Caroline & Arnaud
The Meeting and the Proposal :
We are from the same village, we knew each other from school, from our youth, from the youth center,... We naturally became a couple in 2009.
On his 30th birthday, in 2019, he proposed to me during a trip to Portugal!
Due to COVID, many changes took place but we had two great days, the civil wedding in 2020 and the big celebration in 2022!
Photo credit : Yannick Hardy.
The locations and atmospheres of their weddings :
2020: We got married civilly at the town hall of Clermont (one of the most beautiful villages in Wallonia). Then, we hosted our loved ones at a restaurant in the region that we particularly like - L'atelier 42.
2022: We fell in love with the Château de Berlieren (a fortified farm in the style of our region). The owners are lovely and we had carte blanche for the decoration and setup.
The most memorable moment of their special day: "bringing together our two large families and friends and enjoying a day that reflects us !"
Wedding inspirations :
I am a seamstress, and quite creative, I already had a very clear idea of the ambiance I wanted to create for our wedding. I searched and prepared a large part of the decor from 2019. I wanted to prepare as much as possible myself and be able to choose all the details.
Everything I could do myself, I did. We rented some items (tables, benches, and some black chairs) last minute from Options. The frames are from Cotton Bird France. I was very happy with my choices !
Regarding the dress :
During a fitting of a clearance model (I wanted to make my dress, but it's easier to see yourself in the models to decide ;)), I fell for a dress that was far from what I was initially looking for.
The size was perfect; there was a stain on the train but it came out with cleaning, I only had to adjust the length, I thought it was meant for me. That's the one I wore in 2020.
For 2022, I still wanted to create my outfit; I wanted something more special and that truly reflects me. I opted for a 3-piece ensemble, pants - crop top - long jacket.
I selected the fabrics I liked, I sewed and offered bow ties to our entire party!
Her Choice of Bridal Shoes
I am indecisive by nature!
So being able to choose EVERYTHING was very difficult for me. From Belgium, with no choice but to order online, I had a video call appointment for personalized advice and I went for it, everything is always very well explained ;)!
I wanted a comfortable heel, not too high, but still!
Thanks to the two weddings, my husband gave me two pairs of shoes ;) ! Both are Salomé style, one with a closed platform, chunky heel, and the other classic crossed, chunky heel! The colors were chosen based on the season.
I was delighted with both, and I wear them regularly.
Caroline's Tips :
1. Take the time from the start to choose your priorities! Book what is most important to you first! The date was not (too) important to us. And with COVID postponements, my goal was to keep ALL the originally chosen vendors; we chose an off-season date (February) and we were lucky to be able to trust them despite busy schedules.
2. Choose a theme, and stick to it. Prepare a Pinterest board (for example), see if all the ideas work together and stay focused. Everything is so possible nowadays that it's hard not to stray!
3. Find trustworthy vendors, it makes life easier!
Above all: accept that on the big day not everything will go as planned. It's normal, between tight schedules, surprises, small incidents, you have to be able to adapt and let go! It will still be very good and enjoy your day to the fullest !
Her favorite service providers :
!! They are all vendors from the province of Liège in Belgium (Thimister-Clermont) !!
Restaurant and caterer (2020) : L’atelier 42
Venue and ceremony location (2022) : Château de Berlieren
Photographer (2020-2022) : Yannick Hardy (2020 et 2022)
Wedding rings : L'Or du Temps-Vanwerst
Florist and setup (2020) : Atelier Nymphéas
Wooden name sign (2020) : Save the Deco
Florist (2022) : Floricado - Cado'kids
Furniture (2022) : Options pour la location.
Caterer & wedding planner (2022) : Traiteur Caysevent & Luc Delhaze
Groom's suit (2020) : Pomandi.com
Groom's suit, his witnesses', and my brother's (2022) : Maison Française.
Bride's ensemble (2022) and bow ties for the party (2020-2022) : Caroline Vanwerst - Créations sur mesure
Headpiece (2020) : le chapeau d’or
Headband (2022) : Krôme Brussels
Ceremony officiant : Carole Huber
