Tell us a little about yourselves!
We were set up by a friend who Alfredo grew up with in Guatemala, and who Adèle met in grad school at USC. For over a year she planted the seeds – when we finally met, we ended up going on 3 dates in a week and never looked back! Alfredo proposed 4 years and one dog adoption later at the Santa Monica Beach where we had our first kiss and we eloped 6 months later. We both work in film and live in Los Angeles. We love the ocean, playing tennis, cooking together, and taking trips near and far.
Why did you decide to get married where you did?
Neither of us had grand preconceived visions of a wedding, and pretty quickly decided we’d rather a) get married faster and b) invest that money into an amazing vacation to celebrate the milestone. We considered several destinations and ultimately landed on Paris – it felt the most personal as Adèle is French-American and was born in France, and Alfredo had fallen in love with the city on extended visits there growing up. We knew we’d have fun exploring the city rain or shine, and it’s one of our favorite places to daydream about moving to, so we thought it could double as a scouting trip!
In terms of the ceremony location, we picked Tuileries - we wanted to exchange our vows outside, somewhere naturally beautiful, that we could easily visit in the future. We discussed options with our amazing photographer Agata at Couplet, and landed on the gardens as the best option.
How many guests did you have?
None! We love our friends and family but decided to keep our ceremony day private. It felt much more ‘us’ to do it this way - we didn’t want to make a big fuss, and wanted to just focus on each other and enjoying the day. We’re celebrating with friends and family as we see them over the year to come - it keeps the party going!
What was your budget?
Since we forwent a traditional wedding, we didn’t have a specific number in mind. We tried to be mindful of our wedding specific spend and invest in pieces / items we could wear / use again. In terms of vendors, we kept things minimal with just a photographer and hair / make up for Adèle.
Tell us about your outfits.
Neither of us felt attached to traditional wedding wear, so we each picked something that sparked to us and that we could enjoy wearing again for special occasions.
For Adèle - it was a Zimmermann dress that popped - it seemed to hint at bridal with the lace details, buttons, and high neck, but still playful with the length and flower print. My mother in law gifted me a classic pair of Christian Louboutin to match, and I picked some sweet Kate Spade floral earrings the day before we left. I accented with my favorite everyday ring from Mejuri, and a pearl strand my dad had gifted me years ago. The finishing touch was a short veil that I ordered from a local vendor on Etsy. I initially thought I’d just wear it for a handful of pictures, but I loved it so much I kept it on for all!
For Alfredo - Theory has always been a favorite for suits that fit well with just minor alterations. I wanted a light color for spring, and picked a tie from Canali to match Adèle’s dress. Adèle gifted me a Sid Mashburn pocket square to accent, and I wore a Rolex watch that I had been gifted for college graduation. I picked a new pair of loafers from Bruno Magli to finish the look - I find them more comfortable than traditional dress shoes and love how they age.
What was the most important aspect for you, in terms of planning your wedding?
We wanted the day to feel special but authentic to us - easygoing, fun, and heartfelt were important qualities. We didn’t have a ton of planning to do, but tried to do as much of it as we could together, to ensure that the ceremony, pictures, and trip were a reflection of both of our tastes. We didn’t want to get overwhelmed or bogged down by details, and tried to really focus on the why of the day.
Were there any elements that were important for you to incorporate?
We didn’t want everything to be fully planned out, and left room for spontaneity on the day which was the right decision for us. After our vow exchange and photos, we jumped back into everyday wear, picked a restaurant at random for lunch, and then enjoyed walking around the city - we decided a stop by Sacre Coeur would be a special way to foreground the day, and then enjoyed exploring the small streets of Montmatre.
We finished with dinner at Le Train Bleu - it’s a 100+ year old Michelin star restaurant in the Gare de Lyon with the most incredible murals on the ceiling and a classic French menu. Adèle’s parents had been and suggested we go on the trip for a special meal - after a little research, we thought it was the perfect space to celebrate our ceremony.
Any tips for couples getting married?
Don’t be afraid to break the mould! Your wedding day should be a reflection of what makes you both happy and comfortable, and that’s not the same for everyone. We had fun picking and choosing which traditions to retain, and stayed true to our vision even if it didn’t make sense to everyone around us.
Are there any vendors that you would like to tell us a little more about?
Agata at Couplet was our amazing photographer and she was an absolute pleasure to work with. We came across her work online, and really admired her eye and style. We Zoomed initially, and immediately knew she was someone we would just want to be friends with in the first place. When it came to planning, she suggested locations for our photos that complemented our taste, made a killer timeline for the day, and made us feel completely at ease when taking photos. We loved having her be a part of the special day, and will cherish the photos for years to come!
Photographer: Couplet @couplet.photo | Ceremony Location: Jardin des Tuileries | HMUA: Allison Depriestre @allisondepmuah | Dress: Zimmermann @zimmermann | Suit: Theory @theory__ | Veil: One Blushing Bride via Etsy @oneblushingbride | Tie: Canali @canali | Alfredo Pocket Square: Sid Mashburn @sidmashburn | Alfredo Watch: Rolex @rolex | Alfredo Belt: Magnanni @magnanni | Engagement & Weddings Rings: Designed / made with Camilla Dietz Bergeron @cdbltd | Shoes: (Adèle) Christian Louboutin @louboutinworld (Alfredo) Bruno Magli @brunomagliofficial | Earrings: Kate Spade @katespadeny | Bracelet: gift from Adèle's father | Ring: Mejuri @mejuri | Sunglasses:(Adèle) Anthropologie @anthropologie (Alfredo) Oliver Peoples @oliverpeoples | Vow Books: PrintSmitten via Etsy |