Melissa and Eric | August 19, 2023
Photos by Rachael James Photography
“Our wedding day was a beautiful whirlwind,” says Melissa Lalonde, who married Eric Bongers on August 19, 2023. Beautiful, indeed. The ceremony was at the Notre Dame Cathedral Basilica, the reception was in the Château Laurier’s Laurier Room and the smiles were as dazzling as the iconic venues. “We were incredibly blessed to be able to spend our magical wedding day with our closest family and friends, including our beautiful two-year-old daughter, Celeste,” adds Melissa.
Another blessing this bride mentions was the presence of her father, despite his battle with lymphoma. “We had already booked our wedding when we were informed that he was Stage 4,” she reveals, so there was uncertainty about whether he would be able to attend. Not only was he there, though, he was “feeling fantastic,” she continues, noting that the shared milestone will be treasured forever.
Careful planning ensured the “day went off without a hitch” and the look for the event was “classic and elegant, but on a budget.” As Melissa explains, “We did a lot of DIY to try to stick to our budget and found ways to use rentals and florals sparingly to enhance the look of our already gorgeous venue, without going too over the top.”
Even the drapery came into play. “The Laurier Room has iconic burgundy drapes, which I have been told brides either love or hate … I chose to base my colour palette on them and feature them as the backdrop for my head table.”
The colours, burgundy, blush pink and gold, and the distinctive, dreamy aesthetic extended from the wedding invitations and website right through the event itself. “We had a romantic theme which, paired with our colour palette, suited the venue perfectly,” Melissa notes, mentioning the décor highlight: “I especially loved our vinyl dance floor that I helped to design with Ottawa Dance Floors. It perfectly pulled together the theme of the wedding, with burgundy and blush flowers with our names in a beautiful script. It beautifully matched our wedding invitations to bring everything full circle. Everyone loved it and it was the first vinyl floor many of our guests had ever seen.”
There was a lot to love at this wedding. In terms of unique, sentimental touches, the bride says, “I took the old English rhyme ‘something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue and a sixpence in your shoe’ a bit more literally than most modern brides. I found a company, Coins Unlimited, that sells Canadian pennies from practically every year and I ordered one for 1989—my birth year—and one for 1991—his birth year—for us to exchange and wear in our left shoes. We will treasure them, and the good luck they provided, forever.”
Melissa and Eric shared their personal vows with each other during their first look, since they were having a traditional Catholic mass. “It was an incredible shock that we started our vows with the very same line,” recalls the happy newlywed. “Is there any better way to confirm you’re fated to be together than by having the identical vows?”
Another highlight, for the bride, was walking into the cathedral. “With the beautiful sun behind me, [it] made me feel like part of a fairy tale.” She was nervous, she admits, but adds, “As soon as I saw my husband to be, all fear faded away.”
The bridal couple’s first dance was to Close Your Eyes by Michael Buble, a song that “captured the essence” of their relationship. And there was another special moment on the dance floor. “My father-daughter dance to Don’t Look Back by Boston was the hit of the night. … “Our upbeat, memorable dance was the most incredible way to honour all of his hard work and dedication to me and to life.”
The Details
Venues: Notre Dame Cathedral Basilica and Château Laurier’s Laurier Room
Planner: Bride
Coordinator: Rustic Engagements
Officiant: Father Kevin Burgess, Notre Dame
Photographers: Rachael James Photography; Second shooter: Valerie Miles Photography
Videographer: Palm Tree Studios
Bride’s Gown: Bronte by Sophia Tolli
Bride’s Shoes: Evelyn by Bella Belle
Groom’s Attire: E.R. Fisher
Bridesmaids’ Attire: Azazie
Groomsmen’s Attire: E.R. Fisher
Flowers: Rustic Engagements
Hair: Showpony Hair
Makeup: Olivia Foulkes
Cake: Dulce Cake Design
Music: Deez Entertainment
Vinyl Dance Floor: Ottawa Dance Floors
Pennies: Coins Unlimited
