Claire and Leslie live in the U.S. and wanted an elegant French Art de Vivre wedding to bring their guests together for a festive weekend. Some of the guests were from the USA, and the couple wanted to introduce them to French culture and welcome them in comfort. For their 150 guests, we opted for a luxury and modern destination wedding in a Royal Abbey in France’s Loire Valley. A timeless, grandiose venue offering a high quality of service.
If you’re planning a wedding with a large number of guests in a grandiose, timeless and majestic venue, contact us for a wedding in the Abbaye Royale or a château in the Loire Valley, as we specialize in this beautiful region and have an extensive address book of top-of-the-range wedding venues.
Planning & styling of the day
Their luxury and modern destination wedding at the Royal Abbey de Fontevraud was organized over several days. A khaki and beige welcome party on Friday evening with a nod to Leslie “s American culture, through the decor of the cocktail reception and the food on offer.
To kick off their wedding day, preparations took place in the morning for the bride and groom and their bridesmaids and groomsmen, with a make-up and hair artist. Then the religious ceremony took place in the village church, just a stone’s throw from the Abbey. We imagined a warm, cosy decor for this Autumn wedding, with an aisle of candles and a floral arrangement surrounding the couple. Arrangements in Medici vases at the entrance to the church added a typically French touch of elegance, freshness and refinement. Finally, the couple’s photo session took place as soon as they left the church at lunchtime, in different areas of the Abbey.
The cocktail party was held in the cloister of the Abbey at the end of the day. We imagined a large, personalized white bar, with a beautiful floral arrangement and vases for champagne. Lounges were scattered around the cloister, with linen banquettes and plush green, black and white cushions, gold coffee tables and white candles. A live band with pianist and saxophone enlivened these few hours of meeting and celebration.
Dinner for this luxury and modern destination wedding in Royal Abbey was served in a large, vaulted white stone room, which we illuminated to enhance the architecture. Three large tables welcomed guests, with black designer chairs from Kartell. In this way, we brought modernity and character to the design. Refined, modern tableware in white, gold and beige linen contrasted with stationery in a pattern of white and green English roses on a black background, and black and gold candleholders and candleholders, very tall to play with the grandeur of the room.
The bride and groom opened the ball at the end of the dinner, then the bride donned a second sequined gown before showing off with the traditional champagne tower and pyramids of macaroons.
A few images of the bride and her modern couture outfit were published in Wedding Sparrow.
October 2024 – Photo credit: Yann Mignonet
