Kortright Centre for Conservation is one of my favourite wedding venues, probably because I'm a nature lover myself. It's also one of those bucket-list venues I've always been excited to work at, and I've now had the chance to photograph and provide flowers for several weddings here. For this couple, I supplied silk flower rentals in a delicate white wildflower-inspired design, featuring cosmos, roses and lots of soft, natural-looking flowers. Their ceremony flowers included a floral arch with garland and ground arrangements, and the arch itself was one that my husband and I built together. I love that we've been able to reuse that arch for multiple weddings over the years.
My husband and I handled the setup for this wedding, including the outdoor ceremony in Coyote Alley, which is probably my favourite ceremony location at Kortright. The tall evergreens lining the space make such a beautiful natural backdrop that you really don't need to do much to make it feel special. We added the floral arch and ground arrangements to bring in the white wildflower look without trying to compete with the forest around it. The ground where the arch was going was a little uneven, so we actually used some sticks we found lying on the ground to help level it. It's one of those very real wedding setup moments that you don't see in the finished photographs!
If you're planning an outdoor ceremony at Kortright, I'd keep the walk to the ceremony location in mind when planning your signage and thinking about accessibility for guests. Coyote Alley is reached by a dirt path, so it's worth making sure guests know where they're going and considering anyone who may have difficulty walking that distance over an uneven surface. We've also done a November wedding here, and although it was definitely cold for an outdoor ceremony, the couple really wanted to be outside and their guests happily arrived in coats. If you're planning an off-season outdoor ceremony, just be realistic about the temperature and make sure your guests know what to expect. In warmer months, I'd also plan for guest hydration and bugs, especially because you're surrounded by so much natural habitat.
For the reception, the couple chose an outdoor setup, which was a really neat idea. Once the ceremony was finished, I moved the arch into the reception space, where it could continue to be used as part of the décor, and I simply placed the silk flower centrepieces on the tables. Since the flowers were silk, there was no worrying about them sitting outside for several hours or dealing with the temperature throughout the day. I returned later that evening for teardown and brought everything back with me.
Beyond the beautiful scenery, one of the things I really appreciate about Kortright is how practical it is for weddings. There are large parking areas, public washrooms, getting-ready spaces on site and plenty of room for guests to spread out. There are also so many different locations for photographs that I never feel like I'm running out of options. If the weather doesn't cooperate, there are beautiful buildings and the pavilion that can provide shelter and make great photo locations as well. The downstairs reception space is another favourite of mine as a photographer because it has so much natural light, which makes a huge difference for wedding photos.
For couples who love nature, I think Kortright is hard to beat. You're not simply adding a few trees and flowers to a traditional wedding venue—the forest, trails and natural landscape are genuinely part of the experience. Having worked here several times as both a photographer and florist, it's still a venue I get excited about returning to, and this delicate white silk flower wedding fit into the setting beautifully.
