This Toronto based couple didn’t expect to get bit by the venue lovebug out in the country, but sure enough, they fell head over heels in love with Northbrook Farms. This cozy little location had just the right vibe for their Country Chic wedding day and the rest was beautifully coordinated by All Things Love Events.
Find wedding details that’ll make you want to boot scoot boogie both below as well as in our full gallery of images from Evelyn Barkey Photography.
Finding the Venue
Ian and I got married September 2nd 2018 at Northbrook Farms in Orillia after getting engaged the previous summer on an unforgettable European vacation. We had been living in Toronto for 3 years and were set on finding a venue that met our needs in our new hometown. After a full weekend of “tours” in the city, we went to visit my parents up north in Orillia. On our way there, we decided to “pop in” unscheduled to Northbrook Farms. It was a done deal the moment we stepped onto the property. Luck would have it that there was one weekend left for the following year – we booked it!
Wedding Planning
With just under a year of planning, our wedding turned out to be better than either of our expectations. We were so lucky to have a team of vendors that worked collaboratively to tailor everything to us. Our wedding planner, Shannon ensured all the details were ironed out and had endless backup plans if needed. Although thunderstorms threatened throughout the week of our wedding, we were fortunate to have a perfectly sunny and warm day to celebrate with 110 of our closest friends and family.
One of the most unique tasks I took on during our wedding planning was applying for visitor visas for my immediate family from Thailand who have never left the homeland. After three different applications, they were approved to visit Canada for our big day. In honor of their presence, I decided to add some special touches to the day highlighting my Thai background. From our social media hashtag (#BarkersThaiTheKnot), to the delicious vegetarian option of Pad Thai on our menu and some international beer, Singha Lager (Ian’s fav).
Sweet Touches
We chose a “Country Chic” theme for our wedding, with a blush and neutral color palette. The venue offered gorgeous wood harvest tables and chairs, enhanced by our flower arrangements with subtle blooms and greenery which could be found throughout the venue. All of our décor signs (seating chart, menus, table numbers, and ceremony) were created by Orillia Glass and Mirror, another special touch – as a family owned company my great-grandfather started in Orillia.
Our guests were welcomed to Northbrook Farms by immaculate scenery. The grounds were also home to both our Ceremony and Reception, which offered all those present to truly enjoy the day from start to finish. Ian and I were lucky enough to have the best officiant in Mark, who in addition to our personalized vows, truly helped capture who Ian and I are through the words of our friends and family (uncovered by him prior to our wedding day).
One of my favorite parts of the day was that my Grandma, who has various cognitive and physical chronic diseases, was able to attend the ceremony. Even though the venue facilities are all outside, it was important the venue be accessible for her. She was so happy to be able to be a part of our big day, as were we.
The Reception
While our wedding shared many of the same traditions we are all familiar with, Ian and I got creative with a few aspects of the day. For our kissing game, we thought it would be unique to have our guests challenge us to a flip cup game – losers kiss -as opposed to clinking glasses or other ideas that have grown in popularity.
We got a little creative with our first dance, garter toss, and speech as we decided to just “wing it” and be our most genuine selves. Our reception was truly amazing and included: delightful plated dinner, a homemade dessert bar, engaging photo booth, touching yet hilarious speeches and an endless amount of dancing. I don’t think I even left the dance floor. We closed out the night with a food truck that offered late night snacks to die for like mac and cheese, poutine and grilled cheese. No detail was left out for our special day.
Overall, our wedding day was nothing short of perfect for us. We have had non-stop compliments from our guests and vendors on how truly amazing our day was. My favorite comment was from Ian’s 5-year-old cousin: “that was the best wedding ever!!!!!!!!” and we couldn’t agree more!
