Planning a Lakeside Wedding
Hosting a wedding by the water is a lovely decision made lovelier still by preparing for the variables an outdoor marriage ceremony by the lake entails. Here are five considerations to help you create a memorable day you’ll cherish for a lifetime while keeping your family and friends safe on the big day.
Weather and Seasonal Considerations
As with any outdoor wedding, the weather plays a pivotal role, especially by water. Wind, rain, and temperature fluctuations can impact everything from guest comfort to the ceremony’s logistics.
Weather and Setting a Date for Your Nuptials
Before setting a date, research the weather patterns of the chosen season and prepare for possible rain or cold fronts.
Summer and Fall Weddings
For couples marrying lakeside in the summer, the thermostat’s reading will be more inviting and picture-perfect for exchanging vows by the shore. Similarly, an autumn wedding offers cooler temperatures for those sensitive to the heat with the glorious addition of fall foliage in breathtaking hues.
Winter and Spring Weddings
If you marry in the winter or spring, you will still find beauty by the lake, albeit with other considerations like mud, snow, hail, and ice. A winter wedding at a chalet or a spring wedding in a less rainy climate can be equally pleasurable, just make sure the ceremony is indoors with a roaring fire, toasty beverages at the ready, and plenty of ways to warm up.
Factoring in Wind
Given lakes and waterfronts can be windy, consider wind-resistant décor and sound equipment to avoid disruptions.
Last point on outdoor wedding considerations:
Always have a backup plan for where you say I do. You can exchange vows in a nearby indoor venue (barn weddings are a great choice!) or a sturdy tent in case of sudden weather changes.
Location Accessibility and Guest Comfort
How easy is it for your guests to get to the wedding venue? The location’s accessibility plays a role in your day, including the ease of reaching the venue and their comfort during the event.
Prepare for the following to avoid disappointment (and sunburns!):
Proximity to Parking
Ensure there’s adequate parking or transportation to the site, as lakeside areas can be remote. For instance, can people drive to your venue, or is the wedding venue only accessible by boat or floatplane (a type of seaplane)? Do people need to take a ferry to get to the wedding venue?
Mobility Considerations
If any guests have mobility issues, ensure the path to the ceremony site is accessible and safe. This will benefit everyone, including the bridal party, as they make their way down the aisle.
Seating and Shade
Provide comfortable seating and shaded areas, especially if the ceremony is during a hot part of the day. Some couples have a basket of hand fans that double as wedding favors with their names and the wedding date engraved in the fan’s guard.
Permits and Regulations
Waterfront properties, especially public ones, often have specific regulations and require event permits, including weddings. You’ll want to look into permit requirements with local authorities, be it for the ceremony itself, city by-laws around noise, the number of guests you can safely host (the fire department can help you with this), or if alcohol can be consumed on-site.
If you’re working with a wedding planner, permits and requirements should be taken care of for you. That said, if you’re responsible for planning your wedding or have tasked someone else in the bridal party to do so, research the following:
Permit Requirements
Again, check with local authorities if a permit is needed for the ceremony. Some locations may have restrictions on noise, number of guests, or alcohol consumption.
Environmental Regulations
Be aware of any environmental protection rules, such as prohibitions on certain types of décor or waste disposal practices.
Time Restrictions
Some locations may have time limits or curfews that must be factored into your planning.
Logistics and Vendor Coordination
The unique setting of a waterfront wedding requires special attention to logistics, especially regarding setup, breakdown, and vendor coordination. Depending on the setup and how much room you need to stage your ceremony, you may need to rent a floating dock.
Consider the following:
Power Supply
Ensure you have access to electricity for lighting, sound systems, and catering equipment, or arrange for generators if necessary.
Transportation of Equipment
Consider how easy it is to transport and set up equipment like tents, tables, and sound systems at the waterfront site. If you have road access, this can be easier, and items can also be transported by barge if you only have water access to work with.
Vendor Experience
Choose vendors with experience working at outdoor or waterfront weddings. They will be better prepared for the specific challenges of the environment.
Environmental Impact and Décor
A wedding by a lake or waterfront can be stunning, but it’s essential to consider the environmental impact and how décor can complement the natural beauty. The great outdoors is our responsibility to care for, and we must do our best to ‘leave no trace’ on the environment.
Considerations:
Eco-Friendly Practices
Use biodegradable or reusable materials to minimize the environmental impact. Be sensitive to not disturbing local wildlife.
Natural Décor
Incorporate the natural surroundings into your décor to enhance the beauty of the location. Simple, elegant touches often work best in such settings. Take cues from the setting itself and try to match the loveliness that already surrounds you.
Clean-Up Plan
Ensure there’s a plan for thorough clean-up after the event to leave the area as pristine as it was found.
This framework ensures that you account for the unique challenges and opportunities of a lake or waterfront wedding, leading to a smoother, more enjoyable experience for everyone involved.
Getting Married on a Steamship
What makes a wedding aboard a steamship extra special?
Inguna Ramina, Sales Manager, Muskoka Steamships, shares, “Muskoka Steamships is the original cruise company of Muskoka dating back to 1866 with the founding of Muskoka Lakes Navigation Company and steamship fleet before the development of roads and pathways to cottages and resorts and creating Muskoka as it is known today,”
“The history of the steamships, the three lakes, and the people around them are so closely intertwined that during the sailing season, almost daily, we hear stories from visitors about their grandparents working onboard in one capacity or another and nostalgic feelings and memories of seeing our ships out on the lakes bring. Our onboard team takes pride in hosting thousands of customers on daily cruises during the sailing season, accentuated by various celebrations – weddings, wedding rehearsal parties, engagements, birthdays, proposals, corporate outings, and celebrations of life.”
“Hosting your event onboard one of our ships makes you feel like you are stepping back in time when things were unhurried, cell phones were non-existent, and all you could do was immerse yourself in the moment and store those memories forever.”
Inguna ramina, muskoka steamships
Inguna Ramina continues, “Our team onboard works like clockwork – hosting so many special events over the years means the couple getting married can truly relax and ‘go with the flow.’ From a private ‘hiding spot’ in the Commodore’s room for the bride to do final touches and get ready before the ceremony, unseen by the groom and guests, to coming down the winding staircase to make the grand entrance onto aft-deck for the ceremony, to the Captain sounding the Royal Salute when the couple has said their vows to announce their marriage to the whole lake… it’s all special.”
Charting Your Course
Steamship companies often work with couples to create a cruise unique to them and their love story, making special ports of call and visiting familiar waters.
Inguna offered, “When it comes to the routes, the couples are the real captains onboard. So many people have special memories on the lakes and want their guests to witness their stories. We establish if there are any special places our clients would like to see along the route of their private cruise and chart the route accordingly,”
“For example, we hosted a wedding onboard Wenonah II last fall. The couple had met at a summer camp on Lake Rosseau many years ago and founded not only their relationship but many friendships as well. We plotted the route to moor off the shore where the camp is during the couple’s speech during cocktail hour. They thanked that one special summer, marking the beginning of their journey together. It added an extra romantic touch during the evening of celebrations. This fall, they are returning for their first-anniversary cruise for a dinner cruise onboard the same ship – a complimentary service we love to provide to revisit memories. Another couple is coming on board this summer to celebrate their babymoon. We love that we can help create beautiful memories.”
Inguna ramina, Muskoka steamships
While the Muskoka Steamships usually depart from their home port in Gravenhurst, steamships can pick up guests at resorts along the shores of Muskoka lakes and private cottages. Popular resorts for pickup include the JW Marriott Rosseau, Touchstone, Windermere House, and Sherwood, to name just a handful.
If a new pick up point is requested, Muskoka Steamships conducts a site visit to ensure the location is suitable for docking large ships like those in their fleet according to safety requirements. Some private cottage docks require the help of a rented barge to accommodate a steamship, and if that’s what is needed, the company is happy to coordinate the barge on their client’s behalf.
Celebrity Wedding on Lake Muskoka
Connor McDavid, NHL player and captain of the Edmonton Oilers, tied the knot with his fiancee Lauren Kyle, an interior designer, in a classic Muskoka wedding on July 27th, 2024, on Old Woman Island near Walker’s Point on Lake Muskoka. The couple had a gorgeous day for their wedding, celebrating in style, including their rehearsal dinner aboard the Wenonah II Muskoka steamship, an outdoor wedding replete with a rented floating dock at a splendid venue, and a cruise for the newlyweds on a vintage wooden boat. While not every wedding receives international attention from major news outlets, creating a dream wedding on the lake is within reach with some consultation, planning, and investment.
Photos from the wedding were not released publicly for a couple of weeks, giving the couple the privacy they deserved.
Titanic-Era Rehearsal Dinner on the Water
When asked about Muskoka Steamship’s role in the McDavid wedding and any special connections, Inguna Ramina intimated, “In Muskoka, we love our privacy, as you know, and respect the privacy of everybody who lives or just summers here. While I cannot comment on the couples’ connection to Muskoka, I am sure that their choice of venue was influenced by memories and nostalgia we all share for the district. The couple chose a very talented event coordinator with whom we have worked on numerous successful and high-profile events onboard Muskoka Steamships. Lauren (Kyle) had a great vision after she visited Wenonah II in the spring, and Ashley Pigott Events pulled all the beautiful components into the picture while we provided the perfect background for the dinner party during the Titanic era for their rehearsal dinner event.”
The McDavid rehearsal dinner hasn’t been the only hockey or celebrity event Muskoka Steamships has hosted onboard over the years, and the company appreciates the need for privacy and doesn’t advertise such occasions.
Tradition Prevails on Lake Muskoka
“You may have heard of the Canadian series Murdoch Mysteries. Muskoka Steamships was happy to host the filming of two episodes, opening season 17 in 2023. They were impressed with the interior and exterior shots of the ships being consistent with the era they are portraying on the show. That was our highlight of last summer, while the McDavid event is certainly the highlight of this one,” conveyed Inguna Ramina of Muskoka Steamships. Murdoch Mysteries also shot aboard the Wenonah II, the larger of the companies two ships.
Check out the cottage Connor McDavid rented for his wedding at Jayne’s Luxury Rentals and some hometown coverage of the McDavid wedding from Muskoka Region.
Take your lakeside wedding to the next level by deciding to book your honeymoon on the water! Find the ideal spot to start your married life at Lake.com by perusing our waterfront listings.
Photos of the RMS Segwun and The Wenonah II courtesy of Muskoka Steamships
