A Worldly Wedding at a Glamorous Estate in Charette-Varennes, France

A Regal Venue

Believe it or not, the couple's venue, the picturesque Chateau de Varennes, was an online find. "We were looking for a location that was all-inclusive and had experience hosting international weddings," says Natalie. "We found the chateau online and fell absolutely in love with it. It was our one-stop shop for all of our events that weekend and housed our family and bridal party."

Her Lace Wedding Dress

Natalie tried on her mermaid-style wedding dress three times before finally deciding to purchase it. She was drawn to the lace overlay and off-the-shoulder neckline as well as the jeweled detailing. When she went to purchase the David Tutera original, it was on clearance—proving it was meant to be.

Natalie's makup artist, Annette Thornton, created her natural look with a nude, pink lip and lightly-blushed cheeks. A few cascading curls framed her face, while the rest of her hair was pulled back into an updo by Ciara Coiffure.

Veil Preparations

Before walking down the aisle, friends and family helped Natalie secure her Vera Wang veil.

Glitzy Details

Natalie's big-day accessories consisted of champagne-hued Jimmy Choo shoes, a Bony Levy bracelet, tear-drop diamond earrings from Nordstrom, and her Blue Nile engagement ring and band. The Christian Dior perfume Natalie wore during the ceremony was a precious keepsake from her last trip to France, which was when she finalized the event's venue and menu.

Romantic Blooms

Fleurs de Fée created Natalie's bouquet, which was a mix of roses, pink astilbe, purple scabieuse, deep burgundy dahlias, red amaranthe, and foliage that coincided with the wedding's romantic and whimsical theme.

His Accessories

Elijah went bold when picking out his wedding accessories, which consisted of embroidered Gucci loafers, a dark blue bow-tie from The Black Tux, and a Longines watch.

Masculine Florals

Elijah and his groomsmen's boutonnières, also made by Fleurs de Fée, complemented Natalie's bouquet thanks to pops of pink and burgundy roses and astilbe.

Jewel-Toned Dresses

The bridesmaids—Natalie's three college friends, her niece, and Eli's cousin—wore burgundy chiffon gowns from Weddington Way in two neckline styles: off-the-shoulder and one-shoulder.

Well-Dressed Guys

Elijah and his groomsmen, his three closest friends, donned tuxes from The Black Tux and accessorized with pink ties and brown shoes.

A Global Guest List

These attendants' vibrant ensembles beautifully represented the global guest list's diverse cultures.

Floral Altar

Elijah and Natalie's circular floral altar was placed in front of horse-filled pastures, which made for a fun, dynamic backdrop.

First Look on the Aisle

Natalie and Elijah's first look didn't take place until the bride, escorted by her mother, walked down the aisle to "Can't Help Falling In Love" by Kina Grannis. The groom cites "Natalie walking down the aisle," as the most poignant moment of the day, "as this was the first time that day I was able to see her."

A Special Ceremony Reading

The couple's non-religious ceremony was officiated by their good friend Travis Peoples, "who did a great job," says the bride. A very special guest performed the ceremony readings. "We had Eli's four-year-old son read his favorite children's book, Waiting Isn't Easy, with our friend Tiseme Zegeye," says the bride. The groom's vows were another highlight of the service: "Eli is a big fan of the film Interstellar and was able to infuse a quote into his vows."

Joyous Recessional

With Elijah's son in hand, the couple walked up the aisle as newlyweds to "Happiest Man" by Winky D.

Post-Ceremony Portraits

Fresh off of their "I dos," the couple quickly took their wedding portraits in front of their gorgeous venue—they were eager to mingle with guests and enjoy their cocktail hour.

Chic Escort Cards

Handmade by Natalie designed these simplistic, acyclic hexagon escort cards that directed guests to their assigned reception seating.

Private Sweetheart Table

The reception took place on the chateau's Orangery terrace. The newlywed's sweetheart table was placed under the same floral arch that was used during their ceremony.

Elegant Tablescape

NKT Events used gray linen tablecloths, deep blue napkins and table runners, gold cutlery, and gold-accented white dinnerware to create the reception tabletops, which were further decorated with floral arrangements in metallic vessels and an assortment of burgundy and gold pillar candles.

Surprise Dance Party

Music played a huge role in this celebration. Elijah suggested close to 150 songs for their DJ, Prestige, to play, from hip-hop to top-40 hits in order to please the diverse crowd. Natalie's bridal party even choreographed a dance performance as a surprise to the newlyweds, which was the perfect way to kick off the evening.

First Dance Outfit

The newlyweds took their first dance to "Cruisin" by Smokey Robinson—which faded into "September" by Earth Wind & Fire "to get the crowd going," says the bride—after Elijah switched into his second look of the evening: a gold African ensemble by his friend Wongani of KoelesClothing. The outfit was inspired by the movie Black Panther.

Pink-Foiled Cake

Local bakery Cakes in the City brought the couple's modern dessert vision to life with an off-white cake complete with rose-gold foil and pink and red florals. The cake's raspberry and white chocolate flavors mimicked its external appearance.

Surprise Fireworks

Natalie surprised her groom, his son, and all of their guests with an unforgettable fireworks show, which unfolded over the French chateau. It was her way of thanking everyone for traveling for the occasion. Not only was it Natalie's favorite moment, but she knew she nailed it when Elijah's son shouted, "This is the best surprise ever!"

Sources

Photography, Christina Bernales
Location, Chateau de Varennes
Event planning, NKT Events
Catering, Nathan Muir
Flowers, Fleurs de Fée
Cake, Cakes in the City
Music, Prestige
Rentals, Joli Bazaar
Linens, Mademoiselle Coton
Bride's gown, David Tutera
Bride's accessories, Jimmy Choo (shoes), Vera Wang (veil)
Hair, Ciara Coiffure
Makeup, Annette Thornton
Bridesmaids' dresses, Weddington Way
Groom and groomsmen attire, The Black Tux
Groom's second outfit, Koeles Clothing
Groom's accessories, Gucci (shoes), Longines (watch)