It simply had to be Paris for Sherry and Jeffrey’s high summer destination wedding, and they captured the magic of the city where they had first met with an elegant two-celebration event for their international guests.
Photos: Le Secret d’Audrey & One and Only Paris Photography
Paris was the only logical location for the wedding of Jeffrey and Sherry. With all its romance and elegance, it was also the site of their first meeting. Sherry, who hails from Hong Kong, had met Jeffrey from Texas in the fabled ‘City of Love’ four years earlier and the couple had never looked back.
This truly international wedding was designed as a two-celebration event for the couple and their 66 guests. Sherry and Jeffrey chose as their base the Four Seasons George V Paris and the festivities began with a welcome cruise down the River Seine. Guests took in the city panoramas offered by the river, while enjoying canapés, cocktails, and specially prepared dishes from food stations.
The wedding ceremony took place at the splendid 18th-century Ledoux building, Le Pavillon de Musique de la Comtesse du Barry. There, a pure white marquee was placed alongside the mansion. Guests arrived in S & J monogrammed vehicles and were greeted by music from a string quartet. Sherry had chosen a beautiful gown by designer Galia Lahav that evoked a distinctly 1920s Parisian aesthetic. A floral theme of white and pink, including lush roses, was used to dress the venue and for the bride’s bouquet.
The S & J monogram was a recurring theme, used on the wedding aisle carpet, on table linen, guests’ welcome packs, and as an overlay on mansion mirrors. Custom-commissioned throughout the different venues, it brought a romantic touch to soften and personalise these heritage settings. Guests received handmade parasols and fans, inspired by the couple’s Hong Kong home – also a very practical touch in the August heat of Paris.
The ceremony took place under a bespoke floral arch decorated in tonal shades, ranging from blush to vibrant pink. Sherry walked up the aisle with her father and was accompanied by three bridesmaids in Jenny Yoo gowns. Jeffrey – in an impeccably cut suit – had three groomsmen, and the cortege was completed by a flower girl and page boy. Guests enjoyed a relaxed lunch inside Pavillon du Barry to the accompaniment of the string quartet. An illustrator created live portraits of guests – a very Parisian touch – as a memento of the day.
As night fell, guests were chauffeured to the George V Four Seasons for the cocktail reception. With a jazz quartet playing, guests were invited to explore the relationship of the couple through a series of framed photographs lining the walls. The bride had changed into a Grecian-style gown decorated with crystals and created by Reem Acra.
The centrepiece was a tree bedecked with ornate keys, each bearing a card tag. Guests removed a key, wrote their advice on the ‘key to the happy marriage’ on the tag, attached this to a board and were invited to keep the key as a memento. By the end of the reception, the board was full of wise and kind messages for Sherry and Jeffrey. The ballroom itself had a botanical fantasy theme of blush-toned flowers, courtesy of Jeff Leatham.
After the bride and groom cut into their spectacular wedding cake, alight with sparklers, guests were offered both a slice of cake and delicate portions of traditional French desserts. Each guest was also given a metallic fortune cookie. The slip of paper inside the cookie contained an individual note from the couple. This, and the many other personalised touches brought the spirit of Sherry and Jeffrey to every facet of the wedding and provided guests with lasting memories of a very special celebration in the City of Love.
Wedding sourcebook
Wedding planner: QUINTESSENTIALLY WEDDINGS; quintessentiallyweddings.com
Photography: LE SECRET D’AUDREY; lesecretdaudrey.com & ONE AND ONLY PARIS PHOTOGRAPHY; oneandonlyparisphotography.com Videography: Studio Artifice; studioartifice.com
Wedding ceremony/breakfast: PAVILLON DE MUSIQUE DE LA COMTESSE DU BARRY; pavillondemusiquedubarry.fr Wedding evening reception: FOUR SEASONS HOTEL GEORGE V PARIS; fourseasons.com/George-V-Paris
Bridal gown (day): GALIA LAHAV; galialahav.com Gown (evening): REEM ACRA; reemacra.com
