Sarah Ayache & Jeffrey El Boustani
From Lock Down to Lifetime
Married
Jul 1, 2023
Montreal ,
Canada
Photo Credit
Anthony Ferla
Style Guide
Color Palette
Style
Destination, Formal, Glamour, Luxury, Vintage
Season
Summer
The Proposal
Sarah and Jeffrey crossed paths in Dubai after moving from Nashville and Montreal for work. The couple’s union was beautifully stated by Jeffrey in his vows, “They were made for each other and God was just looking for a way to bring them together.” Their first date was virtual since they met during the lockdown. Once the lockdown lifted, Jeff invited Sarah to a seaside lunch on the Arabian Gulf in Dubai. After the date, Sarah went to her friend’s house to share the details, confiding in her friend “If this guy is everything he says he is, he’s the one.”
Two years later, during a trip to Italy for a friend’s wedding, Jeffrey proposed in Positano on the private terrace at Villa Boheme overlooking the Amalfi Coast. Villa Boheme is an exclusive residence owned by the family of an Italian movie star with only three suites available. Jeff secretly arranged with the villa manager a private lunch for two on the terrace with Sarah’s favorite flowers brought in – peonies roses, and hydrangeas.
In Preparation
The pair decided they wanted an elegant, European-inspired romantic wedding, with nods to Lebanese culture and Southern traditions. Following this notion, Montreal was an idyllic destination with its French-inspired architecture and culture. Sarah had always dreamed of a Southern wedding, and it was important to ensure her Southern traditions were honored, which is why the couple hired Nashville-based wedding planners Vision in White to ensure those traditions were incorporated. Hospitality is pertinent to Southern and Lebanese traditions, keeping guest experience as the central focus of the planning process. Even though the event was formal, the couple wanted everyone to feel welcome and at home.
The color palette was infused with sea glass, slate blue, and gold accents along with classic neutral tones. Design elements focused on elegant drapes, candles, and lantern accents, enhancing the focal points with the chandeliers, waterfall, cascading flowers of amnesia lavender roses, and eucalyptus adding depth with curated table linen and napkin combinations.
The day before, guests were invited from nearly every continent, so the couple threw a welcome party at Terrasse Carla, a rooftop bar overlooking Montreal’s vibrant Saint-Laurent Boulevard. With a private open bar and hospitality space, it was the perfect way to kick off a destination wedding weekend for the local and out-of-town guests.
The Big Day
Sarah wore an Eva Lendel gown, from Ila Bridal in Nashville, paired with a custom cathedral veil and blusher created by HOM Bridal in Dubai – Sarah hand-picked the bridal lace for the veil and cut and placed it in the final design with her mother before the hand stitching was done. Honoring the old, new, borrowed, and blue tradition, Sarah wore her Sorority pin inside her gown (old), her gown (new) her mother’s diamond on a necklace (borrowed), and her grandmother’s vintage blue topaz ring (blue). Jeffrey wore a bespoke dark blue tux created by an Italian atelier Hidden Suite in Dubai, with their initials and wedding date inscribed inside.
The ceremony was in Montreal’s Old Port at the historic Chapelle Notre Dame du Sacre Coeur. Sarah arrived in a vintage Rolls Royce. Following the ceremony Jeff’s groomsmen played an inside joke and surprised everyone, arranging a Mariachi band to meet outside the church. The entire Old Montreal quartier joined in the party.
The cocktail and reception were at the iconic Maison Principale, a vintage cathedral turned wedding venue with 42ft high ceilings and 15 French-style chandeliers. The Southern nods came through with hors d’oeuvres including mini chicken and waffles, Southern mac n’ cheese, hot chicken bites, and Southern sweet tea.
The couple entered alongside the traditional Lebanese Zaffe. Iconic floral artist Charlotte LaFebvre incorporated lush florals and designed centerpieces at different heights with overhead arches to give the room dimension, along with a curated mix of linen colors set across round and long tables. The textures and tones came together to create an aesthetic that was nothing short of enchanting.
After a surprise, Montreal Canadian’s hockey-themed groom’s cake, cold sparks, a midnight table with Nashville hot chicken (inspired by Hattie B’s), poutine, J-SAX, and celeb DJ Yo-C closed out the epic evening at 3 am.
The Retreat
