Zachary & Samantha had the perfect intimate Drummond Island wedding. They planned a laid-back getaway trip up north with their closest friends and spent the week together laughing and celebrating. We loved getting to start our 2023 wedding season with such a fun group!
When Zac and Sam contacted us about their plans to elope on Drummond Island, they explained they were keeping things small and simple, getting married on a Tuesday afternoon with just a few of their closest friends. We consider it a privilege every time we get to capture a couple’s wedding day, and even more so when it’s such a private, intimate occasion. No matter what day of the week a couple chooses to wed – it’s a special day for them and therefore for us!
Their Story
Zac and Sam have been together for over seven years. They met through online dating when Zac sent her a “hey” with a smiley face. Sam remembers that Zac opened all the doors for her on their first date (and still does even now) for dinner, took her home, and asked her out a week later. They’ve been together ever since 🙂
Sam worked at one of the restaurants on Drummond Island for the summer in years past. One of their favorite memories together is the first time she and Zac went to Drummond Island together. She says, “I was able to show him where I lived for the summer when I worked at Pins Bar & Grill and all the sights I was able to experience by myself. We explored most of the island and tried out geocaching, which sparked our love for it.”
Getting Ready at the Sticks & Stones Cabin on Drummond Island
Sam and Zac decided to have a Drummond Island wedding as a way to incorporate a place that was so special to them. They rented a cabin along with a group of their closest friends, many of whom had never visited Drummond before. They spent the week relaxing and exploring the island together. We love when couples use their wedding to introduce their friends to their favorite spots!
Why a Tuesday wedding? Why not? Zac and Sam said they wanted to be able to have some time to arrive and get settled in ahead of time, and the venue was available for Tuesday. One of the top benefits of a smaller wedding is the flexibility it provides in planning.
The group got ready at the Sticks & Stones cabin on the south shore of Drummond Island, down by Big Shoal Cove. The eastern side of the island is quite heavily trafficked, but Scammon Point is the opposite. We loved the quiet seclusion as we listened to the waves of Lake Huron lap at the rocks on the shore.
Zac and Sam spent the morning together and helped each other get ready. While this isn’t what most of our couples do, we loved watching them interact as Zac helped Sam put her jewelry on, holding her mirror and helping with the necklace clasp.
After they were both ready, we headed out to the shore by their cabin to grab some quick pictures before heading to the ceremony. After all, this was the beach that held so many good memories for them from the week, so it just felt right to include it. I was also glad we did some of their portraits here because the shoreline was so different than the north shore of Drummond!
Wedding Ceremony at the Martini Deck – Bayside Dining
Initially, Zac and Sam planned to get married at the outdoor wedding chapel at Drummond Island. However, the harsh 2022 winter storms caused enough damage to force a venue change. The resort offered the couple the Martini Deck, a stunning open-air location overlooking the water.
Sam and Zac walked each other down the stone stairs. I can only imagine how pretty this is at dusk with the lights on, but I was glad they were navigating the stairs in daylight! 😉 This location can hold up to 200 guests per Drummond Island Resort’s website, but it was really ideal for a small wedding like Zac and Sam’s. Tucked away among the trees right in front of the water, it was a private and picturesque place to become husband and wife.
Their close friend “Irish” officiated their ceremony, which was sweet and filled with laughter. Zac and Sam read their personal vows (our favorite), dried each others’ tears, and placed their wedding rings.
After Sam and Zac made things official, it was time to celebrate! We got lots of pictures of the whole group of friends and even had an epic champagne pop. (Don’t worry – it didn’t go to waste.)
Drummond Island Wedding Portraits
After the group photos were complete, everyone else headed back to the cabin to get ready for dinner while we finished up with some more bride and groom portraits. Having a weekday wedding on Drummond Island was ideal for so many reasons, including that we had so much of the area to ourselves for their pictures.
It rained the night before, but we had a warm calm and quiet day with soft clouds to diffuse the sunlight and perfectly calm water as the backdrop. A perfectly chill and low-stress portrait location – just like the two of them.
These two – I can’t say enough how perfect Sam and Zac are together. I’m not exaggerating when I say they literally lit up when they looked at each other.
IN CLOSING:
Zac and Sam, thank you for inviting us into your friend group to capture your day. We have loved getting to know you as a couple and seeing the way you perfectly complement each other. Wishing you an amazing marriage full of laughter and adventure!
WEDDING VENDORS:
Photography: Enjoy the VU Photography LLC
Venue: Drummond Island Resort – Martini Deck
Lodging: Northern Properties of Drummond Island
In Their Own Words:
“When we reached out to Enjoy the VU earlier this year, we were so happy to learn that Veronica and Rob were the nicest, most caring, and most thorough photographers ever. It was incredibly easy to talk and plan with them. They are seriously professional, personable, organized, and made us/our friends feel so comfortable.
Veronica and Rob are masters at wedding photography, from helping us create a timeline for photos, to thinking of every little detail to capture on our special day, to catering towards our non-traditional/intimate wedding. They helped us pose when we had no clue how to, and the way they knew how to capture beautiful moments between us without us even knowing was awesome!! Their work is jaw-droppingly stunning. We also ordered a photo book from them, which is such high quality. We are so happy to have this to look at forever.
We would love to work with Veronica and Rob again! Till next time :)”
-Zac & Sam P.
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