For Tellie Hunt, florist and founder of Hunt & Gather, and Nathan, an English photographer and director, there was no place more fitting for their wedding than their own land in Muskoka, Ontario. Here, a log cabin, a floral studio, and a small flower farm became part of the story, blending seamlessly with the surrounding forest. Muskoka, with its lakes and pines, offered the perfect backdrop for a celebration that felt intimate yet striking, natural yet boldly designed.
Location: Muskoka, Ontario, Canada
Style: Disco Rodeo, Personal, Immersive
Time of planning: 9 months
Number of guests: 60
Setting: Private Woodland Estate
Season: Fall
Their story began years earlier in Toronto, with long walks with dogs and a spontaneous trip to Mexico City. “Between late-night dance parties in industrial warehouses, art shows, and countless tacos, we fell hard for one another,” she recalls. The proposal came on her birthday weekend in New York. Nathan had been documenting their entire day, so Tellie thought nothing of it when they stopped in Prospect Park. “I honestly thought he was pranking me with a fake proposal. I expected a roll of camera film instead of a ring — but hidden beneath the film was the ring I had my eyes on for years,” she says.
Vision of the Day
From the beginning, the couple envisioned their wedding as an extension of their life together: personal, immersive, and distinct from passing trends. Hosting it on their own land was a statement of identity: their log cabin, the floral studio, and the micro flower farm were not just backdrops but living parts of their story.
The aesthetic was defined as “Disco Rodeo”: a playful mix of woodland intimacy, western influence, and disco vibrancy. It captured both sides of their lives: the quiet rhythm of the countryside and the energy of the city. Clean lines and natural settings contrasted with bursts of color, mirrored surfaces, and textural details.
Sustainability was woven throughout: local flowers, pottery Tellie had collected over the years, and a moss-covered disco ball crafted by her uncle from a fallen tree. The guiding principle was immersion. “We wanted everyone, especially those who had traveled from around the world, to truly feel our story and the life we had built on this land,” said Tellie.
Color was central to the design. Instead of safe neutrals, Tellie chose earthy tones accented with fiery oranges, reds, and citrus hues: “For the flowers, I chose simply what I loved sourced from local flower farmers with no restrictions on colour, trusting our decor elements to anchor the overall palette.”
Bride's Fashion
Tellie embraced an effortless aesthetic, perfectly attuned to the woodland setting. She wore a combination of a Lola Varma topper and Park & Fifth slip from Loversland. She paired with a vintage-inspired Ofrenda Studio veil trimmed with long fringe that caught the movement of the wind.
Her close friend Ashley Readings did her hair and makeup, making the process intimate and personal. One of the most meaningful details was the bouquet Tellie created for herself, something she had dreamt of for years. It included speckled Vanda orchids and tomato vines, which she playfully fed to friends: “It felt incredible to step into the role of my own client, free from rules or expectations, and simply design what I loved.” She completed the look with Jeffrey Campbell shoes and Fischersund fragrance.
Groom's Fashion
Nathan built his look piece by piece: flared trousers, a structured tuxedo jacket from the same brand, an ETON shirt, a DION silk bow tie, Portuguese western ankle boots, and a Bailey wool western hat. The result was a mix-and-match style, blending classic tailoring with western flair, a combination that felt personal and distinctive.
“I knew I wanted a flared pant and just worked from there. Purchasing one piece at a time it eventually came together. I wanted to feel like it was me and have some shape and character.”
First Look
Nathan brought with him a vintage Polaroid pack film he had saved for years, using it to capture their first look in the most personal way possible. The frames were raw, imperfect, textured, fleeting impressions that preserved the honesty of the moment. It was his way of seeing Tellie, through a medium that felt as intimate and unpolished as the day itself.
Alongside these keepsakes, photographer Jacklyn Barber documented the scene in the forest: the veil moving through the trees, Nathan spinning Tellie in a quiet dance, the two of them walking hand in hand and leaning into each other. These images conveyed not a grand reveal but a grounding pause, showing the tenderness and cinematic quality of a couple choosing to be present in their own woods.
Ceremony
The ceremony took place in a clearing near Tellie’s studio. Guests followed a winding path down to a custom-built bridge that led to a pine tree growing from rock. Moments before the processional, groomsmen toasted with hidden bottles of High Life before descending the hill to I’m In the Mood by John Lee Hooker. Nathan’s childhood friend officiated, and the recessional ended with a love-soaked dip to Can’t You Hear Me Knocking by The Rolling Stones.
Tellie’s two dogs walked the aisle on hand-stitched fringed leashes she had made herself. Before the ceremony, she had pulled Nathan’s sister aside to share her vows privately: “They were deeply personal and I felt that I was not only giving my vows to Nathan, but his family as well.”
Guests leaned into one another, exchanging quiet smiles and holding hands as Tellie and Nathan stood beneath the trees. The forest acted as both witness and shelter, its stillness amplifying each laugh, each tear, each embrace.
Instead of a traditional arch, mirrored pedestals framed the scene, reflecting the forest around them. “They reflected the surrounding woods, appearing almost otherworldly—unexpected in the forest, yet seamlessly a part of it.” Looking back, she says: “I love that when I stand at the door of my studio, I can still see that clearing and relive the moment.”
Cocktail Hour
As the sun dipped lower, guests gathered around the tent for cocktails, the setting alive with easy laughter, bold prints, and sharp tailoring that reflected the playful yet stylish spirit of the day. Drinks flowed from the bar: lavender-hibiscus mezcal for Tellie, a whiskey-Pimm’s mix for Nathan, alongside chilled wines and local craft beer.
One of the most striking details was the sign above the bar, emblazoned with the words Love Inferno. It became a statement piece that set the mood for what was to come: a night of music, firelight, and unrestrained celebration. Guests lingered beneath it, glasses in hand, as though it were the marquee of their own private festival.
Moments Together
After the ceremony, the couple slipped away to the river, where friends had set up celebratory drinks. Tellie says: “As a florist, I’ve spent nearly 20 years helping couples bring their weddings to life, and I always hear them say the day goes by “too fast.”
"For our own wedding, I made it a mission to savor every single moment: to step back, be present, and imprint the feeling of the day in my memory. Taking small pauses for myself and Nathan to soak it all in made the day feel longer and more meaningful."
Reception & Decor
For the reception, Tellie chose a base of earthy tones accented with unexpected pops of color. Flowers were sourced locally and arranged in pottery she had collected, turning each table into a curated vignette.
Food and drink carried equal weight. Northbound Barbecue created a Southern-inspired barbecue experience, while cocktails included a lavender-hibiscus mezcal for Tellie and a whiskey-Pimm’s mix for Nathan. Tables were lined with orange wine from Bodega Santa Julia, a chilled red Blau from Rosewood Wines, and beer from Bellwoods Brewery.
Desserts reflected the couple’s tastes: “his and hers” cakes in carrot and pistachio-lemon flavors from Too Cool For Cake, pies baked by Tellie’s mother, and a gluten-free chocolate orange tart made by a bridesmaid.
Their first dance, unrehearsed, was to It Takes a Woman by Chris Stapleton. “It just felt like we were dancing in our kitchen to our favourite record, singing to each other like we always do with no one else around. It’s hard to pinpoint the most memorable moment as everything felt so deeply personal and accumulated into one big moment that was our wedding day.” Their land, their craft, their story: all came together in a celebration that was less an event and more a visual essay of who they are.
Advice from the couple:
• Beyond the emotional advice: hire a planner. Wedding planners are invaluable. No matter how Type A you are or how much preparation you do, unexpected things will arise that can pull you away from experiencing your own day.
• On your wedding day, you should be the guest of honor, not the host, and a planner is the only way to truly make that possible.
FLORALS & STYLING Hunt & Gather | PHOTOGRAPHER Jacklyn Barber | STATIONERY Hubbub Paper Co | CATERING Northbound Barbecue | CAKE Too Cool for Cake | TABLEWARE & LINEN Simply Beautiful Decor | CHAIRS All Cargos / AER Event Rentals | BRIDAL SALON Loversland | MUAH Ashley Readings | DECOR Glamorous Affairs | DJ / AV Neon Nomad | RINGS DMD Metal, Attic Gold
