Sarah and Chad had planned their wedding for ages when Covid swooped in and turned the wedding world upside down! We didn’t know if they would be allowed to get married on their original date, but they were determined!
When the gathering rules only allowed for 5 people to be together their top priority (besides getting married) was protecting me and my licence and they wanted to come up with a plan that would allow them to get married while still having their loved ones there to watch and cheer!
The first plan was for me to go to the marina near their cottage to be picked up by Chad in his boat. We would then head to the cottage and meet Sarah and their daughters at the dock, then we would be out on the water, just the 5 of us, for their ceremony while people along the shore watched. Not a bad plan right? Once the ceremony was done they would drop me off at the marina so I could be on my way, and they would go back to the cottage to hug their parents.
I was quite excited about this adventure and loved their outside-the-box thinking that would allow them to have their ceremony while protecting everyone around them.
Fortunately the province had raised the gathering numbers between the time we came up with that plan and their wedding day so they were allowed to have their wedding with their friends and family. It wasn’t their original plan to get married at the cottage, but it turned out to be a very special and fun day!
I managed to find the cottage thanks to google maps (more about that later) and a series of white balloons a friend of Sarah’s hung up along the route! I always love when people do this because even when I am driving along thinking I am lost…the markers let me know I AM on the right path! The wedding took place up near Peterborough and the address is a Fire Route (that’s how you know you are really in the wilderness) that is a beautiful drive through the forest! Google said “You have arrived” and I looked up to see a big white tent – always a good sign that I am at the right place!
I was greeted by Sarah’s parents who are so warm and welcoming and found my way to the ceremony site!
It’s not often I find a piper at weddings and this one came all the way from Uxbridge to play for everyone, especially Sarah as she walked down the aisle! He played Highland Cathedral (a traditional Scottish wedding song) and I was telling Sarah and Chad that my son plays bagpipes and has been working on the same song so I have now heard it one hundred…and one times this week. Too funny!
As guests arrived they were given sunglasses, fans, and picnic baskets full of breads, cheese, fruit, and wine! Everyone got to enjoy their snacks on the lawn while they waited for the ceremony to begin! Such a great idea!
Chad and I made our way down to the floating dock to wait for Sarah and her parents. This was such a gorgeous ceremony site and we had a good laugh when boats went by making the dock bob up and down! There I was in my heels hanging on for dear life! Thank goodness I grew up in Toronto and had ridden the subway thousands of time – subway legs are quite similar to sea legs!
A quick chat and photo with the piper because we know everyone loves a piper!
Chad disappeared so Sarah and I just started taking pics without him!
Our happy couples all freshly married and ready to drink champagne and dance on the tables! Thanks for inviting me to perform your ceremony for you!
Now for the rest of the story….after such a wonderful time with Sarah and Chad and their loved ones I tossed my blazer into the back of my Jeep, popped my sunglasses on, told Google to lead me out of there to my next stop….oh wait…shoot…I didn’t have a signal. Ummmmm….
Ok look…I’ve never NOT found my way home long before GPS and Google Maps so I figured if I just follow the road I will wind up at a main road and civilization. Right…so I started driving…and driving…and driving…and started to panic a little bit because eventually it would get dark and here I am driving around a forest and cant find my way out!
I needed to stop and come up with a plan so I pulled over, took a deep breath, and decided I would stop at the next cottage with lots of cars, knock on the door, and ask them to lead me out to the main road. Yes I realize this is how those murder movies start but I was willing to take my chances. I also sat there thinking…if only someone would just drive by I could wave them down and ask them to help. I closed my eyes and made that wish, put my car into drive to start looking for a busy cottage…
That’s when I saw a van coming my way through the forest. Have I mentioned yet I am the queen of manifesting? I actually have to be quite careful what I ask for or talk about because I am *that* good at making things happen.
I jumped out of my car and ran to the middle of the road (in heels) waving my arms (just like they do in the horror movies) and the van stopped to see what was going on. It was a BELL van lol! I told him I was lost and need to find the main road and my phone has no signal to Google Map my way out – I was sure to point out that I’m on Bell as well. He told me his work phone is on Bell and he doesn’t have a signal on it either but his personal phone is on Rogers and he has 1 bar. He told me he was on his way out and to follow him!
20 minutes later, after a winding drive through a beautiful forest we were out on the main road not far from Apsley where I was able to get a signal again. Whew! Thanks for rescuing me Bell Guy! I made it home and had a big glass of bubbly to celebrate the day and surviving being lost in the woods! Goldilocks for the win!
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