A Horse-Drawn Carriage Brought the Bride to This Fairy-Tale Ceremony in France

Candice and Richard, who met in 2019 and got engaged in 2021, envisioned their intimate French wedding using three key words: "elegant, dreamy, and romantic," says the bride.

With help from wedding planner Raela Gore of RSVP Events, they brought their vision to life at the historic Château de Champlâtreux on June 28, 2023, with a ceremony, reception, and after-party for 16 guests. The lush pastels of the chateau inspired a pretty, organic color palette, while dozens of flawless blooms surrounded the couple during their vows and at the three-course dinner that followed. Candice chose several gowns, including a dramatic ballgown for the ceremony and a sleek mermaid-style dress for the reception, and the couple added plenty of luxurious touches: a Champagne tower, individual macarons for each guest, an end-of-night fireworks display, and a horse-drawn carriage among them.

Despite a few small hiccups—including a ceremony that started late, missteps in their first dance, and a mild allergic reaction to the macarons—Candice and Richard celebrated their nuptials with an opulent and unforgettable affair that looked straight out of a fairy tale.

Pretty Pastels

An invitation suite designed by Illusdreams previewed the couple’s pastel color scheme of blush, blue, and cream. "The wedding invitation suite featured soft blue envelopes calligraphed in gold and lined with blush toile de jouy, an invitation card with rosewater ink and custom crest, a thank you note with an illustration of Château de Champlâtreux, handmade paper menus with wax seals, and tasseled butterfly place cards in blue toile de jouy," says planner Raela Gore.

A Bridal Ballgown

Candice tried on an array of wedding dresses before finding her lace Monique Lhuillier—the first one that made her feel like a bride. "I’ve tried many dresses, many of those looked pretty good on me but I didn’t feel like it was THE dress—something was just missing," she says. "I decided if I was going to purchase a gown instead of renting one, I need to be absolutely in love with the dress so that I feel the most comfortable and confident in it on my big day. As soon as I put on the gown, I immediately pictured myself getting off a horse carriage and walking down the aisle to my lovely groom. It just clicked."

His Timeless Tuxedo

Richard chose a classic black tuxedo from Hall Madden, which he wore with a black bow tie. "He was wearing an IWC watch that I bought him as an engagement gift," says Candice. "I also bought him a pair of personalized cufflinks with his initials."

Their First Look

Richard waited in a marble rotunda for Candice to join him for their first look before the ceremony. "I felt a little nervous," says Candice. "We had brought the gown all the way from L.A. to Paris—what if he doesn’t like the dress? I cried when he turned around and saw me. He told me I looked beautiful, and he loved the gown, so I felt relieved."

An Historic Venue

Candice and Richard chose Château de Champlâtreux, an 18th-century castle in a Parisian suburb, for their ceremony and reception. They were drawn to the building's interior color palette—which inspired their wedding aesthetic of pink, blue, green, apricot, lilac, and cream—and proximity to the city, as well as its outdoor areas (which allowed space for a post-sunset fireworks display).

A Blooming Bouquet

Candice's bridal bouquet was a loose, asymmetrical arrangement of garden roses, sweet peas, scabiosa, delphinium, and Nerine lilies—a colorful, textural collection of wildflower-inspired blooms secured with an antique French ribbon.

Natural Beauty

The couple held their ceremony on the venue's expansive lawn, where pale lavender, peach, and ivory flowers lined the aisle in arrangements inspired by the surrounding gardens.

Arch Expression

Esther Lamarche Design Floral created a lush arch laced with rich green foliage and studded with pale pink, peach, purple, and cream-colored blooms. The gentle sound of the bubbling fountain provided a serene backdrop for the vow exchange.

Ready to Wed

Before the ceremony, Candice pulled her hair into an elegant updo with a Lena Rom headpiece and added a lace sleeve overlay to her strapless sweetheart gown.

Her Fairy-Tale Entrance

After arriving at the ceremony in a horse-drawn carriage, Candice was escorted down the aisle by one of her closest cousins to Haley Reinhart's cover of "Can't Help Falling in Love."

Saying "I Do"

Candice and Richard wrote their vows, which they shared during their intimate ceremony for fewer than two dozen guests. One of the VIPs in attendance was Candice's 2-year-old nephew, who traveled from Australia to perform his ring bearer duties. "It was the first time that we’ve met him," says Candice. "He wasn’t too sure what all the adults were doing there and why he needed to hand the ring over to the groom, so his grandma—my aunt—told him, 'If you give this box to that man over there, I’ll give you a lollipop.' My nephew ran to the groom, gave him the box, ran back, and happily received his lollipop."

Forever in Love

The newlyweds spent the first moments of their happily-ever-after on a private ride in the horse-drawn carriage.

Quick Change

Before the reception, Richard traded his black tuxedo for a formal white jacket while Candice slipped into a Galia Lahav mermaid gown with a cathedral train, sheer corset back, and lace bolero.

Their Signature Cocktails

Guests sipped the couple's two signature cocktails, a mango mojito and an Aperol spritz, while DJ Martinbeatz played a collection of songs custom-chosen by the bride. "The playlist was curated in a way to tell our love story from the very beginning till now," says Candice. Just before guests moved into the dining room, the newlyweds poured a Champagne tower for their first toast.

An Elegant Table

Inside the opulent dining room of the chateau, guests sat at a single long table dressed with white linens and blush-colored napkins. "The reception tables were flowered with low and lush garden-style arrangements, with rosewater taper candles in patinaed candlesticks," says Gore.

Golden Touches

Gold-rimmed chargers provided a backdrop for antique gold-and-white French china set alongside gleaming gold flatware. Handmade paper menus were finished with a pink-and-white wax seal, while flawless flowers added an organic element.

Tassels and Treats

Blue toile de jouy-patterned papers were formed into delicate tasseled butterflies that served as place cards, while Ladurée rose macarons—presented in iconic green and gold boxes—were set out as a favor for each guest.

On the Menu

The couple's photo-worthy three-course menu from Grand Chemin Traiteur included roasted vanilla lobster, grilled duck breast with ratatouille, beef filet with roasted mushrooms, chicken breast with eggplant confit, and cod filet with leek, fennel, onions, and turnips.

Sweet Stuff

The pale blue walls of the bride's getting-ready room inspired the palette and bas-relief design on their-tiered confection from Cakes by Meri. Wafer flowers and intricate patterns decorated the outside of the strawberry-vanilla dessert.

A Happy Day

The joy the couple felt while cutting their cake extended to the rest of their upbeat celebration, which included a first dance to "Shut Up and Dance With Me." "We didn’t want to learn a waltz and wanted a fun party vibe for our after-party, so we intentionally chose a song that’s high energy and fun," says Candice. "We practiced our first dance so many times, but I still forgot some moves at a new venue on a different type of flooring in front of a crowd. It didn’t matter at the end because no one else noticed except us."

Light the Night

For both Candice and Richard, the fireworks show was a highlight of the evening. "We loved the fireworks show the most," she says. "It was a surprise for our guests, and one of my guests was so touched, he told me he wanted to get married as soon as the fireworks show concluded."

Sources

• Photographer, Molly Carr Photography 
• Venue, Château de Champlâtreux
• Wedding Planner and Designer, RSVP Events 
• Videographer, Rouge Wedding
• Florist, Esther Lamarche Design Floral
• Invitations, Illusdreams
• Bridal Gown, Monique Lhuillier
• Earrings, Chanel; Lena Rom; Nicola Bathie Jewelry 
• Hair Adornment, Lena Rom  
• Shoes, Bella Belle; Jimmy Choo
• Hair and Makeup, SophieMUA
• Groom's Attire, Hall Madden 
• Music, Martinbeatz
• Catering, Grand Chemin Traiteur 
• Cake, Cakes by Meri
• Rentals, Maison Options; Vaiselle Vintage
• Favors, Ladurée 
• Fireworks, My Event Consulting
• Horse Carriage, Les Calèches de Versailles 
• Dressing Robe, Girl & A Serious Dream