The Bride Wore Archival Valentino to Exchange Vows on Stage at a Historic Parisian Theater

The reception space was designed to evoke the feeling of entering the park after hours. “That meant: fog machines where necessary, moodier lighting throughout, a red jacquard draped bar reminding you of a beautifully aged chateau or apartment, olive trees you would natively see walking around the park, and the buzz of brasseries, buskers, museums, and cafés surrounding it,” describes Madison. “The plates at the reception had a stamped woven tassel with our last name, and reminded us of our favorite brasseries, alongside the tablecloths that were inspired by the sofas in Schiaparelli’s showroom.” She adds, “All that’s to say: the details were very important to us.”

While décor design was paramount to the celebration, the bride led her vision for the fashion. “As a bridal stylist and vintage curator for my own business, fashion was a main pillar of the weekend for me, and acted as a guiding light for the décor and details seen throughout the weekend,” she says. Madison actually found her ceremony dress just weeks after the engagement, before they even selected a venue. “At the time, I was fortunate enough to be working at Happy Isles Salon, and Lily Kaizer, the fabulous owner, brought in this gorgeous archival Valentino gown that I instantly fell in love with and could only imagine in a place like Paris,” she says. “Following that purchase, Paris was the only place I’d allow that dress to go.”

To accessorize her ceremony look, Madison turned to Danielle Frankel to select her simple chapel veil and the designer’s Nala pumps. “I knew I wanted to wear Danielle Frankel in some capacity, as I deeply admire her craftsmanship, and worked on the interior design team with Augusta Hoffman that designed her showroom in the Garment District,” she shares. “It was her launch party where I fell more in love with Jordan, so having her pieces be a part of the day felt like a no-brainer.” She also carried a One/Of clutch in ivory jacquard throughout the day.

Once Paris was settled on as the wedding destination, the bride decided she wanted to showcase designers from the city throughout the rest of her wardrobe. “Enter stage right, Ludovic de Saint Sernin,” she says. “My family has always called me ‘Bird,’ so in our first meeting, we discussed the idea of bringing that nickname to life in my reception dress. Fortunately for me, they debuted the most insane bird-like dress on the runway weeks later for the Jean Paul Gaultier couture show.” Madison worked with the team on her venue search trip to create a version with a full feather corset, a cat-eye neckline, and a skirt with cascading ivory feathers. “It was a true labor of love, and an honor to work with Ludovic and his team,” she says. On the same visit to Paris, she also scouted a crushed velvet blazer gown from Schiaparelli with an eye detail on the back. She ultimately decided to wear this design for their “the evening after” party.

The last look the bride wore was a sheer number from Paris-based designer Georges Hobeika. “I’ll never forget seeing the dress I wore for my after-party: I was at Pinkberry of all places, scrolling through their fall 2025 runway looks and this dress stopped me in my tracks. I immediately called my mom, reached out to their team, and worked with them to remove the lining and restore it to the runway version I initially fell in love with.”

Madison says her husband’s journey to find his wedding looks was “far shorter, and much more seamless.” Jordan wore a custom tuxedo from Michael Andrews Bespoke, accessorized with a set of vintage Art Deco Krementz studs from the 1920s that the bride gave him as a gift. Once the after-party rolled around, he changed into a moodier, chocolate brown tuxedo made with Thom Sweeney. For the evening after event, the groom wore charcoal with a custom suit and woven tie from P. Johnson. He accessorized with a Grand Seiko watch and Gianvito Rossi black velvet loafers.

The wedding weekend arrived, and while they skipped a formal rehearsal dinner, the bride and groom hosted an informal drinks welcome for those in town at Madame Rêve. “Following that, the younger crowd went to Crazy Horse for some evening entertainment,” adds the bride. Madison and Jordan began their wedding day getting ready separately at Hotel Costes before reuniting for a first look. They took portraits along the Seine with their photographers, Norman & Blake, to capture the spirit of the city. Meanwhile, guests began to gather for a “Liquid Courage” cocktail hour at Le Trianon before the ceremony began.

As they filed into the theater after lights flickered and bells chimed in the lobby, a special soundtrack played that was custom-produced by the bride just weeks ahead of the ceremony. Madison says she was inspired by the incredible use of soundtrack at Matthieu Blazy’s recent Chanel show to make this happen. “I have no business producing anything, but over the course of the next two weeks, I produced a soundtrack and accompanying video that would play while guests entered the room and waited for us to walk down the aisle,” she says. “It included snippets of old home videos growing up, voicemails from both living and past grandparents wishing us love and luck in marriage, scenes from our favorite romance movies, audio from past runway shows I’d admired, and voicemails exchanged between Jordan and I throughout our relationship. It felt like the perfect love letter to our relationship, our friends, and our loved ones—both past and present.”

The ceremony finally began as Madison and her father walked down the aisle while a remixed version of “Outro” by M83 played. “Once we both landed on stage, we exchanged glances and just laughed, grinning ear to ear,” she remembers. Jordan’s sister officiated, giving a speech that was “serious when it mattered and humorous when we needed it.” The couple admits they were nervous to recite their own vows. “We could’ve just said ‘I love you,’ and it would have been enough,” says the bride. “After a few paused moments to work through some tears, we both left feeling so proud and grateful we decided to exchange vows.”

The newly married couple joined their guests for cocktail hour, where bellhops shared seating numbers, waiters served caviar bellinis, and guests sipped on martinis and Aperol spritzes. Once the bells of the lobby chimed again, the wedding moved into the reception space, where violinists were playing “Olivia” by Satin Jackets. The couple shared their first dance to “Really Wanna Be With You” by Durand Jones and the Indications, a band the couple saw live a few months ahead of the wedding. “While we stumbled through the choreography, the energy in the room was palpable,” says the bride. The reception continued with speeches, crowd surfing, and a packed dance floor.

“Cut to the after party, where the DJ held a boiler room set,” remembers Madison. “Street lamps were flanked across the stage and cast a golden glow throughout the room, while the theatre lights put everyone in a trance.” Large feather fans were dance floor props that prompted guests to “live out their cabaret fantasy.” The party continued late into the night, and according to the bride, “The last I remember, my dad’s best friend was piggy-back riding someone on stage.” The evening after event brought everyone together again for another night of exciting entertainment, food, and fun.

Reflecting on the day, the couple says: “There are few chances in life to get everyone you love in one room. The enormous amount of happiness you feel with the love of your life surrounded by the loves of your life is worth every ounce of effort.”