Château Formal — All Black
We’re getting married at a château in the South of France, so naturally, we’re asking everyone to dress accordingly — and wear black. Yes, all black. Consider this your official permission to lean into the drama. Think romantic, elevated, European, and a little glamorous. Floor-length and midi dresses, dressy jumpsuits, suits, jackets, beautiful fabrics, and fabulous accessories are all welcome. Basically: more formal than cocktail, less formal than black tie — and black from head to toe.

For dresses and jumpsuits, midi or floor-length is perfect. Satin, chiffon, lace, velvet, interesting textures, dramatic silhouettes — have fun with it. If you’ve ever bought something gorgeous and thought, “Where the hell am I ever going to wear this?” This may be your moment.

For suits, black suits are the move. Ties are encouraged but not required, and there’s no need for a tuxedo unless you really want to wear one.

One practical note: this is a château. There may be cobblestones, gravel, grass, and other extremely charming French surfaces that have absolutely no concern for the wellbeing of your ankles. Block heels, wedges, flats, or shoes you can comfortably navigate uneven ground in are highly recommended.

Most importantly, wear something you feel incredible in and can celebrate all night in.

When in doubt, ask yourself: “Could I dramatically sip champagne in this at a French château?” If it’s black and the answer is yes, you’ve understood the assignment.

Our wedding invitations are limited to the guests specifically named on each invitation — but we also know that international travel is a lot more fun with a friend! If you’d like to bring a partner, friend, sibling, travel buddy, or favorite person along for your French adventure, please do! They are absolutely welcome to travel with you, explore Carcassonne, and make a vacation out of the week.

We just ask that everyone understands what is included in the wedding invitation:
During the week: Breakfasts and dinners provided by us are reserved for our named wedding guests. Additional travelers will need to make their own meal arrangements.
The ceremony: Our ceremony is intimate and reserved exclusively for the guests named on the invitation.
The reception: Once the vows are done and it’s time to party? Bring them! Additional travel companions are welcome to join us for the reception festivities and celebrate with us.

So, by all means, bring someone to France. We’re not monsters. Just know that their trip will be a little more French vacation and a little less official wedding guest. And if they’re joining us at the reception, come ready to drink.

We know you love your children. We love the idea of you spending a week in the South of France drinking champagne at a château without them. Our wedding celebration is adults only, so please make childcare arrangements accordingly. We know international travel without your little ones may require some extra planning, and we completely understand if that affects your ability to attend. But if you can make it happen? Consider this your official invitation to a very glamorous grown-up French getaway.

If you want to travel with your kids, that is totally ok- but they will not be able to be in attendance to the wedding activities or château.

Valentine’s Day — February 14th.

Because we’re planning an entire week together rather than a traditional single-day wedding, we need a firm headcount earlier than usual. Please RSVP by February 14th so we can finalize accommodations, meals, transportation, and all the tiny details involved in putting our favorite people together in a château in France. And because passports, international flights, childcare, and life require some planning, please don’t wait until February to start figuring out whether you can come!

Our celebration begins June 11, so please plan your international travel accordingly. If your schedule allows, we highly recommend giving yourself a little breathing room between landing in France and needing to be anywhere important. International flights, jet lag, French trains, and the universe occasionally have plans of their own.

Our château adventure runs June 11–18, and we’d love for you to join us for as much of the week as you can! But, there is no obligation to be there the entire time. This is less seven straight days of wedding activities and more we rented a château in the South of France and filled it with our favorite people… and at some point we’re also getting married. There will be time to relax, explore, eat, drink, wander around Carcassonne, and generally enjoy the fact that you’re in France.

First of all: you are not attending a seven-day wedding ceremony. We promise.

Think of the week as a vacation with some of our favorite people, with a wedding conveniently happening in the middle of it. There will be wedding festivities, group meals, time together, and plenty of opportunities to celebrate — but there will also be downtime. Sleep in. Explore Carcassonne. Find a café. Read a book. Drink wine. Take a nap. Go somewhere beautiful. Come back and tell us about it over dinner. We’ll send out a full schedule closer to the wedding, but please don’t arrive expecting seven days of mandatory organized fun. We love you too much for that.

From June 12–18, breakfast and dinner will be provided each day for our named wedding guests. Lunch is your opportunity to venture out and explore on your own.

Please include any allergies or dietary restrictions with your RSVP so we can make sure there’s something delicious waiting for you.

This is your excuse to explore! Head into Carcassonne, find a café, wander until something smells delicious, grab bread and cheese for a picnic, or otherwise follow your heart and stomach. Lunch is intentionally left open so everyone has some freedom during the day rather than spending the entire week on a schedule. Our only request is that you make it back for whatever we have planned that evening. Preferably with pastries.

Outside of the wedding itself, vacation mode is encouraged. Bring comfortable clothes for exploring, shoes you can actually walk in, something cute for dinners, layers for evenings, and whatever you need to spend a week enjoying the South of France. Nearby there is boat rides, wine tours, horseback riding, and many more fun activities.

June in the South of France is generally warm and beautiful, but evenings can be cooler — particularly after the sun goes down. Pack for warm summer days, but bring a light jacket, wrap, or layer for evenings. And because we’re staying in a château rather than a climate-controlled Las Vegas resort, we’d recommend being prepared for a little variation. Check the forecast before you leave and pack accordingly!

We kindly ask that no phones or cameras be used during the ceremony. We are paying thousands of dollars for a photographer and videographer and we don’t need anyone’s cell phones or cameras in the shot. Pre and post ceremony- be free. Take as many photos or videos as your heart desires- yes even during the reception.

On a scale from “I took French in high school” to “I now exclusively answer to Amélie and have purchased a beret,” we’re aiming somewhere in the middle.

You are not required to speak French.

You ARE strongly encouraged to:
Eat the croissant.
Order the wine.
Try the cheese.
Sit at the café.
Wander somewhere old and beautiful.
Say bonjour before asking someone a question.
Become temporarily convinced you should move to France.

Basically, embrace it. You came all this way. You might as well be a little insufferable about being in the South of France.

First of all: look around. You’re in the South of France, there’s an enormous medieval fortress casually looming over the city, and for several glorious days your only real responsibility between breakfast and dinner is figuring out what sounds fun. Here are a few ideas.

Obviously, Explore La Cité
If you do exactly ONE touristy thing while you’re here, make it this. The Cité Médiévale de Carcassonne is the enormous fortified medieval city you’ve probably already taken 47 pictures of. It’s a UNESCO World Heritage Site filled with winding cobblestone streets, towers, shops, restaurants, and approximately one million opportunities to dramatically announce that you live here now. Give yourself a few hours to wander without much of a plan.

Do not miss:
Château Comtal & the Ramparts
Actually go inside the castle and walk the ramparts. You’ll get incredible views over Carcassonne and the surrounding countryside, plus the deeply satisfying experience of walking around an actual medieval fortress.

Basilique Saint-Nazaire
A beautiful historic basilica tucked inside the Cité with gorgeous stained glass. It’s an easy stop while you’re wandering and well worth popping into.

The streets themselves
Seriously. Get lost a little. Walk through an alley because it looks pretty. Browse shops. Buy something unnecessary. Stop for a drink.

Pro tip:
Go early in the morning or later in the afternoon/evening if you can. The Cité is one of France’s major attractions, which means midday can get BUSY. Plus, wandering around a medieval city as the light starts changing is objectively more romantic.

Walk Across Pont Vieux
Want the “holy shit, we’re actually in Carcassonne” photo? Walk across the historic Pont Vieux between the lower town and the Cité. You’ll get one of the classic views of the fortress rising above the city, and it’s an excellent way to walk between the two parts of Carcassonne.

Pretend You Live Here in Bastide Saint-Louis
Once you’ve done medieval Carcassonne, go see actual living-in-Carcassonne Carcassonne. The Bastide Saint-Louis is the lower town across the river from the Cité, filled with colorful buildings, shops, restaurants, cafés and beautiful little streets. Make your way toward Place Carnot, find a café table outside, order something, and simply exist there for a while.


If you’re around on a Tuesday, Thursday or Saturday morning, Place Carnot also hosts a market. Go buy fruit. Buy cheese. Buy bread. Buy something you can’t pronounce.


Wander Along the Canal du Midi
Need a break from castles? The Canal du Midi runs directly through Carcassonne and is another UNESCO World Heritage Site. Walk along the water, rent a bike, or look into one of the sightseeing cruises that operate along the canal. It’s peaceful, green, beautiful, and an excellent option for an afternoon when your body says: “I appreciate medieval architecture, but I would now like something flat.”

Go to the Lake
If June is doing what June in southern France is supposed to do and it’s HOT, head to Lac de la Cavayère. It’s just outside central Carcassonne and offers walking trails, outdoor activities, picnic areas, and places to cool off.

Have More Time? Get Out of Town.
If you’ve got a rental car and want to use one of your free days for an adventure, the countryside surrounding Carcassonne is full of tiny villages, vineyards, abbeys, castles and landscapes that look suspiciously like someone created them specifically for a movie.

Want the full vineyard experience?
During the warmer months, the Grand Carcassonne region also hosts Balades Vigneronnes — guided walks through local vineyards with the winemakers themselves, followed by tastings and local food. Walk through a French vineyard. Learn about wine. Drink the wine. Eat something delicious. Check the local tourism calendar closer to the wedding for dates, participating vineyards, and reservations.

Go Horseback Riding Through the French Countryside
There are equestrian centers around Carcassonne offering trail rides through vineyards, hills, forests, and the surrounding countryside, with options available for different riding levels.

You’re in the Languedoc, one of France’s major wine-producing regions, so if you enjoy wine, this is a VERY good place to be. There are vineyards and wineries throughout the countryside surrounding Carcassonne, and a winery visit makes an excellent half-day adventure. If you’re interested, look for tastings and vineyard visits in areas like Cabardès, Minervois, and Malepère around Carcassonne.

We know asking someone to attend a wedding is one thing. Asking someone to get a passport, arrange childcare, take time off work, buy an international flight, and meet us at a château in the South of France is… a considerably bigger ask. We would absolutely love to have you there, which is why you’re invited.

But we also completely understand if you can’t make the trip. No guilt. No hard feelings.

If you can be there, we cannot WAIT to experience this with you. And if you can’t, we love you and we’ll celebrate together another time.