Follow the 332 to Riverport, Nova Scotia and you’ll eventually pass the Old Confidence Lodge. Built by the Oddfellows in 1929, it sits on the shores of Ritcey Cove with a fairly nondescript, albeit bright exterior. Apart from its overall height, there isn’t much that differentiates it from other buildings along the South Shore. Step inside however and you’re met with something special. What was once a fraternity lodge is now a music hall / recording studio - described (quite perfectly, I think by Hillary Windsor writing for Halifax’s The Coast) as a fisherman’s version of the Grand Ole Opry. There is a warmth that spills inwards through the large windows, and there is a warmth that radiates outwards from the wood surfaces within. It’s the perfect spot for a concert, the perfect spot for recording and the perfect spot to celebrate a wedding.

This isn’t a recent wedding, but it is one that remains near and dear to my heart and one that I haven’t had a chance to share until now. A wedding day full of emotion, full of humour, full of joy and full of happiness. Full of sunshine and steel guitars, of stomping feet on hardwood floors and commanding views of LaHave and beyond. It had it all. It even had Mr. Rick, and if you haven’t been introduced to Cocktails and Cornbread then you should spend some time * here *.