CAROLINE AND DAMIEN

Location:

We had dreamed of a whole weekend together in the countryside, and it was at Château du Calaoué in the Gers that our dream came true: an elegant, country-style estate in the Toulousan tradition of pink bricks. We wanted a warm place where everyone could feel at ease. We were able to accommodate a good number of our guests on site, and have a big barbecue brunch the following day.

The atmosphere was very festive but also with lots of emotion and love. We went through some difficult times in 2016 with the postponement of our wedding because Damien was ill, so this day was full of meaning and tears of joy! We loved the solemn moment in the church, where our witnesses and friends were all moved as they read texts from the Bible that we had chosen, and which were even more meaningful after all those trials.

Their inspiration:

The color pink came to the fore with Toulouse, the pink city: we used it in several shades of pastel and white too. Liberty was another inspiration, and we used it for the table runners, among other things. Pinterest was a source of endless inspiration and ideas. We opted for a country-chic decor with lots of flowers, which was important to us. We spent a lot of time looking for decorations and validating everything together, and Damien was very involved. We also thought a lot about the children on the day, with special decorations and entertainment for them.

For the outfit, I knew I wanted 2 dresses: I'd been imagining my powder pink dress for a long time for the town hall, and it was Marie Laporte that I fell in love with.

Shoe design:

A friend told me about Dessine-moi un soulier. The site is superbly well designed and fun to use. I had a precise idea of what I wanted, but by visiting the boutique I was able to improve the design with the team's advice. Seeing the models and touching the materials, seeing the colors in real life is essential, and the team's advice is very reassuring! I'd opted for a nude pink model and at first I didn't dare wear the gold heel, but finally, with the advice I got, I took the plunge and I'm more than delighted - it was the little "glossy" touch to my outfit that gave it pep! Indulge yourself when it comes to colors: now's the time to match your theme. Shoes are the finishing touch to any outfit, and there's something for everyone at the boutique!

Caroline's advice:

The two of us have to enjoy preparing for this day. I loved sharing these moments when we discussed every detail, our families also helped us a lot, and beyond the D-day it's the fact of sharing these preparations that is magical too! Remember that you're hosting the people you love most for your most beautiful day, and follow your desires! The choice of suppliers is also essential: Toulouse isn't my home town, so I spent a lot of time on blogs and websites to find the right people for us, and we fell in love every time, with people who were very professional but so much fun to work with. We put our trust in 100%, and often, like the photos and flowers, the results were beyond our expectations! There has to be a feeling!

We had also nominated "leaders" if necessary for the D-day, to avoid being encumbered by logistical details, so we were able to enjoy the day to the full. Everyone had a small mission (the church music, picking up the flowers, being the caterer's contact) so the day ran smoothly.

And always have a plan B if you've planned something outdoors in case of bad weather: it was 15 degrees on July 1st in the Gers with non-stop rain (yes, yes, it's possible......). Once we'd decided 2 days beforehand to forget about the outdoor vin d'honneur because we had another venue available, we were much more serene.

And don't forget to enjoy every moment: especially with your husband (we tried to always stay together and visit guests together), to see your guests and to have fun. We did an entrance on Pulp Fiction with a mini choreography, it was fire in the room and it transported us even more !!!!