Ten person, black tie elopement on an island in Temagami

Amanda & Owen’s Private wedding in Northern Ontario

When Amanda first reached out and asked if I would be interested in coming all the way up to Temagami to shoot their wedding, I was 100% on board right away. Obviously I’m always down for an adventure, but they were both so lovely from the first FaceTime call, I knew I wanted to work together. As an island cottager myself, I always love seeing other people’s special properties, we are all so similar yet different. I love the remoteness that comes with island cottages – yes a lot of work, but it’s something that I would never trade.

This beautiful cottage has been in Owen’s family for three generations, it’s located on a quiet island on Lake Temagami. Amanda and Owen hosted the kind of wedding that I will always remember attending – intimate, refined, and deeply personal. With just ten guests, this black tie elopement was about one thing: love, witnessed only by the people who mattered most.

This wedding is a mix of film and digital, and I enjoyed pulling out my drone as well, I had hoped to use it even more, but we had a stormy patch of weather after the ceremony. Cocktail hour was in the screened in porch while the rain passed and we were able to go back on the deck for some first dances and a few photos on the point. 

Their ceremony took place on the dock, and the water was calm and perfect.  A gentle balance of formality and nature. One perfect highlight was the tin boat with the “just married” flag right after the ceremony concluded. 

Their sincerity set the tone for the entire day. There were no over-the-top productions or timelines—only the quiet beauty of being present. The island’s remoteness added to the feeling of peace. 

Dinner was shared in the screened in porch, beautiful toasts just read one by one, and even the neighbour’s dog swam across from an adjacent island to find the dinner.

This private cottage wedding in Ontario simple and perfect, a wedding doesn’t need 200 people to feel monumental.

For couples dreaming of a private cottage wedding, please reach out to me, I’ll be there in a heartbeat. I hope you enjoy this one as much as I did.