🌈An Intimate Elopement at a Boutique Heritage Inn | Maire & Wendi’s Wedding at Pangea House, Gananoque, Ontario
Maire and Wendi toast and kiss after their ceremony at Pangea House, Gananoque.
Maire and Wendi are stars. They are women who know themselves, and love each other infinitely.
Maire and Wendi are my kind of people. They're really no-bullshit type of people.
Their afternoon elopement wasn’t about impressing anyone on social media.
It wasn’t about a big show.
It was about an exchange of eternal vows, in a place that meant the world to them, with the people most important in their lives.
Pangea House: The Perfect Venue for an Intimate Elopement
Pangea House sits right in the heart of the Thousand Islands region, in the centre of Gananoque - just a walk from downtown shops and restaurants.
Maire and Wendi wanted to get married their own way, with a small group of family and friends, and they chose Pangea House in Gananoque to do it, because Jodie and Geoff (the owners) are dear friends of theirs.
By the way, these beautiful table settings? They were all created by Wendi’s mother! She created stunning beauty, and I’d love to hire her in future, except she doesn’t yet have a website. Maybe soon.
Getting Ready in Different Suites
It’s super easy when couples choose to get ready in the same venue, either together or in different suites.
It’s easy for me, I guess, because I can run between the two places and take photographs without hiring a second shooter.
(Though honestly, having a second shooter is super fun, because we can share so much on the wedding day. It’s like having a great buddy by your side to witness everything you’re witnessing; or to capture moments you' can’t be there to capture, because you’re in a different place, capturing other important things…)
So… I guess what I’m saying is - don’t worry about what the photographer needs, and just schedule your wedding day the way it makes sense for you.
Anyway, Maire and Wendi were in different suites at Pangea house, but because this is an old converted and renovated Inn, there are charming passages you need to traverse to get from one suite to another.
And then the question is: which suite to go to first?
I went to Maire first.
Maire gets ready for her wedding in her suite at Pangea House Inn.
Maire helped her daughter with her corsage, and her daughter helped Maire get her fancy shoes on (which were quite quickly afterwards discarded!)…
In that first photo up there, Maire is clearly helping Jodie with something on the back of her dress, but I can’t seem to remember what….
These moments - the helping, the laughs, the intimacy and tenderness - this is what getting ready photographs are all about.
After Maire, I headed over to Wendi’s room.
I adored Wendi’s Chucks, with the rainbow stripe.
Queer weddings are so much fun, because usually the marriers find cute ways to put rainbows in their wedding details - the shoes, earrings, etc. All these little touches just make it feel really warm and wonderful.
(I have a queer wedding coming up this year that I believe will be ALL about the rainbows and bold colours. I can’t wait - I’ll also be wearing my bold colours and rainbows! So if you have any suggestions for rainbow-inspired clothing/accessories, please leave me a comment with the links!!)
The First Look
Not every couple sees each other before the ceremony, but Maire and Wendi wanted to do this first look together, before walking down the aisle together.
This central staircase might look like it’s one big set of stairs, but it’s actually two sets. The stairways are separated by a wall.
The two brides couldn’t see each other until the very end.
So when Maire and Wendi walked down it for their first look, we had to carefully coordinate their steps so that one wouldn’t end up at the bottom of the stairs before the other.
I think I actually counted out loud each time they had to make a step.
Anyway, I think this is a beautiful moment - very symbolic, of walking into a new life. ❤️
Maire and Wendi shared a lot of tender moments on their wedding day, and this one is one of my favourites.
The lighting and framing might not have been the best, but this moment outshines any of that.
Ceremony at the River’s Edge
Part of the stunning charm of Pangea House is that it’s located right along the Gananoque river, which runs right through the town.
On the river’s bank are tall mature and lush trees, which make for the perfect backdrop for an intimate elopement like this.
Celebrating the Wedding with Friends and Family
Maire and Wendi had only ten guests at their wedding - the truly important people in their lives, like their two daughters.
It’s really easy to celebrate with such a small group - you can chat and mingle, and that’s exactly what the two newlyweds did.
There was a charcuterie board, and everyone sat and laughed and shared memories.
The two brides had lots of beautiful moments that seemed like they were posed. But we didn’t really do posed stuff. Not really. I mean, this shot below…we went there to take a nice photo, but as you can see, nothing about this image is forced. They’re just having a great time together.
We made time to get family photos, too.
Having quick group shots is so meaningful to some couples. It doesn’t have to take ages. There’s really no reason why these photos have to make everyone grumpy and fed up.
So, if you want to take photos with your fam, I say to for it! One day, thirty years from now, they’re going to carry a lot of meaning. ❤️
Below you’ll see a few of the photographs we took of the two brides, their two daughters, and Wendi’s mom.
As you can tell, this elopement had everything important and nothing frivolous in it.
One of my guilty pleasures was walking through the Inn and taking photographs of the cute and eclectic decor. Each room is different, and there were so many little details that I wanted to photograph there…
By the way, Jodie and Geoff, the owners of the Pangea House, are amazing people, too!
Geoff has stellar culinary skills, and prepared a meal to die for in the kitchen at the back of the house. Jodie was the most gracious host, and she smiled and laughed the whole way through the wedding.
Some of the memorable moments for me included Maire deciding her fancy shoes were just not worth the bother (they were left by the door in lieu of a pair of flip flops).
Another highlight was when their 4-yo daughter, Finley, started to sing into the microphone as the musician, Kara Aldrich, played. And Finley was GOOD! (and I'm not just saying that).
I loved this little girl. She wasn't sure about me taking photographs of her at her moms' wedding, but she quickly warmed up and we had lots of fun. About 15% of the gallery (or more!) are photos of her. ❤
Finley in a completely candid portrait, with a flower
Another memorable image was Wendi’s mother, sitting in the middle of the parlour, in this gorgeous light. There’s just something about that image.
Wendi’s mom sits on a chair in the parlour
I left shortly after dinner was on the way. I didn’t want to take a million photographs of people eating, but I DID want to stay long enough to capture some of the fun things that happen at dinner. Like these:
With every wedding, there are some funny and quirky photos. These are sometimes among my top five photos from each wedding. Here is a small assortment of those!
We captured so many memories - it was hard for me to believe I was only there for three hours.
And here’s the list of vendors who made this elopement absolute magic!
Venue @experiencepangeahouse
Food @cheoffgeoff
Table Design by Wendi’s mom @tingle2140
Maire’s dress @Theajamesdesigns
Children’s dresses @Birdygrey #birdyinthewild
Maire and Wendi’s sneakers @converse #ConversePride
Makeup @Kalonbykristin
Hair @hilltop_hair_studio
Flowers (wearables) @botanystudio
Wedding bands @thespiralriver
Maire’s necklace @upandarmed
Necklace and earrings @oliveandpiper
Officiant @allseasonsweddings
Musician @karaaldrich
I hope you’ve enjoyed this blog!
If you’re planning an elopement of your own, and not sure how to make it all happen - or needs ideas - let us know :)
If you’re looking for a Queer positive photographer, who will celebrate your love with you and (if given permission) wear some rainbow stuff… LET ME KNOW!! ❤️🌈
🌈 LGBTQIA2S+ people are ALWAYS welcome and loved here. Period. 🌈
We can recommend planners, vendors, and chat about photography services with you, and make your life a little bit easier.