A Fairy-Tale Wedding at a Chateau in France That Came Together in 6 Months

Back in May 2012, Anna LaNeve, now a luxury real estate advisor, was celebrating her high school graduation party at a local restaurant called Tuscany. Jay Vice, a grant development specialist, was dining with his family that night, and the owners of the restaurant knew he was already attending the University of Alabama—where Anna was headed in the fall. They introduced the pair, and Jay asked her for her number that night. The two hit it off, and 11 years later, they found themselves in the city of Sintra, Portugal, where Jay planned a stay at the Palacio De Seteais. “He proposed on the evening of April 28, 2023, on a rose petal-covered pathway overlooking the city of Sintra and the palace grounds,” Anna says. “The proposal was followed by a private dinner for two as the sun set over Sintra.”

Anna and Jay invited 40 guests to Chateau Challain in Challain La Potherie, France, to spend three days celebrating their wedding at a historic venue. “We wanted to bring friends from different phases of our lives and our families together to create an atmosphere that brought lifetime memories for everyone involved in a profoundly beautiful setting,” Anna says. They kicked off the weekend with a welcome party in the vineyard followed by a guided walking tour the next day in the nearby town of Angers and a masquerade ball that night with a live jazz band. On July 11, 2024, they held a church ceremony and castle reception, with décor inspired by the venue’s French architecture.

The couple says the easiest part of the planning process was selecting the team at SAMKOMA, led by wedding planners Josiah Carr and Justin McGregor, to help them plan their wedding weekend—which, from start to finish, came together in six months. Read on to see how they pulled off every enchanting element in photos by Still Miracle.

The couple chose to host their wedding weekend at Chateau Challain in Challain La Potherie, France, because all of their guests could stay together on the property for the entire weekend. “From personalized letters in each guest room upon arrival, to the food we ate, to the flow of the events we had throughout the week, our wedding was designed to bring our group closer and create memories,” Anna says.

Their invitation suite, by Kate Wiseman Creative, gave guests a glimpse of the blue and white color scheme and the roses seen on the big day. The invites also featured an illustration of the chateau and a custom "V" emblem as a nod to the couple’s new shared last name.

Anna had a very specific vision in mind for an elegant A-line ball gown, but also wanted to have a sexy look for the reception. “I wanted two looks but did not want two dresses,” she says. “I really wanted both looks to be cohesively elegant yet very different fabrics and feel.” She worked with Olia Zavozina to create a regal ceremony look with long sleeves, an oversized veil, and a large detachable satin skirt. For the reception, she removed the veil and skirt to reveal a show-stopping Chantilly lace dress with unique boning, a V-cut neckline, soft tulle ruffles, and jewelry grade pearl detailing. “The whole dress has a traditional feel but when the lights hit the dress, it's all a party!” Anna says. “Olia’s ability to structure a dress to your body and bring out your natural curves really brought the sexy feeling I wanted this to have.”

Anna admits that she had some anxiety throughout the design process, but when Olia showed up to their first appointment, her energy and hospitality gave her the comfort she needed to commit to the custom gown. She accessorized with jewelry from her mom’s collection (her diamond and pearl earrings and the ring her father had passed on to her), along with Bella Belle shoes with pearl straps.

The bride wore her hair down with waves for a modern look for the ceremony, but transitioned to a flirty updo for the reception to pair with her second look. She held a bouquet of white and cream toned flowers with slightly visible stems.

Anna shared a special moment with her father, Dominick, before seeing Jay.

Jay wore a black tuxedo with a paisley design inlay inside the jacket, also created by Olia Zavozina. He wore a boutonnière  with white baby’s breath to match Anna’s bouquet and Fragonard Désert as his wedding day fragrance. Jay’s best man, James, wore a black tuxedo from The Black Tux. “We wanted an elevated look for all our guests on this special occasion and there is nothing better than a classic black and white tux,” Jay says.

Anna and Jay decided to have a first look; they wanted to have an intimate moment to exchange personal vows in private. “This allowed us to be emotional so we could have a more composed moment in front of our wedding guests during the actual ceremony,” Anna says. The couple read hand-written vows from hand-pressed paper that they cherish as keepsakes.

The couple’s ceremony took place at a church outside the chateau’s walls; the bride, thanks to the venue, arrived by horse and carriage. Inside, the SAMKOMA team worked with Mister Brett Events to add floral arrangements down the aisle and at the altar, plus candles for ambience. They also draped white tulle over the pews and placed a white aisle runner down the aisle. “Both the historic nature and the architecture of our ceremony venue was so breathtaking—we thought it was important to let that shine,” Anna says.

A string quartet including a violin villa, cello, and harp performed for the ceremony. Anna walked down the aisle with both of her parents, Dominick and Lisa, to “Dandelions” by Ruth B with her custom veil making a statement down the aisle. As the couple—and newly minted spouses!—exited the church, their guests tossed petals in celebration.

Guests moved to the front lawn of the chateau for the cocktail hour just as a rainbow appeared in the sky. “The venue's unmatched beauty is something we will never forget!” the bride says.

The cocktail hour highlighted the wedding's color scheme of white and French blue, with tables topped with white lace linens and white chairs decorated with flowing blue fabric. Centerpieces were arranged in French blue and white ceramic vases.

A highlight of Anna and Jay’s cocktail hour was the Champagne tower. They set it up as a focal point on a round table at the entrance of the chateau.

After everyone had had their fill at the cocktail hour, Anna and Jay made sure to grab a group photo with all of their loved ones before they headed inside for dinner,

The couple wanted their reception to feature a neutral color palette of soft creams, white, and gold, which would come to life under the soft glow of candlelight. The room was filled with elegant arrangements of white and cream roses and baby's breath with natural greenery candelabras; textured chair covers and table linens, all provided by the venue, added visual and sensory intrigue.

Table settings featured gold and white dishware, custom menus, and gold handled flatware. “We wanted it to feel like this was our home and we had invited all our guests over for an elegant and private celebration,” Anna says.

For dinner, Anna and Jay served roasted prawns and ratatouille and pea puree as the starter. The main course consisted of duck breast and potato gratin with an orange red wine reduction. All of the delicious food from the weekend was made in-house, crafted by the chateau's renowned culinary team.

One of the couple’s favorite memories from the entire weekend was hearing the blessings shared by their loved ones. “All the speeches at our wedding were so natural and from the heart,” the bride says. “They were moments to really cherish.”

Guests moved into the grand saloon, where special dances took place. Anna and Jay danced to Dean Martin’s “Everybody Loves Somebody” before Anna shared a spin with her father to “The Way You Look Tonight” by Frank Sinatra; Jay danced with his mom to “Simple Man” by Lynyrd Skynyrd.

After, the couple and their guests hit the dance floor for a night of entertainment by their favorite Croatian DJ and his musicians on the drums, saxophone, and electric violin.

The couple had an elegant three-tier white wedding cake with a gold trim inspired by Marie Antoinette. They chose a lemon poppy flavored cake and a white chocolate raspberry cake. “By choosing the two flavors, it was not only delicious, but allowed for everyone to choose between a summer tart or more savory sweet,” Anna says.

Towards the end of the evening, the couple moved outside to take in an amazing fireworks display. “Our wedding day was fairly overcast with some rain, but during the evening it allowed for a picturesque display of fireworks!” Anna says.

The couple took their honeymoon on the French Riviera, where they spent most of their time in Cannes, but did daily excursions to Grasse, Nice, Menton, and Monaco.

To couples planning a wedding, Anna and Jay stress the importance of honing in on your vision and hiring professionals to execute it. “Remember that the people you work with throughout this journey matter as much or more than any other details,” Anna says. “Working with the right people that match your personality and understand your goals is imperative.”