Mac and Jenn's wedding in Fenelon Falls, Ontario

We had breakfast at the resorts restaurant, and then off to get the final details together. Helen our wedding coordinator from Eganridge, helped to make sure everything was in order. The reception hall was prepared, the ceremony space was being put together and I had very little to do myself.

Days leading up to our big day we had gone back and forth as to whether we were going to have our ceremony inside or outside. We both wanted to do it outside, but with the weather changing so fast, there were so many days that were just too cold. During the rehearsal the day before, we decided it was going to be an indoor ceremony due to the cold. We were so surprised when the weather ended up being so beautiful for our wedding day. The sun was out, the wind was gone, and there was just no way that we could not take advantage of the beautiful weather. AN OUTDOOR CEREMONY IT IS!!!

After weeks of running around getting everything together, stressing about regular wedding stress, I finally had the chance to relax for a moment with my son. It was his nap time, I got the chance to lay down with him, snuggle up and rest with him until he fell asleep. It was bliss.

Once he was down, it was my turn in the chair. Make-up time! My bridesmaids poured me a glass of Champaign, and I got to spend time talking and laughing with my girls and getting the princess treatment. Next was my hair, more princess treatment until she was finished and I looked in the mirror. I had no clue I could look so beautiful (if I do say so myself).

Now it was time for the dress. I had held myself together all day but now the thought of putting that dress on was overwhelming (in a good way). My wonderful mother helped button me into my dress (my something new). Last thing to do was my final touches, I wore my mothers earrings and necklace (my something borrowed), my late grandmothers sapphire ring (my something blue), and my veil which my mother hand made using part of her own wedding dress (this was my something old).

Once my dress was on, my photographer and videographer captured a beautiful moment of my father seeing me in my dress for the first time, tears and all.

Then we did a first looks with my soon-to-be husband, he doesn't cry easily so it was tears for me and big smiles from him. We spent the next hour taking photos with our wedding party and families, having drinks and spending some wonderful time together before heading over to our ceremony.

The time had come, time to take a walk together, a walk into marriage.

The music started, my finance walked down the aisle first with his beautiful mother and our son. Our son held a sign that said "Daddy, it's time to give mommy our last name". Then our groomsmen walked down, followed by our bridesmaids. Now as I was standing just inside the doors, waiting to walk down that aisle too. I looked down to my beautiful nieces, dressed and ready to be my flower girls. Two of the girls (my niece and his) had never met until now, they held hands and one of them said "will you be my best friend?" to the other. My heart melted. On this day of love, I got to witness even more love from these adorable little humans!

It's now my turn! I stepped outside into the cool fall air, my father took my arm and my mother on the other side. Feeling so grateful to have them both by my side.

Holding my large beautiful bouquet, I had placed locket frames into my flowers with pictures of a few loved ones that have passed, loved ones that I wished could have been there for such a special day. My grandmother and grandfather, my finance's grandmother who I had gotten very close to before her passing 3 years ago. And of course my late father-in-law. The 4 people that I have lost that I was closest to.

As we walked down the aisle together, I could see all the faces of my loved ones but my eyes were locked onto one person. The person that from day one I have always known I would spend my life with. The ceremony felt like it went by so fast, before I knew it we were pronounced husband and wife, and walking down the aisle towards our forever to together.

We jumped in a car and off we went to take our newlywed photos. Our guests and wedding party headed over to our cocktail hour. My husband and I wandered around the beautiful picturesque grounds of our wedding venue resort. The fall colours were just perfect. We walked down to the lake and got some beautiful photos with the sunset.

We then joined our cocktail hour and greeted some of our guests. Now it was time for our reception. Our wonderful MC (who was also our Officiant) announced us into the reception first (we did things a little different than the normal). After announcing us in, he announced each of our wedding party one by one. As they came in and gave my husband and I a hug, the MC shared a little memory of each of them and the reason why we wanted them in our wedding party. It was a beautiful way to show how important they all are to us.

After our grand entrance, the MC shared our love story (how we met, our proposal, and sweet notes that we wrote to each other specially for this moment). We then had our first dance to a song that means a lot to us both, a song that was loved by both our grandparents who are in heaven now.

Next we enjoyed an amazing 3 course meal, prepared by the venue Eganridge. After our meals we started the speeches. We choose to do the speeches after dinner so that no one missed their meal, and no ones meal got cold while they were speaking or turned in their seat to listen. The best man was up first, followed by my maid-of-honour. My parents made a beautiful speech, then it was my mother-in-laws turn. Without her husband by her side she was a little nervous and sad. My husband (her son) stood by her side as she spoke to comfort her. Now it was our turn. We thanked everyone for coming and all our professionals for capturing and making our day so wonderful, then I made a tribute to my husbands late father. I prepared a small slideshow with pictures of my father-in-law and this is what brought tears to my husbands eyes. He was so happy to have his father be an important part of his wedding day. I finished our speech by thanking my husband for being the man he is, and he thanked me as well.

We went off to cut our wedding cake and then we turned up the music and started the party!! My guests were eager to get up and dance. Our DJ did so amazing at playing just the right songs at just the right times. When he played 'Sweet Caroline' everyone on the dance floor sang along. When the chorus would come up, the DJ would mute the song for the "BA BA BA" part so that we could all sing it, it was so much fun!!

By the end of the night everyone was complimenting me on what a beautiful, wonderful and fun wedding it had been. It was truly a magical day, I could not have asked for more.