Some love stories begin with an unexpected encounter, but for Lara and Alex it all started with a serendipitous swipe on a dating app. From late-night movie marathons to a proposal atop Mont-Royal in Montreal, Quebec, their journey to the altar was anything but ordinary.
From the moment Lara stepped into her gown, she knew it was the one—the breathtaking Martina Liana Style 1531 made her feel like “walking art.”
The couple’s wedding was a blend of personal touches, meaningful traditions and heartfelt surprises. From a waterfront setting to a dance floor moment no one saw coming, the wedding was filled with love, joy and a few unexpected twists.
Keep reading for all the details of Lara and Alex’s unforgettable celebration.
LARA, TELL US ABOUT YOUR PARTNER. HOW DID YOU MEET?
Alex and I met back in university on the dating app Tinder. Since it was the end of the school year, I went back to Toronto while he stayed in London, Ontario. Both of us kept in touch, except for the month I ghosted him because I was seeing someone else.
After that relationship didn’t pan out, Alex and I reconnected and talked every night, we even watched movies online before falling asleep. When we officially met in person, I didn’t think it would go anywhere despite the great time we had over hummus and Hitchcock films. As they say, the rest is history.
Alex proposed to me at the top of Mont-Royal in Montreal, Quebec, after almost six years together. The important thing to note is that Alex is terrified of heights. While I was hoping for a proposal, I didn’t want to get my hopes up. When he got down on one knee as I was admiring the view from the top, I didn’t even let him finish his speech before I squealed, “Yes!”.
While we didn’t feel the need to follow every tradition, Alex was quite adamant about not seeing the dress until our wedding day. At our first look overlooking the water, Alex turned around and started tearing up. He actually enjoys fashion, so he inspected the dress, Martina Liana Style 1531, and absolutely loved it. He thought I looked stunning and that all the details came together. I couldn’t have imagined a better reaction.
DESCRIBE YOUR BRIDAL STYLE. TELL US ABOUT YOUR DRESS SHOPPING EXPERIENCE.
Before I was even engaged, I’d been watching shows like “Four Weddings and a Funeral” and “Say Yes to the Dress” for years. I felt like I was confident in my bridal style, even though I remained open-minded throughout the shopping process. I knew I wanted an A-line silhouette, but most importantly, an interesting feature that made the dress different. I said to my Bridal Stylist that I wanted to feel like “walking art”.
Once I stepped into my gown, Martina Liana Style 1531, it felt like every other dress I tried on paled in comparison. On my wedding day, I felt powerful and luxurious. I received many compliments on it because the structured tulle with an added layer of sparkle made such a difference. Even though it’s been some time since the wedding, I still think about how beautiful the dress was. If I had to do it all over again, I’d still pick the same gown.
IN YOUR OWN WORDS, TELL US MORE ABOUT YOUR WEDDING.
From the moment we started wedding planning, we wanted to make every detail reflective of our personalities. Alex designed our wedding website, chose our wedding colors and created our wedding logo. He wanted a waterfront venue, and I wanted delicious food, so we found a perfect venue that hit all our non-negotiables and more.
Alex had his sister as his best woman, and I had my best friend as my man of honor. We kept our wedding party small, and we knew we made the right decision because they got along so well. During the ceremony, all our parents walked us down the aisle, and we gave every single member of our wedding party their moment.
We also incorporated traditions from my Filipino culture during the ceremony, with our wedding party doing a “candle, veil and cord ritual” to represent the core values in a marriage. Alex said part of his wedding vows in my language, which was one of my favorite moments. While I knew this was a possibility, I didn’t realize how long this part would be. The fact that he sought my parents’ help with translation and pronunciation brought me to tears.
I would be remiss if I didn’t mention my parents’ surprise. I introduced them to the dance floor to surprise them with the first dance they never had, and they surprised me with their own choreographed dance that they’d been learning with a dance instructor for a year. My dad hates public speaking and dancing, and he did both just to make me happy. The wedding was full of love!
Cheers to Lara and Alex!
Photography: Justin Joo
Videography: Dimitri and Francis from Dimi Studios
Planning: Lovers Rock Wedding Co
Lara’s first outfit: Superior Bridal, Martina Liana, Loeffler Randall
Lara’s second outfit: Custom Joseph Aloysius Montelibano
Hair & Makeup: Victoria Rendon Beauty
Alex’s outfit: Indochino, Tissot, Dr. Martens
Venue: Spencer’s at the Waterfront, Pearle Weddings https://spencers.ca/
Hotel: The Pearle
Officiant: Daniel Johnson
Cake: Kwento
Cookie Favours: The Night Baker
DJ: EJ Entertainment
Florals: Callia
Floral Arch: Plantita
Candles: Yummi Candles
Wedding Bands: Mejuri
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