Nottawasaga Inn Resort winter wedding near Barrie, Ontario

My part here is going to be brief, Mischalynne and Josh's story of how they went from her notgiving him the time of day, to everyone hula-hooping the night away at the Nottawasaga Resort wedding is below so I'm going to zip it and get outta the way!

But I will say, fate is a wonderful thing. A large portion of my weddings come through referrals and this is how I came to meet Mischalynne and Josh. Josh was the best man at a wedding I shot last year for two awesome people - and after chatting with Mischalynne and Josh a little throughout the day it became clear, I just had to shoot their wedding as well when it came time. For new wedding photographers just starting out, this is a huge tip just for you... referrals that come through your awesome couples almost always end up being awesome couples themselves.

I'll stop rambling for now because it's just about game time - Go Raptors Go #WeTheNorth - and I still have my 13 pre-game superstitions to get through before jumpball. Read on for Mischalynne and Josh's story...

HOW DID THEY MEET:

Mischalynne and I officially met at work (The Co-operators) for the first time. However, we both grew up in the same end of town (in the city of Guelph) and coincidentally went to the same grade/high school. Although, with Mischalynne being a few years older than and I, our paths didn’t cross until that wonderful day at work! At least, I thought it was wonderful. Mischalynne on the other hand, didn’t really acknowledge my existence until we met outside of work at a pub downtown Guelph.

It was almost the beginning of fall back in September 2011 and my ultimate frisbee team and I were celebrating a flawless season (not a single loss) after winning the championship. We decided to go downtown to celebrate and ended up at a pub called Pablos (which is interesting because we’d never been there before nor do we frequent the pub). I remember seeing Mischalynne and contemplating whether or not to say hello but was slightly discouraged since she didn’t really give me the time of day at work. With liquid courage in hand, I made my way over to say hello, and sure enough, we hit it off!

WHAT DO THEY REMEMBER ABOUT THEIR FIRST DATE:

Mischalynne: So nervous! I remember walking from the office to the restaurant with Josh and bringing my umbrella because it was raining. Knowing that we had our lunch date planned that day, I had spent a little extra time on my hair. When meeting up with Josh, he had offered to hold the umbrella. He more or less hogged the umbrella and there was no hope for my hair. All that aside, I remember being so impressed with how genuine and sweet he was. Instantly made want to get to know him better.

Joshua: For our first date, I took Mischalynne to an Indian restaurant (Diana’s) downtown Guelph not too far from work. I remember the walk to the restaurant being a little awkward initially because Mischalynne was rather quiet and I seemed to be the only one holding conversation. I remember thinking to myself, “uh oh, the alcohol's worn off, back to reality, and maybe she’s just not that into me?”

However, there was no need to worry. A slow start, led to a strong finish, with lots of exciting conversation and talk of a second date! Definitely, the most memorable part of our first date was realizing how our lives seemed to have run in parallel all this time and we’d finally hit our crossroad. We lived close to one another during our childhood, went to the same grade/high school, and now worked together!

THE PROPOSAL, HOW DID IT GO DOWN:

In May of last year (almost a year ago) Mischalynne and I were off to Holguin, Cuba to celebrate with good friends of ours on their “friendlymoon”. I remember being quite out of sorts once we arrived at the resort, I had no idea how I’d propose! Thankfully, a bunch of our friends signed up for a Catamaran excursion and I figured it’d be the perfect opportunity. Sure enough, there was still capacity so I signed us up and the wheels were in motion.

I’ll never forget the day of, I was even more uneasy than when we first arrived and Mischalynne was beginning to cue into my jitters. I was able to divert her suspicions by explaining the Catamaran just made me feel a little seasick. Subtly, I approached the captain and explained my intentions of proposing. He was thrilled and more than happy to accommodate. On the way back from the excursion, he slowed the ship, and called me up.

There I was, in front of strangers and friends, center stage, heart pounding! I said a few words I mentally prepared, got down on one knee, and as they say, the rest is history! Here’s an image of that moment:

ONE THING THEY LOVE ABOUT ONE ANOTHER:

Mischalynne: His huge heart. Joshua has to be one of the kindest souls I have ever met. He’s level headed and always looking on the bright side of every situation. I think the only time I see Josh mad is when there’s too much time in between meals. Haha, I think they call that hangry.

Joshua: As cliche as it may sound, I’d have to say her smile/laugh; it’s really contagious and genuine! I’ll never forget how captivated I was by her smile the night we met at Pablos. I couldn’t tell if she was happy to see me or if I was just finally noticing her smile now since she’d never acknowledge me at work!

BEST PART OF THEIR NOTTAWASAGA WEDDING?

Mischalynne: Oh, this one isn’t easy! In all honesty, our day could not have been any more perfect. I loved the fact that close family/friends made a mini vacation out of the weekend by taking advantage of the resort and it’s accommodations. I loved our super casual rehearsal dinner pizza party we held in the Presidential Suite, followed by the campfire outside, allowing us to all relax and just catch up. There were so many moments I will look back on and truly cherish, but honestly I loved the whole thing! Can we do it again? Haha!

Joshua: The first, was distributing my groomsmen gifts and Tyson’s “kid of honor” gift. This moment was emotional and gratifying as I was finally able to show my appreciation for everything those guys had done leading up to the wedding. The second, is various moments throughout the ceremony. These deeply emotional moments will resonate with me forever as they encapsulate the inception of a lifetime bond and commitment.

The last is definitely the speeches. Some of the words spoken during those few hours are forever ingrained in my heart. To hear loved ones speak such thoughtful words about Mischalynne and I, it’s truly heartwarming and blissful.

Wedding photography Nottawasaga Inn Resort

A TIP FOR FUTURE BRIDES FROM MISCHALYNNE:

I can’t express how fast the day flew by. At some point, step back and take it all in because you can definitely let it pass you by if you don’t embrace those memorable moments. Lastly, do not sweat the small stuff, it’s all going to be perfect in the end.

A TIP FOR FUTURE GROOMS FROM JOSH:

Have an opinion! It’s quite common that the bride will drive the planning of the big day, but, when she’s looking for an opinion, don’t just agree to appease her. Provide valuable feedback, and if you don’t agree with certain things, say it!

Nottawasaga Inn Wedding wedding reception photo

WHAT MADE THEM CHOOSE THE NOTTAWASAGA RESORT WEDDING VENUE?

It’s funny, leading up to the wedding we’d get this question a lot. People assumed one of us were from Alliston or our relatives lived close to the resort but really there’s no explanation in geographical regards. Mischalynne and I both wanted the experience to be a mini getaway but didn’t want to inconvenience guests with too far of a drive. Once we started researching, Nottawasaga Inn Resort seemed like the ideal choice so we booked an orientation with Wedding Specialist (Sarah) at the resort.

For myself, I was sold the moment I heard they had a traditional arcade located at the resort. Thankfully Mischalynne was more concerned about the accommodations, amenities, and menu. On the way back to the car after the orientation concluded, I asked Mischalynne what she thought. Sure enough, she loved it! I agreed, smiled, and said I can’t forget to bring quarters for the arcade.