Spanish-Venezuelan Fall Wedding in La Prairie

Today we’re sharing Rose-Marie and Alejandro’s gorgeous autumn wedding that perfectly captures what makes Quebec weddings so unique. This Plaza Rive-Sud celebration had everything – meaningful traditions, stunning fall colours, and that perfect mix of elegance and warmth that we love to see.

What really caught our eye (besides Sophie Asselin‘s absolutely breathtaking photos – thank you for sharing these gems with us!) was how thoughtfully this couple approached their multicultural celebration. From Spanish vows to mariachi bands to the Venezuelan hora loca, they wove together their heritage in ways that felt natural and authentic. If you’re planning a wedding that honours different traditions, you’ll want to take notes.

Their October wedding at St-Hilaire Church and Plaza Rive Sud shows exactly why autumn in Quebec is pure magic for weddings. Those fall colours through the reception hall’s windows? Chef’s kiss. Plus, they navigated that tricky October weather like pros with smart styling choices that kept everyone comfortable while looking fabulous.

We’re particularly smitten with their DIY approach to certain elements. Rose-Marie designed her own stationery (complete with wax seals!), and her father created the church arrangements from his own garden. These personal touches added so much character without breaking the bank – proof that meaningful doesn’t always mean expensive.

Speaking of budget-smart choices, wait until you read about their clever cake trick. Let’s just say appearances can be deceiving in the best possible way.

For those of you in the thick of planning, there are brilliant takeaways here about working with quality vendors, creating atmosphere with simple elements like candles, and staying true to what matters most. Their advice about remembering why you’re getting married? Gold.

Grab that coffee and settle in – this wedding is about to give you all the feels and plenty of inspiration, whether you’re planning an intimate church ceremony or a full-on celebration with robot entertainers at midnight (yes, really!).

Where did you get married, and why did you choose that venue?

We got married at Plaza Rive Sud in La Prairie. It was important for us to get married at St-Hilaire Church because of its beautiful architecture and because it’s where we baptized our daughter. So, the reception couldn’t be too far. The halls are stunning, the service impeccable, and the caterer was delicious. We were looking for a chic and classic style. The chosen room, with its large windows, offered a breathtaking view of magnificent trees. In autumn, the view was simply spectacular.

Did you work with an event planner?

No wedding planner, but several people played that role in their own way! I loved organizing every detail myself. What we did was invest in quality suppliers. My photographer played a key role in making sure the events flowed as planned. With her experience from many weddings, she took the time to meet with us to exclusively discuss the evening’s flow and gave me invaluable advice. We also had someone at the reception venue who ensured everything went smoothly, and the DJ-host made sure the schedule was followed.

How did your story begin, and how did you get to your wedding day?

We got married after 5, almost 6 years of being together and with a little girl! At the time, I was a waitress in a restaurant, and my husband was too; that’s how we met. During the pandemic, when small gatherings were allowed, he hired mariachis and proposed to me with the song El color de tus ojos, which is a special song for us.

Who designed your dress, and where did you find it?

I tried on several dresses at different price points. My style is timeless and classic. The dress is often the first thing you choose, and it can be overwhelming when the dress alone costs several thousand dollars. So, what will the total price of the wedding be?

I chose an elegant dress that was a little less expensive, and I had some alterations made. I had custom sleeves made and invested in a beautiful, hand-crafted veil. I received a lot of compliments on my dress, and yet it wasn’t from a major designer.

What made you fall in love with your dress?

A timeless style. This dress was elegant 100 years ago, and it will be in 100 years. I loved the train, the mermaid cut, and the off-the-shoulder look.

Who was your photographer, and what did you think of their work?

My photographer was Sophie Asselin. One day, I showed my husband, who was my boyfriend at the time, Sophie’s work and told him, “She’s the photographer of my dreams. These are exactly the photos I want. I want someone who captures emotions, details, and people, not just classic posed photos.” Sophie’s prices reflect the quality of her work, but it wasn’t in our budget. My husband said, “No matter what photographers we look at, you always come back to Sophie. We won’t lose anything by meeting with her.”

Her human approach really won us over; she shared in the excitement of our wedding with us. She made us feel confident and listened to. She even offered a pre-wedding photo session to make us feel at ease in front of the camera and learn to work with her.

Wedding photos are by far our best investment, and we received more than 1,700 photos. The price per photo was more than reasonable. To this day, people still talk to me about the photographer , and everyone describes the photos as works of art.

Did you have a videographer?

There’s something magical about photos; they capture memories in a timeless way. Personally, I think too many photos or videos can sometimes take away from spontaneity. I would probably have been less natural if I knew I was being filmed.

In our parents’ time, they only had a few wedding photos, sometimes just one, and there’s a certain beauty in imagining that day rather than having it fully recorded in video. That’s just my point of view. Plus, let’s be honest: my budget for the video was… non-existent, haha! But honestly, no regrets.

Who styled your hair and makeup?

Makeup: makeuobyjuustine
Hair: Roxanne Dillaire

For my makeup, I went for a look that would photograph well but without overdoing it! I don’t usually wear much makeup, so I wanted to stay true to myself. The makeup artist understood exactly what I wanted. As for the hairstyle, since I got married in October and it was quite windy, I chose a beautiful bun. It was a great choice because it stayed perfect all evening!

What did the groom wear, and why did you choose it?

Waxman, an elegant, longtime store offering men’s tuxedos and other formal wear plus custom-tailoring options. The store was both stylish and professional, and the owner was present on-site. The prices were competitive, and the quality was excellent. All the groomsmen were also dressed there, which contributed to a perfect style consistency at our wedding.

Tell us about your flowers.

My dream was to have a wedding filled with white roses. My bridal bouquet was a beautiful cloud of white roses, and I also had a small bouquet made for my daughter.
For the church, my father, an agronomist by profession, played the magician of flowers by creating spectacular arrangements with treasures from his garden: dahlias, paniculated and tree hydrangeas, Miscanthus sinensis ‘Gracillimus’ (the famous Chinese reed ‘Gracillimus’), and eucalyptus. (By the way, he kindly sent me all those complicated names!)

La Cité des Roses in Chambly, with their very competitive prices, helped me bring these beautiful centrepieces to life, mostly white roses and white carnations.

What was your wedding cake like?

Délice Lafrenaie took care of our cake! We had a beautiful 4-tier cake, but in reality, only the top tier was real cake. We ordered a vanilla and dulce de leche cake, and it was incredibly delicious! We ordered a small white round cake and three other pallets so they could be cut in the kitchen. No one noticed… but now, my secret is out!

What did you do for entertainment?

For music, we had a DJ who made sure to stick to the schedule and played music between performances. We had mariachis, and the same mariachis who performed during our engagement came to perform at our wedding! Then, a contemporary music group took over. I’m lucky to have musicians in my family, and they played at the church and for an hour during the reception. After that, a Latin band entertained the evening, and finally, for the hora loca, the DJ took the reins. For entertainment, a robot on stilts arrived at midnight to celebrate the start of the hora loca! There were also glow sticks and light-up accessories to add a magical vibe to the atmosphere.

Who designed your stationery?

I did, and I loved it! Every guest had a printed menu in front of them, adorned with a wax seal with our initials and the date of our wedding. This detail added a very chic touch to the menu. I also put a lot of effort into the place cards: they were made of pearl paper with golden writing. For the seating chart, I found a beautiful antique frame. I was able to print the seating chart in the same dimensions and place it on an easel. To create all of this, I used the Canva app, where I made my own designs.

How did you style your venue?

For the décor, each table was adorned with about seven candles, three large ones and several smaller ones. In the evening, the effect created by all these lit candles was simply magical. In addition to the centerpieces made of white roses, many bouquets of white carnations embellished the room. On the bride and groom’s table, we placed photos of our grandparents, who couldn’t be present, but were in our hearts. My father-in-law, passionate about bookbinding, created a unique signature book for us, a real work of art, with our initials in 3D. Every other table was decorated with a large chandelier, and the ivory tablecloths complemented the golden chairs perfectly, which matched the golden chargers on each table.

Who walked you down the aisle?

I chose both my parents. For me, it was important to have them both by my side. Often, it’s just the father, but I couldn’t imagine my mom sitting in the pew. When I arrived in front of my husband, I hugged my mom. Then, my dad took my hand and placed it in my future husband’s hand, saying: “Take good care of her.” It was a very touching moment.

What song did you walk down the aisle to?

“Can’t Help Falling in Love” played live on the piano and violin. I find this song beautiful and delicate. The violin made all the difference.

What can you share about your vows?

My husband is Venezuelan, so I ended my vows in Spanish:
“Mi amor,
En diez años, nos veo llenos de felicidad, rodeados de nuestros dos hijos, creando dulcesrecuerdos. En veinte años, cuando nuestros hijos sean grandes, nos veo de la mano, bailando y riendo como en el primer día. En treinta años, por favor, mi amor, vuélveme a pedir que me case contigo. Dame la oportunidad de decirte ‘sí’ una vez más.
Te amo,
Tu esposa”

“My love,
In ten years, I see us filled with happiness, surrounded by our two children, creating sweet memories. In twenty years, when our children are grown, I see us hand in hand, dancing and laughing as we did on the first day. In thirty years, please, my love, ask me to marry you again. Give me the chance to say ‘yes’ one more time.
I love you,
Your wife”

Who officiated your wedding?

Deacon Michel Lebrun. An exceptional man. He told us that he felt honored to celebrate our wedding. Every detail was important to him, as if it were his own wedding. During the rehearsal, the bridesmaids and family were charmed because he took the time to explain the meaning of the rituals. For example, we learned that the woman should always stand on the right side of the man because, in the past, the man could easily draw his sword to protect his wife. Well, since my husband is left-handed, I concluded that, in terms of protection, it wasn’t a done deal… But I’m sure he would’ve found another way to protect me! Anyway, our deacon really made a beautiful difference in our wedding.

What was your first dance song, and why did you choose it?

“El color de tus ojos.” It’s the song that the mariachis played when my husband proposed to me.

What was your favourite moment of the day?

Definitely the church. Once we were married, seeing all the people we love most in the world applauding us and shedding tears of joy was unique. Without a wedding, it’s incredibly hard to gather all those people. The church was lit by the sun, and the musicians were playing “Here Comes the Sun.” It was a beautiful moment.

Something you would do differently:

Take the time to sit down and eat my wedding meal!

Do you have any advice for couples planning their wedding?

It’s YOUR wedding, not your parents’ or your friends’. You do what YOU want. Invest in quality suppliers, and if something goes wrong, it doesn’t matter – you’re in a safe space, surrounded by the people who love you most. Nothing is a big deal.

Take it one step at a time – it’s a beautiful day. And as my mom repeated to me several times: “Always remember why you’re getting married and return to the essentials.”

A huge thank you to Rose-Marie and Alejandro for sharing their incredible day with us! Your thoughtful approach to blending cultures, creating meaningful moments, and staying true to what matters most is exactly the kind of inspiration our readers love. From those touching Spanish vows to the midnight robot entertainer, every detail shows how much heart went into this celebration. We’re so grateful you let us peek into your beautiful autumn wedding – and special thanks again to Sophie Asselin for capturing these memories so perfectly. Wishing you both endless happiness and many more dances to “El color de tus ojos”!