An Intimate Outdoor Wedding in Charlevoix, Quebec

When COVID-19 hit back in March, Gabrielle and Louis-Philippe weren’t concerned at first about their wedding (which was scheduled to happen in five months) but everything was put on hold when they learned that both the hall and the church they had booked had closed their doors. “Our reactions were very different. Louis-Philippe took the news very badly, although I had already accepted it, ”Gabrielle says. “The idea to have a private ceremony came to me quickly. In fact, we uninvited almost everyone and decided to look into new options, that was the only choice we had.. In the end, we are happy we changed our plans to celebrate with only a small group of guests.” She adds, "The strangest thing for me was, after planning our wedding since May 2019, dropping everything and planning a new one in two and a half months… and having everything work out anyway!" 

For their new venue, the couple chose Terrasses Cap-à-l'Aigle, a group of prestigious villas located in La Malbaie, a picturesque area in Charlevoix, Quebec. Gabrielle shares their experience: “Our villa was simply amazing! It’s separated into two sections on the upper level, so there are two wings where the bedrooms are located. The lower deck connects the two, which made it easy to move from one wing to the other. The villa was very modern with lots of windows and a huge patio with a marvelous view of the Saint Lawrence River. Breathtaking!”

The bride found her wedding gown at Maison Ariane Carle in Montreal. "After visiting several bridal boutiques, I found THE dress, at the last boutique on my list! As soon as I stepped into the store, I knew I would find my dress. The quality is sublime! I’m also proud to say that my dress is Canadian and that it was designed by a designer from Toronto."

Another wedding detail which she was proud to share: "Our cake was made by a local bakery. We requested a matcha cake, in honor of our dog, Matcha."

Since the guest list was paired down to only twenty, Gabrielle decided to skip the traditional bouquet toss. Instead, she presented a flower similar to the ones in her bouquet and a candy engagement ring to each couple that were not yet engaged. “This way, we were able to have a special moment with each of those guests. We chatted about love, marriage, and it made for some fun and very sweet memories at the same time.”

Her favourite part of their day? “When Louis-Philippe saw me for the first time at the ceremony, he was speechless and teary-eyed. He was moved by all the emotions he was going through and, of course, those he was witnessing. By the time we were supposed to exchange our vows, neither of us could hold back our tears."

Gabrielle Cornellier & Louis-Philippe Gélinas, August 22, 2020, La Malbaie, QC 

Photography courtesy of Annabelle Agnew

Vendors
Bridal Gown : Maison Ariane Carle
Bride’s shoes : Vanessa Wu
Venue:  Terrasses Cap-à-l’Aigle
Cake : Pains d’exclamation!  
Flowers : Jardins Vitrum Hortis
Catering : Al Dente
Groom’s Suit : Le Mercier
Makeup : LEA Esthétique