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Martha Stewart Weddings

A Summer Wedding at a 14th-Century Seaside Castle in the South of France

By Blythe Copeland November 22, 2019
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bride looking back walking with groom wedding day outdoors
Credit: Lauren Fair Photography

This couple combined their cultural backgrounds for a personal ceremony—followed by an unforgettable meal.

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bride looking back walking with groom wedding day outdoors
Credit: Lauren Fair Photography

An airport gate change brought Marine and Chao together—but not directly (flight pun intended). Marine was flying to Seoul from Shanghai when a man struck up a conversation about the flight's last-minute change; he ended up offering her a job on his marketing team in Los Angeles. She relocated to California in September 2016 and met her new employer's best friend: Chao. "We started as friends but quickly felt a spark," she says. When she moved back to France a year later to pursue a master's degree, the couple began a transatlantic relationship only slightly hampered by the time difference. "While distance was difficult, the many FaceTimes (at 6 a.m.) helped bring us closer together and realize, as cheesy at it sounds, that we didn't want to be apart anymore," she says.

In August 2018, Chao surprised Marine by proposing during a trip to her family's home in Greece. "Marine moved a lot as a child and the house in Greece had been a constant," says Chao, "so I thought it was the perfect place to get engaged." After a small civil ceremony in Santa Barbara, the pair began scouting locations for a 150-guest wedding on July 13, 2019, deciding on Château de la Napoule in the South of France. "We wanted our wedding to feel like family, but very fancy," says Marine. "We wanted the day to be special not just because we were getting married, but because people from all over the world, and from different moments in our lives, were going to come together. So the highest priority was for everyone to feel comfortable, to be well fed, and to have fun!"

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A Castle by the Sea

14th-Century Seaside Castle wedding venue
Credit: Lauren Fair Photography

The couple says choosing the 14th-century Château de la Napoule as a venue was easy: "Chao had always imagined his wedding to take place in a castle by the sea," says Marine. "We loved that it was a beautiful venue, with plenty of history and charm."

  • How to Choose the Right Location for Your Destination Wedding

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Clean Slate

custom design invitation white blue print
Credit: Lauren Fair Photography

Their invitations from Silent Word Studio followed their digital save-the-date, sent months before the event. "With guests from all over the world, we wanted to send them the date as soon as possible to plan for travel," says Chao. A custom design reappeared on other paper products throughout the event's décor, while the slate blue printing previewed the rest of the color palette.

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Simple and Chic

ivory wedding dress high stretch crepe with veil
Credit: Lauren Fair Photography

One of Marine's friends picked out her ivory wedding dress from Jenny Yoo for BHLDN. "And I'm glad she did, because I would probably have passed it over," says the bride. "I knew it was the one because it was very simple but still bridal, not too tight, elegant—it just felt like me and it made me feel confident."

She accessorized the understated high-stretch crepe gown with a veil from Davie and Chiyo ("I loved the pleated texture," she says. "To me it was simple, but added some flair to the outfit"), drop earrings from NevaBridal, and a gold and peal bracelet by ArsiArt, handmade in Greece as a nod to the couple's engagement.

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Beautiful Blooms

White floral wedding bouquet ivory ribbon
Credit: Lauren Fair Photography

Marine's bouquet from Sisters and Blush was designed with a "wild and organic" shape, and included roses, peonies, and sweet peas tied with ivory-and-beige silk ribbons. The bridesmaids carried similar, but slightly smaller bunches; the men's boutonnières included coordinating roses and lisianthus.

  • A Comprehensive Guide to Wedding Bouquet Shapes

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In the Pink (and Blue)

bride bridesmaids pose outdoors wedding gowns
Credit: Lauren Fair Photography

The bride gave her nine bridesmaids the freedom to choose their own gowns based on three criteria: "One: floor length; two: within the color palette; and three: makes you feel beautiful!" says Marine. "I wanted my bridesmaids to all feel comfortable standing up there with me."

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Color Coded

groom groomsmen pose outdoors tuxedos bowties
Credit: Lauren Fair Photography

Chao and his groomsmen wore classic black tuxedos and matching pink-and-blue socks he gave them as a gift. "I love wearing fun high socks with colorful patterns or illustrations," he says, "so when we were looking up gifts, socks were the obvious answer."

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Clear Winners

outdoor wedding ceremony space white floral arrangements
Credit: Lauren Fair Photography

The outdoor ceremony site didn't require much dressing up, since the couple wanted to highlight the natural majesty of the venue. They blocked the view of the reception area by filling a stone archway at the end of the aisle with a wall of greenery, used shoulder-high floral arrangements to define the altar area, and chose acrylic chairs to create a bright, open feeling in the space.

  • Lucite Wedding Ideas for the Minimalist Couple

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Three's Company

wedding processional father grandfather walk bride
Credit: Lauren Fair Photography

Marine asked both her maternal grandfather and her father to escort her down the aisle to Wagner's "Here Comes the Bride." "My grandparents helped raise me from the age of 14. I wanted my grandfather to be part of it, with my grandmother no longer being with us and my mom being too sick to attend," says Marine. "My father and I are very reserved with our feelings and I saw less of him growing up, so I wanted to show him how much he matters."

Since Marine and Chao had chosen not to see each other before the service, the bride's entrance also served as their first look.

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Saying "I Do"

bride groom kiss outdoor wedding space white flower backdrop
Credit: Lauren Fair Photography

The couple's non-religious ceremony included readings in French and Chinese, and vows in multiple languages so all guests could understand. "For the vows, Chao and I are not comfortable being the center of attention and being vulnerable or sentimental in front of others, and we worried we'd forget them," says Marine. She recited her vows in French and Chao recited his in English, "so we said the same things in each other's languages."

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On the Waterfront

bride groom holding hands walk along historic building
Credit: Lauren Fair Photography

After the ceremony, Marine and Chao snuck away from the party for their portrait session by the sea.

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Back in the Garden

guests enjoying cocktail hour secluded garden outdoors
Credit: Lauren Fair Photography

Back inland, celebrants enjoyed the venue's protected gardens, where guests were able to wander and explore the space, during the "short and sweet" cocktail hour.

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Something to Sip On

wedding cocktails french 75 vodka transfusion
Credit: Lauren Fair Photography

Guests sipped on the couple's favorite cocktails—a French 75 (Marine's pick) and a vodka transfusion (the go-to drink for Chao and his friends at their hometown golf club).

  • Cocktail Hour Ideas from Real Weddings

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Seating Chart

wedding seating chart greenery white cards
Credit: Lauren Fair Photography

On the seating chart, strategically shaped greenery nodded to the custom crest detailed on the invitation suite.

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Reception Space

outdoor wedding reception space blue white decor
Credit: Lauren Fair Photography

In the château's courtyard, long and round wooden tables dressed in gray or blue linens were paired with wooden cane and oval chairs. Stylists from White Eden Weddings used soft textures, neutral colors, and natural materials to soften the stone and sharp angles of the castle.

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Sweet and Low

timeless and classy white blue table setting reception
Credit: Lauren Fair Photography

White flowers, chosen for their "timeless and classy" look, ran the length of the tables; the pretty arrangements were bundled into low glass vases.

At each place setting, a gold-rimmed charger and gold-and-white flatware added a dose of glimmer to linens, candles, and water glasses in coordinating deep blue shades. Tasseled place cards, elegant table numbers cards, and printed menus were designed with the same iconography seen on the couple's stationery.

  • White Wedding Centerpieces

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The New Mr. and Mrs.

wedding reception couple entrance stairway
Credit: Lauren Fair Photography

After making their reception debut, the newlyweds shared their first dance. Choosing a song for this moment took a little work, they say. "We both have very varied musical tastes and we were making multiple playlists with songs that resonated with us, but couldn't make up our minds," says Marine—until they came across "Can't Help Falling in Love." "We both already liked the song, but also felt it was a timeless classic that would fit the venue, ambiance, and international crowd very well—and also because we couldn't help but fall in love with each other!" shares Marine.

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Cheers!

wedding reception best man speech happy couple
Credit: Lauren Fair Photography

The couple opened the floor to speeches before and during dinner, giving Chao's father, friend Dan, and best man a chance to offer a toast alongside Marine's grandfather, stepmother, and bridesmaids. "My stepmother and Dan were both last minute, spontaneous speeches," says Marine, "and they were touching and hilarious. I wouldn't recommend a fully open-mic wedding but letting little bits of improvised love happen made our night that much better."

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Time to Eat

wedding reception french cuisine server
Credit: Lauren Fair Photography

Both Marine and Chao considered their menu a critical part of the wedding-planning process. "We bonded over our love for food from all over the world, and we love cooking together," says Marine. "We originally wanted the menu to reflect our different cultures, but we used French caterers and as such, were advised that the food would be better if we stuck to French cuisine." The final menu included a starter of tomatoes with goat cheese and prosciutto and an entrée of duck breast filet with fresh peaches and polenta from Pavillon Traiteur.

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Just Desserts

four tier blue gold white wedding cake
Credit: Lauren Fair Photography

After dinner, guests satisfied their sweet tooth with a four-tier red velvet wedding cake—Chao's favorite flavor—from Made in Cake. The couple cut the gold-and-blue iced confection while DNCE's "Cake by the Ocean" played in the background: "Seemed perfect for the occasion!" says Marine.

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Their Favorite Memory

outdoor wedding reception guests historic castle
Credit: Lauren Fair Photography

For both the bride and groom, the hard work of preparing for an overseas wedding paid off when they saw their loved ones. "I got to greet all the guests at the front gate," says Chao. "It was very special to see our friends and family from all walks of life in one place to support us and celebrate—and to know that would likely not happen again anytime soon."

For Marine, a similar moment came later on the dance floor: "As I looked around, I saw our friends and family mingling, no groups, no language barrier, all having fun together. That moment of appreciation for all the love around us made me realize how truly lucky we are, not just to have found each other, but to be surrounded by such happy, open, and loving people."

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Sources

wedding couple pose outside historic castle
Credit: Lauren Fair Photography

Photography, Lauren Fair Photography
Venue, Château de la Napoule
Event planning, White Eden Weddings
Catering, Pavillon Traiteur
Flowers, Sisters and Blush Floral Design
Officiant, Rev. Sherry-Lynn of Peter Madan Weddings
Stationery, Silent Word Studio
Cake, Made in Cake
Music, G-Star Events (reception); Incanto (ceremony)
Rentals, Deco-Flamme; Maison Options
Bride's gown, Jenny Yoo for BHLDN
Bride's accessories, Davie and Chuyo (veil); NevaBridal (earrings); ArsiArt (bracelet); Sam Edelman (shoes) 
Hair and makeup, Belle Comme Un Camion
Groom's suit, Armani
Groom's accessories, TieBar (tie); SilverSmithHK (cuff links)
Lighting, D&X Events
Transportation, AJM Touring

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    1 of 22
    2 of 22 A Castle by the Sea
    3 of 22 Clean Slate
    4 of 22 Simple and Chic
    5 of 22 Beautiful Blooms
    6 of 22 In the Pink (and Blue)
    7 of 22 Color Coded
    8 of 22 Clear Winners
    9 of 22 Three's Company
    10 of 22 Saying "I Do"
    11 of 22 On the Waterfront
    12 of 22 Back in the Garden
    13 of 22 Something to Sip On
    14 of 22 Seating Chart
    15 of 22 Reception Space
    16 of 22 Sweet and Low
    17 of 22 The New Mr. and Mrs.
    18 of 22 Cheers!
    19 of 22 Time to Eat
    20 of 22 Just Desserts
    21 of 22 Their Favorite Memory
    22 of 22 Sources

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    A Summer Wedding at a 14th-Century Seaside Castle in the South of France
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