This Couple Married at a Historic French Château Nestled in the Foothills of the Pyrenees

Since meeting in 2021, Ella and James have spent a month together at the house every summer and also for various family holidays. “It quickly became a part of our love story, and immediately upon our engagement we knew it would be memorable to have our wedding celebration there and share the lesser-known region of France with all our nearest and dearest,” Ella says. “Planning a wedding abroad was a challenge, but the excitement to share this special place with our people made it all worthwhile.”

Of course, there were inevitable bumps along the way. “Despite that, the planning calls—paired with a few trips back to France during our engagement—gave us confidence that our wedding weekend would be nothing short of unforgettable,” James says. “Having my parents nearby was an immeasurable gift; they were able to connect us with beloved local vendors, from vineyards to venues, whose talent and authenticity helped bring our vision to life.”

The couple entrusted local planner Sandra Dodds of Rubijoy with organizing everything. “She was a dream to work with: kind, realistic, and fun,” James says. “I am already missing our weekly calls with her leading up to the big day. She was the loveliest to work with: her eye, execution, and of course her being bilingual, helped us immensely throughout the entire process, as Ella’s and my French is definitely a work in progress.”

Ella’s close friend and bridal stylist Lauren Burke helped her curate her wedding weekend wardrobe. “I knew nothing about the bridal world before getting engaged,” Ella admits. “[That said], it was important to me that I felt elevated, yet, like myself throughout the entire weekend. I wanted looks that made me feel confident but were also comfortable, jewelry that complimented my looks without being a distraction, and of course beauty looks that highlighted my natural features, photographed well, and incorporated some of my own everyday staples from Skin by Ella.”

She did five dress appointments in three days, and only one dress stood out to her at the end. “So I said yes immediately,” she says. “It was a dream come true to be the first bride to wear Gown 18 from September New York.”

James knew that he wanted a suit that was more of a statement than what you’d wear to work or casually. “Luckily, I have a number of friends that love tailoring and have a better knowledge than I do for where to go,” he says. “F.E. Castleberry jumped out at me because he blends legacy British tailoring with some New York edge. His bright pink shop in Tribeca feels like a haven of creativity next to the expensive restaurants and tall high-rises.” His tie was vintage Hermès from his grandad’s collectsion, and he also accessorized with a brooch. “It was my favorite part,” James admits. “It was from Puffy, Ella’s 94-year-old grandmother, who couldn’t travel to the wedding but wanted to be there. It was an honor to ask her for something that, quite frankly, completed my look.”

The ceremony took place al fresco on the grounds of the hotel. “I felt surprisingly calm, especially after seeing my fabric draping vision brought to life perfectly,” Ella says. “My dad was cracking jokes as I held his arm down the aisle. We had a two-minute walk down the lawn—which felt like an eternity—so I was able to see everyone from far away.”

James’s brother served as the officiant. “This also calmed my nerves,” Ella says. “He had me smiling ear to ear the entire ceremony.” Their dog Crispy was also the ring bearer and carried the couple’s rings down the aisle on her collar.

“It was a bit surreal to see everyone seated in front of me,” James says. “I definitely played down how much that moment would affect me mentally. I wasn’t nervous, but I felt the gravity of the situation. It was really emotional for me. As soon as I saw Ella, it was all over. She was so stunning I couldn’t look directly at her the whole way down the aisle or I was going to immediately burst into tears.”

The ceremony ended with a petal toss, and the newlyweds recessed down the aisle to “Magic Carpet Ride” by Steppenwolf. Guests then flowed seamlessly into cocktail hour. With just under 110 people in attendance, the gathering was intimate yet lively. “Because we hadn’t done a first look, we slipped away for a few photos together, but thanks to our amazing photo and video team, the experience felt anything but like an obligation,” Ella says. “We had our friends jumping into a few frames, with a few spontaneous tequila shots in between.”

The couple danced their first dance to “Dobby” by 1010Benja—the song James once used in a video he made of their first year together. 1010 came to perform it live, making for a special moment as guests enjoyed cake in front of the château.

As the evening went on, the bride changed into her second look: a custom set she dreamed up of before she was even engaged. “I brought the idea to Alexandra Grecco and her team,” Ella says. “They were an absolute dream to work with.” Later in the night, the party tent served as the setting for back-to-back DJ sets with The Flying Mojito Bros and Lucy Rae—the maid of honor—and a special father daughter dance, and then a local pizza truck pulled up for late night bites.

“We are still on cloud nine,” Ella says. “You cannot quite imagine how everything will come together until you’re in the moment. Every detail was entirely us.”