A destination wedding was always on the cards with the groom hailing from France, and the bride from the United States. A region rich in history with magnificent Châteaus aplenty, it made sense to marry in the Auverge area where Alex was from. the couple share with us, "From our first visit we were blown away and knew that it was the perfect venue for us. It was also a very unique way to show to our friends and family traveling from overseas the beautiful French countryside. We wanted a venue that had character, charm and beautiful views. CHÂTEAU DE MAULMONT checked all the boxes!" MARION PINEL captured their beautiful nature inspired celebration that had a soft and romantic pastel colour palette.
HOW DID YOU MEET? Alex works for a French winery and had just moved from Provence to Miami for work. I was living in my hometown outside of Atlanta, Georgia, helping with events for the same winery on the East Coast. We met in May 2018 in Nantucket, Massachusetts during a Food & Wine festival - both sent there for the same wine brand. Throughout that weekend, our paths crossed several times and our conversations flowed naturally like we'd known each other for years. Before leaving, we exchanged phone numbers not realising that this chance encounter would lead us to where we are today. For the first 5 months, we hopped on a plane to visit each other in Miami and Atlanta every few weeks. After racking up miles (and flight delays), I took the plunge, quit my job in Atlanta and moved down to Miami with Alex. The next few years were an adventure - moving to New York City, Los Angeles, and now, back to where it started in Miami.
TELL US ABOUT YOUR PROPOSAL: We got engaged on September 9th, 2022 in Sea Island, Georgia. We were moving from Los Angeles to Miami and decided to make a two week road trip out of it to see a few friends and cities along the way. Alex surprised me with a romantic weekend at The Lodge at Sea Island. We had planned to take a walk by the water to catch the sunset before dinner but it had been raining on and off all afternoon. Alex insisted so we set off under an umbrella. As soon as the rain let up, Alex got on one knee and asked me to marry him!
TELL US ABOUT FINDING YOUR WEDDING DRESS/ATTIRE: Alex wore a custom made Montella wool cotton silk three piece suit in olive green by Indochino. Along with a light champagne tie and white shirt and my grandfather's gold cufflinks. With cognac leather loafers with a gold horse bit from Mezlan. The theme was pastel and this attire perfectly matched with the venue and the flowers. I was never the kind to dream about my wedding or wedding dress, so I went into the process with no idea of what dress style I wanted. I was looking for a dress that went with our garden party theme and was unique while also comfortable. Based on many recommendations from friends, I took an appointment at The White Magnolia boutique in Buckhead, Georgia. My mom and sister came with me. After only trying on four other dresses, I found my dream dress - the Hazel gown from Ti Adora by ALLISON WEBB. It is a modern A-line gown with floral applique on the bodice and leafy applique extending to the chapel length circle train. On the rack, it was strapless and had a shimmer tulle underlay. I modified it to add straps matching the leaf applique from the skirt and replaced the glitter tulle with plain ivory tulle. Veil: My seamstress in Miami, Lully Arias Atelier, made a custom chapel/floor length veil with matching floral applique on the bottom to extend the pattern on my dress.
DID YOU HAVE ANY DIY ELEMENTS? Yes, we did our seating chart ourselves. We rented an antique gold mirror and placed it on an easel. Erin's sister, Megan, is a graphic designer and did all of our stationery, including the seating chart. We applied them with a gold seal.
DESCRIBE YOUR WEDDING FLOWERS: We wanted soft flowers in pastel pink, peach, yellow and beige with a lot of greenery incorporated to tie in the surrounding natural beauty. We also wanted dimension in the floral arrangements, with unique shapes, sizes and heights as well as different sized candles intertwined for a romantic and elegantly simple look. Our wedding florist, Mélanie from MENTHE SAUVAGE, was fabulous and amazing to work with. Head table: an arrangement of flowers, candlesticks in vases and tea light candles in the center that acted as a table runner Guest tables: low floral arrangements in center table with a trio of candleholders and tube vases, Sets of vials and flower picks in centerpiece Ceremony: A semi-circular ceremonial arch on the ground, with foliage and a touch of flowers (Repurposed after the ceremony - placed at the bottom of the seating chart & around the cake table). Floral arrangements at the entrance to the ceremony aisle (repurposed after the ceremony - placed at the door between the tent and grand salle dining room/dance floor)
FAVOURITE DETAIL OF THE DAY: In the weeks leading up to our wedding, the forecast was projecting LOTS of rain. We planned for our ceremony and cocktail to be outside. Our amazing wedding planner (Frederique Poguet from ICONIC WEDDING) had two backup plans and we were accepting whatever happened. However, the weather held out with only a few light showers when we were eating under the tent. The most magical thing was that we had not one, but two beautiful rainbows during the welcome party and wedding reception!
WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE OUT TO A COUPLE PLANNING THEIR WEDDING? Make all the decisions together, have fun with it, and give yourselves enough time so it mitigates the inevitable stressers. Follow what you both want and do not get influenced by trends, traditions or other people's opinions. This is your wedding day and has to reflect you as a new married couple.
Also, GET A WEDDING PLANNER. It was one of the best investments and most significant contributions to the wedding. We would have never been able to achieve our dream wedding without FREDERIQUE and her team.
MOST MEMORABLE MOMENT? The first look! It was such an emotional and unforgettable moment just for us. Having this intimate and private moment together before the whirlwind of the day was very special and something we will both cherish forever.
WHAT ASPECT OF THE WEDDING WAS THE MOST IMPORTANT TO YOU BOTH: For Erin and I, the most important aspects were likely the deep emotional connections and the love shared among our family and friends. Our wedding was a blend of French and American guests, and it was important that we incorporated details from both cultures. Because our families and friends live in different countries (and some don't speak the same language), it was very special to have our loved ones together to celebrate with us for the weekend. We decided to buyout the Chateau for two nights so we could enjoy our family and friends for the full weekend.
ANY OTHER DETAILS THAT HELP TELL THE STORY OF YOUR DAY? Frederique, our wedding planner from ICONIC Weddings, was a huge help in pulling off our wedding weekend. Planning a bi-lingual French-American wedding would not have been possible without Frederique's amazing work. Such as respecting the timing of our day, managing all the contractors, respecting the food allergies etc.. She accomplished wonderful work and she went beyond our expectations. From start to finish, they handled everything with such professionalism and care.
TELL US A LITTLE ABOUT YOUR HONEYMOON: After the wedding, we went on our honeymoon in Corfu, Greece. What a better place than being by sea, enjoying the beach and sunshine to start our new life as a married couple. It was truly a paradise where we could fully relax, enjoy each other and remember how fantastic our wedding weekend was.
IS THERE ANYTHING YOU WOULD CHANGE OR DO DIFFERENTLY? Nothing at all. Our experience was beyond what we could ever have imagined!!
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