From the beginning of Jennifer and James’ planning process, this Willibald Distillery wedding in Ayr had many moving parts. Despite COVID interrupting their plans multiple times, Jenn and James made their wedding one to remember for years to come. During our initial planning process, we arranged for horses and carriages to be part of Jennifer’s arrival at the church and after the ceremony. Although these plans had to be changed, I’m still very pleased with how the day turned out and with everything we achieved for their special day.

How The Willibald Distillery Wedding Started

I first met Jenn and James at The Wedding Ring show in Guelph. This was one of my first weddings in the Guelph area, and I was excited to have more local bookings, meaning less travelling and more photography.

I want to start their story with their engagement photo session that we did the fall before their wedding. I had one of the best experiences while we did the session at Rockwood Conservation Area and in the family stables with Jennifer’s horse. Right there, I knew we were on the path to a great wedding day experience.

When the pandemic threw my couple so many curved balls, they stayed positive and kept aligning the plans. As the pandemic rules kept changing, they were still determined to keep the celebration going. For their Willibald Distillery wedding, Jenn and James chose Holy Rosary Church in Guelph for their church ceremony.

I made my way to Jennifer’s parent’s house for their getting-ready photos while my second photographer, Rosanna, headed to James’s getting-ready location. I spent a lot of time working with the girls at their house, and we captured some relaxed photos and creative shots with Jennifer’s adorable dog, who definitely stole the show. Jennifer looked beautiful in her dress and felt very comfortable, which made it much easier for me to take many natural, candid photos without constantly adjusting her dress or worrying about other details.

Church Wedding Ceremony in Guelph

The wedding ceremony was scheduled to take place at the Holy Rosary Church in Guelph, which I had not photographed before. Although my wife had been to this place as she had supplied at the Catholic school as part of the church, this was my first experience. I attended the rehearsal with Jenn and James two days before the ceremony to familiarize myself with their church’s rules and regulations, along with the additional pandemic restrictions.

I captured moments that truly reflected Jenn’s vision for her wedding day at the church entrance. The large stained glass windows inspired me for her entry into the church and her exit with James after the ceremony. Once the wedding ceremony was over, we took all the immediate family photos next to the church’s front entrance using as much shade as possible.

Willibald Distillery Wedding Photo Session

Jenn and James selected Willibald Distillery for their photo session, as it was conveniently located on the way to their home in Ayr. I was excited and nervous because I did not know what to expect. Despite the large bridal party for a backyard wedding during a pandemic, we managed to capture some fun images and work with the group before focusing on taking photos with just the couple.

The sun was shining brightly with no clouds in sight on the horizon. Working exclusively outdoors, I decided to create some very vibrant images. Working with high sync speed on my camera, Rosanna and I made some magic at this lovely place. The two of them enjoyed the photos so much that I realized how much I had been missing this connection while we were locked for some time during the pandemic.

The blue sky, breathtaking fields, and excellent minimalistic design of Willibald Distillery gave us material to work with and created imagery that will serve us for years.

Backyard Wedding Reception Dinner

The next stop was their backyard. Unable to find an open venue or any service provider, Jenn and James decided to host their wedding reception dinner in their backyard. They had recently moved into their new house and had spent the entire summer preparing the backyard to meet their wedding day needs.

The setup was incredibly cute and inviting. The catering company was excellent at handling the cooking, serving, cleaning, and everything else needed for a wedding venue. We had a DJ, and everything was perfectly arranged. In one corner of the backyard, they set up a fire pit that became very handy later in the night.

It was my first time photographing a backyard wedding, and I was amazed by how nice and well-organized it was. During the dinner reception, we enjoyed excellent food, drinks, and speeches. Despite the mid-September evening getting a bit cold, Jenn and James had already planned for it by providing outdoor heaters and blankets for their wedding guests.

Nighttime-Twilight Photos and Jedburgh Pond

Jenn and James love my nighttime photos and asked me to take similar ones for them. They prefer twilight colours over golden hour or sunset photos. To make life easier, I took them in my car, and after 2 minutes of driving, we arrived at the nearby pond. Here, we were so fast with our photos because they knew what they wanted. I was able to set my lighting fast enough not to lose the light that was changing every minute.
We did all those final posed images and returned to the backyard reception.

Backyard Wedding Party in Ayr

We arrived right on time to cut the cake and start the evening activities for the wedding. The DJ played, and the backyard terrace, also known as the dance floor, became busy. At one point, law enforcement officials showed up to check the number of people gathered in compliance with pandemic restrictions. I captured a candid photo of my couple chatting with the friendly officers, and we continued to party in the backyard.

The atmosphere was terrific. People were dancing, and some were seated around the fire pit, enjoying delicious drinks and having some late-night comfort food. My perception of backyard weddings has changed after being able to photograph Jenn and James’ wedding. I can honestly say that there was nothing missing from what a wedding venue can offer. In fact, it was so much better.

Complete with incredible photos taken that day, great food, and a terrific atmosphere, I left the wedding. The entire way home, I was wondering if that would be the new normal for what a wedding would offer. I didn’t know then, but I was amazed at how much we, as people, can adapt to the situation and enjoy what we have as much as we can.

Thank you, Jenn and James, for trusting me and allowing me to document your life story. Nothing can stop people in love.

Credits to below wedding professionals and locations that helped Jennifer and James’ wedding to be one-of-a-kind.

Here is another brewery wedding, Tangi and Stephen’s wedding at Four Fathers Brewery in Cambridge.