Hosting Your Intimate Wedding
or Elopement In Muskoka, Ontario
Hey beautiful couples! If you’re here because you are looking for some of the best spots to host your Intimate Wedding or Elopement in Muskoka, I am so excited for you! I’ve dreamt up a list of some of the most magical spots in beautiful Northern Ontario to celebrate your Intimate Wedding or Elopement and cannot wait to share them with you!
A little A-Frame Story
Muskoka is one place we visit as much as we can in all seasons, both for work and to simply get up there to enjoy how incredible it is. We grew up spending our summers in the best little a-frame on Whitestone Lake in Dunchurch, just east of Parry Sound, and it it still one of my best memories from my life. There was no electricity, so we used a generator to power the lights only at night. Some nights were simply lit by candlelight and was truly so magical to me and my sister growing up. Every night my dad would say “Lights are going off in a few minutes!” and we would all get our cozies on and settle in for the eve. Teas and coffees were made every morning to be enjoyed in bed, while the wood stove warmed up the cool mornings. We had a spare room on the main floor where all of our extra things were stored; water toys, skis, tubes, fishing gear, life jackets, and so many other awesome things that made up the true cottage experience.
There was no running water, and we were boat access only which made life fun! My parents did it for 30 years, and with little ones for 20, so it is absolutely possible, just a little more work and a ton more laughs! Haha, we lugged our things from the marina, into the boat, across that beautiful lake, and up the front stairs when we arrived, and lugged them back down, across and into our car when we left. I think it was my Dad’s least favourite thing about that place, but it was responsible for so many laughs and memories for us little ones over the years. Bath time was in the lake, or in one of the big food coolers on the deck. The lake water always made my skin and hair so soft! The sun rose up behind us, and set directly in front of us, and I remember mornings where we would watch my Dad sneak away in the boat for a quiet morning fish, the fog rising from the water.
We would religiously take sunset boat rides with the radio softly playing all of those late 80’s and 90’s songs, and our parents would whip us up and down the lake in the tubes. My Mom made the best cottage dinners around, even though it was mostly hamburgers, hotdogs, yummy salads, and sometimes beans and veggies! Life jackets hung to dry above the wood stove, and towels flapped outside to be dried by the warm summer breeze. My sister and I laid in bed and used our flashlights to look for faces in the wood planks above us to make us fall asleep, and we would wake up to music, teas and the wicked smell of breakfast.
That Beautiful Whitestone Lake Life
I can remember so much more, and every one of those things like we just lived them yesterday – it was such an amazing way to grow up! We didn’t need much for our vacations up there; no TV, no phone, no electricity, and it was one of the best times of my life! It’s been painted, the windows have been replaced, and the dock was removed, but I can still remember everything it looked like and the tall birch trees just outside the windows. My dad planted all of those pines that lined the shore, and there used to be a beach to the left of the dock. So so beauty!
Traveling up there feels like home, and since then have found the dreamiest spots that bring all of the above rushing back. I am excited to share them with you today and hope you find the best spot to get married in Muskoka or Northern Ontario!
Intimate Wedding Venues in Northern Ontario
Muskoka & Area
The North Ridge Inn
Portage Inn
The Sherwood Inn
Trillium Resort & Spa
Clevelands House
Port Cunnington Lodge
Camp Muskoka
Kee to Bala
Windermere House
Hillside Farms
Brooklands Farm
Rocky Crest Resort
Hardy Lake Provincial Park
Parry Sound & Area
Ridge at Manitou
Camp Tapawingo
Grand Tappattoo Resort
Aisling Lakehouse
Killarney Provincial Park
Killbear Provincial Park
Algonquin & Area
Arrowhon Pines
Camp Tamakwa
Arrowhead Provincial Park
Algonquin Eco-Lodge
Algonquin Provincial Park *Campsites or places within the park; you can choose any spot to get married in Algonquin. If you have a favourite beach, lake or space, it would be such a beautiful spot to elope or host an intimate ceremony!
Georgian Bay & Area
Serenity Cottage
Honey Harbour
Severn Lodge
Northbrook Farms
Bluewater Beach, Tiny Township
Awenda Provincial Park
Tobermory & The Bruce Peninsula
Tips for Hosting an Intimate Wedding or Elopement in Ontario
Ontario is so stunning and has so many incredible places to explore! Getting married in the beauty of Ontario can be so dreamy, so out of the box, and planned to vibe with everything you dream of! When planning an Intimate Wedding or Elopement, start with thinking about what the two of you love to do together, and what is most important to you. Write down a list of values that matter; whether it be that your families and closest loved ones be present, or a sweet ceremony with just the two of you and join everyone for at an intimate dinner later. Then narrow down a few spaces that you both would love to get married at; the list above can be a great place to begin if you need help!
When Eloping:
- Think about what is most important to the both of you for your day.
– What are your values?
– Would you love your family present, maybe an intimate ceremony with just the two of you? - Make a list of spaces you love, or things you want to feel on your day. Do you want to be surrounded by water or forest, stand at the base of a waterfall, say I do in your parent’s backyard? Do what feels right and do what makes you both the happiest!
- Narrow down your venue list and start reaching out to vendors. I offer a full elopement planning and photography package where I help source the right vendors that will make your ideas come to life, and provide an Elopement Guide to help with timelines, tips and help to make your day your favourite. If you need help or guidance, let’s talk about it!
- Obtain any permits or payments to secure your space. Getting married in a Provincial Park for example can require a permit or site rental; make sure you have items like this checked off before you go.
- Relax, enjoy and have the best day! One of the beautiful things about hosting an intimate wedding or elopement is they are usually laid back and relaxed. You are able to focus on each other and your closest loved ones, and be fully present throughout the whole day, weekend or week!
Elopement & Intimate Wedding Ideas
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Provincial Parks:
Do you like to camp or be surrounded by the beauty of nature, lakes and forest? Try a camp wedding, or hosting your ceremony in one of our beautiful Provincial Parks like Alqonquin, or Killbear. We know of the sweetest little spots to take you, and would love to adventure along the way.
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Beaches / Hiking Trails:
Have a favourite beach or hiking trail you love in Ontario? Get your feet in the sand and have a beautiful intimate ceremony as the sun goes down.
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Family Cottage / Air Bnbs:
Do you have a family cottage or campsite that you love to visit together? I’ve photographed a number of intimate weddings at family cottages and they have been some of the most relaxed days; with the bonus of it meaning a lot to the both of you and your families. For a different intimate space, try an Air Bnb! Some Air Bnb hosts would be so pumped to have you elope at their space, and a quick search can find one that speaks to who you are! The best part is you can hire a caterer for an intimate dinner and feel right at home with your closest peeps. Some evenings when I have a few free moments, I’ll do a quick search for Air Bnbs in Ontario that are unique and off the beaten path. I’ve held onto this sweet list over the years and would love to share them with you; I’ve included a couple here.
– Trott Cottage, Muskoka
– The Leonard Cottage, Muskoka
– The Muskoka A-Frame
– Bluestone, Tiny Township
– Alabaster Acres, Caledon
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Destinations:
Are you avid travelers, or lways dreamed of going to Greece, Costa Rica, Scotland, Hawaii? Did you take your first trip together and love the vibe enough to go back? Take your love a little more worldwide and try your favourite travel destination. Planning an intimate destination wedding or elopement could be such an awesome time for you and your closest friends & family. It gives you extra time to love on everyone present as you get to hang together a few extra days, and also tends to be super relaxed as everyone is in that beautiful vacation mode.
Love more ideas? Feel free to reach out anytime. I would love to talk to you about ideas for such a beautiful experience & day.
The biggest thing to remember is plan your wedding however you guys would love it best! Create it around your personalities and incorporate all the things you love. If you want to go all out and have a big wedding day, do that – and if you’d love to keep it intimate, that is amazing too! Remember you don’t have to do it everyone else’s way, and the sky is the limit for what you can create. This mini guide is here to tell you it’s okay to plan something different and something unique that speaks to your personalities; its incredible to plan a day that makes you happy, calm, and that you wish you could live again and again!
Get married in your parent’s backyard, at the base of a waterfall, on the beach where you had your first date, at your favourite hiking trail, on your grandfathers vintage boat, at your family cottage – truly and honestly anything you’d love. Take a moment to think about what would mean the most to the two of you, and create a day that makes you so, so happy.
With love always, Lea xo