Last October, my fiancé Alex and I hosted our wedding at the Chateau de Jalesnes in the Loire Valley. No matter what I write as an opening, it will sound cheesy and over-the-top. But the truth is, it was truly magical and incredible in every way.
Alex and I met because of whisky and even got engaged with a bottle of whisky, so everyone (ourselves included) assumed we’d get married in Scotland. But instead of a dark, dreary Scottish castle, we opted for a bright, beautiful chateau in France’s Loire Valley.
The Chateau de Jalesnes is a 17th Century chateau surrounded by forest and farmland about 30 minutes outside of Saumur in the Loire Valley. It’s stunning on the outside, yet welcoming and comfortable on the inside. And it even has a dry moat!
We invited 38 people to celebrate our wedding at the Chateau de Jalesnes and stay at the chateau for 3 nights. It was truly amazing. Here are all the details.
Our Wedding at the Chateau de Jalesnes in the Loire Valley
Pre-Wedding Party in Paris
All of our guests flew into Paris a day before heading to the Chateau. I’m convinced that fall is the perfect time to visit Paris, so my family, my fiancé, and I arrived several days early to shake off any pre-wedding stress. (And to take a D-Day day trip to Normandy.)
With the help of the Chateau, we arranged a private bus to take all of us from Paris to the Chateau. The drive took more than 4 hours (thanks to construction traffic leaving Paris), but we stayed entertained with wine, whisky, and plenty of snacks.
The Welcome Reception at the Chateau
I gave a welcome speech, thanking everyone for traveling so far to celebrate with us. Our friend Heather gave a touching speech about Alex and me, then we enjoyed a French dinner of Coq au Vin and salmon. The evening ended with more wine in one of the groomsmen’s suites.
Getting Ready
While we got ready, our guests played archery in the dry moat and explored the Chateau grounds. Then they met for pre-ceremony wine on the terrace while a harpist played covers of pop music songs.
The First Look
At the clock tower I realized my Dad hadn’t seen me yet, so we did an impromptu first look with him. Seeing me in my wedding dress brought tears to his eyes, which made me start to cry (again!). And all of it was captured by our photographer! It was priceless.
The Ceremony on the Chateau Steps
Our friend Graham officiated the ceremony — a nod to him bartending our first date. Alex and I recited vows we’d written ourselves, and once pronounced Husband and Wife, walked back down the aisle while the harpist played If I Ain’t Got You by Alicia Keys.
Cocktails & Canapés
Alex and I snuck away to our suite for a little alone time and to take a deep breath. I highly recommend giving yourself a moment with just your new spouse during your wedding day! Then we joined everyone on the terrace.
Sabering Sparkling Wine into the Moat
Then we had dinner in the Chateau’s chapel, a beautiful marble room with stained glass windows. We kept the decor minimal so the room could be the show, with small vases of flowers and candles. We started with smoked duck breast and trout confit, then had salmon or pork. We ended with lemon tartlets and rum canneles. Then we cut the cake — a delicious lemon and chocolate cake — while the song Sugar, Sugar played.
Golden Hour Portraits & First Dances
Then it was time for the first dances. My Dad and I danced to James Taylor’s How Sweet It Is To Be Loved By You, which made me ugly cry. (I blame my Dad for saying such sweet things to me!) Alex and his mom decided not to do a first dance, so we went right to ours. Alex and I danced to Ray LaMontagne’s You Are The Best Thing, which transformed the room into an upbeat vibe.
Everyone danced to throwback hits from the 2000s, channeling our high school days. Around midnight, mini croque monseurs and a cheese plate came out. We partied and celebrated until 3 am!
Post Wedding Day at the Chateau
The next day, we took a day trip to the nearby city of Saumur to see the historic chateau. Then we toured Ladubay Bouvet winery, a sparkling wine producer who ages wine in underground caves.
On our last night we had a casual hog roast dinner at the Chateau and ended with a farewell party in one of the groomsmen’s suites.
The next morning, the shuttle returned to take guests back to Paris — and reality. I couldn’t believe our fairytale was over! A small group of us continued onto a wine tour of the Loire Valley, dubbed our Wineymoon. (More on that soon.)
•••
Our wedding at the Chateau de Jalesnes in the Loire Valley was truly magical. These photos and the brief description hardly do it justice. (There are more photos on instagram, if you’re curious.)
If you want to know how we planned it, how we pulled it off, and tips for planning a destination wedding in France, more on that soon!
Related :: A Whisky Proposal, Tips for Planning a Destination Wedding, Wine Tasting in the Loire Valley
