This Quebec wedding by Unity Weddings brings rustic romance to a whole new level of gorgeous. Planning a wedding from thousands of miles away can be a daunting task but this bride and groom were in good hands and the proof is in the details (and in their smiling faces!). Sweet birch and burlap elements and soft shades of white, grey and beige bring a romantic, natural wonder to the entire event. Click here to see it all in the full gallery!
Click here to see the entire gallery of images!
From the Bride...When we first got engaged last summer, the boy/man and I had to make a couple of huge decisions. See, he's British (with family in England, Northern Ireland, and Scotland), I'm French Canadian, and we met in Brazil about nine years ago. Having a wedding that would accommodate people coming from different continents who speak different languages and have different customs seemed like an overwhelming challenge. In the end, we chose to have our wedding in Quebec because most of James' family would be able (physically and financially) to fly over, whereas this was not the case the other way around. (I really wanted my grandmothers to be there - and James' 81-year-old grandmother was OK with flying over from Scotland! Amazing lady!)
While researching venue options, we came up with the idea of renting log homes for all of our guests to stay in. Most log home rental resorts in Quebec are located north of Montreal, around the Mont-Tremblant ski area. After having visited three of these resorts (each with their pros and cons), we settled on Coté Nord Tremblant and its Caribou Restaurant. The log homes at Côté Nord really embodied our rustic chic theme. Beautifully appointed and newly built, these luxurious log homes came in a variety of sizes that could accommodate families and couples alike. And they came with fully-stocked kitchens, washers and dryers, internet - everything to make our guests comfortable. Chef Suzanne Boulianne, who runs the Caribou Restaurant, was friendly and completely accommodating about our menu option requests. The food she and her team cooks is absolutely incredible, specializing in wild game and locally-sourced products, all with a contemporary twist. Guests are still raving about having tasted deer and bison for the first time at our wedding.
Once the venue was chosen, wedding planning came to a bit of a halt. I decided I'd be joining the boy/man in England, which meant I would only be returning to Canada a week - if not days - before the wedding. That's when we decided on hiring a wedding planner. Elyna Kudish from Unity Weddings really understood our "rustic chic" vision from the very beginning. She didn't laugh at our budget or smaller guest list. She wasn't intimidated by the whole trilingual issue. Or the fact that I'd be in another country. She just said she could take care of it.
And take care of it she did. I shared with her our (well, my) "rustic chic" vision, based on an obsessive perusal of around 60 wedding blogs, daily. I sent her pictures of antique milk bottles overflowing white hydrangeas and roses, hundreds of mason jars filled with candles, vintage suitcases and wooden crates, birch logs, burlap and lace. I scoured the internet, antique shops and garage sales for all of these items. We talked (almost daily), we tested out flower arrangements, and we went over tiny (oftentimes insignificant) details such as the folding of napkins and the strategic use of twine. Elyna was absolutely irreplaceable. Not only did she bring our vision to life and ensure that our wedding day ran smoothly, she also created all of our stationary, helped us with band and photographer contacts, and acted as a general sounding board. I know James is thankful that I did not have to have intense napkin and twine discussions with him.
Although we had a wedding weekend, the wedding day itself went by in a flash. As much as my obsessive blog reading had prepared me for this, I'm still surprised by how quickly it all went. I remember snippets of beautiful blue skies, our birch tree ceremony arch in front of the lake, drapey white fabric floating in the wind. I remember tears and laughter and forgetting words. I remember our mothers tying bits of lace and burlap in our handfasting ceremony. I remember the British guests' hats (and a kilt!), the speeches and the dances, the food and the toasts, the spontaneous kisses. I'd have forgotten much more if it wasn't for our incredible photographer, Micheal B, and his assistant Roxanne. Their attention to detail was spot on. And they seemed to be everywhere at once, capturing the day for what it meant to us - an intimate, casual celebration with our favorite people in the world, good food, good wine, and good music in beautiful surroundings. I know that thanks to them - and Elyna - the boy/man and I will cherish our wedding day memories forever.
Design + Concept: Unity Weddings / Wedding Photography: Micheal B Photography / Venue: Cote Nord Tremblant / Bride's Dress: Pronovias / Bride's Shoes + Purse: Aldo / Rings + Earrings: Cara Jewellers / Groom's Tux: TM Lewin / Groom's Shoes: Jones Bootmaker / Groom's + Groomsmen's Socks: John Lewis / Bridesmaid Dresses: Le Chateau, Armani Exchange, Monsoon + Coast / Stationery: Unity Weddings / Groomsmen Shirts: TM Lewin / Groomsmen Ties: John Lewis