Black and White Destination Wedding at Chateau de Varennes

French Chateau wedding

The time this bride and groom spent during their last year at university living and studying in Paris were some of their happiest memories and sparked their love of French culture. Since then, annual trips have become a grounding force in their relationship, so when they got engaged nearly 9 years after being together in Paris for the first time, they knew they wanted a destination wedding in France. They wanted their closest family and friends with them, amazing food and wine, and an experience that extended beyond just the wedding day for everyone involved - and that's exactly what they had!

Keep scrolling to see photography of their gorgeous day at Chateau de Varennes by Valery Villard, featuring planning and design by Peony Moments, floral design by La Maison Dautel, and rentals courtesy of Jolibazaar. We promise you won't want to miss also clicking here to check out the full gallery!

Chateau de Varennes

minimalist wedding stationery

rhinestone embellished wedding shoes gold flatware for wedding reception

sheer tiered ruffle wedding dress

tied wedding shoes wedding perfume

antique rose bridal bouquet

An amazing coordinator was a must-have for proactively planning every detail

The bride and groom found their venue, Chateau de Varennes, by luck after scrolling through what they described as "too many #frenchwedding" posts to count." After getting a virtual tour from the owner, Sonia, they were in! Not long after that, they chose their date and Sonia connected them to Aurelie who would be their wedding planner.

They worked closely with Aurelie for the next year to plan not only the wedding, but also three and a half days of meals, activities, accommodations, and transportation for the 60 guests they had flying in from Canada. Their number one priority was ensuring every guest had every single they needed while they were there, and that the bride and groom could relax and enjoy their destination wedding. Spoiler alert: They did!

minimalist wedding ceremony sign

rattan furniture for wedding ceremony sheer cathedral length veil

wedding altar greenery arrangements

French chateau outdoor wedding ceremony

Little surprises made the event, like the Canadian-themed brunch on their last day!

The event started with a welcome dinner, which Aurelie coordinated to perfection and even designed beautifully as a surprise to the couple. On the actual day of the wedding, the entire staff at the Chateau (as well as those who came in as external vendors) worked tirelessly to make everything perfect. And to top it all off, the next day the newlyweds walked into a red and white themed mimosa brunch in honor of their Canadian connection - another thoughtful surprise from Aurelie!

Post-brunch, everyone spent the day clay shooting, sitting by the pool, enjoying delicious charcuterie and wine, and reminiscing about the absolutely perfect wedding the day before. Reflecting back, the bride shared that she could write a novel about all of the ways Chateau de Varennes and the team made their wedding a once in a lifetime experience for them and their guests. It was everything they envisioned and more!

tiered ruffle wedding dress