From Secret Ceremony to Fairy Tale: Planning a Last-Minute Wedding in Under a Month
We planned and created this al fresco wedding at Chateau Appony in less than a month. What began as a small, secret ceremony for the newlyweds and their parents soon transformed into a fairy tale wedding. I’ll discuss the fusion of multiple styles and our inspirations in a future blog post.
Andy, the groom, had one main request: a wedding venue with a beautiful, large tree. Almost immediately, I thought of the park at Chateau Appony. We met there the next day, and the future newlyweds instantly fell in love with the venue. This allowed us to start planning for what would become a remarkable al fresco wedding at Chateau Appony with just over three weeks to spare.
So, what did the wedding look like? We began with a long, beautiful ceremony that featured a short formal segment followed by a more extended spiritual part, including additional singing. Ultimately, 130 guests attended the ceremony, which took place in the park under a beautifully decorated huppah among the trees.
After the ceremony, congratulations were given, and a group photo session was held. Then, the photographer whisked the couple away for a half-hour wedding portrait session while the rest of the guests moved to the back terrace of the Manor restaurant for the banquet, which lasted until 9 p.m.
At 9 p.m., just after sunset, 30 close family members gathered for an intimate al fresco wedding dinner on another mansion terrace. This time, it was on the first-floor terrace overlooking the inner courtyard, the park, and especially the sunset. The setting was ideal for this al fresco wedding, maximizing the stunning surroundings.
This terrace had never hosted an event like this before, and we were fortunate to have a beautiful sunny day—perhaps a bit too warm, but after 9 p.m., it was just perfect. We enhanced the sunset view with a mirrored table surface decorated with flowers and gold accents that complemented the golden glow of the evening. As we anticipated nightfall, we used many candles and hung crystal chandeliers above the tables. The result was a spectacular and elegant dining experience – an al fresco wedding at Chateau Appony.
After dinner, everyone moved to the indoor ballroom for the first dance, the parent dance, and the initial round of dancing. Around 10 p.m., the couple cut the cake downstairs, surrounded by guests holding the sparklers. The celebration continued with a late-night buffet and dancing until 3 a.m.
I almost forgot to mention one essential detail: the bride arrived on a beautiful white horse, wearing a wedding gown and a train over 2 meters long. Both she and the groom were adorned with Versace couture accessories. Andy, a well-known motivational speaker, had initially planned a small, intimate wedding. However, as planning progressed, he extended invitations to business partners, colleagues, and clients for the ceremony and cocktail raut. At midnight, he made the admirable decision to leave the family to continue celebrating while he and his new wife retreated to their wedding suite.
As I wrote, Andy has made many events as a well-known speaker. The bride is also from the event industry, so it wasn’t easy to surprise them, but I hope we made it. Which part of this al fresco wedding at Chateau Appony did you enjoy the most? Let us know in the comments. Also, be sure to follow our Instagram, where we’ll post more photos and reels from this wedding. If you’re planning your own wedding and love history and castles, check out our castle wedding venues and browse our real weddings for inspiration.
