A Fairy Tale Chateau Wedding Complete with a Horse-Drawn Carriage and Enchanted Gardens – You Must See It All.

McKenzie O'Grady
October 2, 2019
Categories: Real Weddings, Romantic, The Blog

‘Once upon a time…’ We can’t help but introduce today’s wedding with those time-honored words; it is, after all, so exquisite, that it seems more like a beautifully illustrated fairy tale than a real wedding. Karen & Sam’s nuptials included all of the iconic storybook elements: a storied Château, an enchanted English Garden, flowers by Floraison Paris that were pure poetry, and three couture bridal gowns. The bride arrived in—what else?—a carriage drawn by winter white horses to arrive at the pinnacle moment: a walk down L’Île D’Amour, the Island of Love. (It’s only fitting that, in centuries past, the Princes of Condé held dazzling garden parties at this very site!). Scarlet Events oversaw a global team to create an event that was a masterpiece full of poetry, history, and romance. Be sure to capture every sparkling moment in the gallery by Jada Poon Photography, which is certainly one of the most beautiful of all time.

From the wedding planner, Scarlet Events: Karen & Sam’s Wedding at Chateau de Chantilly, France – April 2019. The hottest wedding celebration of the year was the French Fairytale wedding of Hong Kong royalty – Karen Li and Sam Lau, at Le Domaine de Chantilly (which hosts only 2-3 weddings per year). Château de Chantilly is an exclusive and magnificent historic Château and the perfect setting for Karen and Sam to make their vows in front of 120 guests.

The entire wedding was completely custom designed from conception to completion by globally renowned planners Scarlet Events. Scarlet led a team of over 100 highly esteemed event staff, all of whom worked together over the course of six days, including vendors from the UK, France, Belgium, Italy and Hong Kong to create an event that was truly timeless. The welcome dinner for the wedding was an intimate affair, with a stylish ‘All-White’ dress code that took place at the 17th-Century Maison de Sylvie, also known as Sylvie’s House. Nestled away in the forest of Chantilly, Sylvie’s House boasts spectacular crystal chandeliers and 18th century paintings. The flowers were a loose, natural style including traditional British white and cream blooms with greens, complemented by luxury blue baroque linens in the blue room and white baroque linens in the white room.

Scarlet organised luxury shuttles to escort guests from the hotel to the venue in comfort and style. Upon arrival, Champagne and apéritifs were served in the French Garden with the glistening early evening sun providing the perfect backdrop for the cocktail reception. Guests then made their way inside where they were treated to a five-course menu, prepared by the team at La Capitainerie restaurant, under the care of Michelin starred chef Julien Lucas. The culinary creations included Quail Filet, Pan-Seared Foie Gras, and a platter of fine French Cheese.

The ceremony itself was truly the main event and took place outside on the impressive 96m long Île d’Amour (Island of Love). Where else for a bride to make her grand entrance than an enchanting island, each and every bit as romantic as the name suggests. The gazebo at the end of the aisle was the perfect place for the couple to take their vows and was adorned with natural style arches of foliage and stems of delicate flowers. Each element was carefully designed to enhance the beauty of the natural setting, without being too elaborate. A statue of Eros, the Greek God of Love already in place inside the gazebo overlooked the wedding aisle, adding an extra touch of romance.

Scarlet recommended the use of transparent ghost chairs, to seamlessly blend into the setting, leaving the focus entirely on the flowers. Deconstructed pastel floral arrangements were added to the fountain edges while loose blooms and ivy cascaded from the stone urns, creating a magical walkway for the beautiful bride.

Of course, a bridal entrance would not be complete without a bespoke Cinderella horse-drawn carriage. Karen’s arrival was in true fairy tale fashion, her bespoke Elie Saab bridal gown was adorned with intricate lace detailing and embellishment, her veil featuring delicate floral appliqués fanned out behind her. A statement bouquet filled with an abundance of roses, sweet pea and blown peonies tied with a blush pink ribbon finished off her elegant bridal look. Karen’s father greeted her at the entrance of the Island of Love, and together they walked down the impressive aisle. The sun beamed down on father and daughter, creating a memorable moment that is captured very rarely at this magnificent and exclusive venue.

Following the ceremony, guests made their way back over the bridge towards the Jardin Anglais (English Garden) for photos overlooking a full panoramic view of the remarkable Château in the background.

The wedding reception took place on the spectacular terrace of the Château inside a bespoke glass conservatory that Scarlet had purpose built for the wedding, adding great style and character without the bulky look of a standard white marquee. The conservatory was perfectly placed overlooking the grand Château, as well as the spectacular Parterre Nord (North Gardens) with its geometric lawns, impressive fountains, and numerous statues. The Château and the grounds are so beautiful that Scarlet wanted the wedding to fit seamlessly within the breathtaking surroundings. The perfect location for this enchanting and decadent affair, guests were driven up to the terrace for an early evening reception, where they enjoyed a welcome reception outside on the grand staircase. After indulging on Foie Gras, Truffles, and Champagne, guests headed inside the glass conservatory, here they were welcomed by a series of elegant tablescapes and beautiful flowers.

Bespoke beige linens made- to- order for each table set the tone; gold candelabras and dreamy, expressive florals set within opulent gold vessels swept down the centre of the banquet tables – blush garden roses, cream peonies, and peach blooms made up the beautiful arrangements. Gold- rimmed glassware, decadent gold cutlery and menus delicately finished with gold leaf, added the luxurious finishing touches to the place settings. The newlyweds were introduced by their close friends and made their entrance to Etta James’s classic ‘At Last’ – the romantic moment being met with loud cheers from the guests. The bride wore the same stunning Elie Saab piece for the cutting of the cake.

The five-tiered masterpiece was created by renowned Parisian pastry chef Bastien Blanc-Tailleur, formerly sous pastry chef of Four Seasons George V. The cake featured ruffle detailing with gold leaf edging, and exquisite sugar embroidery that matched the lace on Karen’s gown.

A bespoke cream and gold stage that Scarlet had designed provided the setting for the live music by a hand-selected prestigious six-piece soul band, creating an uplifting and energetic ambience. A matching custom dance floor inlaid with the couple’s monogram was another one of the many bespoke production elements for this wedding.

Fine wine was enjoyed, paired carefully to compliment the Parisian inspired cuisine. Scarlet knew the food was of great importance to the couple, so they wanted to bring in renowned Parisian caterers Potel et Chabot – who have cooked for the likes of Karl Lagerfeld and for Kim Kardashian’s Parisian wedding party. Guests feasted on Truffled Eggs followed by Spring Lobster Salad. The main course – Filet of Beef, was served in style – hand carved by a chef at each table and after dinner, smoked coconut ice-cream was served in glass cloches. Plenty of theatre and entertainment was on offer throughout the evening, guests were then treated to a grandiose fireworks display, one of the highlights of the weekend’s celebrations, lighting up the night sky overlooking the Parterre Nord gardens.

Scarlet built a bespoke terrace along the edge of the glass conservatory and the couple kicked off their firework display by pressing the trigger themselves as a lovely surprise. Guest’s enjoyed the extravagant show, themed to the bride’s favourite Disney music and for this special occasion Karen had changed into a stunning Vivian Luk ‘Unicorn’ inspired gown with each delicate layer of tulle featuring a beautiful pastel shade of pink, purple, yellow and blue, with crystal embellishments on the edge of each layer.

Shortly after the spectacular fireworks, the bride changed again, this time into a gorgeous 1920’s gold Marchesa dress with fringe. In a change of ‘Bride and Groom’ first dance tradition, Karen and her father shared a special moment on the dance floor. Followed by a dazzling dance performance by the newlyweds, a routine that was captivating, lively, and magical, the perfect way to get the party started! High powered vocal performances from the live band brought the house down and guests danced the night away under the Chantilly stars.