B & A • Chateau de la Ligne
“It started as a fairy tale and turned into a romantic comedy”
02/12/2017 – the start of their forever, the proposal.
Barbara couldn’t have put it better when describing how Alex proposed. Spoiler alert: this one has a truly happy ending.
Barbara and Alex would visit Belgium together once a year, for a weekend away and to see her family. This would be the place that Alex would pop the question. The proposal was a beautifully orchestrated evening, with a tasting menu at Michelin star restaurant Comme Chez Soi, followed by a walk back to their hotel via the Grand Place…
“He twirled me by the big Christmas tree in the centre and as I turned, he was on his knees, ring in his hand.”
“The entire proposal had been wonderfully planned, until I ruined it: I grabbed the ring, shoved it on my finger and ran off towards our hotel. Alex had to pull me back to check whether it was a yes and I wasn’t running off with a precious stone to sell on! Naturally I said, yes.”
Possibly our favourite proposal to date – we’re pretty sure this is not quite how Alex had planned it out in his head… but romantic, nonetheless.
Barbara and Alex got married in Bordeaux after an 8-year relationship that spanned several countries and cities, finally coming together in London. They met at the University of Leeds, staying together when Barbara moved to China (not sure she could have gone much further!). A lesson to us all, true love knows no bounds.
This is a marriage of two countries - Barbara is Belgian, and Alex, British - so it was important to them to choose a neutral country to get married in. Barbara has family all over Europe, so it was essential to pick a central location, easily accessed by all. A great excuse for a cheeky weekend or two in France, they took the opportunity to visit a few locations. Chateau de la Ligne instantly stole their hearts - they could feel this was the place and could straight away imagine getting married there. The fairytale location just outside of Bordeaux was a beautiful French chateau surrounded by manicured gardens, set in the middle of idyllic countryside.
Barbara was totally inspired by the Chateau and wanted to incorporate the interior colours of gold and pastel with her favourite romantic pinks into her theme. Pinterest was also used a lot, and I think we all know why.
With all this detail in mind, choosing jewellery can be a difficult job, especially when you have three bridesmaids. Matching the jewellery to their dresses was very important and we felt so lucky to be able to offer enough of a selection for Barbara to choose from.
Being part of Alex and Barbara’s day was just a dream, and we would do it all again if we could. The attention to detail and thought put in to the whole wedding was just amazing. It was really like a fairytale, Barbara looked every bit a Princess, stunning in lace with her Prince Charming by her side.
“I chose Marie-Blanche because they provided me with a wide range of beautiful high-quality jewellery so that we could match style and colour with the bridesmaid’s dresses. The necklaces and earrings came in personalised, handmade boxes with a rustic feel, which was a great touch. They still wear them all the time!”
Barbara shared some real pearls of wisdom about the planning process:
“It is key to consider other people’s opinions, but to make sure that what you decide is what you prefer.”
“Allocate task ownership according to your separate skills. If you’re creative, focus on picking out the flowers. If you’re good with numbers, manage the budgets.”
“Make sure that you and your partner are both part of that decision making. You are committing to a partnership for life and your wedding should reflect that.”
Music was clearly a seminal part of their day, reflected in the time and effort spent planning what was played during each part of the ceremony.
For our princess bride, there was only ever going to be one song to walk down the aisle to: “One Day My Prince Will Come”. It matched her personality perfectly. Then, led out of the church to the sound of Bruno Mars: ”Marry You” celebrations were truly kicked off - upbeat and fun!
The Reception – a quartet playing modern, classical and popular music
Cake entrance – “I’ve Got A Feeling” Black Eyed Peas (the party starter)
First Dance – “Young and Beautiful” Lana Del Ray
Party – a show-stopping live band
The music didn’t stop there. As the Chateau was hired for the weekend the music carried on with a fabulous playlist throughout the following day.
Barbara shared some amazing stand-out moments from the day, and there’s no doubt that these are two of many. Too fabulous not to share…
“My dad walking into the bridal suite waving around the underwear I was supposed to wear that day – I had left that task to one of my bridesmaids. Somehow found its way to the least appropriate (or subtle) delivery person...”
“My parents, stealing the show on the dancefloor with their rock ‘n’ roll moves. The crowd literally circled them.”
A final note from our wonderful bride:
“Trust yourself, go with your gut and ensure you plan your wedding with your partner. I would steer clear of using a wedding planner unless they act more like a coordinator on the day. it’s important to be as involved as you can be as it will make the day and every detail of the day count. Feel free to consider other people’s opinion and tips, but make sure that you do not make decisions to please other people/family members. It’s your wedding and should reflect you as a couple. People will forget they were ever annoyed.”
• Photographer: Lili-Renee • Venue: Chateau de la Ligne • Catering: Montblanc Traiteur • Flowers: Artamania Fleur • Wedding Dress: Willoughby and Wolf • Men’s Suits: Gieves and Hawkes • Cake: Little Cake Sisters • Hair and Make-Up: Atelier beaute33 •