Once upon a time, two beautiful souls fell in love…

Jessica and Sidney’s Château de Vaux-le-Vicomte wedding was pure poetry, a fairytale in a magnificent setting, rich in history and romance. It had all the storybook elements: a grand French Château with the most magical gardens, a show-stopping couture bridal gown – and, of course, a horse-drawn carriage.

It was such a pleasure working with this wonderful couple, They live and work in New York City, although she is originally Polish and he is French. They both love to party and spoil their guests, and wanted their nuptials to be an incredible experience for their family and friends. It was so lovely to spend time with them on their on-site visits, exploring Paris together, and enjoying tastings and cultural excursions. It was even better to see all these elements come together in style on their wedding day.

Château de Vaux-le-Vicomte is a venue dreams are made on

When we met, Jessica told me that she was looking for a fairytale wedding venue. I couldn’t think of a better place to fulfill that dream than the celebrated Château de Vaux-le-Vicomte! Located in Maincy, just an hour from Paris, it marked the beginning of the Louis XIV style and was an inspiration for Versailles. It is always a privilege and honor to create an event at this monument historique, but of course it also presents unique challenges, as we have to work at night and maintain a minimal presence when the public is present during the day. It’s all worth it to see the guests’ reaction!

The ceremony took place on the staircase in front of the château, an extraordinary viewpoint where the formal gardens unfold in all their glory. Jessica and Sidney loved the idea of having arches that flowed harmoniously with the architecture behind them, dripping with foliage and stems of delicate white flowers. The white and green display created by RONI Floral Design looked stunning against the backdrop of the stone château. Of course, a fairytale bridal entrance would not be complete without a Cinderella carriage, drawn by a white horse. Jessica carried a cascading white orchid statement bouquet and wore a classic cathedral length veil while the groom looked dapper in a traditional morning coat. But the best dressed guest was the couple’s little dog, who wore a fluffy pink tutu and had a darling floral leash!

As a special touch, we had an artist painting the event live in front of the guests – the results were fabulous!

After the ceremony, guests enjoyed cocktail hour in the gardens and found their place cards at a special greenery arch decked with hanging ribbons and ornate keys, for a secret garden feel. After indulging on champagne and canapés, they proceeded to the sumptuous Grand Salon for the evening reception, with a special menu prepared by the team at Lenotre. They were welcomed by Royal Guards stationed at the entrance, while all the waiters were dressed in Louis XIV-era costume.

Although the key colors for the day were white and blush, Jessica did not want them to overwhelm the reception, so she asked the designer to add touches of cream and light purple to add light and interest to the tables. She wanted a very romantic feel and she also wanted crystal details, so we alternated crystal candelabra centerpieces with enormous floral topiary-style displays with hanging crystal details, that looked amazing with the dramatic double-height ceilings of the salon. The couple also requested a very special sweetheart table, so we created a beautiful archway of purple, blush and white flowers to frame it. Gold-rimmed glassware, gilt patterned plates, and pale blush napkins and menus added the final luxurious touches to the place settings.

Like a true princess, Jessica was the belle of the ball

The bride wore a breathtaking Ines Di Santo gown that she bought at Mark Ingram in New York. (I often recommend that my brides visit this superb atelier!) With nature at the core of the wedding design, the dress had soft floral details embroidered on it, to complement the theme. Jessica also wanted the wedding cake to reflect her dreamy dress, so the pâtissier, Bastien Blanc-Tailleur, was provided with a swatch of the embroidery and recreated this exactly in sugar.

As well as all the grand details, I loved the personal elements that Jessica and Sidney brought to their big day. Before the wedding, we had a welcome dinner, which included Polish specialty treats that we had catered by a Polish restaurant here in Paris to honor the bride’s heritage. On the wedding day, guests were given personalized vodka bottles with their names inscribed on them – another Polish tradition.

After dark, the gardens blazed with over 4,000 candles, which we had asked the Château de Vaux-le-Vicomte staff to place for the occasion. It was absolutely stunning. The bride and groom opened the dance floor with a magical first dance, surrounded by their loved ones holding sparklers. Jessica and her bridesmaids had also prepared a special dance show for Sidney at the after party – surely a memorable moment! The groom had a surprise up his sleeve too, in the form of a breathtaking firework show. It is always so special to have the bride surprised about something at their wedding!

Thank you to all the wonderful vendors who helped make this fairytale wedding possible, and of course, to my lovely clients. The Château de Vaux-le-Vicomte has famously held some spectacular parties in its history, and this will go down as another one!

Wedding Professionals: Wedding Planner: Alejandra Poupel Events, Venue: Château de Vaux-le-Vicomte, Florist and Event Designer: RONI, Invitations: Ceci New York, Furniture Rentals: Maison Options, Linens: Nuages Designs Inc, Cake: Bastien Blanc-Tailleur, Light and Sound: BS Technology, Caterer: Fauchon Lenotre, Photography: Ross Harvey, Greg Finck, Videography: Zen Film Works, Dress: Ines Di Santo, Shoes: Jimmy Choo, Makeup: Kassundra of Botias Hair and Makeup, Hostesses: Selectively, Entertainment: Cocktail Shows, Band: Inspiration Live Music