Rick and Heather's wedding in Port Perry, Ontario

The venue was extra special: Old Flame Brewery. Thirteen years ago, on one of our very first dates there, I had the thought, “I’m going to marry Rick here one day.” I kept that to myself until wedding planning began, when Rick insisted it had to be our venue. Only then did I tell him that I had known all along.

We shared a first look at Two Blokes Cidery, surrounded by friends and family who helped capture the moment. It was everything we dreamed of, full of laughter, joy, and love. During our ceremony, even Rowdy made himself part of the celebration. When our officiant mentioned his adoption story, Rowdy barked loudly, as if to say, “Don’t forget me!” and trotted front and centre to take part in the moment.

The reception was just as we hoped — relaxed, joyful, and full of connection. Guests mixed and mingled, we shared emotional dances with our parents, and our first dance brought the whole room to tears. Our best man surprised us with a heartfelt and funny speech, and then the dance floor came alive with our live musician, Bianca, who even learned three new songs just for us, and our playlist of favourite jams.

We also sent guests home with tea and coffee favours — a nod to Heather’s love of tea and Rick’s love of coffee — along with desserts to enjoy the next morning.

When we think back, it’s hard to choose just one favourite moment. Our first look, standing at the altar, and our first dance all felt like time stopped and it was just the two of us, wrapped in love. There were unexpected hiccups too, like when our officiant got a flat tire on the way to the venue. But in true “imperfectly perfect” fashion, the brewery’s general manager rushed to help, and we were only delayed by ten minutes. Seeing how everyone came together just added to the joy of the day.

We are so grateful for our wedding party, who were the real MVPs, and our incredible vendors, who were professional, kind, and full of joy. If we could give one piece of advice, it would be to hire a day-of coordinator, even if you don’t have a full planner. Having someone there to handle the logistics lets you focus on the joy of the day — and that’s what it’s all about.