Vows: Brandon Bateman and Catherine McDonald
How Cutting Boards Led to Forever
It started, as the best love stories often do, with a question. Not “Will you marry me?”—that came later, at a lookout in Algonquin Park, the forest blushing in autumn. The first question was simpler: “Can you teach me how to make a cutting board?”
Catherine McDonald wanted to learn woodworking, and Brandon Bateman, a cabinet maker, agreed. In the evenings at the shop, he showed her the wood’s grain, the steady saw, the satisfaction of making things by hand. Over time, the lessons shifted: a cutting board starts as separate pieces, fitted with care, built to bring people together.
When she moved out of province for school, they chose long distance. Friends and family describe them as balanced—two pieces, joined well.
Later, they visited Algonquin Park together for the first time, hiking to a lookout above the autumn canopy. At that spot, he asked—and she said yes. Brandon had already spoken with her family.
Following their engagement, choosing a venue wasn’t complicated. Fox Harb’r was the first place they’d ever travelled together. It holds a special place in her family’s heart, and it sits just thirty minutes from Brandon’s family homestead. The first time they visited, the feeling was immediate: “This is it.” They wanted to give their guests a weekend, not just a wedding—and Fox Harb’r, with its ocean views and peaceful grandeur, delivered.
Picture this: a cathedral-style greenhouse with black frames and clear walls. Inside, greenery tumbled from every surface, interwoven with wood touches that nodded to the woodshop where everything began. She wore a sparkly dress with a removable overskirt, while Brandon wore a tux with tiny flecks of shine to match. As the ceremony began near the golf course, with the ocean behind and the sun descending, “spectacular” hardly did it justice.
They wrote their own vows. One echoed their wedding song: I love you all the way. Each member of the bridal party received a personal message as they walked down the aisle. The favours: handmade cutting boards, a return to where their story began.
Dinner offered steak, steak and lobster, a vegetarian option, or burgers. The burgers stood out.
Each table received its own cake. The couple cut theirs with the longest-married guests at each table—a quiet nod to those who came before. The reception shifted from black tie to a party with bubble cannons and glow sticks.
Guests travelled from Ontario, British Columbia, and even Texas. They raved about the views and the thoughtful details throughout. Ask this couple about the Fox Harb’r team, and you’ll hear: incredible. Their advice? Trust the team and never be afraid to ask.
The wedding reflected them. It marked the beginning of what’s next, together.
Brandon Bateman and Catherine McDonald were married on August 17, 2024, at Fox Harb’r Resort, Wallace, Nova Scotia.
Planning your own wedding? Learn more about weddings and celebrations at Fox Harb’r Resort.
The post Vows: Brandon Bateman and Catherine McDonald appeared first on Nova Scotia Luxury Accommodations Guest Suites | Fox Harb'r Resort, NS.