[section title=”The Planning”]
[field title=”Wedding Colors”]
Natalie: I worked closely with our florist to create an autumnal palette that complemented the château’s unique façade. We went with dark shades of green, sage, pink, cream, and the most breathtaking hydrangeas I’ve ever seen to bring in a deep red for October.
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[field title=”Design / Vibe / Vision”]
Natalie: We knew we wanted a venue close to Paris since so many of our guests would be traveling internationally to be with us. The size of our group was a factor, too, since many châteaus, however beautiful, simply don’t have the space for large parties. Château Bouffémont was perfect for us and has an international team that could accommodate us for the weekend and assist us in planning our bilingual event. The grounds of the property are also stunning, and, although this may sound silly, they have an old growth cedar tree on the west side of the château that is beautiful. I love that tree! Nicolas: We wanted the weekend to highlight what we value most in our lives: the relationships we have with friends and family. It was a big reason why we asked Natalie’s brother-in-law, Levi, and my best friend, Léa, to be our wedding celebrants. It was the perfect way to bring both languages into our ceremony. Levi’s opening line was: “Today, we have the privilege of gathering together to celebrate not only the joining of two people but also the blending of two families and two cultures. We are here to bear witness to the love story that Natalie and Nicolas have written together.”
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[field title=”Proposal Story”]
Natalie: Nicolas and I met in September of 2017. I had been living in Paris for two years, and he, of course, had grown up there. We had a drink at Le Hibou Café, a very trendy kind of “m’as-tu vu” place in the city, and then strolled through the narrow streets of the Latin Quarter. After a while, we stopped to sit and admire the Notre Dame Cathedral, city lights sparkling on the Seine, lost in conversation. It was just after midnight when he walked me to the bus stop and said goodnight. I never told anyone this part, actually, but I remember walking straight to the back of the bus and my heart skipping a beat as I looked out the window and saw him standing there, watching the bus drive away. Our next date was just a few days later, and over the next several weeks, we saw each other all the time, going out for drinks, to live music performances, or on walks in the Jardin du Luxembourg. October in Paris is a beautiful time to fall in love, I have to say! We were able to introduce our families when my parents visited France in the spring of 2019. We now reside full-time in San Francisco, California. Nicolas organized what I believed to be a simple getaway to escape the winter blues in Paris, and we went on a weekend trip to the Champagne region, staying at our favorite spot, Le Château de Barive. This place feels like what I imagine staying at your chic grandmother’s country estate would be like if you had one of those! After two wonderful days walking in the woods, drinking bubbly, and enjoying the spa, we shared their last brunch before heading home. Anyone who knows me knows I live for hotel brunch, but Nicolas seemed to be in a hurry to get on the road. As we made our way back to Paris, light showers and moody skies accompanied us. At this point, Nicolas seemed more and more nervous and kept making Dad jokes about the weather. I knew something was up. After we arrived home, Nicolas suggested we stretch our legs and take a walk along the Seine. We grabbed our umbrellas and headed toward the river, making our way through the cobblestone side streets of the Odeon neighborhood where we had that first drink and, eventually, to the Pont des Arts. With a view of the Île de la Cité, the towers of Notre Dame, and the Louvre, it was a perfect spot to stop and take in the city. It was also the perfect time to remember our first kiss, in this exact spot, two years before! With this memory in mind, Nicolas got down on one knee and proposed. I said YES! It was impossibly romantic. I can still hardly believe we lived it. Nicolas had more surprises to come. We enjoyed a goûter at Bontemps, my favorite place for pâtisseries, followed by pizza and, you guessed it, more champagne! After all the excitement, we were looking forward to sharing the news with our family and friends. Nicolas had one more surprise: a “staycation” at The Hoxton hotel, where we had celebrated previous milestones and birthdays. After many phone calls and happy tears, we enjoyed a quiet night and, of course, brunch at the hotel the next morning.
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[board_carousel title=”Getting Ready”]
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[board_carousel title=”Bridal Portraits”]
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[board_carousel title=”Flat Lays”]
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[section title=”The Fashion”]
[field title=”Wedding Gown”]
Natalie: I’m so glad to get to tell this story! We had the luxury of a long engagement given the socio-political context of 2019/2020. I had been searching for two years to find a brand I felt connected to before I found Cathy Telle, who works out of Kyiv, Ukraine. I loved the idea of supporting a female entrepreneur, and when I reached out to her, she agreed to get started right away, creating an idea together of what I envisioned for my dress. It felt so special to have a custom piece made for the wedding, especially by someone so talented and kind. Cathy and her team really took care of me through the process of measuring, remeasuring, sampling different silks, and trying on drafts of the final piece. We recreated the neckline probably five times! She truly went above and beyond in every way. Now, so much has happened in Ukraine since we first started working together. It was quite an ordeal to get the dress physically out of Ukraine and into France when the time came to have it delivered. I am amazed at how she creates such beauty amidst such difficulty. I’m so proud of her.
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[field title=”Bridesmaid Dresses”][/field]
[field title=”Groomsman Attire”]
Nicolas: For my tux, I definitely didn’t search for two years, but I had been looking around and not finding anything that felt right. The summer before the wedding, Natalie and I went to visit my. My best friend in Istanbul and his fiancée, who is from there. They showed us the hospitality and treasures this unique city is famous for, and we had a great trip. The day before we were to leave, the girls decided to go shopping, and we were introduced to Vakko, a luxury brand that is well-known in Turkey. I ended up trying on a tuxedo there that I loved. The team there was fantastic, and they had it altered overnight and ready for me to pick up the next day before heading to the airport! It’s a great memory for the four of us.
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[board_carousel title=”Ceremony”]
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[board_carousel title=”Cocktail Hour”]
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[section title=”The Details”]
[field title=”Food & Drink”]
Nicolas: Natalie researched two dozen venues for our Friday night welcome dinner. In the end, we settled on an Italian restaurant called Daroco in the heart of Paris, where we had been to dinner many times with friends. It’s tucked into the famous Gallerie Vivienne, so having the place to ourselves and wandering the halls afterhours was fantastic. They make pizza in a wood-burning oven and have a top-rated cocktail. Bar in the back; what’s not to love?! For the wedding night, we knew we wanted something very traditional French. Our caterers, Grand Chemin, knew how to please! They set up a massive apéro for everyone to enjoy after the ceremony, which is common in France. We had several stations with chefs cutting charcuterie, opening oysters, or preparing seasonal appetizers live for our guests. One of the great things about an October wedding is that you can have a lot of classic autumn flavors like mushroom, truffle, and pumpkin, which we love. There was beer on tap, a selection of natural wines that Natalie picked out, and so much champagne. We tried 8 different champagnes before selecting two options. It was hard work, but someone had to do it! We went with one classic, Louis Roederer 244, as well as a great champagne from a smaller producer in France, Fravaux le Varlan Blanc de Noirs by Michel Gonet. The dinner itself lasted almost 3 hours, which can be surprising for Americans! We started with foie-gras and a raspberry reduction and had filet de bœuf for the main dish. Of course, there was a selection of 7 French cheeses and salad to finish! C’est la France!
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[field title=”Florals & Decor”]
For the ceremony, we kept things soft and organic. We stood in front of the château, surrounded by overflowing floral arrangements in shades of blush, cream, soft peach, and deep rust, with lots of greenery to create that natural, almost wild garden feel. It felt intimate yet grand, exactly what we had dreamed of. Our reception was just as magical. The tables were adorned with lush floral centerpieces filled with garden roses, delicate anemones, and soft, wispy blooms. We had glowing candlelight everywhere—tall, tapered candles and little votive holders that made the whole room feel warm and inviting. I loved the mix of elegant gold and silver accents with the classic, vintage-inspired china. It all came together so perfectly, and walking into that space for the first time truly took my breath away.
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[field title=”Wedding Cake”]
Nicolas: We didn’t have cake! It’s tradition in France to have a dessert called a “pièce montée”, so that’s what Natalie and I shared when we “cut the cake”. It’s basically a tower of many choux pastries with vanilla filling. We also had a spread of other French desserts like chocolate mousse, fraises, Paris Brest, and Mille Feuille.
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[field title=”Readings, Ceremony Music, Reception Songs”]
Nicolas: Natalie’s father offered a beautiful prayer during the ceremony for us and our marriage. One of our closest friends from Paris is an opera singer, and she sang an acoustic version of our song “I Love You Baby” by Frankie Vallie and the Four Seasons as a wedding gift for us. It was very special. Natalie: Our first dance was to another of our favorite songs we whistle or hum all the time, “Dream A Little Dream of Me” by Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong. My dad has been a music director for over forty years, so I grew up around jazz and classical music. I’ve always loved this romantic classic.
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[field title=”Special Detail #1″]
Natalie: This part is more difficult to talk about. We lost Nicolas’ mother to her battle with cancer in April of 2020, just two months after we got engaged. On the day of the wedding, it had been raining on and on throughout the afternoon while we prepared for the wedding. It even rained while I was walking down the aisle! Thankfully, the rain turned to a light sprinkle and stopped for the rest of the ceremony. After saying our vows, we were listening to our friend perform “I Love You Baby” and looked up to see a bright rainbow appearing over our family and loved ones. It was a beautiful moment that has lived in our hearts ever since.
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[field title=”Special Detail #2″]
Natalie: For our first look, it was really important to me that it be more of a reveal for both of us and not just the bride being shown to the groom traditional way. I wanted a moment to appreciate Nicolas’s efforts and how handsome he would be, too! We orchestrated a “double reveal” thanks to our photographers. With my eyes covered, Greg led me into where Nicolas was waiting, his back turned to me. We counted to three and turned around at the same time, and, I have to say, that first-look feeling did not disappoint! Thanks to our wonderful videographer, 3PetitsPoints, we have the whole thing on video as well. We’re so thankful.
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[field title=”Special Detail #3″]
Another special element of our ceremony that we were set on incorporating was a small moment of silence. We wanted to settle into the reality of the moment and the gravity of this day with intentionality and gratitude. I grew up in the 1990s, so our celebrants took a reference about gratitude from Mr. Rogers (a pillar of 90s culture!) in a speech he gave in 1997. “As we begin the ceremony, let us reflect on the relationships and the love that we have in our own lives. All of us have special ones who have loved us into being. Would you just take a few moments to think to yourself of the people who have helped you become who you are — those who have cared about you and wanted what was best for you in life? Just a few moments of silence. […] All of us have gathered here today as those people for Natalie and Nicolas, their chosen family and friends. Love has no boundaries; it is the universal language that unites us.” It felt so good to remember and hold space for all those who meant something to us in our lives, whether they were present for our wedding day or not.
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[board_carousel title=”Couple Portraits”]
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[board_carousel title=”Reception”]
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Photography: Maïlys Fortune Photography | Cinematography: 3petitspointsmedia | Floral Design: BayaFlor & Design | Wedding Dress: Cathy Telle | Stationery: Empress Stationery | Catering: Grand chemin | Makeup artist: Anna Vereta | Wedding Venue: Chateau Bouffémont
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