Erin and Karl hosted a small group of family for their intimate and personal Raisin River micro-wedding at Erin’s Mom’s riverfront home in Lancaster. There was rain all around us and the sky looked like it would open above our heads at any minute, but our little corner of the village stayed dry throughout the afternoon in one of several truly special details on this day.
This whole day emphasised the importance of making your wedding day about you. We were particularly touched by the presence of russet apples, a favourite of Erin’s Dad’s, on their signing table. From the dining room table set for a private dinner to including Erin’s Grandma and Karl’s brother as witnesses to the intentional and loving inclusion of their pups throughout the afternoon, Erin and Karl’s celebration was truly about including the people – and the creatures – who mean the most to them.
When we first spoke, Erin mentioned that she wanted to row down the river to a spot along the bank for their portraits. This sounded like a great idea! The logistics of making it actually happen kept us all laughing as we stripped down our gear to the barest essentials, ditched our shoes, and hopped in the rowboat and a kayak to accompany them down the very swift moving river as the winds blew and a storm threatened.
Karl, you’re our biggest hero of the day. You braved motion sickness in order to make Erin’s photo dreams come true, and you did it with a smile on your face. I’ll never forget learning of your motion difficulties after we’d already made the trip to our little spot. You were a little green, but you handled it like a champ. Erin, we were pretty sure we were going to lose you to the river at a couple of points, but you were completely fearless as you determinedly scrambled over and along the shoreline rocks.
As the storm descended and lightning flashed in the distance, we made a rapid exit and paddled quickly back to the dock. Just as we headed for the house, the rain started, allowing Kristin to end the day with some absolutely magical photos of Erin and Karl running hand in hand through rain drops and into the house to join their guests for a candlelit dinner. It doesn’t get much more perfect than that.
Decor and flowers by Sophie at Sage Designs; Handlettering by Nine Lives Lettering; Hair by Steph Riel; Makeup by Corey Thompson; Bridal gown from Alliance Bridal
Kristin Grant is the face of Sweetbrier Weddings by Moment.us Photography. We’re Cornwall, Ontario-based photographers offering creative wedding coverage throughout Ottawa and the Eastern Ontario region. Visual storytelling is what we do best, so laughter and connection is important when we work with clients. We love working with couples who are emotionally present on their wedding day and who value spending time with loved ones. Celebrations like this Raisin River micro-wedding are our idea of perfection. If you’d like to see another example of how we approach intimate and micro weddings, start here.
