A Colourful Summer Wedding
This wedding was one for the books. Jennifer and Graham had the most Pinterest worthy wedding. If you're looking for any summer wedding inspiration, look no further! The couple wanted an outdoor wedding venue with the convenience of having everything all on site in one place. It's just outside North Bay, and just outside Muskoka. So all of their guests didn't have far to travel. Black Saddle Barn was the perfect barn wedding venue for them - it's luxurious, elevated, and unlike any other barn venue.
The pops of colour on the florals, decor, and outfits were done so well and looked tasteful and fun. Jennifer and Graham had a huge wedding party - and we see why. They all have such a great connection and clearly support the couple without question. Their guest list was also quite large. Every single person there gave so much support and love to Jennifer and Graham. It was so beautiful to witness. And it was an honour to host their wedding.
Wait until you see the unique touches and non-traditional timeline: the first dance was our favourite and our suggestion to the couple. We love how it turned out and how it flowed. Buckle up, save some inspo, and enjoy this recap from Jennifer + Grahams amazing wedding!
This wedding day went so smooth because the couples hired the proper people. One being, Tickled Pink Brides! Tickled Pink Brides and their team went above and beyond and made sure the details were perfect. They took care of so many details to ensure that the couple didn't have to be bothered with it. Having a day of coordinator is a huge benefit and highly recommended. All of the vendors from this wedding are linked at the bottom.
Testimonials
The morning with the women
Jennifer wanted to spend the morning getting ready with her bridesmaids and some family. Since Jennifer had a large wedding party, she opted to use her family home to get ready at, and the guys got ready back at the venue in the Farmhouse.
Each woman in Jennifer's bridal party has a unique connection and history. They've all been through the good and bad times together. Their unwavering support and love for each other was clear. There were so many laughs, stories, tears, and love.
Jennifer is very close to her mom and dad. Heather and Mike love their daughter so much - their baby was getting married!! Between the first looks, and memorable gifts, it was a great start to the day.
Thankfully the makeup artists were still on site to do some makeup touchups after all of the tears!!















The Morning with the men
Graham and his groomsmen spent the morning hanging out and playing golf. The farmhouse at Black Saddle Barn was the perfect location for the men to get ready at. Two bathrooms, lots of space, and it's a bright, open, modern space. Did we mention it also has central air!! This is key for those hot summer days!!
Graham shared a special gift with his mom. Her baby is getting married! Then the guys hung out on the deck, had some drinks, and shared stories and memories.















First look
Jennifer and Graham decided to do a first look before their guests arrived. The weeping willow tree with the barn, ponds, and fountains in the background made the perfect location to do this. Their parents and wedding party watched as Jennifer's Maid of Honour and Brother walked her down closer to Graham. Anticipation was building and nerves were high.
As expected, Graham could not keep it together when he saw how stunning his bride looked. There wasn't a dry eye there!















portrait time!
The great thing about a first look is that it gives you time to get all, or most, of your portraits done before the ceremony. This gives you more time to mingle with guests and be more present. The main ceremony lawn is a great place to do all of your portraits. The sun peaks through the trees and there's lots of space for a large wedding party to have fun! Black Saddle Barn has so many picturesque spots to choose from. No matter what time it is, there's a perfect spot for photos.















Wedding day details
The details from Jennifer and Graham's bright summer wedding were so elegant, elevated, and anything but boring. Guests were greeting with champagne as they arrived and directed to the ceremony seating. The fountains in the ponds set the stage for a calming, romantic atmosphere. Jennifer and Graham used our white garden chairs for the ceremony, and rented cross back chairs for the reception. Two wine barrels flanked the ceremony aisle. The circle arbor was a beautiful backdrop with the trees behind it. Which they later used behind the head table. The florals for the entire wedding were show stopping and really brought everything together.
Because their guest list was nearly 200 people, the couple opted for minimal table decor. Bud vases and a simple runner on the harvest tables were the perfect way to bring everything together. One of the bridesmaids is actually a baker and makes wedding cakes! Yet another personal touch to the day that made it even more beautiful.
Jennifer and Graham used the pavilion for all of the extras and cocktail hour. They had a bar in there to make it easy for guests to hydrate, and had other meaningful decor displayed for guests to see. The seating chart was another simple yet elegant touch - the couple actually left this at the venue for future couples to use! It is now included in weekend wedding rentals.















The ceremony
As the guests arrived by shuttle, they were directed to the patio at the bottom of the stairs. This is where they could grab a glass of champagne and mingle until it was time to be seated. Surrounded by nature, the ponds, and fountains, it set the romantic tone for the ceremony.
The wedding party all walked out from the farmhouse. This flow is such a great option for the ceremony when it's set up in the main ceremony area. Jennifer watched from the primary bedroom window with anticipation. Jennifer told us that this was one of the best moments of her life!! Seeing all of her friends and family gathering waiting to witness her and Grahams wedding. When it was Jennifer's turn to walk down the aisle, she made her way onto the farmhouse deck, through the trees, and down the aisle.
During the ceremony, guests blessed the rings, emotions were high, and then just like that, Jennifer and Graham were husband and wife!!















A surprise twist!
After the ceremony, Jennifer and Graham asked all of their guests to gather on the patio by the stairs for a group photo. To the guests surprise, Jennifer and Graham went into their first dance! It was such a great flow and a great way to shake things up from the traditional timeline. We always say, there's no rules about planning your wedding - your day, your way. Have the ceremony at whatever time you want! Have your first dance whenever you want! Do what makes sense for your vision and make your own timeline.















Cocktail hour fun and some additional portraits
Now it was time to mingle with guests and also sneak in a few more portraits with people who weren't there earlier. The great thing about everything being all in one place is that this doesn't have to take very long. You can still arrange your timeline so that you can actually enjoy cocktail hour with your guests. Eat the hors d'oeuvres, talk to your guests, and be present. The pavilion was used for cocktail hour. This was a space to get a drink, get out of the sun, and to see some meaningful decor. The pavilion is also a great option for a rain plan - thankfully Jennifer and Graham didn't need to use it for that because the weather was perfect!
There are so many spots around the 51+ acres that you can use for photos - explore and get a nice variety for your final gallery. All around the Barn, Pavilion, and Farmhouse are gardens and manicured lawns with mature trees. Depending on the season, there's usually always something in bloom. The back half of the property has a massive pond with tall grasses and wildflowers. This gives a more boho vibe and is a nice contrast from the landscaping in the main area.















It's time to get the party started!
The reception energy was at 100. The wedding party got the party started with their entrances. Then Jennifer and Graham followed suit. This made it entertaining for the guests and also made for some fun photos! The barn is glowing and romantic with the light peaking in through the barnboard and the twinkle lights all around.
Speeches were happening throughout their family style dinner. To break up the speeches and dinner, they had a shot-ski! This was entertaining and a great way to keep your guests engaged.















golden hour sneak away
We all know you should sneak away for golden hour photos. Why not also invite your VIPs and get some beautiful photos with them? We love that Jennifer and Graham did this. The ceremony lawn is the perfect spot to catch that warm sun and soft glow.















Let's dance!
First Jennifer and Graham cut the cake - it was special because it had their pup on it and also because it was made with love by one of Jennifer's bridesmaids.
Having the parent dances in the barn with all of the twinkle lights is so picturesque. Then when they are done, everyone is already on the dance floor and can start showing off their moves! Some people love party props, and some hate them. Jennifer and Graham did not want them initially, but it ended up being a great time and ended up making for some really fun photos!















Final thoughts
Well, that brings us to the end of their day. We hope you got lots of inspiration. The ultimate takeaway is, plan the day of your dreams. Have whatever timeline and flow that you want!
All of the photos above were taken by Justina Phippen Photography. Take a look at the video from their day below. The video is by Black Saddle Photography. All of the vendors from this amazing are also linked below. Check them out!