I’m elated to share with you an event we produced at a wedding venue in Paris that is truly breathtaking! This client hosted their destination wedding at Palais Garnier, the most spectacular opera house in all of Paris.

The couple is from Lebanon and wanted a traditional Arabic wedding. The Palais Garnier was just the Paris wedding location they were looking for. The bride and groom wanted a place to house their zaffa, dinner and dancing, all in the same Paris wedding venue. Palais Garnier has so many magical hallways, grand staircases, and opulent spaces that we had much to choose from.

 

To kick off this wedding at Palais Garnier, world-renowned Arabic opera singer, Majed el Mohandas, serenaded guests at the top of the majestic staircase. It was only fitting that the night begin with opera! Surrounding such a grand entrance were the staircases dressed in etherial florals by our creative partner, Eric Chauvin.

We decided the wedding ceremony was best suited for the Grand Foyer. My team flanked the aisle with chaise lounges, varying chairs and small coffee tables dressed with delicate florals. In order to ensure the furniture matched the venue, we called upon a trusted vendor that hand picks époque furniture from different antiquity galleries and installs them for us. With their help, we created an environment that complimented the over-the-top Paris wedding venue.

The bride and groom had a traditional Arabic wedding.

This meant that the ceremony, reception and after dinner dance party was only attended by women. The groom and male family members of the bride participated in the zaffa and then dined separately (according Arabic wedding tradition). In order to honor the wishes of the family, we planned a full female staff for catering, photography, videography. We even hid the male musicians from sight for elements of entertainment when we needed to.

The menu was a dream come true of French and Arabic favorites. During cocktail hour, we featured varied chocolate ateliers with different Arabic coffees, teas and fresh juices.

Sometimes the small table details are my most favorite! Even is such grand spaces, the little details can’t be overlooked.

Then it was dinner time. And dinner did not disappoint!

The menu included an amuse bouche of lobster with an emulsion of truffle, followed by lobster risotto presented with dry ice smoke to dazzle the crowd. Later, veal with truffle celery potatoes and grilled vegetables was served. Since there was no alcohol at the event, we were able to invest more in décor and focus on fine cuisine.

For dessert, this magnificent five-tiered French wedding cake designed by Bastien Le Tailleur was just what the couple wanted. The bride and groom even got to handpick each flower of the delicate look. Then come wedding day, it was presented on the staircase where Lebanese singer, Majed el Mohandes performed once again.

I like to reuse spaces throughout an event. These staircases, dripping in 17 different types of flowers were not only visually impactful but created a very intentional scent experience too. Scent was something that was a priority for the client. Perfumes and fragrances are a part of Arabic tradition, therefore we proposed eight different fragrances for the ladies that were each custom made for the occasion.

When it was time to cut the wedding cake, our team presented guests with more than just one dessert.

What’s a French wedding reception without an elaborate buffet of pastries?!

So the pastry chefs designed a dessert bar including recreated favorites from the couple’s most beloved restaurants in Paris. Dessert including a macaroon pyramid, chocolate and coffee éclairs, and raspberry tarts. We even brought in the famous ice cream mountain from Le Grand Venise to help end the evening on a sweet note! And a sweet note it was.

Destination weddings in Paris are certainly memorable with wedding venues like this to choose from.

Designing this wedding at Palais Garnier was a highlight for me!

To be in such a romantic wedding venue in France and have the opportunity to set the mood for this wonderful family was a delight. But what I loved most about the experience was how we were able to collaborate with the couple to find creative solutions that honored their Arabic wedding traditions. In the end, we created a celebration the couple wanted and that’s what’s important.

I’ll be sharing more Arabic wedding traditions and how to plan a wedding honoring your culture in the coming weeks. Be sure to check back on the blog again soon!

Congratulations to our wonderful clients! We wish you a lifetime of happiness! Thank you to all the talented Paris wedding vendors who helped make this wedding at Palais Garnier possible:

Wedding Planning + Design: Alejandra Poupel Events, Photography: Libre Comme L’art, Catering: Fauchon Catering, Florist: Eric Chauvin, Furniture: Options France, Epoque Furniture: Clement Ottenwaelter, Staging: Déco Concept, Singer: Majed el Mohandes, Video: Clement Lefer, Wedding Dress: Naeem Khan, Jewelry: Harry Winston, Cake: Bastien Le Tailleur