This micro wedding was one of those perfect examples of “everything happens for a reason”! Danielle + Zack reached out only a few short months before they were planning to say ‘I do’ at a family cabin in Madge Lake, SK, and they were in desperate need of a photographer… and thank god things played out in the way they did because this is one of my favourite micro weddings to this point!

As someone who’s spent every summer at my own family’s cabin, when I heard this was another lakeside vow exchange, I couldn’t get to Madge Lake fast enough. 

Arriving at the cabin, you’re immediately greeted with the smell of a home cooked dinner on the stove, the sound of the water just down a tree-lined pathway, and feeling the warmth of the sun.

Sharing their first look as D walked down the dense, tree-lined path with her parents, Z, their dog Henry, and the rest of their 13 guests eagerly waited at the bottom by the water.

Once the vows were said and D+Z were officially a married couple, it was time to embark on our journey for their portraits! We kept things quick and simple for their photos, prioritizing movement and showing off the beautiful place we were in, but also not taking too long to keep them away from their family and the backyard party that was happening! This is why sunset photos are always a favourite of mine – it allows your couple to go back to their guests, eat, drink, play games, and when they need a moment to step away, we sneak off for 10 minutes of golden hour photos before returning for the cake cut and keep celebrating into the night!

The main thing that stood out about this micro wedding was just how family oriented the day was – from the home cooked meal, to the family dinner style table set up, the fact that their guest list was simply their immediate families.

Lawn games with the siblings, campfire stories with Grandma, and a ton of cuddles with Henry; it was stripped back to highlight what was most important to D+Z, and that was simply the company they shared their special day with, and at a location that was meaningful to everyone there.