Alexandra & Thomas’s Château Gassies Wedding

Pétillante Weddings, Real Weddings, Wedding Châteaus, Weddings in France

Alexandra & Thomas’s wedding exemplified timeless elegance and opulence at the extraordinary Château Gassies. Details like the assortment of white flowers throughout their ceremony and reception, down to the tiny but important finishing touches to follow, made their wedding personalized, luxurious, sophisticated and chic! If you’re looking to get married at Château Gassies, learn why it’s perfect for your and your guests’ incredible weekend!

Château Gassies courtyard with a reflective pool and cypress trees

Alexandra and Thomas sharing a moment under a tree

Alexandra + Thomas’s Château Gassies Wedding Planning

Tom contacted us in the beginning because his mission for their wedding was to book their wedding planner and wedding venue! After finding us, we had a meeting with Alex to start planning everything.

Alex is very close with family, so throughout the planning process, both her dad and mom were a big part of planning and it was so sweet. We love to collaborate with our couples’ families and encourage you to find ways to involve loved ones in a way that is meaningful to you and your partner!

Alex had a heartfelt handkerchief as a gift for her father at the wedding. (Photos of Alex and her parents featured below).

Alexandra, the bride with her mother in matching pajamas, sharing a laugh

Father of the bride adjusting his glasses as the bride smiles

Bride and groom’s first look surrounded by lush greenery

Alexandra + Thomas’s Story

Alex and Tom met at work in the fashion industry, while living on different continents! Alex grew up in Michigan and Tom grew up in the UK. We asked Alex about their love story:

“I grew up in Michigan. Tom grew up in Manchester, UK.

We met at work! I was based in our NYC office and Tom was based in the London office. We were on the same teams and I had to travel to London a few times throughout my job so eventually after being on team calls, we met in person.

He proposed in Costa Rica on the beach at sunset. I didn’t know it but his family and my family were there to surprise us at dinner!

Life between meeting and wedding planning is going back and forth between London and NYC. Going on trips, friends’ weddings etc.”

Their first look was truly moving, and brought tears to our eyes!

Starting the Party at The Intercontinental Hotel in Bordeaux

Their celebration began with a welcome party at The Intercontinental Hotel in Bordeaux. Unfortunately, because of the risk of rain, we had to move the party inside from the rooftop, but it was gorgeous nonetheless! The welcome party is a really outstanding way to show all your guests how much you appreciate them for being part of your destination wedding.

Grand entrance of InterContinental Grand Hotel de Bordeaux with ornate architecture

Display of champagne bottles at the wedding reception of Alexandra and Thomas

Roulette table with chips and a spinning wheel during cocktail hour

Alex and Tom’s Wedding Day at Château Gassies

After the guests were welcomed and all were settled in, it was time to start the celebrations for Alexandra and Thomas at Château Gassies! Alexandra and her wedding party spent the early part of the day preparing for the festivities in posh identical sleepwear. With the party in taupe and Alexandra in white, the ladies used the same hues that we would later see for the ceremony that was soon approaching!

This touch is such a great addition to your destination wedding as it adds a clean and uniform look for the photographs and also makes for a thoughtful and lavish keepsake for the important ladies that make up your bridal party.

Intricate wrought iron gate with a "G" emblem at Château Gassies

Wedding party posing outside Château Gassies with bridesmaids in champagne gowns and groomsmen in navy suits

Elegant welcome sign with cascading floral arrangement at Château Gassies

Close-up of the bride’s engagement ring on her hand

Bride’s wedding gown hanging elegantly on a wooden wardrobe

Elegant reception hall at Château Gassies with cascading floral chandeliers and long tables

A stunning display:

A beautiful and astoundingly plentiful assortment of white flowers by @lpfloraldesigner featuring flowers like lush hydrangeas, dahlias, and of course, classic white roses cascaded throughout the ceremony space at Chateau Gassies. The flowers, along with a string trio, embodied pure elegance and romance. This arrangement in their reception area worked perfectly for the space because it created a more intimate space for their guests.

For the reception, blue glasses and french toile de jouy napkins added a pop of color to their table.

Close-up of the reception table setting with white roses, candles, and gold accents

Escort cards styled as vintage postcards displayed in baby's breath arrangements

Unique escort cards:

Alex loves to buy and send post cards, and wanted to bring a personalized touch into their wedding day with custom displays. More flowers followed as the guests grabbed their post card design table arrangement cards and entered the reception space at Château Gassies. Three long tables ornamented with vases storing a single white short-stemmed rose in full bloom were displayed in great quantity throughout the tablescape. This allowed guests to communicate freely when seated and celebrating, while also not diverting attention from the extravagant floral chandelier within the reception space. Alexandra and Thomas’s invitations featured blue and gold and these colors were utilized throughout their revelries to follow. The tablescape was decorated with warm candles and gold flatware that beautifully complemented the gold trimmed mirrors throughout the reception space, coupled with white and blue menus and beautifully designed napkins, creating a captivating and inviting atmosphere upon entering.

Their French dinner:

Alex and Tom had an elegant, fine dining style dinner including beef and plenty of wine. They had a dessert mix which is something we love to suggest – every other guest gets one type while the other half of guests get the other type of dessert. Always good fun! They had a chocolate dessert (Alex’s favorite) and lemon dessert (Tom’s favourite!).

About Château Gassies

Château Gassies is an 18th century luxury château 10 minutes from Bordeaux. This beautiful venue features exquisite views of Garonne River and the Bordeaux wine region, covering 34 acres of lush gardens and picturesque meadows.

The Remarkable Tree of France

There are oak groves and courtyards to exchange your vows with the love of your life in unforgettable scenery, including Chateau Gassies’ remarkable tree! It was even labeled the “remarkable tree of France”. You can see the tree during the ceremony and cocktail hour from Tom and Alex’s wedding. Cocktail hours are usually on the west terrace with a stunning view of Bordeaux City and the remarkable tree.

Château Gassies has a beautiful Charles X Room (featured) not only makes for an astonishing backdrop and setting for your wedding, but the space really lends itself to adding design elements that showcase your own wedding day vision!

Château Gassies offers extravagant accommodations for up to 43 guests throughout six suites and three guesthouses. All suites combine modern amenities within the antique furnishings and space. It even has a spa available so you and your guests can relax leading up to and after the wedding!

We love working at Château Gassies because they offer one of the most exceptional wedding experiences in Bordeaux. Unlike many French chateau venues, they have dedicated staff on-site throughout the wedding events, ensuring a seamless venue experience for the couple and guests. The staff go to above and beyond to ensure a couples and their guests have a wonderful experience!

Bride and groom posing by the blue pool at Château Gassies

Alexandra, the bride celebrating on the dance floor in an embellished gown

Personalize Your Wedding at Château Gassies!

Your wedding day is what you choose to make of it. Alex and Tom’s wedding was so lovely all-around, yet very calm and chill. It was everything they hoped for, because of their meticulous planning!

Everything was a party! The toasts were touching, the dances at the beginning of the reception set the right tone, and they ended with dancing the night away! Can someone say conga line and limbo?!

Alex’s night party dress was stunning and added a fun touch to the wedding night. She actually brought it in advance during Tom and Alex’s visit to France pre-wedding and left it with us to hold for her until the wedding day. Alex and Tom chose to do their first dance when they first came into the reception room, which is a lovely timeline adjustment we love for our couples!

Ready for a wedding that feels like you?

We absolutely loved working with Alexandra and Thomas. Their vision was everything they imagined, and we was honored to bring this to life for them on their wedding day. Our goal at Pétillante Weddings is to assist our couples in finding the perfect venue for their celebration and unique combination of guests, just like Alexandra and Thomas were able to bring their loved ones together at Château Gassies! We want to get to know you at Pétillante Weddings and plan a wedding that is exactly what you are looking for and more! If you’d like to talk about booking your 2025 or beyond French dream wedding, we’d love to hear from you! Contact us here so we can talk about your vision and bring it to life.

EXCLUSIVE: 4 PRIME DATES REMAINING FOR 2025 AT CHATEAU GASSIES! Contact us for details and your special planning offer!