Tell us a little about yourselves!
Adrien and I met in Paris in 2016. I’m an American from Seattle who initially moved here for a one-year master’s program. But after falling in love with the city, the French culture, and of course Adrien, one year quickly became almost 10, and I ended up calling Paris my home.
Adrien is a true Parisian, having lived here his entire life. We connected instantly thanks to his global mindset and our shared love of travel. Our life in Paris, as well as our circle of close friends, reflect the multicultural nature of our relationship.
Why did you decide to get married where you did?
While at first I liked the idea of getting married in the US, I soon came to realize that logistically speaking (and surely financially speaking) it was just easier to do it in France.
We both fell in love with what the Château du Feÿ had to offer as a venue – a beautiful 17th century chateau in the region of Bourgogne, stunning views, and ample housing to host our guests on site.
It was the perfect fusion of old charm and modern comfort, and the perfect setting for our Franco-American celebration.
How many guests did you have?
We were 108 in total.
What was your budget?
Like many people, we had a budget that evolved and adapted over time. We tried to DIY as much as we could ourselves to cut some costs and leaned on friends and family as well. For example, with the help of our parents, we pre-prepared the next-day brunch by ourselves.
The biggest part of our budget was allotted to the venue, and the event planning and hospitality services they provided throughout our stay which cut back on so much stress in the end. We also rented the entire property for an additional night which was the best decision we made throughout the entire planning process. Clean up and move out was pushed one day out and our guests could hang out and chill by the pool for an entire extra day after the wedding – 1000% worth the extra budget.
Tell us about your outfits.
Speaking of budget, after a first dress appointment with my mom, I started to panic, realizing just how much I may need to consider for a wedding dress. But, with some luck, my friend and I were shopping at Printemps department store in Paris and stumbled upon a beautiful Rotate dress, completely off the rack and way below budget. They had one left in my size and even gave me a slight discount because there was a rip on the seam (easily fixable). My amazing friend who is a very talented professional seamstress helped with some slight alterations and made some sleeve accessories as well. It was perfect!
For the reception, I ended up wearing a dress my mother wore at her wedding in the 80s. It was a last-minute decision I made while visiting my parents back home. The wedding was only weeks away and I still hadn’t found a reception dress I loved. My mom told me to try it on – miraculously it fit perfectly! I just had the thin straps removed.
My mom made me two veils, chapel length for the ceremony and a bow for the dinner and reception. I also wore the bow during the civil ceremony in Paris a few days prior to the chateau celebration.
My shoes are from a brand I love called Nodaleto and were perfect for trekking around the uneven grounds at the chateau. I bought them second hand because I had my mind set on the green floral print which was from a previous collection.
Adrien got his sur mesure suit from Swann Paris. He went for a dark green Fresco wool suit and customized every single detail in their boutique in Paris. He paired it with Paraboot loafers.
What was the most important aspect for you, in terms of planning your wedding?
When planning our wedding we wanted to make sure it felt extremely authentic to us, meaning not too traditional or classic. Neither of us are big fans of public speaking, for example, so we leaned on friends and family to share our story with our guests through leading the ceremony and sharing speeches.
We also wanted the whole event to feel very convivial and like we were hosting it at our own home. What was really important for us was to make the wedding a multi-day event, especially since guests were flying in from all over the world. For the night before we rented a pizza truck, had a selection of natural wines and beer, and our friend DJ’d. The day after the wedding we had a homemade brunch followed by an all-day pool party.
The whole wedding had a real summer-camp kind of vibe, and despite what everyone told us, we didn’t have the impression that it went by so fast.
Were there any elements that were important for you to incorporate?
We were careful to make sure our wedding was fully accessible in both English and French. The ceremony was written by our best friends (one American, one French) in both languages, and all paper goods—including invitations and menus—were translated and produced in duplicate.
Any tips for couples getting married?
If you're staying on-site, we highly recommend splurging on an extra night at the venue. It gives you and your guests a relaxed, stress-free and really fun day after the wedding, while saving the cleanup, checkout, and goodbyes for the next morning.
Are there any vendors that you would like to tell us a little more about?
We were blown away by how easy it was to work with our event coordinator at the Château du Feÿ before and during the wedding. Add-on options included furniture rentals, setup and maintenance, which saved us a lot of time and research.
Our photographer Marie Malandain Photography was amazing as well, she perfectly captured the fun of our wedding from all angles and working with her was easy, stress-free and a great experience overall. I only wish we would have hired her to capture the day before and the day after as well!
Photographer: Marie Malandain Photography @mariemalandainphotography | Flora: Désirée @desireefleurs | Ceremony & Reception Location: Château du Feÿ @chateau_du_fey | Celebrants: best friends of the couple | HMUA: Jho Cruzat @jhocruzat | Catering, Cake & Beverages: Bocoff @boc_off | Stationery: by Rachel & Adrien | DJs: Friends of the couple | Ceremony Dress: Rotate @rotatebirgerchristensen, sleeves by friend who is a seamstress | Reception Dress: Rachel's mother's from own wedding | Suit: Swann Paris @swann_paris | Veil & Bow: Handmade by Rachel's mother | Engagement Ring: PDPAOLA @pdpaola_jewelry | Wedding Rings: JEM @jem_jewellery | Shoes: Nodaleto @nodaleto (Rachel) & Paraboot (Adrien) @paraboot_official