Elegant Castle Wedding in France

Johanna and Emmanuel’s wedding was truly a modern day fairtayle.

It doesn’t get more romantic than exchanging vows at an idylic castle, and Chateau Bouffemont was the perfect venue. From the pastel color scheme, to the ornate main hall of the castle, to the exquisite French cuisine, everything about Johanna and Emmanuel’s wedding exuded elegance and glam. Johanna was the epitome of fashion forward sophistication in her wedding pant suit. Yes, pant suit, and that was just her first outfit! Besides showstopping fashion, their nuptials were filled with heartwarming culture. At sunset, guests enjoyed an amazing Cameroonian dance performance at the castle garden, before hitting the dance floor and dancing all night long. There’s an overload of beauty and inspiration in this castle wedding. See all the details below.

• Bride & Groom:  Johanna & Emmanuel
• Wedding Location:  Chateau Bouffemont
• Wedding Date:  October, 12 2019

Quick Facts

• What gifts did you give to your bridesmaids and groomsmen? Johanna: a box with several souvenirs (customized mug with its heart-shaped spoon and matching small soft toys).
• Gifts for one another: We like to leave small notes for each other at home in the morning, during arguments, when travelling, etc. “A box with all the notes”. It is pretty funny and nostalgic but most of all it reminded us to keep on writing them as these are memories of our life.
• Ceremony entrance song: Locko- “Ndutu” (African song)
• First dance song: The O’Jays- “Forever Mine”

How They Met

Emmanuel proposed on November 22, 2018. It was his birthday. It was a very special time of the year for us. Emmanuel always dreamt of spending a night in a Parisian palace. Even though I was down that week, I wanted Emmanuel to have a great day for his birthday and surprise him. I did not know that my best friend and the hotel were in the loop. He celebrated his birthday, one of the best days in both of our lives. As a matter of fact, I was the one amazed by the day and discovered the beautiful suprise after the dinner, in the suite, where my loved ones were hiding on the balcony….Ultimately, it was one of the best days of my life.

Wedding Style

I did not want a classic dress for my wedding day. I am a fashionista and when it comes to wedding dresses, I like Rime Arodaky’s work a lot; I find her creations simple yet very elegant. I instantly fell in love with this dress, as I was feeling very comfortable and elegant at once.

Incoporation of Culture

It was important for us to have an African touch at our wedding as it is part of our DNA while not overstating it and losing our theme. We found a pastel wax cloth for small biscuit boxes that reminded us of our theme (we don’t like traditional French sugared almonds, by the way). The guests were very happy with them. We wanted the guests to take the boxes with them as a memory of the day, even to use it as jewellery boxes. We also had African dancers who performed in front of our guests, and we could not help ourselves but dance with them as we were nostalgic of our roots.

Best Wedding Memory

Our best memory is the first dance. I coached Emmanuel through our choreography and during repetitions Emmanuel was not paying much attention. But in the end, I made a few mistakes during the dance while Emmanuel was flat out with the choreography, even for songs he did not appreciate initially. We still laugh about it today. : )

Wedding Advice

The best advice I can give is, whatever happens during this day, do not forget to enjoy yourselves the most you can. The BOTH OF YOU, because it is your day.

Vendors

• Photography: Daria Lorman Photography
• Wedding Planner: Ceremonize
• Video: Marco Brelinger
• Location: Chateau Bouffemont
• Hair: GVL Conception Paris
• Make up: Slay with Nessah
• Flower design: Kahina Events
• Wedding dresses: Rime Arodaky
• Shoes: Jimmy Choo
• Wedding rings: Tiffany & Co.
• Engagement ring: Cartier
• Earrings: Chanel
• Cake & Catering: Grand Chemin Traiteur
• Champagne: Veuve Cliquot
• DJ: DJ Randy