There’s that universal rule everyone quotes, the one about how a small fraction of the right moves ends up shaping almost everything. Steph and Matt’s wedding felt exactly like that. The lake in August, the endless horizon line, the soft slope of grass overlooking the water carried most of the visual weight on their own.
But it was the deliberate twenty percent, orchestrated by planner Codey of Codey Erin Event Co., that turned it from pretty to precise: a deep wine tone, wavy ceramic plates, name cards baked into bread. Add a golden retriever in formalwear, a motorcycle first look, champagne spraying into the skyline, and silver trays of donuts, and the whole thing stops being just lakeside black tie.
Location: Port Dover, Ontario, Canada
Style: Coastal, Black Tie, Modern
Time of planning: 1 year
Number of guests: 80
Setting: Lakeside
Season: Summer
Steph and Matt have been building things together for a decade. They first met at sixteen at a Halloween party, she dressed as a devil, he as a hockey player, introduced by a friend because Matt wouldn’t stop asking about her. They didn’t officially start dating until they were twenty, but the crush never really left, and over the years they kept finding their way back to each other like the story wasn’t done yet.
Seven years in, on a trip to Italy, that story shifted. After landing in Rome and heading to Praiano on the Amalfi Coast, Steph stepped onto a balcony at sunrise to take in the ocean view. When she turned around, Matt was on one knee. Ten years after a Halloween party, the nudge became a promise.
Bride's Morning & Fashion
Steph’s bridal silhouette stayed firmly in the minimalist lane. Her first look was the Cameron dress by Kyha Studios, sourced from The Tilted Veil, a study in restraint and proportion that let structure and fabric do the talking. Betsey Johnson’s Nikki heels added just enough lift without competing for attention.
Beauty followed the same philosophy. She chose an updo, a shift from her usual hair-down comfort zone, but one that sharpened the neckline and gave the dress the architectural frame it deserved. For fragrance, she layered Chanel No. 5 with Marc Jacobs Daisy, pairing classic depth with a lighter floral note.
Groom’s Fashion
Matt approached his look the same way he approaches a build: layered and considered. He began the day in a vintage black suit, leaning into classic tailoring with just enough character to feel personal. Later, he switched into a crisp white suit from Charles & Hunt in Hamilton. The contrast between black and white across the day mirrored the shift from ceremony to reception without ever feeling costume-like.
First Look
Their first look unfolded at a winery, but not in the way you’d expect. Matt arrived on his motorcycle. The contrast made the reveal feel less like a photoshoot and more like a scene from a film. After that first glance, they took time to walk together before the ceremony, just the two of them, stretching out those final minutes before everything shifted.
Ceremony
One of the standout moments of the ceremony was the presence of their dog. Before Steph made her entrance, Arlo walked down the aisle in a tuxedo, fully part of the day rather than a side detail. “Having our golden retriever walk down the aisle and be a part of our day was one of our favorite moments,” the birde shared.
The ceremony itself took place on a grassy hill overlooking the lake, with both the vows and reception unfolding at the same venue, a choice that gave the entire day a natural, uninterrupted flow. Codey of Codey Erin Event Co. leaned into the landscape instead of competing with it, allowing the horizon to act as the visual backdrop.
Low meadow-style floral clusters framed the ceremony space, arranged close to the ground rather than elevated on structures, keeping the composition clean and organic. Wishbone chairs added a modern edge, while hand fans and parasols ensured guests stayed comfortable under the August sun. With their best friend Kyle officiating, the setting balanced intimacy with design precision, structured yet never overworked.
Moments Together
As the light began to soften, Steph changed into her second gown by Arcina Ori. The silhouette stayed minimal but sharper, with a plunging neckline and a sculptural choker-style detail framing her neck, giving the look a slightly more directional, evening feel. It kept the same refined language as her first dress but felt bolder against the golden-hour backdrop, especially paired with Matt’s white suit.
Their photographer, Tyler Johnston, captured this transition beautifully, leaning into the warmth of the sunset and the openness of the lakeside setting. There’s a quiet sequence of them walking across the lawn, the light dropping lower, the mood shifting from celebration to reflection Steph shared.
“One of the most meaningful moments was having a moment just the two of us, taking it all in and realizing that after ten years together, we were finally married!”
Reception
The reception design began, as many strong concepts do, with a single color decision. “The bride came to me with this really unique colour, it was a deep wine colour with purple hues on her stationery, and it’s really rare to see people embrace those kinds of colours for a summer wedding,” planner Codey shared. Instead of soft pastels or citrus tones, Steph anchored the entire aesthetic in that saturated wine shade, echoing it first in her bouquet.
From there, Codey built outward. “When she showed me this I basically ran around the city finding the perfect napkin to match & from there everything was based on incorporating that colour & we really wanted to do that through the florals as well which Serena from Philia Flora did flawlessly.” Serena’s florals felt structural yet slightly whimsical, sculptural forms balanced by movement, recognizably hers but still tailored to this couple.
The reception unfolded under a sailcloth tent overlooking the water. “I was really inspired by these wavy ceramic plates,” the planner shared. “I think we were one of the first weddings to use them.” She also rethought the traditional place card, tucking each guest’s name directly into their bread, a small but memorable detail that felt playful without disrupting the polished tone.
As night settled in, Espresso Martinis circulated beneath the sailcloth tent while their DJ blended a year’s worth of curated songs into a seamless set. For their first dance, they chose The Dress by Dijon, a song they had loved for years and always imagined dancing to. Their grand entrance raised the energy instantly, Steph had made mini tambourines stamped with their initials for guests, transforming the room into something interactive and loud in the best way.
Instead of a towering tiered cake, they opted for a tiramisu-style sheet cake dusted in cocoa and scooped rather than sliced, leaning into dessert-table energy over wedding cake performance, one of the clearest trends this season. Silver trays of donuts added another playful note, balancing black tie polish with a sense of ease.
As the night deepened, the formal edges softened. Smash burgers made their way through the crowd, unexpected and universally loved, a late-night move that undercut black tie just enough to keep it human. Then came the fireworks, stretching across the lakeside sky and reframing the entire evening in light. A final exhale after ten years of history, a day of precision, and a dance floor that refused to empty.
Advice from the couple:
• The biggest piece of advice we could give is to just really soak in every single moment. The day goes by faster than you expect, so be present and really take it all in.
• And honestly hire a wedding planner! We didn’t have to stress about a single thing. Our
planner, Codey, handled everything from the tiny details to keeping the whole day on track. It let us fully enjoy our wedding without any worries.
PLANNING & DESIGN Codey Erin Event Co. | PHOTOGRAPHER Tyler Dean Johnston | TABLE TOP RENTALS Table Tales | CONTENT CREATOR Hype Gal Media | FLORIST Philia Flora | HAIR Nikki at Salon 222 | MAKEUP Face Beauty Brand Co. | TENTS Guelph Tent Rentals | FURNITURE RENTAL Divine Furniture Rental | DJ Sights & Sounds Entertainment
