Wedding Vendors

Venue: Clinton Hills, Prince Edward Island
Dress: Lucent Bridal
Hair: Falon Elizabeth
Makeup: Hailey Gallant
Florals: Sakurahs Flower Studio
Cake: For Real Dough Bakery

Ila & Matt’s Clinton Hills Wedding on Prince Edward Island

We started the day across the street from the venue, at the beautiful three-story inn that Clinton Hills uses for getting ready. It was the perfect setting. Big windows. Great light. Space to breathe. I had time to hang out with Ila while she got her makeup done by Hailey Gallant, and the vibe was relaxed and joyful. The kind of morning where no one’s rushing, just people showing up, helping out, laughing.

At one point, I stepped outside and got a shot I’ve been wanting to take for years, a reflection of Ila in the window, lit from inside. Something about that frame just hit me. It felt like her. Ila’s mom and grandma helped her into the dress (a stunning gown from Lucent Bridal), and then we did a first look with the bridesmaids, which has become one of my favorite parts of any wedding day. Watching their reactions was pure joy.

And then came the veil. That purple veil. Ila told me she got it for ten bucks on Temu, and I’ll be honest, I might need to order a few for future shoots because it looked incredible. It was bold, fun, and totally her. A perfect example of doing things your own way and pulling it off beautifully.

Getting Ready at the Clinton Hills Bridal House

We started the morning just across the road from the main venue, inside the Clinton Hills bridal suite. Calling it a suite honestly doesn’t do it justice. It is a full three-story home tucked into the trees, with wide-open rooms, wraparound windows, and some of the most beautiful natural light I have ever worked with. As a PEI wedding photographer, it felt like being handed a blank canvas with the perfect brush.

Inside, the vibe was exactly what you hope for on a wedding morning. Calm. Intentional. Joyful. There was no rushing, no stress, just that steady feeling of excitement slowly building. I spent the early part of the day with Ila while she had her makeup done by Hailey Gallant, and from the moment I arrived, I could tell how deeply connected this group was. Her mom and grandmother floated in and out of the room, helping with final touches. Friends shared quiet laughs in the background. It was peaceful in a way that felt rare. At one point I stepped outside and finally captured a photo I have had in my head for years. Ila was sitting in the window, perfectly lit from the inside. I placed a flash in the room to balance the exposure and caught her reflection through the glass, surrounded by trees and soft summer light. It felt cinematic. Honest. Completely her.

When it was time to put on the dress, her mom and grandma helped her into a stunning gown from Lucent Bridal. The room was filled with natural light, and every detail just fell into place. The movement of the fabric, the textures, the way Ila smiled quietly as she stepped into this moment. These are the parts of the day that never feel staged. They just unfold.

Then came the first look with the bridesmaids, which has honestly become one of my favorite parts of any wedding. Their reaction was priceless. There is something really powerful about that shared moment between close friends. It is not about the dress or the makeup. It is about the years behind the friendship and the pure happiness of seeing someone you love step into a huge chapter of their life.

And then came the veil. A bright, bold, lavender-purple veil that Ila picked up on Temu for ten bucks. She could not stop smiling about it. And I could not stop photographing it. It was unexpected, playful, and completely her. It added this beautiful pop of personality and color that tied perfectly into the bridesmaids’ dresses and the florals. This is exactly why I always tell couples to choose things that feel right to them. Forget the rules. Do what feels like you. When you do, it just works.

Moody black and white photo of a bride looking out the top-floor window at Clinton Hills during her PEI wedding.

First Look on the Deck and Couple Portraits at the Bridal House

There are moments during a wedding day that feel like everything slows down. No noise. No guests. No timeline. Just the couple. The first look between Ila and Matt was exactly that.

We chose the front deck of the Clinton Hills bridal house for their first look. The view from there is stunning. A still lake just beyond the trees. Rolling green hills stretching out behind it. That quiet calm you only find in the middle of Prince Edward Island.

Matt stood facing the trees while Ila walked toward him, her dress flowing and her purple veil catching just enough wind to make the whole moment feel cinematic. When he turned around and saw her, everything in his face changed. That mix of awe, joy, and disbelief that this was really happening. Her smile lit up the whole space. You could feel it.

After the first look, we stayed close to the house for a round of couple portraits. The light coming through the trees was soft and golden. The structure of the house gave us depth and angles. We had the lake in the background, the texture of the grass underfoot, and enough time to let things breathe. It was easy. Natural. Beautiful.

Ceremony in the Barn at Clinton Hills

When Ila and Matt made the call to hold their ceremony indoors at Clinton Hills, it was originally just a weather backup. But honestly, it ended up being the perfect choice.

The barn at Clinton Hills is more than just a rain plan. It is this beautifully rustic space that feels both warm and wide open at the same time. String lights hang from the exposed beams overhead, casting a soft glow across the room. Natural light pours in through tall windows that wrap around the space, bouncing gently off the wooden walls and polished concrete floors. It has that rare balance of cozy and grand. The kind of setting where every word feels like it carries just a little more weight.

When I walked into the barn that afternoon, it was already buzzing. Friends and family had flown and driven in from all over the country. Some of them had not seen each other in years. There were long hugs, hands held tight, quiet tears wiped away before the music started. You could feel how much it meant to everyone to be there. This was more than a wedding. It was a reunion wrapped around two people deeply in love.

Ila made her entrance down the center aisle, that lavender purple veil trailing behind her and catching the light just enough to glow. It matched perfectly with the soft purple tones in the bridesmaids’ dresses and the flowers from Sakurahs Flower Studio, tying everything together in this effortlessly personal way.

The ceremony itself was lighthearted and real. You could tell these two didn’t want anything over-rehearsed or stiff. They laughed with their guests, stole glances at each other, and held hands in the way couples do when they are really grounded in each other. Their Clinton Hills wedding ceremony felt authentic to who they are. Honest. Joyful. Filled with presence. As someone who photographs ceremonies often, this one stayed with me. The way the barn glowed. The way the guests leaned in. The way the moment unfolded without needing to be perfect. It just was.

Family Photos, Wedding Party, and Exploring the Clinton Hills Grounds

After the ceremony, we stepped outside into the warm afternoon light. That is when the full beauty of Clinton Hills really opened up. The barn is beautiful on its own, but the property surrounding it is what makes this venue so special. For a PEI wedding photographer, it is the kind of place you could shoot all day and still find new corners to fall in love with.

We started with family portraits just outside the barn. The light was soft, and the pace was calm. Everyone was in that perfect post-ceremony glow. Hugs. Laughter. A few happy tears still lingering. The best kind of energy to photograph.

Once family photos wrapped, we moved into wedding party portraits, and the options were endless. Clinton Hills has some of the most diverse and scenic backdrops I have ever worked with on the Island. There is a small bridge that crosses over a quiet pond surrounded by tall grass and soft green hills. We used the drone to get a few wide-angle frames that really show off the scale of the property. From above, the whole landscape looks like something out of a painting.

There is a large open lawn where the guests played lawn games during cocktail hour. Classic wedding yard games like giant Jenga and ring toss gave people a way to hang out and have fun without needing to be anywhere specific. It made the whole afternoon feel relaxed and connected. What I love most about this part of the day is that we never had to leave the property. We did everything on site. No driving. No rushing. No timeline stress. Just one beautiful space, surrounded by trees and fields, with the perfect mix of rustic charm and Island beauty.

We finished off this portion of the day with a few more couple portraits, letting things breathe before heading into the reception. And we knew we were not done yet. Sunset was still coming.

Golden Hour Portraits in the Clinton Hills Landscape

As the sun started its slow drop behind the trees, we knew it was time. This was the moment we had been watching for all day. Golden hour at Clinton Hills is something else entirely. The fields start glowing. The sky softens. And the hills — the ones that give this place its name — turn into the perfect backdrop for some of the most beautiful portraits I have ever taken on Prince Edward Island.

Ila and Matt walked up the hill together, just the two of them, no pressure and no posing. The wind moved through the grass. The air cooled down. Everything felt still. I stayed back at first to let them have a moment. That is always where the best photos live. In the in-between. In the way someone reaches for a hand or leans their head in without thinking. That is where the real story is. Once we started shooting, it all just flowed. Ila’s dress caught the light in a way that made it shimmer against the warm tones of the hill. Her purple veil added a quiet pop of color that stood out perfectly against the soft sky. Matt was fully in it, present and relaxed. That kind of energy is everything when creating portraits that feel alive.

The hills behind Clinton Hills rolled into the horizon, and the golden light wrapped around them like a frame. We took our time. There was no need to rush. These portraits felt like the exhale after the ceremony. A moment to breathe together. A pause in the middle of all the celebration. And from a photography perspective, it was pure gold.

This is why PEI weddings have such a different rhythm. The land does half the work for you. All you have to do is be ready to catch the moment when it shows up.

The Reception, the LOVE Sign, and That Spark at the End

As the sun dipped behind the trees and the golden light faded from the hills, everyone slowly made their way back into the barn for the reception. But this was not a traditional reception. There were no long speeches. No packed schedule. Just music playing softly, people laughing together, and the sound of glasses clinking as the night began to settle in. It was exactly the kind of energy Ila and Matt wanted. Relaxed, meaningful, and filled with the people who matter most. This is what makes weddings at Clinton Hills so special. The venue gives you space to create your own flow. Nothing felt forced or overly formal. It was simple and intentional. It felt like them.

Instead of speeches, they played a couple of games. The shoe game was a crowd favorite, especially when guests got involved by writing the questions. That opened the door to some unexpected and hilarious moments. The kind of reactions you want captured because they only happen when people feel truly comfortable being themselves.

Later in the evening, we stepped away with the couple for a few more portraits at the LOVE sign near the bar. Clinton Hills has this intimate bar space tucked just behind the main barn. It is warm, rustic, and the lighting hits just right. I set up a bit of off-camera flash and framed one of my favorite shots of the entire day. Ila sitting on the bar in her sparkle boots, Matt holding up his drink, both of them caught mid-laugh. That image went on to win a WPJA Artistic Guild Award, and for good reason. It captured everything about them. The joy. The boldness. The energy of the day. It was real.

As the night wound down, we pulled the groomsmen outside for a quick cigar photo session. This is something I love to do at the end of a wedding. It only takes a few minutes, but it always delivers. There is something about that late-night energy. A group of friends standing together, the night sky above them, the venue glowing in the background. It always ends up looking like an album cover. And Matt’s crew nailed it.

Before calling it a night, Ila surprised everyone with sparklers. We gathered the guests outside and lit them up one by one. The soft glow, the laughter, the couple standing in the middle of it all. It was the perfect way to close out the night. A little light, a little chaos, and a whole lot of love.

Planning a PEI Wedding?

Whether you’re planning a wedding at Clinton Hills, another Prince Edward Island venue, or even eloping on the beach — we’d love to connect.
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🏆 Award-Winning Moment at the Clinton Hills Bar

Every wedding has that one photo—the one where everything just clicks. For Ila & Matt, it happened late into the night, when the drinks were flowing, the lights were glowing, and the energy was effortless. We stepped away from the dance floor and found ourselves in the cozy bar at Clinton Hills, where a giant LOVE sign lit up the room and set the perfect scene. Ila hopped up on the bar with her signature sparkle boots peeking through layers of tulle, while Matt raised a glass in his hand and a smile on his face. It wasn’t posed. It wasn’t planned. It was just them—chill, bold, in love, and fully living in the moment.

That shot ended up winning a Wedding Photojournalist Association Artistic Guild Award, and we couldn’t be more proud. The contrast of the industrial bar with romantic lighting, the balance of playfulness and power—it was magic. ✨

See the winning photo featured here:

📸 2025 WPJA Artistic Guild V03 Contest – Diego Moura