Tell us a little about yourselves!
Both of us are half-French, half-American, with family and friends all over the world. Our shared backgrounds and love for travel immediately connected us.
We have been together 10 years this year. In the 10 years together we have lived all over France, Amsterdam, London, Washington DC, and Los Angeles. When we're not traveling, you can usually find us binge-watching TV shows and movies, hanging out with our cat, Bowie, or diving into creative projects. So the wedding was going to be a very rare opportunity to gather our closest friends and family from all around the world!
We met living in Paris. It was a real damsel in distress situation - Bryn’s bank account was robbed and she thought she would have to return to the States. Luckily she met Jeremy who spoke fluent French and offered to help her with arduous French bureaucratic process. We spent a week together doing this and getting to know each other. Bryn was able to stay in Paris and we haven’t stopped seeing each other since.
Why did you decide to get married where you did?
Finding a venue was tricky at first. With half our guest list in Europe and the other half in the States, we knew it would be a destination wedding no matter what and decided to do it in Europe. More specifically, we planned on having the wedding in the South of France, where Jeremy’s family lives. However, finding a venue there that fit exactly what we were looking for inside of our budget was difficult. One day, Bryn stumbled upon a video on Instagram of two guys carrying a wedding cake in a little boat that looked straight out of Giverny, Monet’s gardens. After seeing photos of this magical place that felt so unique, she truly became obsessed with it (as in looking at every picture La Foleia has ever posted!). Every other venue quickly started to feel generic in comparison. The overall vibe with the vintage mismatched furniture, the dreamy pond and the lush greenery—it was perfect.
La Foleia felt like stepping into a fairy tale, and a huge bonus and reason for choosing it was that it felt like we didn’t have to worry about paying for tons of decorations or florals because the venue itself was more than enough on its own! Every corner was filled with beauty and charm, so we knew it was worth any logistical challenges.
We became so excited about the uniqueness and intimate vibes of our venue. We were so determined to make it work that I didn’t care anymore if everyone stayed in one place— we just had to get married there.
How many guests did you have?
The venue had a size limit of 50 guests, so when we were planning the guest list, it was especially difficult because of the size of our families. We had to make some tough decisions, knowing that we might let some people down, which was hard. But in the end, we stayed focused on what was most important to us—making sure that everyone invited had played a meaningful role in our love story. It wasn’t about numbers or expectations; it was about being surrounded by the people who truly mattered to us and who had been part of our journey as a couple. Choosing that over trying to please everyone made all the difference.
We always knew we wanted a small wedding, aiming for around 50 guests at first. When the final number dropped to 35, we were a bit nervous that it might feel too small or wondering if it would feel less like the party celebration we had envisioned. But honestly, it ended up being perfect! The intimate group felt just right for La Foleia’s cozy and magical vibe. The reduced guest count allowed us to really connect, talk, and dance with each person there. It made the entire experience feel so personal and connected - we both kept saying that we had never felt more loved than during that week. Best part was that everyone got to spend a few days leading up to the wedding in the same area and getting to know each other that, by the time the day came, it felt like a real celebration among close friends and family.
What was your budget?
Our total budget was just under $30,000 and we managed to stay within it, to our surprise. What was nice about the way we budgeted was that it covered everything—travel, accommodations, hotels for the entire week! We always wanted our wedding to feel like a getaway with our closest people, not just a one-day event. So budgeting with the days before and after the big day in mind helped us avoid the surprise of going way over the budget, and it felt like our wedding fell within a perfect vacation.
Tell us about your outfits.
Bryn — Style was incredibly important to me, especially since I worked in fashion and bridal. I envisioned myself in a gown that was chic, fashionable, and perfectly reflected my style and the wedding’s vibe. I initially explored options from top designers. But one day, while running errands with my mom at Anthropologie, I stumbled on a Jenny Yoo dress in the BHLDN section. I never expected to find my wedding dress there, but it just felt right. I tried it on, and within 15 minutes, I knew it was “the one!”. I have never bought anything so quickly and with less thought! I was in love with the bottom half of my dress—the drop waist, the buttons, the pockets, and the way the skirt ruffled, but the top never felt right. On top of everything, it was on sale which was such a bonus that helped with the budget!
I planned on making big changes to the top but in the end only made a few tweaks, like lowering the neckline and removing the padding, which did enough to make the dress feel right for me. To be honest, I was surprised by how happy I was with the final result—it became a perfect blend of what I wanted and the effortless charm I hoped for.
Shoes: I wore vintage Manolo Blahnik's that a family friend had given me the year I met Jeremy. I always joked that I’d get married in them and I actually did!
Veil: I was set on a short cute one with a bow - and then a family friend brought over this beautiful unique fingertip veil that she handmade and I loved that it was special cause she made it and that the lace added some texture to the overall look.
Reception look: I knew I wanted to change into a short dress, mostly for the freedom to dance and move around for the party! I wore this mini corset dress from Staud that was so fun. But this look was all about the shoes - I found this fab pair of turquoise pumps from Sezanne that matched the color scheme of the wedding and all the dresses my family was wearing! I even had a tiny blue rose in my hair that went along with it. I also changed my necklace to a lace choker, to keep a little bridal element in it.
Jewelry: was a bit of a challenge for me. I had my heart set on blue pearls and a scarf, but then my mom found this beautiful pearl choker, and I was sold! It gave me that similar effect of having a scarf while also adding a classic vibe. I paired it with simple gold bar earrings that matched the gold accents on the necklace. For our engagement party, Jeremy gifted me a lovely gold bracelet with pearl accents from Mejuri, and I wore that alongside my engagement ring.
Jeremy— For me, finding the right outfit was equally important. Having a special place in my heart of old movies, I really wanted a classic, vintage vibe. For the jacket, I found what I wanted in the Off-White Havana Dinner Jacket from Suit Supply. I’m personally not a fan of tux pants and wanted a bit of a classic, wider cut leg, so I went with a pair of custom Black Herringdone Firenze trouzers also from Suit Supply.
The highlight of my outfit was that instead of a traditional boutonniere, I wore a water lily brooch with pink pearls, from Michael Michaud in New York. The water at La Foleia is filed with amazing lotus plants which happened to bloom right before our wedding, so the brooch was a perfect fit.
What was the most important aspect for you, in terms of planning your wedding?
For us, our dream wedding was all about spending time with all of our loved ones gathered in the same space—more like a family vacation than a heavily organized event! We wanted to ensure that the entire day felt effortless and fun, while the week around it felt like a vacation. It was essential that the day felt natural, filled with candid moments, laughter, and togetherness. This was definitely made easier with a great team of vendors and a small guest list!
Ultimately, we wanted the experience to be about enjoying each other’s company, sharing heartfelt moments, and creating lasting memories. We planned everything to feel connected and, above all, like a great time for everyone involved.
Were there any elements that were important for you to incorporate?
Having our family and friends involved, each in their own way, helped us achieve our goal of having a very intimate event. We incorporated meaningful elements into the ceremony, like having our moms read poems, one in French and one in English, to blend both of our families' languages. Each of us has one sister who served as our ring bearer and witnesses. A special highlight was having Bryn’s friend of 20 years play guitar for the ceremony; it was incredibly meaningful to have him sing while we walked down the aisle and signed our certificate.
Music was very important throughout the entire day - it set the vibes for the whole day! We made playlists for all the different moments - the cocktail hour, antipasti, dinner, and desert had playlists inspired by our favorite films and our shared love for older music.
The dancing was up there with the most important moments for the evening. We love to dance so we even planned and added an extra 2 hours to this part of the evening!
Any tips for couples getting married?
We know that not everyone can fit this in, but having a few days before (and after!) the wedding when family and friends started to come in, made us enjoy the day of even more. We had had a few dinners with our family, relaxed, had our reunions with old friends, and everyone got to know each other throughout. When the actual day rolled around, we thankfully didn’t experience what so many people warned us about; that the day would go by too quickly and that we would feel like we didn’t get any meaningful time with everyone. Of course, having a very intimate guest list helped with that a lot!
Only clichés! My biggest tip is to focus on what really matters to you and your partner. Don’t get caught up in what a wedding “should” look or feel like. Don’t be afraid to hurt people’s feelings, and definitely don’t do this for anyone but the two of you! This is your day—you’re the guests of honor, not the hosts. You will never please everyone, so just do you, and you’ll have the best day ever, which is what it’s all about!
Expect a few things to go wrong, and just laugh them off! Focus on the bigger picture—celebrating with the people you love—and the rest won’t matter. Things will go wrong, but when you expect it, none of it matters. We forgot to put out the confetti for the ceremony, the video tripods weren’t placed correctly, and it was 1000 degrees—we were melting by the first hour! But none of that mattered. We laughed it off because it was perfectly us.
Everyone says it, but if you focus on celebrating your love with your people, none of the other stuff matters!
Honestly, we were both surprised by how little we cared about things that seemed so important before the day. I forgot so much! Did I give the photographer everything for the flat lays? Nope. Did I set up the signs? No. Was my look exactly how I wanted it? Not really. Did the flowers die in the sun (along with my hair and makeup)? Yes. Did we mess up the start of the ceremony? Completely. Did any of it matter? Not one bit!
Also, don’t be afraid to break away from traditions if they don’t feel right. If posed photos or certain formalities don’t excite you, skip them! And most importantly, be present. I had to remind myself multiple times that this was it, and that really helped me not sweat the small stuff—even when we thought it might rain! Don’t just carve out time to enjoy the moments—enjoy every moment as it comes.
Are there any vendors that you would like to tell us a little more about?
We can’t say enough about La Foleia and its founder, Gemma. They created an unforgettable, dream-like experience for us. The venue, from its blooming lotuses to its thoughtful details, reflected the love and care Gemma and her team poured into it, and we instantly connected with her vision. We truly put our faith in her and her team, trusting them with so many of the details, including never doing a food tasting and not even seeing the venue in person until the day before the wedding! From the start, Gemma made us feel completely confident in her vision and advice.
We entrusted them with everything, from food to the overall vibe. Gemma’s confidence and recommendations were flawless, and she went above and beyond, creating a romantic, candlelit atmosphere and accommodating all our guests’ needs effortlessly. The warmth and care from the entire team made us feel like family, and everything came together in the most relaxed, intimate way possible. Thanks to Gemma, Sara, Greta, and the rest of the team!
Photography was a top priority for us, especially since it's a personal hobby of mine. We're particular about the style we like, so I knew finding the right photographer would be challenging.I discovered Sarah Joy Landon through The Anti-Bride's vendor list for Italy, and from her first email, I knew she was perfect. She understood our aesthetic immediately, and we right away, bonding over film photography and our cats. I was worried about how to communicate my vision, but with Sarah, I didn’t have to. We shared messages and images on instagram for months before the wedding, so by the time the day arrived, it felt like we were already friends.
Sarah Joy Landon didn’t just show up to take pictures; she truly showed up for us. She sent us a beautiful welcome package, kept in constant touch, and on the wedding day—despite the heat—she worked tirelessly, in long sleeves and all black, never missing a beat. Her energy and dedication were amazing. She wasn’t just a photographer; she was a part of the day, capturing every moment naturally, without any forced poses. We’re so thankful for how she went above and beyond to make the day feel special and effortless.
Paola Minussi, our celebrant, was amazing. She took the time to truly get to know us, creating a beautiful, heartfelt ceremony that everyone couldn’t stop talking about. We couldn’t have asked for more.
I loved my makeup artist, Alice Righi, choosing her without a trial felt like a big risk, but she was amazing. From the moment she arrived, her calming presence put me at ease, and her attention to detail made me feel radiant. We clicked instantly, even FaceTiming for hours about makeup, music, and cats! She was so thoughtful, even bringing a gift bag with everything I didn’t know I’d need. I felt so lucky to have her by my side, and I couldn’t have imagined anyone else making me feel that confident and beautiful on such an important day.
Photographer: Sarah Joy Landon @sarahjoylandon | Planning & Styling: Bryn, along with help from venue La Foleia | Flora: La Talea Fioreria @LaTaleaFioreria | Ceremony & Reception Location: La Foleia
@lafoleia | Celebrant: Paola Minussi @paola_minussi_celebrant | Makeup: Alice Righi @alicerighimakeup
Hair: Hair by Allegra (Bryn's sister) @hairbyallegra | Catering, Cake + Beverages: La Foleia @lafoleia | Stationery: Drawn, designed and printed by Bryn | Entertainment: Lorenzo Delollis @delollisdj | Ceremony Dress: Jenny Yoo @jennyyoonyc | Party Dress: Staud @staud.clothing | Suit: Suit Supply
@suitsupply | Veil: Handmade by a family friend | Engagement & Wedding Rings: Secrete Fine Jewelry
@secretefinejewelry & Catbird @catbirdnyc | Shoes: Manolo Blahnik @manoloblahnik & Sezane @sezane | Jeremy’s Brooch: Michael Michaud @michaelmichaudjewellery