A Modern Scandinavian Inspired Bridal Editorial

A sultry lace gown, minimal floral decor, powder blue accents and a four-tier cake. This editorial was an exercise in how much you can take away from a wedding design before it stops working — and the answer turned out to be quite a lot.

Why Le Monastère des Augustines suits a restrained design

Le Monastère des Augustines in Quebec City was founded in the seventeenth century and still reads that way: white plaster, plain wood, deep window reveals and almost no ornament. For most wedding designs that is a difficult room, because there is nothing to hide behind. For a Scandinavian-inspired concept it is close to ideal.

Concept and planning came from Événements Bulles et Rose, and the guiding decision was to hold the palette to white, wood and a single powder blue. Once that was set, every other choice became easier: fewer flowers, cleaner linens, and a cake that could stand alone as the strongest object in the room.

The pieces that carried it

The gown came from Millanova through Château Nadia, with loungewear by By Catalfo and the cake by Ma Pâtisserie. Florals were by Prune Les Fleurs, tabletop and linens by La Vie Est Une Fête, stationery by Mimosa Design, and hand-dyed ribbons by Maison Note. Elizabeth Girard modelled, and the film was developed at The Find Lab.

What restraint actually requires

Minimal design is often mistaken for less work. It is usually more. When there are only four or five elements in a frame, every one of them has to be right, and there is no busy floral installation to absorb a mistake. The advantage is that the result ages well: a room like this photographed with a narrow palette will not look dated in five years.

The editorial was featured on Wedding Chicks.

If you are planning a wedding in Quebec City and want a design that leans quiet rather than maximal, I would love to talk about it.