Mia Shulman & Benjamin Guth's Muskoka Wedding
Mia is captured just prior to the ceremony.
When Benjamin Guth cancelled their second date for a month-long business trip to Ireland, Mia Shulman wasn't sure what to think. The Managing Editor of HGTV.ca was charmed by her suitor after their first date, but a month was a long time.
Ben and Mia were photographed by Dave and Jenn Stark
Ben, who was sent to Ireland in his role as Program Manager for Mobilize Jobs, had no intention of letting the separation get in the way. After repeated invitations, he finally convinced Mia to meet him for date #2 in Madrid. After an epic weekend, their romance was set in stone. Mia and Ben were married this summer on Lake Rosseau, a place close to their hearts. "Muskoka felt so right for us," explained Mia, "because Ben's family has a cottage there and we rarely miss a summer weekend up north." Choosing to marry in the area gave the couple a chance to share a place they love deeply.
When it came to wedding planning, Mia and Ben focused less on formality and more on fun. They swapped traditional wedding music for Jackie Wilson's Higher and Higher, instantly setting the mood. Working with wedding planner Lynzie Kent of Love by Lynzie helped alleviate the stress of planning an out-of-town wedding. "We kept everything really natural, opting for a palette of white and green, a few gold accents and lots of candles," explains Mia. The bride sourced vintage postcards of Muskoka that were attached to welcome bags, and foraged the forest of green sprigs to place on each menu.
The menu included classic summer fare: salads with berries, salmon and classic Canadian butter tarts. The groom's father created a cheese wheel in lieu of a wedding cake, and fresh cherries packed in brown paper bags acted as wedding favours.
Mia's dress is from Lowon Pope and Ben wore a navy blue Armani suit from
Harry Rosen paired with a Liberty print bow tie from Pomp and Ceremony.
Mia and Ben took a "mini moon" to the East Coast right after the wedding, and are planning their honeymoon in Japan next month. In the meantime, they look forward to entertaining family and friends at home. Shulman, who loves setting a beautiful table, believes that any great party starts with a charcuterie board and delicious wine. Favourite wedding gifts? "Ben is over the moon with his Berard Olivewood Bowl. For me, I love our new Sabre horn flatware; I know it's more common to register for big-ticket items but I like the ones I'll use everyday that remind me of our wonderful family and friends."