A Dreamy Elopement at Musée de l'Amérique francophone, Quebec City

Desley and Mathieu eloped in Quebec City, and the day was built around two buildings that were doing most of the talking before anyone arrived.

A ceremony at Notre-Dame-des-Victoires

The ceremony took place at Notre-Dame-des-Victoires, the small stone church on Place Royale in the lower town. It dates from 1687 and is one of the oldest churches in North America. For an elopement it is close to perfect: intimate enough that a short guest list fills it rather than rattles around in it, and old enough that no decoration is required.

A reception inside the Musée de l'Amérique francophone

The reception moved to the Musée de l'Amérique francophone, part of the Séminaire de Québec complex in the upper town. The room still carries its chapel architecture — tall arched windows, gallery level, worked plaster — and that gave the evening a scale most elopement venues cannot.

Planning came from KA Mariage, whose attention to detail is what turned a museum room into somewhere you would want to eat dinner. Florals were by Yves Chenier, catering by Olive Orange, rentals by ABP, sound by Contak AV and invitations by Minted.

Why Quebec City suits an elopement

The practical case is that everything is close together. A ceremony in the lower town and a reception in the upper town are a short walk or a funicular ride apart, with four centuries of architecture in between for portraits. You are not spending an hour of your own wedding in a car.

The wedding was featured on Carats & Cake.

If you are considering eloping in Quebec City, I would be glad to talk through how a day like this can be put together.