Piper Hill Farm Wedding — Ryanne Hollies Photography -

On a very cold day in October, Sahel and Matt got married at Piper Hill Farm in the Waterloo area. The grounds hold an authentic barn for receptions, a cozy cottage to get ready in, and a beautiful courtyard space for ceremonies to take place. On top of that, there’s tons of forest and trails to explore on the land making it the perfect wedding venue for anyone who loves nature and the rustic farmhouse aesthetic.

Although it was cold and the weather didn’t seem to be cooperating (it was raining all morning), the sun peeked out just in time for the ceremony to start which just made the moment feel magical and created an immersive and intimate atmosphere for bride & groom’s emotional exchange of vows.

The vibe was relaxed and casual, the bar was out of an Airstream and the cocktails were flowing all night. Throughout the barnyard reception there was a sea of tears (both happy and sad) and many moments of roasting the groom. You could feel how much love was present in the room by the sheer volume of emotions that were being displayed. Then suddenly, in the middle of one of the groomsman’s speech’s, out of nowhere, an owl made itself known by letting some droppings go right onto a bridesmaid! Luckily, it was mostly on the blanket she had wrapped around herself but immediately everyone’s attention was drawn to the rafters to spot the little barn owl (and duck for cover).

To get their couple’s photos we did short little sessions throughout the day, timing it with the weather and during breaks in the natural flow of the wedding day. A few at their first look, then a couple before their reception began, and lastly, some late night portraits before we headed home. Without taking up too much of the bride and groom’s time (so we could let them get back to celebrating), we explored the grounds and gave them the chance to enjoy a few private moments together, something that is coveted and hard to come by on the day.

With their background in architecture (Sahel is an architect and Matt is an urban planner) they both had a great appreciation for our artistic medium as photographers and gave us the opportunity to shoot film throughout their day. Brian had his Leica strapped to him all day and I carried around my trusty point-and-shoot along with my Canon EOS. My favourite images from the wedding day are without a doubt the photos we capture on analog, there was something fitting about the look of film that enhanced the mood of every moment and emotion, it also worked beautifully to showcase the subtle beauty of the fall colours throughout the entire space, it’s hard not to be romantic about analog film, especially when it creates the nostalgic qualities that seem to be synonymous with weddings.

Piper Hill Farm has a kitschy charm to it but also has an aura that oozes romance and intimacy, it created the perfect setting for the intimate wedding and allowed Sahel & Matt the opportunity to engage with their friends and family in a fluid way, opportunity for moments and memories to be created. There’s so much to love about this wedding at Piper Hills Farm, but let’s the images from the endless rolls of film speak for themselves.