The Ark
285 Chemin de Farrellton,
Denholm, QC
J0X 2C0, Canada
Testimonials
The following wedding testimonials and referrals have been provided by couples who have celebrated their weddings here at the Ark. So far we have a 100% referral rate!
Here you go Mike, please feel free to share this on your website. Matt and I are so happy we found you. And although I never doubted you, you were right, I can't believe how many of guests have told us that ours was "the best wedding ever". Thanks again.
The rustic grounds of the Ark made a beautiful backdrop for our outdoor winter wedding. Ark-owners Mike and Monique went out of their way to help us make our wedding day a unique and authentic experience. From setting out hay bales for the ceremony to constructing a frame for our photo booth - they really wanted to make our day special. Mike's officiating was an entertaining touch.
Before deciding on the Ark we visited numerous potential venues around the Ottawa area. Many felt like expensive wedding factories that offered endless add-ons and hidden extra costs. Meeting the staff of these operations, we could tell they just weren't our style. We wanted something beautiful and picturesque, but still laid back and fun. After meeting Mike, and visiting the Ark, we could knew we'd found the right fit.
From the moment our guests arrived and were served bourbon and maple taffy on snow until the poutine bar closed at the end of the night, our winter wedding was stunning, relaxed and an amazing party.
Thanks Mike and Monique for making out special day perfect!
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Krysta and Matt
Dear Mike and Monique,
Three months after our wedding we are still hearing friends rave about “The Best Wedding Ever!” Thank you so much for everything! We were able to have our dream wedding and actually afford it thanks to your beautiful and unique venue! Everyone kept asking us how we found such an amazing venue that was “so us”.
Mike, you were a wonderful officiant and made our ceremony touching, light-hearted, and personal to us as a couple. We cannot express how great it is to still hear from friends that the canoe full of beer was the “coolest way to serve drinks at a wedding ever.” You made our wedding as stress free as possible with being able to set up the day before and take down the day after.
Thank you for making our wedding the best day of our lives and putting up with our crazy friends! We feel kind of bad that every other wedding we ever go to now won’t come close to as awesome and fun and laidback as ours. We cannot recommend the Ark enough!
Dave & Jess
Hey Mike and Monique,
We’re not sure of the words that can express how perfect our wedding was at The Ark. Right from the day in March of 2012 when we met you and had an opportunity to check out the establishment, we were beyond impressed. You both had such down-to-earth personalities which meshed beautifully with our own, but also projected just the right amount of professionalism. We knew instantly that this was going to be our venue.
Mike you were so helpful and accommodating with all our plans and visits (being scheduled or unexpected). You jumped on the opportunity to lend a hand where it was needed, whether it be helping with set up, bar tending or cleanup. For this we are so grateful because in the chaos of a wedding many hands make a much lighter load. I remember you told me that people who choose The Ark truly have am amazing day because of the freedom to really do want you want. You definitely live up to your motto of “Your Wedding, Your Way”. The day could not have gone better. The weather was perfect, amazing landscape, which lead to incredible pictures, the outdoor ceremony and the bonfire in the evening. It was an incredible wedding and ALL our guests absolutely loved The Ark. Most said it was like nothing else they’ve been to and hope someone else we know will have a wedding there.
Gayle and Brandon
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Dear Mike and Monique
“Our wedding day was perfect and a big part of that was thanks to Mike and Monique and their beautiful venue! As we all know weddings can be stressful but as soon as the day started Mike put everything at ease with his easy-going manner and also with his ability to get things done and find simple solutions. Mike was also a great officiant and delivered the ceremony with light-heartedness. He knew exactly what we wanted for our wedding day. We were also really happy when we got back to the venue in the morning, dreading the cleanup, to find everything collected in boxes all ready to go into the cars.
The venue itself is beautiful and magical, from the horses and llama, to the woods, to the building itself that Mike has worked on since it was three walls of an old mill, to the beautiful tepee that we stayed in on our wedding night. We were able to have most of our wedding outdoors which is exactly what we wanted with a campfire and all!
We also chose to go with Mike’s suggestion of Bytown Catering and were impressed with their professionalism, and their fantastic service and food! Special thanks to Rita who was extra helpful on the day we were setting up the venue.
All of our friends and family had a great time and everyone was glowing afterwards. Big thanks again!”
Joel and Kyla
Hi Mike,
I’ve been meaning to write a gigantic thank you email since the wedding in August, but as you know, time can escape us. As not only our venue host, but also our officiant, you truly had an integral part in making our day spectacular. You always responded to the emails I sent (and I sent a lot!), you were always there when I needed you. You had the kind and caring and ‘do whatever you want!’ attitude that we needed as a host and officiant. The Ark is a beautiful place and our guests loved every inch of it, especially the animals, teepees and camping. Although we had torrential rain in the evening I know our guests had a blast. We didn’t look at any other venue once we saw the Ark in the fall, in all its glory. I don’t think there is any other venue that would have been able to suit our wants or needs as well as the Ark did.
If you would like to use any of the photos for your website from our wedding photos, please feel free to do so.
Kristin and Mason
Dear Mike and Monique,
We cannot thank you enough for making our wedding the most incredible day of our lives. Your venue creates the most amazing atmosphere for a wedding and reception. Our guests were quite impressed with the beautiful scenery and the out-of-towners felt that they were able to gain an authentic view of the picturesque Quebec countryside.
Everything was absolutely perfect and we are so happy to have chosen this venue. We not only had the freedom to organize the wedding of our dreams but we also saved a ton of money, which would have been next to impossible anywhere else. Mike and Monique are both great hosts and make the day run smoothly. We highly recommend Mike to officiate the wedding as his subtle humour was perfect to calm our nerves. You truly get the best of both worlds with this venue, having the reception & dance party inside and the campfire outside for those who just want to chill under the starlit sky.
Again, we cannot express enough how amazing this venue is and highly recommend it.
Jenn and Andrew
Dear Mike and Monique,
A simple “Thank You” does not seem enough to express all the gratitude we have for you guys! Eric and I, and all our family and friends, had the most wonderful day on our Wedding at the Ark. I think Magic should be the first word to describe the atmosphere that day. And creating such an atmosphere was possible because of many factors : A gorgeous, gorgeous venue, Mother Nature, a smart and funny and entertaining celebrant (i.e. Mike!) and all the freedom we needed to have our wedding our way. It is really not just a catchy marketing slogan: we really had our wedding our way!
So basically by choosing the Ark, we saved a whole lot of money, impressed our guests who were absolutely pleased and comfortable and happy; we also are able to say we stood by our values with a most green wedding. We chose Mike as a celebrant and that was really the thing to do: everybody loved him and the original ceremony! We went with Bytown Catering and the food was just perfect! And, again, that was the less expensive option in all the Ottawa/Gatineau area. The decor allowed our photographer to take absolutely beautiful pictures that we are going to cherish for the rest of our lives, together. Also, one of the most awesome things, some of our guests stayed at the campground with us. It made the day last a little longer; having a campfire and songs all around, for more wonderful memories.
We're so pleased to have chosen the Ark. We couldn't have done better anywhere else.
Mélanie et Eric
Your Wedding, Your Way
You tell us what you want and we will make your dream day a reality. You get to use your ideas in creating your perfect wedding day...From an outdoor pig roast bonfire to a classic formal reception.