Today we share with you the real wedding of a couple who eloped to mainland France from their home on Reunion Island. This two part ceremony included an intimate civil service in a stunning town hall on the Swiss-French border, followed by a serene ceremony inside the walls of a historic Carthusian Monastery, Chartreuse de Pomier, at the foot of the Salève mountain.
If you are going to get married in France, what better way to do it than a journey through France’s history? The couple’s photographer, Elena Decaen, guides us through this romantic ceremony…
“Although we didn’t meet until their wedding day, I felt like I had known these guys for years. Immortalizing the happiest day of their life with this gorgeous couple was so awesome! It was an amazing day and I thank them for their trust.
This couple is French, they have been living with their 2 children on Reunion Island for a few years, and they have chosen to get married in France. They share their story with us…
Our story of a first meeting: my friend invites her group of friends for a drink. A mutual crush, dozens of other parties together, the boy was completely crazy about the girl and waited for long months till she gave him a kiss.
We really wanted this wedding to be a reflection of ourselves. We therefore thought of all the decorations, and chose to be accompanied by professionals who shared the same values and tastes. And this group work has been a wonderful experience. When it came to the style of our wedding, we wanted above all something simple and minimalist.
For the occasion, to celebrate their love, they have planned to get married civilly in a very beautiful town hall in Saint-Julien-en-Genevois in France, bordering Switzerland, to then continue with a very beautiful ceremony at the Chartreuse de Pomier, 20 minutes from Geneva and Annecy, at the foot of the Salève mountain .With its interior courtyards and gardens, its spectacular view of the Alps and 600 years of history, the estate is a real treasure in Haute Savoie.
The two lovers arrived a week before their wedding in order to finish the preparations and to avoid the problem of jet lag and to get accustomed to French lifestyle. Staying near the reception area is a real comfort for the bride and the groom. Even more, it allows you to feel more relaxed from the very beginning of the wedding day.
Unfortunately, wearing masks at weddings is compulsory at the town hall and the number of guests is limited to 30. On the 1st of August we are no longer in lockdown, but COVID-19 is still there, so it is necessary to respect the essential instructions to stop the spread of the virus.
Once the ceremony was over, they got back into their car, and the wedding cocktail hour took place in the gardens of the reception hall.
The preparations for the groom took place in a village near Saint-Julien-en-Genevois, with his major witnesses.
The future bride planned a little dress for the civil wedding and the beautiful very elegant dress that made her even more lovely for the secular ceremony.
Some words about this awesome bride: her warmth, kindness and laughter was by our side for a large portion of the day and a groom was really a great guy: his empathy and he was so happy during this day !
The Bridesmaids and the lovely daughter of the bride helped her to put on her dress!
The bride and groom took with them their wedding planner, Michaël Lattanzio-Pachon, and an officiant for their secular ceremony, Solange Strougmayer from Célébrer la Vie, a bilingual French-English wedding celebrant in Savoie and in Switzerland.)
The ceremony took place outside and was very sweet and full of emotions! Having the qualified and professional service providers gives peace of mind that allows the couple to enjoy their guests. When everything is managed by the pros, the newlyweds are relaxed and available for others.
Organizing an overseas wedding is a difficult task, but the bridesmaids and the best men were very motivated and always ready to give a helping hand. I was very honestly super happy for the newlyweds!
For the couples wedding photography session we chose a place with a view from the top. This session was short (as long as it took for the guests to come into the wedding reception) but with the bride and groom being so relaxed, we took great advantage of this quiet moment.”
You want to get married but you do not know where yet and you have thought of French Alps to organize your big day? There are so many good reasons to get married in this beautiful region!
From photographer to caterer, the people from this region are extraordinarily warm. The French Alps is an incredible gastronomic wonderland, it offers in particular a great variety of cold meats, cheeses and desserts: among its products and its essential dishes we find of course the reblochon and the tartiflette, but also the fondue, the crozets, the pormonier, the tommes, the rissoles, the lavaret… White or red, the Savoyard wines like Chignin, Roussette, Mondeuse or Pinot are not to be underestimated!
Let’s face it, the French Alps are simply amazing .This department is the most mountainous in France. It has within its surroundings some magnificent lakes such as Lac du Bourget, the lake of Annecy where the organization of weddings is possible. In short, this region offers stunning landscapes for breathtaking weddings.
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Historical Estate Wedding at Chartreuse de Pomier Snapshot
Historical Estate Wedding at Chartreuse de Pomier Vendors
Photographer Elena Decaen | Venue Chartreuse de Pomier | Videographer LK-Drone Prod | Celebrant Célébrer la Vie | Planner Michaël Lattanzio-Pachon