What better way to embrace those fall colours than to have your wedding at a venue with some of the most spectacular views around?
This wedding at the incredible Le Belvedere in Wakefield, Quebec, was full of love and laughter, set against a backdrop of beautiful decor and striking colour.
Ashley MacPhee, a Halifax wedding photographer, captured Kelsey and Jordan’s wedding day in October 2023. Her photography perfectly suits all the vibrant colour schemes and beautiful light on the day. She’s also a master at capturing the fun and the energy of the wedding day. As you’ll see!
Kelsey was kind enough to share her thoughts and advice about her and Jordan’s fantastic wedding.
Tell us about your wedding venue
Le Belvedere- 40 Des Sentiers, Wakefield, QC, Canada
When looking for a venue, we both agreed that we wanted something different that was not your typical hotel wedding. We are both outdoor people and love to be in the woods or by the lake, and we wanted our venue to reflect that for us as a couple. The venue provided all this and more. An amazing mix of indoor and outdoor where the view from the ceremony space (cliffside) completely sold us during the visit.
Did you hire an Event planner?
Absolutely! Foudamour- Melanie Aubin https://www.foudamour.ca/
Tell us about how you first met and how the proposal happened?
We met online actually through a dating app! (Yes, it works! Haha)
We were together for 2 years before he proposed to me a day before our 2 year anniversary on the top of a mountain in Banff, Canada, while on vacation! He said he couldn’t wait another day to do it on our actual anniversary; he was too excited.
We got married 2 years later in the fall after planning the wedding for almost 2 years! We always joke that we knew the day we met we would marry each other. It’s cheesy, but when you know, you know.
Where did you buy the dress, and who designed it?
Store: White Satin Bridal ( Kanata, Ontario)
Designer: Alena Leena
What made you choose this dress? What did you love about it?
I wanted something very simple and elegant that would be timeless when I look back at my wedding photos years from now. I wanted the dress to be chic and effortless while still allowing myself to shine on my wedding day. I love the quality of the dress and the second I tried it on I just knew it was meant for me. The dress made me feel truly beautiful and my dress shopping experience was made amazing by the White Satin team.
Why did you choose your photographer?
Ashley Macphee Photography– https://www.ashleymacphee.com/
We knew Ashley already, as we used to be neighbours in Montreal. We hit it off from the start, and once we got engaged, I just knew she would be the easy choice to photograph our wedding. Even though she had since moved to Nova Scotia, my now husband and I knew we would fly her in for the big event. My recommendation would be to make sure you get someone you are comfortable with to shoot your wedding. This way, the photographer can capture authentic photos of you guys without it being forced.
And your videographer?
The flowers were stunning. How did you choose them?
Pollen Nation was recommended to us as someone who works frequently with our wedding venue and they did not disappoint! Real flowers were very important to us, as I have always been obsessed and working with Pollen Nation made all my wedding flower dreams come true! We had an assortment of small and tall bouquet centrepieces on the different shape tables, and everyone raved about the dramatic fall colour vibes of the beautiful florals!
Tell us about your wedding cake.
Meringue & Confettis ( Gatineau, QC)
Again we wanted something small and simple for our cake. With our venue, we had chosen a served dessert for our guests, and I am not a huge cake fan. But as a little girl, I had always dreamed of this day, and the tradition of “cutting the cake” had always been a must for me! We cut our cake intimately just the two of us and were able to bring home and freeze the rest to celebrate every year.
Did you have anyone accompany you down the aisle?
Both my Mother and Father walked me down the aisle, and I wouldn’t have had it any other way! I wanted to honour my mom and well as my dad as they are both a huge part of my life!
And was this to any particular track or song?
Kiss the Girl- Brent Morgan
I am a huge Disney fan, and this was a nod to Disney in a more mature way.
Would you like to share anything about your vows?
We wrote our own personal vows to each other. Mine were done in English and his in French as we are a bilingual couple and our ceremony was bilingual as well.
Today, I promise to give you all of myself, my heart and my soul.
I vow to love you for who you are and who you have yet to become.
I vow to be your support system whenever you have a bad day, even though it isn’t often.
I vow to be patient with you when you bring home the wrong thing from the grocery store.
I vow to support you and all your crazy ideas that keep us so busy.
I vow to kiss you goodnight, every night, even if we are exhausted.
I vow to keep dancing and singing with you like no one is watching.
I vow to try and cook you more rice with dinner.
I vow to be the best mother I can be for our family.
These are my promises to you, now and forever. I love you Jord, always.
Did you use a celebrant to officiate your wedding?
We had a close friend officiate our wedding and it made it very personal to us. Would definitely recommend doing this. Was very special.
What was your ‘first dance’ track?
I Get to Love You – Ruelle
I remember we were looking for a wedding song and one night while cooking together and listening to music this song came on and we both knew right away it would be our song. There were a few tears as we danced together in our kitchen. I’ll never forget that moment. Such a beautiful song.
What was your very favourite part of the day and why?
There are so many special moments from the day but one that stands out was our first dance. We had a sparkler first dance outside where we walked through our friends and family all holding up sparklers and it was truly magical!
And, on reflection, is there anything you might have done differently with foresight?
Honestly, nothing!
If you could impart any words of wisdom to a Bride to Be planning her marriage and wedding day, what would they be?
For us the most amazing thing we did for ourselves was to hire a planner. This truly allowed us both to enjoy every second of our wedding day and not have to worry about the long list of things that need to get done and come together on the actual wedding day. Any time our friends get married we recommend getting a planner and at the very least a day of coordinator. I am a type A personality and like to have my hand in everything but I knew I could trust my planner and everything went off without a hitch! Or at least if there were hitches we didn’t even know! Our whole day was spent just enjoying every single second and being as present as possible in the moment.
Another tip would be to stick to your spouse. My husband and I had agreed that wherever we go that day, we go together. It can be a lot of people to see and spend time with with friends and family but we had agreed beforehand that we would make sure to stick together to do it all. It sounds silly but it was great as all our memories are ones together with our friends and family!
Hair and make-up Artist – Atelier Eva Blanca
Groom’s Suit – Classy – Montreal
Entertainment – Goldstar Entertainment
Stationery – White Willow Paper Company – Montreal
Decor – Tenue de Soiree / Groupe ABP
Huge thanks to Kelsey & Jordan for sharing their amazing wedding at Le Belvedere with us. And thanks to Ashley MacPhee for so many fantastic wedding photos.
Further Reading
A wedding at Citadel Hill in Halifax photographed by Ashley MacPhee
2024 WEDDING TRENDS: DON’T SAY “I DO” TO CLICHÉS
The 11 Best Outdoor Rustic Wedding Venues near Ottawa & Gatineau
