Killarney Mountain Lodge

At Killarney Mountain Lodge, couples can say their vows on a lawn above a quiet cove of the Killarney Channel, with Georgian Bay just beyond and the La Cloche hills on the horizon.

The lodge began in the years after the Second World War as a private corporate retreat reachable only by boat or seaplane. In 1962 the East family bought it and opened it to the public, the same year the road into Killarney was finished. Killarney Provincial Park, the wilderness that inspired the Group of Seven, was created two years later.

Ceremony spots sit right by the water: the Canada House Lawn overlooking the cove, the Water's Edge Terrace with its channel views, and the rocks beside the Channel Grill.

Receptions take place in rooms built from logs and stone. Granite Ridge, inside Canada House, has vaulted log ceilings about 40 feet high and a stone fireplace, and seats up to 250 guests. The Ranch House holds up to 100 beneath log beams with its own stone fireplace, and smaller gatherings can use the Great Room, the Harbour Room, the Captain's Quarters or the historic Ice House.

Every wedding has a dedicated event manager, white linens, glassware and a menu tasting with the executive chef. The banquet menu offers canapés, a choice of entrées and dessert, and the kitchen can also host a welcome barbecue, a rehearsal dinner or a brunch the morning after.

Guests stay on site in waterfront log cabins, executive suites, cabins and lodge rooms, including the East family's historic home. Between celebrations they can head out on guided wilderness excursions.

For couples who picture log beams, firelight and a Georgian Bay channel glowing at dusk, Killarney Mountain Lodge offers a wedding weekend that feels wonderfully far from everyday life.