Wedding | Tamara & Jordane

The Anti-Bride
4 hours ago
4 min read

Tell us a little about yourselves!

We come from different backgrounds but care about many of the same things — travel, art, and enjoying life as fully as possible. Tamara grew up in Los Angeles and works as a boudoir photographer, shooting everything on film. Jordane is from Paris and spent a decade working as a winemaker in Burgundy before moving to LA and becoming a restauranteur.

We met at Jordane’s wine bar, where Tamara was salsa dancing to live music.

We got engaged in Athens, just below the Acropolis, and now live in Los Angeles with our two cats, Blue and Moon.

Why did you decide to get married where you did?

We both have a love for Europe, the old world, and great Champagne, so getting married at Chateau de la Marquetterie, Taittinger’s chateau, felt like an easy decision. It’s incredibly beautiful, and with Jordane’s history as a winemaker, it felt important to celebrate surrounded by exceptional wine.

It is also close to Jordane’s hometown of Paris and easy for guests to reach by train from the city or from the airport for guests flying in, which made traveling simple.

How many guests did you have?

100 guests.

What was your budget?

We went over, but it was worth every penny!

Tell us about your outfits.

Tamara: I wanted to go for a very vintage, timeless look that I could look back on and always love. I adore corseting, so that was a must when searching for my dress. Kim Kassas puts so much detail into not only the construction of her dresses, but also the romance, with stunning embellishments and unique touches. The cape on top felt especially unique and elegant, and I fell in love as soon as I tried it on. When you know, you know, whether it comes to dresses or soulmates. The colour of the dress was Champagne, which felt like the perfect tone for the location.

Most of my jewelry was vintage. I adore vintage shopping and found my necklace at an estate sale. I happened to be wearing it the day I went dress shopping and knew I had to wear it on my wedding day. I hope that diva knows her impeccable taste had its moment at my wedding.

At 5’2”, my search for the perfect shoe was based on the height of the platform, comfort to dance all night long, and something that would also work on grass for our ceremony.

Jordane: For our wedding, I chose a white tuxedo as a symbol of my commitment to every beautiful aspect that this forever unification represents. The black shiny Santoni shoes were my touch of classic elegance, reminding me at each step that this moment was truly special. I wore invisible socks with over ankle pants, a tiny rebellion of casual chic in the middle of a very formal day, but after all we were in the countryside, surrounded by vines and sunshine. And on my wrist, my Rolex Daytona Panda, the most precious thing I own after my wife, of course, ticking gently as if to say “mon ami, this is the beginning of forever!”

What was the most important aspect for you, in terms of planning your wedding?

The most important part of planning a destination wedding for us was having a planner we could fully trust. Samantha, India, and the team at Best Events Co. had our trust completely. The time they dedicated and the level of detail they brought went far beyond our expectations. Their taste and ideas were incredible, and they truly understood our vision. Planning something so important from such a great distance can feel intimidating, but I always knew our special day was in the best hands.

We had a lot of ideas for the wedding, and bringing them to life from afar could have been challenging. The team did an amazing job balancing what we wanted aesthetically with what the space allowed, while also creating a thoughtful and seamless experience for our guests, many of whom traveled a long way to be there.

It was important to us to put our full hearts into creating a day that felt special not only for us, but also for our friends and family. The Best Events team made sure that vision came to life, and we are so grateful for them.

Were there any elements that were important for you to incorporate?

Choosing a photographer and videographer to shoot on film mattered to us. Tamara shoots film professionally, and Jordane shoots film as well, so it is something we share. We found LisasVisuals who captured the day so beautifully on 35mm and Super 8.

Any tips for couples getting married?

Bring all your ideas and be passionate about the planning, but stay open to change as the wedding week approaches. Holding too tightly to a perfect image of how things are supposed to be can take away from the experience. Some of the best moments come from embracing the unexpected.

I (Tamara) worried about feeling too overwhelmed to fully enjoy the day, and having a very intimate morning made a big difference. Getting ready with just my maids of honor, my sister in law, and my mom helped set a calm tone. I would also encourage brides not to be afraid to do their own makeup. You know your face best, and feeling like yourself matters. It was one of the best decisions I made.

Are there any vendors that you would like to tell us a little more about?

We feel so thankful for every vendor involved in our wedding, but especially our planner, who brought everything together with such care and intention. Some of our ideas were more unconventional and out of the box, and it meant a lot that everyone put so much effort into making those visions come to life.