It was at the chic Fairmont Château Montebello, last September, that Joanie and Michel said I DO! The couple chose to get ready together, something unusual but that I love! As soon as I arrived, their complicity and love were palpable. And then I felt their happiness to have finally arrived at this big day, which they were impatiently waiting for. Great attention was paid to the small details of their wedding. So much so that Michel went with a "Pinky Blinders" look, with an old watch and a cap as accessories. The bride and groom took turns helping each other put on their clothes. Joanie with her lover's shirt, cufflinks and bow tie. And Michel tying his sweetheart's dress. He did it like a pro!
The outdoor ceremony at Château Montebello
The outdoor ceremony, facing the Ottawa River, is a dream location. I've photographed weddings there a few times and it's always so beautiful! Because the setting seems to come straight out of a country where it's hot all year round, with its gazebo facing the river. The kind of place that would be surrounded by palm trees if we were a little further south! The couple chose one of their good friends as the officiant. The ceremony, rich in emotion, punctuated by laughter and tears of joy, from the bride and groom or their guests, was perfect.
The Golf Pavilion at the Château Montebello
A little after taking some couple and family photos, the bride and groom headed to the Pavillon du Golf, near the ceremony. They got into a vintage car that Michel owns to make the trip. I arrived a little before them because they had a problem with the engine (you couldn't make it up haha)!. And then I was able to appreciate the superb decoration of the room, mainly done by the bride, the day before. Everything was in good taste. The guests were waiting for the couple of the day on the magnificent terrace overlooking the golf course.
Do you like Joanie and Michel's wedding? Visit my wedding portfolio just HERE].
My boyfriend, who also assists me and occasionally makes videos, filmed alongside me throughout the day. Here's the result. HERE]. Watch it in high definition!
Jonathan and France got married at the Manoir Montpellier in Montpellier, last November! France's parents having a chalet very close to the Manoir, they were familiar with the place. For the occasion, the couple booked the Manoir for the entire weekend welcoming family and friends as well as my assistant and myself. They were kind enough to keep a room for us for the weekend of celebrations! Everything was organized by them and France's mother, who helped them enormously during the wedding preparations.
So I started the day by walking to the end of the hallway on my floor before joining Jonathan in his room, haha! It's never taken me so little time to get to the groom's preparations! With good humor and lots of laughs, I took photos of the guys, even quickly going outside for a few portraits. Then, it was off to Chénéville, 7 minutes from Manoir Montpellier, for France and the girls' preparations at her parents' chalet.
I like to combine photos of both preparations for my blog posts…
When I saw France in her wedding dress, bought at Chateau Nadia, she was so beautiful and radiant! With a little retro/vintage look, I thought it suited her really well!
The beautiful flower bouquets were made by Bees and Flowers, in St-André-Avellin.
Ceremony in the barn of the Manoir Montpellier
Together for 7 years, France was determined that she and Jonathan would see each other for the first time during the ceremony. It was her favorite moment of the day and Jonathan's too (with another one later...)! As soon as they entered the barn of the Manor, the lovers could not take their eyes off each other. Celebrated by France's brother, the ceremony was touching, peppered with anecdotes, each funnier than the last. The celebrant made Jo repeat the words of the famous Rick Astley song: "Never gonna give you up, never gonna let you down..."... and asked France to repeat a song from Grease: "You better shape up cause I need a man"!! The bride ended her vows by saying loudly: "I choose Jonathan", a little reference to Like-Moi!
A storm had been forecast since the day before. I was telling myself a little before the ceremony that the meteorologists had been wrong in the end. Well no! The storm started shortly after the start of the couple photos. We had rushed after the ceremony to find ourselves alone in the snow. In order to immortalize the first moments of the newlyweds together and to take advantage of the light that was going down very quickly. In the middle of the photos, it became terrible! It was windy, snowing, we went into a chalet to warm up. We went out twice to finish the photos. I wanted to take a few "killer shots" in the small forest nearby...
The newlyweds were very comfortable in front of the camera. Ten days prior, we had done an engagement shoot in Old Montreal. YES, you read that right: Ten days before, haha! While the shoot gave us the opportunity to get to know each other better, it greatly helped the couple feel more at ease in front of the camera on their wedding day! And it's a good thing we did that shoot, because we ended up with considerably less time than planned to take photos of the happy couple.
The photo on the left is one of the "killer shots" hahaha. In the sense that it was difficult to achieve and required a bit of technique. Then, it took courage for the bride and groom to endure the snow that was falling on them! When I showed them the last photos taken in the forest, they thought it was worth freezing and fighting the elements. This moment, seeing these photos, is Jonathan's other favorite moment, along with their first dance in the evening!
The reception at the Manoir Montpellier
The magnificent and delicious cake was made by The Beautiful Pastry ChefLocated in Plaisance, the atmosphere was festive in the evening, filled with games and speeches. I wasn't bored for a single second. The day ended for us after the official dances of the parents and the bride and groom. Finally, I want to thank the bride and groom for choosing me to capture their special day. It was such a pleasure to be in their company and that of their guests. Plus, in November, many photographers in Quebec are available, as the peak wedding season ends in October. They had plenty of options, and they chose my portfolio! Thank you again a thousand times! I couldn't have asked for a better first winter wedding, even though autumn wasn't officially over yet!
Do you like France and Jonathan's wedding at Manoir Montpellier? Visit my wedding portfolio right here: Wedding portfolio
