Where Timeless Design Met French Château Romance

Set within the storied stone walls of CHÂTEAU FORGE DU ROY in Dordogne, Alexandra and Adam’s wedding unfolded like a design-led fairytale — intimate in spirit, timeless in style, and rich with personal meaning. Planned with thoughtful care by MARRY ME IN FRANCE and captured with quiet artistry by MICHAEL MANN PHOTOGRAPHY, the day balanced architectural elegance with natural, emotive beauty.

Their story began through a mutual friend visiting Los Angeles from Switzerland. Though Alexandra and Adam had known of each other for some time, they had never actually met — until that night. From the moment they were introduced, it felt as though they’d known each other forever. The connection was instant, and they’ve been inseparable ever since.

Adam proposed in Giverny, France — a place deeply meaningful to Alexandra, who has long admired Monet. The day unfolded in a series of near-misses and beautifully imperfect moments: sweltering heat, packed streets, tired feet, a ring hidden in an absurdly large box, and plans that kept shifting. After wandering Monet’s home and navigating the crowds, Adam’s carefully imagined proposal spot slipped out of reach.

As the sun began to dip and the village noise softened, they found themselves on a quiet street framed by a climbing rose. Alexandra asked for photos in front of the beautiful door — something she’d loved doing throughout Paris — and Adam set the phone up to “capture the vibe.” Instead, he captured the moment he asked her to marry him. It was unplanned, private, and deeply real — perfectly imperfect in every way.

From the beginning, Alexandra and Adam knew they wanted to marry in France, host their loved ones under one roof, and create a celebration that felt like a dinner party at home — elevated, warm, and immersive. As interior designers, the setting mattered deeply. After searching countless properties across Europe, they found CHÂTEAU FORGE DU ROY through Oliver’s Travels — a historic château whose character mirrored their own 1700s stone home in Upstate New York. The moment they saw it, they knew. Once a site where Napoleon forged cannonballs, the château carried history in its walls — a romantic, grounded backdrop that felt both grand and deeply personal.

The morning unfolded with two beautifully different energies. Adam paced with excited nerves, easing into the day with a few celebratory glasses of champagne. Alexandra prepared surrounded by her sisters, mother, grandmother, and closest friends — the room filled with laughter, gratitude, and quiet emotion. One of the most touching moments came when her father saw her for the first time, a tender exchange captured beautifully by MICHAEL MANN.

The celebration was black tie, with Adam wearing a tailored TOM FORD tuxedo and Alexandra in a sculptural gown by NETTA BENSHABU. The look was refined and modern, yet timeless — perfectly suited to the historic setting.

Florals by LES FLEURS DE LA TERRE were intentionally natural yet architectural — minimal, sculptural, and artfully restrained. Each bloom felt as though it had been cut directly from the garden and placed with purpose. The arrangements framed the ceremony altar and reception tables with a sense of quiet intention, enhancing the château’s architecture without overwhelming it.

The ceremony unfolded at the back steps of the château, with guests lining the pea gravel path on either side — an intimate, immersive setting that brought everyone close. A deeply personal touch came from Alexandra and Adam’s brother-in-law, Noah, who officiated the ceremony after receiving a handwritten request the Christmas before. As Alexandra walked down the aisle, Adam’s brother Zach played a song he had written for them — the music and the moment merging into something unforgettable.

Cocktail hour took place beneath a grand tree just beyond the ceremony site. Guests gathered around a striking dirty martini tower crowned with olives, raw oysters, and an abundant spread of canapés. The mood was celebratory yet relaxed — a beautiful transition into the evening.

A live trio, MARIE AND HER BAND, set the tone through cocktail hour and dinner, bringing warmth and elegance to the early evening. As night fell, the reception came alive beneath a wisteria-covered trellis woven with lights and lined with candlelight. The dance floor felt electric — disco-inspired, joyful, and entirely free of predictable wedding playlists. It was exactly the atmosphere Alexandra and Adam had imagined: elevated, immersive, and alive with movement.

After the wedding, Alexandra and Adam traveled with family through Dordogne, Aix-en-Provence, and the Riviera before continuing on to Toulouse, the Basque Country, and Paris. Their true honeymoon is still to come — a month or two in Japan, they hope — but in many ways, the journey has already begun.

This celebration at CHÂTEAU FORGE DU ROY is a beautiful example of how design, emotion, and intention can shape an experience that feels both ethereal and deeply personal. Through MICHAEL MANN PHOTOGRAPHY’S refined, documentary-meets-editorial lens, every moment was captured with sensitivity and quiet artistry — preserving the beauty of a day that felt less like an event, and more like a lived-in fairytale.