Dominike-Arielle and Laurent had to postpone their wedding day not once, but twice! In 2019, the surprise arrival of their first child had them pushing their dream day to 2020, but then, Covid-19 came and turned things upside down. Their disappointment was crushing. That’s when their photographer came in to treat them to something extra special. With the help of planners and designers, Foudamour, they created a nature inspired wedding shoot based on the mood of the far North. Then, a few days before the shoot, D-A + L asked their vendor team if they could actually make things official with a real wedding ceremony! They pulled it off and then some. Melanie with Foudamour shares this about the inspiration:
We were inspired by “Boreal minimalism”, an homage to the rugged terrain of the region, located in Northern Quebec. We loved the contrasts evoked by the rigidity of the stone and the fluidity of the water, between straight lines and curves, between shadow and light, between the minimalist decor and wild floral arrangements.
Julia Garcia-Prat was there to capture this sweet and special day. Are you ready to take a look?
Minimalism in the Details
White Willow Paper Co. designed this beautiful wedding invitation suite in a palette of warm neutrals. It was important to the vendor team that a theme of straight and curved lines be present throughout the decor, and you can see that here in these gorgeous papergoods!
What bridal bouquet is complete without flowing silk ribbons like these from Maison Note?
Nature Inspired Ceremony Flowers
Talk about floral perfection! Atelier Carmel combined blooms from the local flower farm, Fleurs La Garance, with wild grasses they gathered from the property to create this moody and inspiring circle arch.
The vendors wanted to give nods to the wild and rugged setting of the villa, and they succeeded with this installation that almost seems to grow up naturally in the space!
Intimate Wedding for Six
Our wedding day went beyond all of our expectations. It was a day filled with lots of strong emotions, but it was really at the exchanging of our vows that the emotion reached its peak. It was so pure and intense. We were able to experience our love for one another and completely forget about the pandemic distractions we had in our final year of wedding prep. Time stood still and we took advantage of every moment.
The linear lace of D-A’s Wtoo by Watters ‘Lenora’ gown from Dream It Yourself continued the theme of soft curves and sharp lines. She looked like a vision with classically elegant hair and makeup by Catherine Laniel.
It’s important to surround yourself with the right people.
We were lucky enough to work with real professionals that thought of every little detail and it saved us a lot of stress. They were perfect and that allowed us to truly enjoy the day. It may seem like planning a wedding of 6 guests is easy, but there is actually more pressure to do it right during a pandemic due to the uncertainties and the restrictions that keep evolving.
Newlywed Portraits by the Beach
So how exactly did this nature inspired wedding shoot turn into a real wedding at the last minute?
A few days before the shoot, the bride and groom contacted us with a crazy idea … What if they decided to get married for real? Their parents were going to be there to take care of their little Louis, their friend and officiant was available…. Maybe after all, life just had another wedding in mind for them? After confirming with the entire team and getting their approval, this styled shoot officially became a super intimate celebration of a union full of love.
This idea of flexibility, spontaneity, and faith in an overall positive outcome is something that D-A + L want to share with other couples who are struggling with wedding postponements:
For all those who are hesitating to change their original wedding plans, we just want to say that we had a fantastic experience and we are really happy to have gone through with our wedding in the end. We were able to celebrate our love and live a moment of true joy in this difficult time. The way we see it, there’s nothing stopping us from having a bigger celebration when life gets back to normal.
Find more incredible advice from our 2020 couples here!
Wild + Rugged Nature-Inspired Wedding Centerpieces
The nature-inspired, wildflower look continued to the tablescapes. Neutral and earthy tabletop rentals from Tenue de soirée, wooden furniture pieces from Groupe ABP, and handmade ceramics by Looks Like White all added to the minimalist aesthetic.
The vendors thought of every detail, including the adorable and beautiful hand-painted Lecavalier Petrone chocolate favors.
Bringing in all things local was very important to this vendor team. Even the signature cocktail featured local gin from the Menaud Distillery.
Sweet Savour by Felicia crafted a square cake with stucco-like texture to honor the architecture of the villa. Every detail had a bit of local flavor. It was this attention to the small moments that really made this into a dream day for Dominike-Arielle + Laurent. Congratulations you guys! The GWS team is wishing you many many blessings in the future!
Want to see the day unfold in action? Check out the beautiful film below from Stamina Video.
photography: Julia Garcia-Prat // event design: Foudamour // planning: Foudamour // florals: Atelier Carmel // wedding dress: Wtoo by Watters ‘Lenora’ // wedding dress boutique: Dream it Yourself // hair stylist: Catherine Laniel // makeup artist: Catherine Laniel // videography: Stamina Video // paper goods: White Willow Paper Co. // cake: Sweet Savour by Felicia // tabletop rentals: Tenue de soirée // furniture rentals: Groupe ABP // linen rentals: Tenue de soirée // models: Dominique-Arielle Kardos and Laurent Larivière // silk ribbons: Maison Note // hand-painted chocolate favors: Lecavalier Petrone // handmade ceramics: Looks Like White // floral farm: Fleurs La Garance