Camp Wedding in Parry Sound With Less Than 24 Hours Notice

We got the call on a Friday night. The wedding was Saturday. We said yes immediately and figured out the rest on the three-hour drive north at 7am.

Julie and Dave's original photographer had gotten sick and couldn't make it, most likely one of a couple’s worst wedding nightmares. Through a mutual connection we heard the words "wedding tomorrow in Parry Sound" and without much deliberation at all, we were in. The drive up gave us plenty of time to think through the questions we probably should have had answers to before agreeing, including but not limited to: Who are the couple? What time is the ceremony? How many guests? What's the venue? Honestly though, even if we'd had the answers, nothing could have fully prepared us for what we arrived to.

Camp Manitou is a real working summer camp like you see in movies; wooden cabins, enormous grounds, a full activity roster like archery, high ropes, kayaking, tether ball, a baseball diamond, a basketball court. None of us have even attended summer camp before, let alone shot a camp wedding, and we were absolutely fascinated all day long.

Despite the chaos of jumping into the day without knowing anything, what Julie and Dave were looking for in their wedding photography was refreshingly simple: capture everyone enjoying themselves. What was everyone up to before the late afternoon ceremony, you ask? Nothing we’d ever experience at a wedding before! Yoga class, a workout led by Dave's sister, guests mountain biking around the property, others attempting the high ropes, which included Julie's dad who made it to the top! We just followed the action and let the day unfold.

The couple had legally married the week prior so their sisters conducted the ceremony, and instead of a traditional walk down the aisle, Julie and Dave arrived by canoe! Their guests lined the dock, cheering as they paddled in. It was a first for us, and apparently for most of their guests too.

The evening was full, great food, a live band, dancing, and the kind of collective joy that only happens when a group of people genuinely love the two people at the centre of it all. In place of the usual glass-clinking to prompt a kiss, guests were asked to perform an impressive athletic feat. Think: human pyramids We stayed through the first dance and then made the three-hour drive back home, windows down, music up, still processing what an incredible day it was.

One of our favourite weddings, full stop, and funnily enough it was one that was not even on our radar 24hrs before.

If you're planning something outside the ordinary— in Muskoka, Parry Sound, or anywhere else— we'd love to hear about it!