A Family Wedding in the Near North as Summer Fades to Fall

 At 21 square km, Lake Bernard is a geological oddity.
It's the largest lake in the world without an island in it.

Matt marries Vanessa, the love of his life,
at a civil ceremony held at the Northridge
Inn and Resort on Lake Bernard,  Sept. 3 
Under steely-grey skies Matt Shackell, the last member of my brother's family to get married, tied the knot with Vanessa Jalbert Cuputo on Labour Day weekend while exchanging vows under a rose-draped arbour overlooking Lake Bernard. The rain held off and a gentle late summer breeze kept the wedding party and guests comfortable as the ceremony unfolded lakeside.  

The Northridge Inn and Resort provided just the right backdrop for the gathered family members to witness the marriage.  Following the nuptials, the couple and guests walked off the promontory to a lavish reception held on the resort's front lawn. 

In the lingering evening light we mixed and mingled over drinks with family members and friends before being ushered into the dining room, where speeches were followed by a sumptuous three-course meal. There was much revelry over the course of the evening and for those who had the time, another full day of fun and games at the resort on Saturday capped off by a BBQ and bonfire. 

Matt and Vanessa chose this venue for its rustic charm and also because of its central location, approximately equidistant from Vanessa's family who hail from Sault Ste. Marie, Sudbury and Manitoulin Island while Matt's family is based in the Ottawa area.

My brother Ian with his wife Susan
with their daughter Hanna.  Grand
daughters Ella and Tessa in front

My son Scott and I attended the event on behalf of our family.  We drove up to Lake Bernard via Hwy. 60 through Algonquin Park and made the return trip by taking Hwy. 11 up to North Bay, then east to Ottawa along the Trans Canada, a circle route of 840 kilometres. I got to spend the better part of two days with my son during the long drive to and from this scenic and remote part of Ontario, a rarity now that Scott has such a busy family life with he and Jess both working and his two little girls to raise. 

We were seated at a table with my sister Kathryn and her husband Ian and their two grown sons, Sean and Kyle, together with their lovely spouses, Tracey and Jocelyn. This gave Scott and I time to reconnect with a part of our family we seldom get to talk to these days.  Everyone is running hectic lives filled with the responsibilities of growing children and big careers.   

         Ian Witney with Kathryn
What this wedding reminded me of was how quickly the circle of life comes around. Tracey and Sean are married 15 years and their two girls will soon be teens. It feels like yesterday that we were attending their wedding at the family cottage in the Kawartha Lakes. Looking around the room it hit me that I was one of the oldest people there. At 68, it was uplifting to see babies toted around by new mothers and fathers, and young mothers-to-be glowing with anticipation of the new life they will soon deliver into the world. The life circle is complete.

Son Scott at the helm on Lake Bernard
No trip to the Near North is complete without dipping a line in the water. Scott and I managed to squeeze in a couple of hours of fishing on Lake Bernard.  The cosy Brimanard Bed and Breakfast we were staying at offered the free use of canoes and row boats, so we grabbed a  row boat, slapped on the electric trolling motor and fished Brimanard Bay. Alas, all we caught was an underwater telecom cable to which was attached a Mepps Fury spinner, which I rescued before returning the cable to the lake. 

A wedding plus a fishing outing all in the same day -- what a perfect way to end the summer of 2026! 

Comments

  1. Kathryn WitneySeptember 8, 2026 at 5:32 AM

    Kev - this is so beautifully written! You’ve captured the essence of this last Shackell wedding so perfectly! It was unfortunate that not all the family could attend but so glad you and Scott made the effort! Thanks for sharing your talent and keep on writing!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Jimmy ButlerSeptember 8, 2026 at 3:56 PM

    Perfect words for such a happy and idyllic event! Made me feel I was right there for a historic weekend for the Shackell clan!

    ReplyDelete

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