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Frequently
Asked Questions
What will Château Weddings do for me?
Is a destination wedding right for me?
What if it's just the two of us?
What is a typical menu?
Should I get married in Italy or France?
Can I hold a legal wedding in Europe?
What is the average cost for a wedding in Europe?
What is the ideal size for a Château Wedding?
What is the best time of year to get married in Europe?
What are the best regions of France for a wedding?
What are the best regions of Italy for a wedding?
What percentage of my guests will make it?
What are the typical airfare costs?
Do I need to schedule activities for my guests?
Do I need to cover my guests' expenses?
What
will Château Weddings do for me?
Château Weddings will help you design a one-of-a-kind, unforgettable
event, from pre-wedding activities through the big day. Available services
include:
- Location and Château Selection
- Service Provider Negotiation
and Management
- Onsite Event Coordination -
Rehearsal through Brunch
- Budget Preparation & Planning
Calendar
- Menu Translation & Planning
- Minute-by-Minute Scheduling
- Group Transportation and Day
Trips
- Guest Hotel Recommendations
- Wedding Invitations and "Save
The Dates"
- Guest Welcome Gifts and Wedding
Favors
- Guest Transportation and Accommodations
- And More…
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Is a destination
wedding right for me?
This is a personal decision, and one that will no doubt require some considerable
soul-searching. A destination wedding can be more intimate, more romantic
and more unique than a domestic event. The trade-off is that fewer of
your guests will be able to make the trip (we leave it to you to determine
if this is a drawback or a blessing!) However, a destination wedding does
not have to be more complex or stressful than its domestic counterpart.
With the right partner to handle the details, planning a destination wedding
can be less stressful than trying to live up to other people's expectations
of what a "conventional" wedding should be. In the end, a destination
wedding is the opportunity to spend more quality time in beautiful surroundings
with the people who matter the most to you (including each other!).
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What if it's
just the two of us?
Château Weddings
has recently begun to offer services for a limited number of elopements
in Paris. Our philosophy varies substantially from the formulaic approach
of "package planners" and travel agencies. We appeal to the discerning
couple seeking intimacy and a truly unique experience. A few options in
Paris include an intimate historic chapel, a private yacht on the Seine,
a beautiful château and several of Paris' most exclusive hotels.
For a brochure or more information, please contact melissa@chateauweddings.com.
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What is a typical menu?
Each region is known for different delicious local specialties. We have experience working with the best caterers across France and Italy. Here is an example of a menu in the South of France — Menu in Provence.
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Should I choose
Italy or France?
For reasons of heritage
or language studies, you or your fiancé may have a particular allegiance
to Italy or to France. However, if there are no bloodlines tying you to
one or the other, we recommend that you keep an open mind while you enjoy
the excitement of learning about the various regions and properties.
Whatever your ultimate choice, it is hard to go wrong - each offers the
finest food and wine, beautiful scenery, rich culture, and a long history
of a noble class with the taste and funds to build some of the most spectacular
dwellings in the history of mankind. It is worth bearing in mind that
prices in Italy tend to be higher than comparable services in France.
Also, Italian villas typically have a one week rental minimum, whereas
many French châteaux can be rented for just the weekend.
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Can I hold a legal wedding in
Europe?
We recommend that couples considering a European destination wedding get
married at home before their trip. While a legal European wedding is possible,
it adds considerable cost and complexity without a significant benefit.
Holding the legal wedding separately from the ceremony will in no way
affect its style, substance or emotional impact. The primary benefits
of this approach are three-fold:
- Spend time with your guests
instead of worrying about red tape, appointments at the foreign consulate,
and endless paperwork. European city halls are no easier to deal with
than their domestic counterparts. Dispensing with the formalities before
your trip is yet another way to reduce your stress and maximize your
enjoyment of the biggest week of your life.
- Full flexibility in your choice
of celebrants. By getting the legality out of the way first, you can
choose whether to have your ceremony officiated by a clergyman, a close
friend, or a family member.
- Avoid future hassles with translating
and obtaining copies of marriage documents.
As for the legal domestic wedding,
you have at least three choices — hold a quick ceremony at City Hall, schedule
an intimate "elopement" weekend before leaving, or hold a modest domestic
ceremony with some friends or family who can't make the trip to France.
In a number of states, including
California, you can even have a friend deputized as a marriage commissioner
to perform your legal wedding. If you like, the legal service can be your
little secret - there is no need to discuss this with your guests unless
you choose to do so.
If it is important to you to be
married abroad, then Italy is a far better choice, due to France's residency
requirements.
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What is the
average cost for a wedding in Europe?
As with domestic weddings, costs are a function of number of guests,
venue, and services selected. The quality of services at a Château
Wedding tends to be significantly higher than for a comparable US destination,
with prices that are the same or somewhat lower. In addition, a destination
wedding will generally have fewer guests, which will result in significant
cost savings. France, in particular, offers great value, due to the non-commercialization
of weddings there. Please contact melissa@chateauweddings.com
for a brochure which has more information on pricing.
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What
is the ideal size for a Château Wedding?
The range of properties we work with can accommodate any size wedding,
whether it's just the two of you or more than 200 guests. In all cases,
you can be assured that you and your guests will be treated like royalty!
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What is the
best time of year to get married in Europe?
The climate in France and Italy is often compared to California with
areas of sun, low rainfall and moderate temperatures year-round. We particularly
recommend the spring and fall when there are fewer tourists, reduced airfares,
warm days, and the best natural light for pictures. We'll provide you
with average seasonal weather patterns for the areas you are considering,
so you can factor these into your decision.
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What are the
best regions of France for a wedding?
- Provence — autiful
countryside with endless outdoor activities (easy access with direct
flights into Marseille). Our favorite activities include exploring medieval
villages, beach lounging, boat cruise, wine tasting, cooking lessons,
touring the Riviera, etc.
- Paris — The most
romantic city in the world, with countless sites and easy access (major
airport — Charles de Gaulle). Our favorite activities include river
cruise, museums, shopping on the Champs
- The Loire — Rich
in history and known as the playground of the kings (1 1/2 hours by
train from Paris). Our favorite activities include Château tours, biking,
hot-air ballooning, wine tasting, etc.
- Cote d'Azur/French Riviera
— On the Mediterranean with beautiful beaches and close proximity
to Italy (easy access with direct flights into Nice). Our favorite activities
include sailing, beach, perfume factories, Monte Carlo, Provence, etc.
- Burgundy — Renowned
as the gastronomic capital of France, this region has beautiful countryside
off the beaten path and incredible wine (1 1/2 hours by train from Paris,
or the Lyon airport). Our favorite activities include Château tours,
biking, hot-air ballooning, wine tasting, etc.
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What are the
best regions of Italy for a wedding?
- The Amalfi Coast —
Beautiful beaches, excellent cuisine and dramatic hillside towns (1
hour by car from Naples). Our favorite activities include boat trips
to Capri, Ephesus, shopping in Positano and eating the region's famous
pizza.
- Tuscany & Umbria
— Picturesque landscapes, exceptional wine and beautiful historic
sites (direct flights into Florence, or 1 1/2 2 hours from Rome).
Our favorite activities include wine tours, biking, spas, cooking classes
and touring the historical sites.
- Rome — Roman ruins,
the Vatican, the coliseum, food and shopping (major airport). Our favorite
activities include walking, walking, walking, sitting in cafés, people
watching at the Spanish Steps and shopping.
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What percentage
of my guests will make it?
The percentage typically depends on the profile of your guests, the
season, and how early you send out "save the dates"). For close friends
and family who are unable to join you, we recommend that you send a copy
of the wedding video so they can share in your memories. In our experience
from 50-65% of the guest list typically makes the trip.
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What are the
typical airfare costs?
Each of the regions we recommend is within 1-2 hours of major international
airports (Paris, Nice, Marseille, Lyon, Florence, Rome, and Naples). We
can recommend several travel agencies focused on Europe, that are often
able to help you get special fares through consolidators. With advance
purchase, fares from most major US cities to these locations generally
range from $500 to $900 round trip.
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Do I need to
schedule activities for my guests?
This is your wedding — you don't "need" to do anything!
However, we strongly recommend scheduling one or two trips during the
days leading up the wedding, as these may well prove to be the most memorable
days of your life. We can rent you a bus, driver and tour guide, and schedule
various stops at wineries, beaches, châteaux, and historic villages, allowing
you to bond with guests while enjoying the fruits of the region.
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Do I need to
cover my guests' expenses?
The etiquette for a destination wedding is identical to that for its
domestic counterpart - you are not expected to pay for guest travel or
lodging. If you are renting a château or villa with onsite guestrooms,
you may, at your option, decide to contribute to the lodging costs of
guests staying onsite with you.
| We
will work with you to design a one-of-a-kind, unforgettable event
- from pre-wedding events, through rehearsal dinner, the big day
and the day after. We'll even help your guests with travel arrangements
and accommodations.
Once
you decide on a few basics, your level of involvement is up to you.
Some of our clients even choose to join us for a pre-wedding trip
to visit a few châteaux and villas, meet the service providers
and do some wine and menu tasting (it's a tough job, but someone's
got to do it!)
Our
extensive network of contacts includes the most scenic properties
and the best caterers, photographers, florists, and musicians in
France! |
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| Ceremony
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Rehearsal |
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Setting |
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Officiant |
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Adornment |
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Schedule |
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| Memories |
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Photographer |
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Videographer |
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| Music |
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Ceremony |
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Cocktails
and dinner |
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Dancing |
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| Cuisine |
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Caterer |
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Menu
planning |
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Wine
selection |
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Seating |
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| Ambience |
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Decor |
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Floral
design |
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Tent,
lighting, outdoor heating |
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| Intimate
Gatherings |
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Private
day trips for you and your guests |
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Rehearsal
dinner |
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Brunch |
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Services |
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Accommodations |
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Guest
welcome bags |
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Day
trips and travel recommendations |
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Transportation |
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| Details |
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Vendor
negotiation, payment and management |
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Pre-wedding
pampering |
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Peace
of mind |
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