Chelsea & Alejandro’s Intimate Glen Oro Farm Wedding | Hawkestone, Ontario

Some weddings are big, loud celebrations with a hundred-plus guests on the dance floor by 9pm. And then there are days like Chelsea and Alejandro’s Glen Oro Farm wedding — thirteen of their closest people, one gorgeous farm property outside Orillia, and not a single moment that felt rushed.

As one of Glen Oro Farm’s preferred photographers for elopements and micro weddings, I’ve walked that laneway more times than I can count — but Chelsea and Alejandro’s Glen Oro Farm wedding still stood out. Small weddings have a way of slowing everything down — there’s time to actually notice things. The light. The nervous-excited energy in the getting-ready suite. The way a dad’s hands shake a little when he sees his daughter in her dress for the first time.

Getting Ready for the Glen Oro Farm Wedding

Chelsea got ready at the Tackhouse on-site with her mom and her bridesmaids, while ESBridal worked their magic on hair and makeup. There’s something about a small getting-ready room — robes, laughter, someone’s playlist going — that always ends up being some of my favourite frames of the whole day.

The First Look

Alejandro got ready just down the path with his groomsmen while the Forgather team turned the Paddock into a ceremony space — arbour, chairs, all of it coming together in real time. Before the ceremony, Chelsea shared a first look with both her mom and dad at the Tackhouse — that quiet, private moment is one I’ll never get tired of photographing.

The Ceremony

At 4:30, with just thirteen guests seated at the Paddock, Rev. Victoria Butler of AWAKE Ceremonies married Chelsea and Alejandro under the A-frame arbour. No big processional fuss, no waiting around — just two people who clearly couldn’t wait to marry each other, surrounded by the handful of people who mean the most to them.

I always tell couples: the posed portraits are nice, but it’s the moments nobody’s performing for the camera — a dad’s hand shaking, a mom wiping her eyes, a groom who can’t stop grinning — that people actually cry looking at years later. This ceremony had no shortage of those.

Bride & Groom Portraits

After the ceremony, we snuck away with Chelsea and Alejandro for a few quiet minutes just the three of us — golden light, an open field, and two people who couldn’t stop smiling at each other. These are some of my favourites from that little pocket of time.

Dinner, First Dance & Cake

With the marriage license signed, the group made their way to the Ranger Cabin for a relaxed dinner together — no head table, no forced formalities, just Chelsea and Alejandro sitting down as a married couple with the thirteen people who mean the most to them. As the string lights came on against the old log cabin, they shared their first dance right there on the stone patio, guests gathered close around them, before cutting into a simple “Just Married” cake.

No big production, no forced formalities — just two people who got married that afternoon, dancing together as the sun went down.

Glen Oro Farm Wedding Vendor Team

• Venue: Glen Oro Farm, Hawkestone, ON
• Officiant: AWAKE Ceremonies — Victoria Butler
• Hair & Makeup: ESBridal
• Catering: LaForet Catering — Chef Paul
• Desserts: Sweet B’s
• Photography: Heather Hugo Photography

Loved this Glen Oro Farm wedding? Browse more real weddings on our Weddings page, or get in touch to start planning your own celebration at Glen Oro Farm.