We got married in Paris!

"This is the year we are having it all" we told ourselves in January 2020, including a gorgeous wedding on October 10th to be celebrated in tandem with our fortieth birthday (we’re born the same year, 7 days apart!). It was to happen in Quebec City, with a rehearsal dinner and a grandiose ceremony at the Museum of Contemporary Art… We were quite excited about it! But Life had other plans for us: Covid disrupted everything. We had to cancel and wait until it would be safe enough to plan another wedding. While isolating and working from home, we had plenty of time to self-reflect, and realized that we are at our best, happiest when we’re alone together, in our own world. While planning a trip to Paris for David's sabbatical we decided to get married there, just the two of us. A simple and intimate ceremony that would allow us to be fully in the moment with our favorite city as the backdrop and not impose traveling to a crowded event to anyone. We often describe our love as unique and so was that day.

May 17th, 2022 was a wonderful day: we got married! Paris was lovely under the glorious sun. We began the day with a photo shoot at the Louvre and the Jardin des Tuileries. It was mystical to experience those normally crowded places almost empty at sunrise. An amazing lunch at Alliance on the Left Bank followed. We exchanged our vows at 6pm, right next to la Seine under the Pont Neuf. It was magical: we were both very emotional. We laughed, we cried and then... We were married! People surrounding us cheered, clapping in happiness for us. It's interesting how we didn't notice them during our ceremony... It was as if time stopped. It was just us and our love for each other. We then celebrated on the most charming boat, navigating the Seine and Paris remarkable monuments, with a duet of violinists playing romantic songs for us, enjoying a feast cooked by our wonderful host Anne. Although we spent nearly four hours on the boat, time flew too fast. It was outstanding. Simple yet special. To us!

David had planned a surprise in beautiful Paris. He convinced Charles to walk the Pont Alexandre III over the Seine to see the sunset behind the Eiffel Tower. David gave Charles a card that ended with "Marions-nous. C'est naturel. Nos âmes le sont déjà." Then all of a sudden he was on one knee and shouted "Marry Me"! Charles smiled and said yes with tears in his eyes. They quickly walked to Cartier where champagne was waiting for them as they chose their engagement rings.

It all happened on a beautiful summer day in Montreal, Canada. Charles and David were both in college. David used to work as a sales associate at "Les Ailes de la Mode", the Quebec equivalent of Nordstrom. Chuck came in as a client, and David helped him. They couldn't stop talking, it was as if they'd have known each other for a lifetime. It was... magical. They had a date that very evening, and on Diana Krall's interpretation of "Let's Fall In Love", they kissed for the first time. On that day a million tiny little things happened and when added all up, it meant David and Charles were supposed to be together. 20 years later, their love is stronger than ever.