn’t get caught up in the
pressure of the industry and family/friends. Guests remember the food, the party, and the vibes. And
if you put out solid vibes as a couple, the rest will all fall into place!

WHERE DID YOU GET YOUR INSPIRATION?

My brain haha I’ve always envisioned a simple look and feel to my wedding focussed on greenery.
Hence why we fell in love with the Gathered immediately: the vibe was exactly what I always
pictured!

WHAT VALUES DID YOU HAVE FOR YOUR WEDDING DAY?

#1 was fun. We wanted to have fun as a couple and have everyone have fun throughout all aspects of the day.

And then #2 was being present. We knew our wedding day would go by so fast so we
prioritized being as present as we could throughout every aspect of the day. We took a minute
during our first look/couple photos, after the ceremony, during the cocktail hour, after dinner, and
during the dance to step away just the two of us and take a moment to take it all in together and
appreciate the love and joy.

IS THERE SOMETHING ABOUT YOUR WEDDING PEOPLE KEEP TALKING ABOUT?

Haha yep! The food is #1 hands down. Everyone LOVED the meal and the donuts were such a huge
hit. I am SO happy we did the donuts; it’s so unique and tasty and fun.
We also heard so many good things about our bartenders, and we agree! They were SO fun and
always in good spirits and giving good vibes, which is key when the bar is a big part of the reception
party.
And then just the venue overall; how beautifully stunning the property is!

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

For me, I focused on what I needed to buy and provide for our guests to make sure they had a good
time being outside for the whole day. So I bought sunscreen, bug spray, water bottles, and
handheld fans for the ceremony, and then I bought a bunch of cheap blankets to put out after
dinner when it started to cool down.

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

Our ceremony was pretty windy, so when we went for our golden sunset hour photos our
videographer asked if we could read our personalized vows to each other again, so he could get
some better audio, and so we got to read our vows to each other again, just us two, out in the
gardens with a beautiful sunset background. Getting to share our vows together again in a more
intimate setting was really special and romantic.

DID YOU ALWAYS WANT AN OUTDOOR WEDDING?

We didn’t have a preference in mind: we toured a couple indoor venues before seeing the
Gathered, but once we saw it we knew it was the one!

Photographer Melanie Gauer
Videographer Twisted Film Works
Hair & Makeup Valerie Guzman
Florals Something Borrowed Blooms and Succulents and Stems
Dress The Bridal Centre
Suit Eph Apparel

Have you ever considered doing a first look? Let us know in the comments below!