This farm wedding in Brantford took place on Winston’s family property, where Melissa and Winston transformed their private barn and countryside surroundings into a personalized celebration. With a relaxed, rural atmosphere, the day included emotional first-look moments, portraits with vintage cars, horses, and tractors, and an outdoor ceremony beside the family pond. The reception inside the barn featured heartfelt speeches, homemade touches, and golden-hour photos in the cornfield. The night ended with intimate pond-side portraits and candid cigar shots. This farm wedding showcased the beauty of hosting a meaningful celebration on a private family property.

Working on the farm wedding of Melissa and Winston at their family barn was a unique experience that completely changed how I view organizing a wedding on private property.

When I first spoke with Melissa about her wedding plans, I wasn’t quite sure what to expect. However, I was pleasantly surprised by the beautiful farm wedding they created at Winston’s family property in Brantford. The event highlighted their barn and showcased the stunning beauty of the farm.

How I Became Part of This Farm Wedding

I met Melissa at one of my very few wedding shows in Brantford. She was so impressed with my work that we ended up talking for about 20 minutes at my booth. Her wedding was approaching very quickly that summer, and she still hadn’t booked a photographer. She shared how disappointed she had been meeting many photographers before, and how none of them seemed to understand her ideas or what she envisioned for her farm wedding.

She was excited to tell me her entire plan, and I already felt like I was part of the celebration before I was even officially considered. Two days after the show, Melissa booked me, and we immediately started planning their farm wedding.

She explained everything she had in mind and described Winston’s family property exactly as I later experienced it on the wedding day. They already had so much planned out in their minds that it was easy for me to visualize their ideas and the dreams they had for their celebration.

To connect even more and get to know both of them, we scheduled engagement photos in downtown Paris. The connection with the two of them was perfect, and we created some fantastic images that gave us a great start to what would become an amazing experience.

The Wedding Day Preparations

On the wedding day, Melissa chose to get ready at the house she and Winston had recently purchased together. It was a beautiful bungalow in Paris, full of soul and character, and it gave us some great opportunities for her getting-ready photos.

When I arrived, I broke the coverage into smaller sections to avoid feeling overwhelmed and began completing them one by one. One of the most unique photos I captured that morning was in the basement, where I took close-up shots of Melissa’s wedding ring on the coffee table, arranged on empty bullet casings. The repetition and lineup of the casings created a striking look—I had never taken photos like that before.

Once I finished photographing her makeup and her getting into the dress, I moved to the lobby and entry corridors to capture more portraits of her. The combination of the wallpaper, the beautiful features of the wooden floors, and the soft light filtering through the front door created a perfect scene for stunning photos of Melissa as she prepared to leave the house for her first look with Winston.

Winston’s Getting Ready Photos for His Farm Wedding

While I was working with Melissa, Rosanna, my second photographer, was photographing Winston and the boys as they got ready at his parents’ house. The house sits on their family farm, where the barn is located, and right beside it is the outdoor ceremony setup next to a large pond. If I hadn’t already known it was private property, I would have assumed I was arriving at a professionally designed venue for their farm wedding.

Rosanna captured Winston and his groomsmen candidly, in a documentary style, which was exactly the approach I wanted for their farm wedding. While she continued with the boys, I arrived at the farm myself. To make sure we documented every detail that Melissa, Winston, and his family had worked so hard on, Rosanna headed to the barn, the ceremony site, and the cocktail area to photograph all the décor. At the same time, I began working with the guys.

With so many opportunities for unique photos, I honestly didn’t know where to begin. We started with the vintage cars and photographed Winston alone, then with the boys. After that, we moved on to the tractor—one of Melissa’s specific requests—followed by the nearby forest for a few more portraits. We even included Winston’s dogs and his favourite horses.

I was so caught up in photographing the boys that I almost forgot we were only five minutes away from capturing Melissa and Winston’s first look for their farm wedding.

The First Look Photos by The Outdoor Wedding Ceremony Location

Since everything was happening in one place, I suggested we begin the day with their first look and then move right into the majority of the photos featuring just the two of them. After that, we could continue with the reveal photos of Melissa and her dad, and if time allowed before the ceremony, we would take the bridal party pictures as well.

As planned, we completed everything—and even more.

Having already been on the property for almost 2 hours, I had scouted all the spots I thought would be perfect for photos and revisited each with my couple. From the breathtaking views of their countryside location, we made our way to the farm, where we captured photos with Winston’s favourite horse, and then finished by the tractor to create the signature image for this farm wedding.

We even had time to take photos on the swing, which was both fun and such a unique experience.

Before guests began to arrive, Melissa went inside, while Winston and the boys stayed out front, welcoming everyone to their wedding.

Their Wedding Ceremony by The Family Farm Pond

Every single detail was perfectly arranged, telling the story of their family farm. Winston’s parents take great pride in their property, and for good reason. Capturing photos of their hard work was both rewarding and appreciated by many.

By this point in the day, Rosanna and I shifted our photography coverage to a full documentary style, wanting to capture the true essence of their family farm. The weather was warm, the sky a perfect blue, and being the only people around, their wedding was all that mattered.

The ceremony began with Melissa being walked down the aisle by her dad. I love outdoor ceremonies for many reasons, but these two stand out: photographing outdoors provides incredible lighting and endless angles and perspectives. I often use trees, guests, or other elements in the foreground while keeping my focus on the bride and groom.

It was a beautiful ceremony, filled with laughter and happy tears. As Melissa and Winston walked out as husband and wife, we moved straight to the spot where we had planned their immediate family portraits.

While I worked on the family photos, Rosanna captured the cocktail ceremony candidly. The catering company my couple hired prepared some delicious finger foods, which I happily sampled after finishing the family portraits.

The Wedding Reception at The Family Barn

For their wedding reception, Melissa and Winston set up the barn to host over 100 guests.

With Rosanna already capturing all the details of the space, I was especially impressed by their cupcake display. The display had just opened when I walked in, and I couldn’t stop admiring it. I noticed Melissa’s maid of honour carefully arranging the cupcakes and asked who had made them. “It was me,” she said shyly. “I made this as a gift for Melissa. Can you take some photos of them?” How could I resist?

I won’t count how many photos I took, but here are some of my favourites.

As the reception began, guests enjoyed a relaxed and family-oriented atmosphere—stress-free, without extravagant staging or overwhelming expectations. The couple chose a simple, heartfelt family dinner that perfectly suited their farm wedding

Throughout the night, there were tears, speeches of gratitude, and plenty of laughter, all of which I captured as the celebration unfolded.

The Sunset Photos During The Golden Hour in The Cornfield

With the barn doors open, it was easy for me to keep an eye on the position of the sun on the horizon. When I spotted the perfect moment for golden-hour photos, I took my couple outside and began capturing their sunset images. Once the sun had set, we moved onto the open road, creating some of my favourite shots of the day—working in the middle of the road with no interruptions.

The final set of photos was in front of the cornfield. I loved the simplicity of the scene I had envisioned, capturing just the two of them against the green cornfield under the twilight sky—a perfect way to end the day.

Before sending Melissa and Winston back to enjoy the dancing and celebration in the barn, I mentioned that I wanted to capture some of my signature nighttime photos by their family pond. Melissa already knew about these photos and was genuinely excited to see them come to life.

The Nighttime Intimate Pictures by The Pond

As Rosanna had already left, I enlisted the help of one of their guests to backlight my couple on the other side of the pond while I captured stunning images from the front. These turned out to be some of their favourite photos from their farm wedding.

While working, I noticed two groups of guests hanging out and smoking in the dark. I realized this would be a perfect opportunity for some end-of-the-night shots. I started with the boys, capturing Winston and his groomsmen as they enjoyed cigars, creating some striking photos against the pitch-black night.

Next, I turned to the group with Melissa, mostly her bridesmaids and friends, who were having a blast. I captured the last set of photos for the day as they laughed and enjoyed the moment.

Driving home from their farm wedding, I couldn’t believe how many unique images we had created on private property. Melissa and Winston’s Brantford family farm truly elevated their wedding, making it a celebration to remember. Thank you both for sharing this special place with me and trusting me to capture your memories.

Do you have a family property in mind for your wedding ceremony? I would love to help you create memories that are uniquely yours. Reach out, and I’ll use my 25+ years of experience to help you capture amazing wedding photos.

Here is another barn wedding. In the blog post Ultimate Guide to perfect barn wedding with Samantha and Adam.