I still remember the first time Mike told me about Bri. He was living in a cozy, barely winterized lakeside cottage, marketing craft beer from Muskoka, but spending a lot of time in Toronto. “She’s amazing, dude,” he said, recounting their first few dates with a sparkle in his eyes.

And I still remember meeting Bri for the first time, a few weeks later when she first visited Mike in Muskoka. She was amazing! Warm, smart and funny, she had a contagious smile, usually pointed in Mike’s direction.

Flash forward a few years, and Mike and Bri were engaged, living and working in Toronto, and coming to the cottage in Muskoka whenever they could. I was honoured when, knowing my busy summer schedule, they called me first to find a wedding date that I could be there for (that always leaves a wedding photographer feeling a bit chuffed).

While Muskoka is a really special place for Mike and Bri, they decided to hold their wedding in Collingwood, close to Bri’s family and beautiful Georgian Bay. Their July day was perfect - despite an ever-changing weather forecast, the skies were brilliantly blue, and the sun danced off the waters of Lake Huron. The weekend-long event took place between two locations: Bear Estate, and Bri’s parents’ house, just a few minutes down the shore from the venue.

The wedding was a perfect celebration of everything that makes Mike and Bri uniquely awesome. From the endless games and equally endless craft beer, to the unconventional and relaxed ceremony, to the emotional speeches and wicked-epic dance party, the weekend featured a palpable sense of joy and happiness among their family and friends that Mike and Bri were making vows to each other.

Among the many highlights that stand out from the weekend, here's a few of my favourites:

Bri's wedding-day gift to the often time-challenged Mike
Their perfect "first-look" that made everyone weepy
The flower crowns on the beautiful bridesmaids
Mike's ring, which Bri made with the help of my wife Miranda
The delicious doughnuts that took the place of a wedding cake
The surprise flashmob during dinner by 80% of the wedding guests
The absolute madness that overtook the dance floor when "Turn Down for What" came on

Check out the photos below for a peek at the celebration of these beauties!

Venue - Bear Estate s

Flowers - Leuk

Dress - Becker's Bridal

Hair and Makeup - Strands Salon & Spa

Groom's Suit - Quattro Clothiers

Groom's Ring - Made by Bri with Miranda Britton

DJ - Dallas from UrbanRoom

Doughnuts - Glory Hole Doughnuts