The Bride Wore Vintage—And Her Own Custom Designs—To Her Loire Valley Wedding

The celebrations would move from casual to elegant, beginning with an outdoor party on Thursday evening at Clare Vivier’s garden in Saint-Calais. “Everything was prepared by family members, who were in and out of the kitchen all afternoon, and then we brought in a local crêpe truck for dinner,” describes the bride. “The party went late into the night, with an impromptu concert with my uncles playing guitar, my cousins taking turns on the mic, and Alexandre DJ-ing and guests dancing to Prince and Sade under the stars.”

On Friday, the bride and groom took guests along to tour a 15th-century wine cave on the banks of the Loire Valley. That evening, they would host a rehearsal dinner at Château de la Huberdière. The couple describe the event as a “French-style grill-out,” where they served ribeye and salmon along with pairings from local, independent wine and beer vendors. On the wedding day, the couple would exchange vows on the château grounds in front of their 150 guests before everyone gathered at a long table beneath a tree-lined pathway for a candlelit meal.

When deciding on her wardrobe for the wedding weekend, the bride made a choice to embrace vintage. “Working in the fashion industry is a gift because it introduces you to incredible designers and endless inspiration, but it can also bring a certain decision fatigue,” says Sophia. “Vintage sourcing, on the other hand, has always been second nature to me—a passion rooted in years of thrifting and treasure hunting with my mom.” After hearing great things about vintage bridal curator Shop Gossamer in Atlanta, Sophia reached out to work with them to help curate her looks. “After months of searching, I found my dress: a silk, drop-waist gown with a pleated skirt and long train,” she says. “Once it arrived, I brought it to Hollywood red carpet ‘secret’ tailor Susanna Badalyan— introduced by LA stylist Erica Cloud—and together we reimagined the skirt with soft, romantic gathers while perfecting the fit.” The resulting look was something the bride says exceeded anything she could ever dream of.

Since Sophia majored in apparel design at school, she put her own sewing skills to work to make her veil. The bride found vintage dead-stock lace and a floral embroidered trim sourced from Mood in New York and Michael Levine in Los Angeles. “My mom and Aunt Clare lovingly sewed the trim on in the days leading up to the wedding,” she adds. Sophia also made her own after-party dress based on a vintage pattern she bought years before of a body-skimming lace column dress. “[It was] paired with a removable cape, an ode to my mother, who had an apparel business in the ’90s called Taylor & Fran that specialized in capes,” she shares.

To accessorize, Sophia received some very special gifts from members of her growing family. First, her aunt created a custom Clare V. bag for the bride: “A simple, chic frame bag made from smooth, milk-colored goat leather that Clare lined with fabric from her mother’s wedding dress—now my forever-cherished heirloom.” Her new mother-in-law also gave her a pair of Manolo Blahniks to wear down the aisle. “It felt incredibly meaningful to carry a piece of her history with me as well on such a special day,” notes Sophia. She finished off her look with a diamond tennis bracelet and matching studs by Los Angeles jewelry designer Grace Lee who also crafted her engagement ring and wedding band with Alexandre.

The bride also wore a Shop Gossamer–sourced piece for the rehearsal dinner. “This dress featured a double-neckline bodice with a halter base, an overlay that could be styled as either a scarf or a shawl, a ruched waistline, and a sweeping train,” Sophia explains. “I paired the look with Tiffany & Co. pearl earrings—a gift from my dad for my 16th birthday—a pair of Miu Miu slingback kitten heels, and the custom heirloom-lined Clare V. wedding bag.” For the event, Alexandre wore an ivory linen suit with a vintage 1930s Piaget watch and a vintage tie from his father.

For his wedding day ensemble, the groom wore a custom Atelier Munro suit, styled by the groom’s family friend, wardrobe stylist Andy Drakeford. “On his wrist, he wore a Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Control Date, a gift from his mother, vintage Iranian gold jewelry, and a Kinn Studio gold bracelet that I had gifted him that morning,” shares Sophia. “And Manolo Blahnik shoes, of course!”

Saturday arrived, and guests gathered beneath a centuries-old oak tree at the château. “Our ‘aisle’ was a beautiful stone staircase leading down to the grass,” describes the bride. “At the altar, pedestals of monochrome red florals of local blooms captured the season’s turn to fall, while our guests sat in a semi-circle around us.” Alexandre and his mother first walked down the aisle to “Let’s Dance” by David Bowie. Sophia and her mother followed to “Godspeed” by Frank Ocean. Sophia recalls, “My dad, a Minnesota state judge (and one of my favorite people on earth), officiated our ceremony through moments of laughter and tears.”

The ceremony featured the bride’s brother reciting a poem by Pablo Neruda and the couple’s friend Kurt reading an excerpt from The Alchemist. “Neither of us could stop smiling,” the bride remembers. “Standing there with the person who brings me all the joy in the world, it felt like the best decision of my life and like the world was standing still.” The bride and groom exchanged their own handwritten vows in a moment that Sophia says they will treasure forever. “I don’t think there was a dry eye in sight,” she continues. “Thoughtfully, a friend had suggested giving out vintage handkerchiefs to use during the ceremony.” After sealing their marriage with a kiss, the newlyweds recessed as “There She Goes” by The La’s played.

The couple and their guests gathered on the château terrace for cocktail hour, where the couple served Champagne, classic French hors d’oeuvres, and signature cocktails—“a margarita to honor my Mexican heritage and a St-Germain spritz to honor Alex’s French heritage,” says Sophia. Afterward, the party moved to the long dinner table framed by rows of trees. “Because of a slight wind, the candles weren’t lit and everyone took turns passing around matches to light theirs—it was the perfect ice-breaker,” adds the bride. Dinner—catered by Quentin Juchet at Cuisin'Ensemble—featured stuffed piquillo peppers, beetroot-lemongrass coulis with bacon, and farm-raised chicken marinated with lemon thyme. Guests also enjoyed wine form Domaine “Les Gauchers” with custom “S+A” wine labels designed by Clare V. art director, Lizzie Swift. In classic French fashion, cheese boards were set out at the end of the meal. “In between courses, speeches by Alex’s sister; my sister; Clare Vivier; Alex’s best man; and my father brought more tears and lots of laughter,” describes Sophia. “Alex had curated a perfect soundtrack for the evening, and we lingered long enough for everyone to have to replace their candles again.”

Celebrations moved indoors as a traditional croquembouche was served for dessert and the dance party began. “Alex and I shared a few final words before our first dance to The Cure’s ‘Just Like Heaven.’ We’re lucky to have many DJs among our friends—including Alex himself—who each took turns at the decks as the night unfolded until late,” remembers the bride.

Reflecting on the weekend, Sophia and Alexandre feel nothing but gratitude: “We asked our friends to send us their favorite memories from the weekend, and we are already conspiring on how we can do it all again!”