Photos Galore!

I think we have more photos documenting this wedding than anyone could possibly want to see. As a matter of fact some of these shots may have been better left unseen, but here goes... these are all the links I have so far for the photos taken over the wedding weekend and the week before. I think my sister definitely gets the credit for the most photos taken and the best documentation of the wedding week. Without her we may never have seen Mikey capsize a canoe (with a little help from Adam and Guy)!

I wanted to write a long post reflecting what the weekend meant to me and to Nick, to our relationship, to our families, how it has strengthened and transformed us and created a foundation to build our lives on. But in all honesty, I think the wedding speaks for itself. I know that the experience sits very deeply in my own heart and continues to resonate there. Thank you for being part of it.

Talya's Albums (including photos by Izak Rubin, Vicki Barkoff, Vincent Chevalier and Hershel Pesner, a small selection of Ewa Monika Zebrowski's photos and the "official" photos that Lori Perron took).

Zarya's Albums (an epic feat of documentation unparalleled! A notorious addict behind the lens, Z does not miss a moment)

Jim's Album (what is this guy a graphic designer or something? These photos are so beautifully framed and so, well, graphic in their conceptualisation - oh and Nick took the portraits of me, Jim and Jen - we need to get this man a camera)

Mia's Album (beautiful portraits and an amazing array of lovely shots of friends, obviously another very visual and artistic person - thank you for posting these, Mia)

What in the world do we get them?

Nick and I decided to set up some gift registries here in Montreal. You will be hearing from them soon as they will be sending lists via email. Don't be surprised if they arrive in French and with no photos, that's how we like to do things here in Quebec!





Here is where we are registered:

BLEU NUIT
A beautiful bedding store...
3913 St Denis
514 843 5702
or 1 800 303 7513
info@bleunuit.ca




LES TOUILLEURS
152 Laurier Ouest
A splendid kitchen store...
514 278 0008
cuisine@lestouilleurs.com



For our out of town guests it may be easiest to go into the shops when you arrive in Montreal rather than trying to do some serious guess work over the Internet. We leave it up to you!

Here are some other nifty options...

We have decided on a mini-moon (our new word for an abbreviated honeymoon which will, no doubt, be just as sweet!) at a Spa in the Eastern Townships near Montreal.

THE EASTMAN SPA
There are gift certificates available on the website...if you would like to contribute to our experience at the spa.


MOUNTAIN EQUIPMENT CO-OP
We have ambitions to do lots of canoe camping once Nick moves to Canada...

Greening the Wedding

It has been our intention all along to make this wedding as green as possible. Nick voted for email invitations, but I was too traditional and killed a bunch of trees in making the invites, my apologies. We are trying to find balance here. These are some of the ways we have chosen environmentally friendly options:

1. A friend of Nick's is making our wedding bands using ethical gold from Australia. For more on how the gold mining industry impact's the environment go to no dirty gold or read more about it here.

2. I have decided to go with small, local businesses to provide us with many of the services for the wedding, from the cupcakes to the photography to the dress being made. Everyone I am hiring is part of a new, young business that they are growing. They are all creative and local people and not only is this friendly to the environment, but I am proud to be supporting artists and craftspeople in their work.

3. The wedding meal is being prepared from all local and organic produce from the Laurentians, the region of Quebec where CAMMAC is located. For more information on changing our buying habits when it comes to food, go to the 100 Mile Diet.

4. At the moment we are looking into bringing in all the wine from local vineyards. Quebec has a very small wine industry and this is another way of supporting local industry.

5. We hope to organize a bus to transport a lot of guests up to CAMMAC and back. We would also like to do as much carpooling as possible, so if you are driving up and have room in your car, please let us know.

6. The site itself is an eco-building and we are having the wedding in a beautiful, natural setting.

Speaking of carbon emissions, one of my greatest concerns is that we are asking a lot of you to fly from very far away. There are ways to actually lessen the impact your flights have on the environment. Organizations have started putting together projects you can invest in to help reduce greenhouse gases. Their websites have a carbon calculator where you can work out how much co2 your flight incurred, they then translate that into dollars that get invested into projects to offset those emissions. It is called Carbon Offsetting

Here are some of the best organizations around for carbon offsets. We leave it up to your own discretion and beliefs:
Carbon Neutral
Climate Care
Climate Friendly (and this one is Australian!)
Climate Trust

In the end it is better to reduce one's emissions by not flying at all, or as little as possible. But we selfishly want you here, so this patch up job for the planet is the next best thing.

Day Trippers and Beyond

If you are coming from Australia and you want to see what the east coast of North America has to offer, there are lots of options nearby. Here are a few suggestions:

Quebec City
Only two hours away from Montreal, Quebec city is a charming, very European and very romantic town. Listed as a UNESCO world heritage travel destination, Quebec city is celebrating 400 years in 2008. Cobble stone streets, beautiful architecture and the only walled city in North America make this a charming place to spend some time. There are also some beautiful places nearby in the Charelvoix region. Chez Hubert looks like a lovely bed and breakfast in the old town.

The Gaspesie
If you have some time and don't mind doing some driving, I would recommend renting a car and taking a drive past Quebec city and all the way to the Gaspe. You can go to the Saguenay fjord, do some whale watching, camp in some national parks or stay in lovely inns along the way. To do it properly you would need about a week.

Eastern Townships
The eastern townships are a region southwest of Montreal on the boarder with the USA. If you decide to go to Vermont it might be nice to visit some of the picturesque towns along the way. The European settlers in this area were mostly Scottish and Irish, so it has a much more English country type feel than the rest of Quebec. It is known for towns such as Sutton, Knowlton and Dunham.

Laurentians
This is the region where the wedding is located. Known for its downhill skiing in winter, it is a really beautiful area full of mountains and lakes. There is plenty of really nice camping in the region as well as charming towns such as Val David.

New York City
I don't think this town needs much explanation. All you need to know is that it is a seven hour drive away. Alternately you can take a rather beautiful but wearying train journey from Montreal's Gare Centrale that is about 10 hours or there is always the stinky old bus! Air Canada sometimes has specials on flights.

Vermont
Burlington is a really charming Vermont University town about a two hour drive south of Montreal. There are many lovely places to visit in Vermont - from rolling hills, to antique shops, to country inns. The link I have put under Vermont also has lots of info on all of New England: New Hampshire, Maine, Rhode Island, Massachusetts and Connecticut. My father and stepmother love this Vermont inn: Blueberry Hill. Another beautiful place to visit, is Shelburne Farms, a national historic landmark and educational centre on Lake Champlain only a day trip away from Montreal.

Where to Rest Your Weary Head

So, I have been getting some questions about where to stay in this town and that has got me onto making this list for you. Being from Montreal, I have no first hand experience staying here as a guest, so I put on my thinking cap and did some searching and questioning of relatives who have done the hotel circuit.

Here are some links to hotels by neighbourhood and price range! Remember, we will be up in the country from August 31 until September 3, so you are encouraged to join us at CAMMAC for those dates.

Budget
Auberge Alternative Great location in Old Montreal, this seems like a really well run hostel with charm and a whole philosophy behind the way it is run. 4 Private rooms are available at $55 a night. Apparently this place was founded by a Quebecois and an Australian!
La Maison du Patriote Located in the heart of Old Montreal, this hostel is a 200 year old converted house with many private rooms. Looks charming enough.
Le Sous Bois Located in Old Montreal, this hostel was apparently voted one of the 10 best in the world in 2006, so if you are keen on sharing a room with 20 people, or get in early for a twin share, this may be the place for you.


B&B
Auberge Les Passants du Sans Soucy Gorgeous 18th century warehouse transformed into a three storey inn. Located in Old Montreal near Notre Dame cathedral. Gets great reviews from all the guide books and looks rather sumptuous.
Casa Bianca Fabulous location facing the mountain and on a quiet street in the Plateau. Very new, upscale B&B. Newly renovated urban chateau, rooms are not exactly cheap, but the clawfoot tubs and chic decor and organic breakfasts may be why.
Oasis Bed and Breakfast My friend's mother runs this charming B&B near the downtown core on a quiet street. The place is a beautiful Tudor style house built in 1928 and the owner is Swedish although she lived in Africa and the house has both these influences going. Delicious breakfasts and interesting conversations are included. She has a cat.
Pierre et Dominique B&B Great location, looks very charming and was recommended by Lonely Planet. Rooms range from $60 -$110 and an organic breakfast is included.


Mid Range
Auberge Bonaparte Some reasonably priced rooms are available in this charming, historic hotel in Old Montreal. Breakfast is included in the room price. Recommended by Lonely Planet.
Auberge de La Fontaine A charming little hotel in a lovely house right around the corner from where I live. Near bakeries, restaurants and Parc Lafontaine. Looks like a quaint place to stay.
Hotel L'Appartement This hotel located in downtown Montreal has reasonably priced studios and suites with kitchen.
Le 9 1/2 A friend of mine from Melbourne found this little place, it looks very Montreal to me. In the heart of a great area of town as well as being very inexpensive. The website is all in French. They have three private rooms with shared bath for about $65 and then two family rooms with 4 beds in each room in a two floor apartment. Could be a great place if you are sharing with others.
Le Nouvel Hotel This hotel was recommended to me by my Aunt and Uncle who live in Vancouver and often stay in hotels in Montreal. It is very reasonably priced: $119 for a room with two Queen beds, $99 for a room with a King bed. The location is right in the centre of downtown, not a very picturesque part of Montreal, but central and close to metros and buses.
New Residence Hall Both a McGill University residence and a hotel, this accommodation is located near downtown and the Plateau with plenty of public transportation nearby. Has been recommended as a reasonable and decent place to stay by guests I know who have stayed there.

Upscale
Hotel Omni A five star luxury hotel located right near McGill campus in the heart of the downtown core, I have heard nothing but good things about this place. Apparently you can sometimes find a deal.
Hotel Sofitel This hotel has been recommended by several out of town guests as a very well run and solid establishment with excellent rooms.
The Hotel St James Class, class and more class. A gorgeous, traditional, elegant hotel. Faaaancy! Great location in Old Montreal.
The W Hotel This is a seriously fancy contemporary concept hotel not for the faint hearted. They are going all out here in this converted historic bank building in Old Montreal. A spa, a fitness centre, a very classy bar, bring your pet if you like, anything goes!


Boutique
Hotel Godin Very good, central location. New boutique hotel with a range of room prices and classy decor. Recommended by Lonely Planet.
Hotel St Paul Ultra modern, ultra cool, ultra slick...ouch! This place is all about design, design, design in Old Montreal.
Hostellerie Pierre du Calvet Romantic, charming, tucked away in Old Montreal, what a gorgeous spot it you really want to splurge.

Montreal by Day

Arrival
If traveling by air, you will arrive at Trudeau International Airport. Taxis from the airport to anywhere in the centre of the city will cost a flat rate of $31.00 for a journey of about 25 minutes. Airport shuttle buses cost $13.00 ($22.75 return), leave every 20 minutes and take 45 minutes to the bus terminus next to the Berri-UQAM metro. Long-distance buses arrive at the same terminus. Trains arrive at the Gare Central, on Rue de la Gauchetière, near Bonaventure metro station.

Getting Around
Montreal has a relatively good public transport system consisting of buses and metros. The transit website, STM, has a nifty function on there called "Tous Azimuts", a trip planner that allows you to find out how to get from anywhere to anywhere in Montreal.

Tickets ($2.50) are good for both and can be bought in some stores, pharmacies (Jean-Coutu and Pharmaprix), and all metro stations. You can also pay cash on buses, but drivers cannot give change. One-day ($8), three-day ($16) and strips of six tickets ($11.25) are also available. One ticket will take you anywhere. Transfer tickets (cream coloured) are valid in any direction for 90 minutes, between metro and bus, and between buses, if you collect them when you pay your fare (from bus drivers, or the dispensing machine just inside the station turnstiles).

What is Going on in Montreal in August

Festivals
The Montreal World Film Festival is on from August 23rd to September 3rd. This is our largest, most international film festival, but not necessarily the most interesting one this city puts on.

St Laurent Street Festival
Unfortunately, the massive party and street festival that happens every year in the end of August, closing this major thoroughfare to traffic, is canceled this year as they are ripping up the street. Just think, you will get to look at the sewage system under our city instead!

International Flora Montreal
Apparently this garden and flower show by the Old Port in Old Montreal is quite a sight to behold. I have never been there, but plan to go this year as a friend who is a landscape architect has a design in the show. All proceeds go to creating therapeutic gardens at a children's hospital.

Markets
There is an 18th Century Public Market in the Old Port August 25 and 26. They recreate the first Montreal public markets with farmers, craftspeople and entertainers.

Museums
Musee d'art Contemporain
Museum housing a collection of Quebec contemporary art as well as temporary exhibits in all things cutting edge in the visual arts scene. Right now they are showing a Bruce Nauman exhibit, bit of a renegade who worked in neon. Pretty interesting actually. As well, my stepmother has a piece in the "With Writing" exhibit. So look out for a piece by Ewa Monika Zebrowski.

Pointe a Calliere
This is one of my favorite museums in Montreal, it is a museum of archeology and history. There is a fascinating archaeological dig in the basement, illustrating the history of the city and on the top floor there is a restaurant with beautiful views and a lookout deck. The exhibits tend to be really well done. In August you can see the exhibit: First Nations French Royal Collections. It is a collection of Amerindian art and artifacts kept by the French Royalty from the 18th and 19th century.

Montreal Science Centre
After touring most of the globe, Body Worlds 2: The Anatomical Exhibition of Real Human Bodies is coming to Montreal. Created by German doctor and anatomist, this educational exhibition displays more than 20 whole-body plastinates and 200 authentic human specimens. Some say this is creepy, others fascinating and emotional. I'm certainly curious.

Walking around town...

Walk number 1
Shops and a Park
If you start at St Laurent corner of Duluth...walk down Duluth heading away from the mountain. At the end of Duluth you will get to Parc Lafontaine and can then explore the Park from there.
Duluth - is a really nice street with paving stones, charming shops, a leisurely stroll...
Parc Lafontaine - large, leafy park with a fountain and water at its centre.

Walk number 2
The Royal Mountain
If you start at St Laurent and Rachel you head west towards our beloved "mountain" - okay, it is more of a big hill. The French Explorer, Jacques Cartier, apparently planted a cross at the top of this large mound in 1642 when he staked his claim on this city proclaiming it "Mont Royal" or "Royal Mountain" or Montreal! Many beautiful walks, bike rides, runs to be had in this oasis in the city. Frederick Law Olmsted, the renowned landscape architect who is responsible for such masterpieces as Central Park in New York, landscaped our little mountain as well. Enjoy!

Walk number 3
Our Old City
Take the metro to Place D'armes and walk up the hill heading for Notre Dame Cathedral. This is a miniature of the one in Paris, well, considerably shrunken, not exactly miniature! Old Montreal is where the European settlers first, well, settled. Beautiful cobble stoned streets (mostly paved over now) and lots of great architecture, make for so many nice walks I am going to leave it up to you. Walk along the water front, go to the Bonsecours market, explore St Paul street. Yes, some of it is pretty touristy, but still worthwhile and if you are reading this I will bet anything you are a tourist!

Shopping
These are the streets to go to if you want to go shopping!
St Laurent - used to be the old schmatta district, this street is selling different rags these days, hip ones. Still a bit of a grungy street and since they are ripping it up right now you will really be seeing its underbelly.

St Denis - Very French, dignified, upper scale shops line this boulevard as well as loads of restaurants, cafes and bars.

Mont Royal - Was a kind of bargain district, now has become rather trendy and cool.

Laurier - Tres chic and pretty expensive. Laurier has a very French feel to it, a bit like St Denis on a smaller scale.

St Viateur - A lot of really unusual shops have opened up on or around this street...either on it, on St Laurent right by it, or on Bernard, the street up from it. Kind of a design area a bit like Melbourne's Gertrude street.

Underground City - Okay, I had to mention it. I don't know whether this is a walk, or a shopping district or just a weird phenomena of Montreal. There are about 30km of shops, offices, metros, even a church, all connected underground. This came about because it is so cold in this city in winter that no one wants to go outside. If you start at the McGill Metro you can begin your explorations through the shops and then onto the business districts and beyond.

Welcome to the Wedding

When Nick and I discussed where we would most like to get married, we decided that two of the main things we were looking for in a location were: 1) a beautiful setting in nature and 2) a place where people could stay together and have a whole experience for the weekend. When a music camp that my sister had attended for years in the summers came up, I drove with my mum and then a second time with my dad to visit it and decided it was a truly wonderful spot for a wedding. CAMMAC is on a lake and surrounded by woods. They recently built an eco-lodge that has won awards for green architecture and has many lovely, simple rooms and a large space for dancing and music and the wedding feast! The ceremony is going to take place in the boathouse which is a beautiful wooden structure with a wrap around porch and views on three sides of the lake. One of the things that concerned me most with Nick being on the other side of the world while we were picking a wedding location was that it would be a place Nick felt good in. It just so happens my mother, Nick and I all drove up to CAMMAC in the summer of 2004 when my sister was giving a recital in one of her voice classes. I distinctly remember Nick chanting "Nerds, nerds, nerds" at all the musicians, having a fabulous swim in the lake and playing frisbee with one of the campers. Definitely a highly successful location for us both! I find it to be a really peaceful and beautiful setting and one in which we can just kick back and relax by a bonfire, go for long walks, swim in the lake and generally have some time together away from the bustle of a city.

Schedule for the Weekend

Friday, August 31st
We are planning to stay at CAMMAC for the night and arrange things for Saturday's celebrations. Any guests who would like to join us that night are most welcome. There will be a bonfire that evening, weather permitting.
Saturday, September 1st
5pm Hors d'oeurves and a glass of Champagne on the verandah of the Lake House
6:15pm Ceremony begins in the Boat House
7:30pm Dinner in the Main Hall of the Lodge
Reception to follow with dancing and wonderful music by Kate and Edith

Sunday, September 2nd
11:00am Brunch in the dining hall
Afternoon of Frisbee, swimming and canoing on the lake and walking in the woods...as you wish! Guests are welcomed to stay over on Sunday night as well. We will be leaving CAMMAC on Monday after breakfast.

Booking a Room
You will need to book your accommodation for CAMMAC in advance. Please call Johanne Guerin 1-819-687-3938 ext 224 or 1-888-622-8755 ext 224 (toll free number in Canada and USA only) or email j.guerin@cammac.ca The rooms are $55 per person (bedding is provided) and you can book by credit card.

Meals and Charges
Aside from the wedding meal on Saturday night and the brunch on Sunday, meals are charged as follows: $8 for breakfast, $10 for lunch and $12 for dinner. So, if you are staying Friday night you will be charged $85 (which includes Friday dinner, Saturday breakfast and lunch). If you are staying Saturday and coming up after lunch you will be charged $55 as dinner and brunch the next day are on us. If you are staying Sunday night you will be charged $75 (which includes Sunday dinner and Monday breakfast).

Camping
As well, there is the option of camping for $25 per tent. If you are camping you are welcome to prepare your own food or join us in the dining hall for meals at the cost mentioned above, please let Johanne know when booking if you are planning to prepare your own food or eat in the dining hall.

Other Accommodation
If you would prefer to stay in posher, more refined accommodation and not commune with all of us for the weekend, here are two suggestions nearby:
Lake Carling - a luxury 4 star resort and golf course
http://www.laccarling.com/en/index.html
Domaine de L'Etang - a bed and breakfast in the area
http://www.domainedeletang.com/

Weather
The average temperature in September in Montreal is 20c. Anything can happen though and CAMMAC is in the mountains on a large lake, so the temperatures will no doubt be lower there than in Montreal. It can rain as well, so please come prepared with warm, layered, waterproof clothes and shoes as well as hot weather gear. The lake will have warmed up by September, so bring your bathing suit and jump in!

Activities at CAMMAC
Aside from swimming in the gorgeous lake, the camp has canoes, kayaks and rowboats we can use. As well, they have equipment for playing soccer and volleyball. There are tennis courts on the premises and nature trails through the woods. If the weather does not cooperate, I will be giving a class on mime skills and Nick will be leading interpretive dance lessons in the boat house.

Public Holiday
September 1st is Labour Day weekend in Canada, a national holiday. It will be busy in town and on the roads and many services will close on Monday the 3rd.

Directions
The wedding shuttle will leave from Montreal on Friday, August 31 at 2pm from 1166 De la Gauchetiere, (Metro Bonaventure) and will return on Monday, September 3 at 12:30pm (leaving CAMMAC at 11am).

For those of you with cars, here are the driving instructions. If you have space in your car and don't mind an Australian or two traveling with you (!) please let us know so we can arrange some carpooling.

• From Montreal, take the Laurentian Autoroute, RTE 15 NORTH, to EXIT 60 - RTE-364 WEST toward Saint Sauveur/Morin Heights
• Turn left onto ROUTE 364 West (exit curves to the right, Chemin Jean Adam) for about 36 km until you come to the intersection of RTE 327.
  
• Turn Left onto RTE 327 SOUTH towards Harrington/Lachute
• Pass the town of Lakeview. Start looking for the turn-off to CAMMAC on your right (Chemin Cammac - dirt road). This road leads directly to CAMMAC. You cross 3 small bridges before you see a blue sign for CAMMAC - it is quite a sudden turn on your right just after the third bridge-like structure.
  
• When you drive down the dirt road to CAMMAC there is one point where the road veers off to the left, stay right! You will soon reach the parking lot for the camp and see the tennis courts.
  
• If you reach the town of Lost River you have driven 4km too far, turn around and go back!
  

Here is a link to Google Map where you can enter any address for detailed directions to CAMMAC.

Car Rentals:
Thrifty
Enterprise