A Warm Feeling

Location: Four Season Hotel George V, Paris, France; Floral Design: Jeff Leatham, Paris, France and New York, NY; Invitations: Checkerboard at Katie and Co., Houston, TX; DJ: DJ Cougard; Grooms Shoes: Churchs; Grooms Jacket: Kleinfeld Men, New York, NY; Groom’s Shirt: Hamilton Shirts; Groom’s Pants: Armani; Earrings: Julian Gold, Corpus Christi, TX; Bracelet: Nadri; Shoes: Manolo Blahnik; Wedding Gown and Veil: Priscilla of Boston; Photography: One and Only Paris Photography, Paris, France  

Blake Feinman and Andrea Zane met when Andrea's "cousin invited him along with us on our first bike ride in preparation for the MS150," shares Andrea about the charity bike ride that would have them cycling from Houston to Austin, Texas. "She told me that Blake was a little eccentric, so when we went out a few weeks later, I was surprised to find that we had so much in common." Their relationship progressed naturally from there, with their love for their dogs bringing them together and their lust for traveling leading them on several adventures around the world. After two-and-a-half years, they were engaged.

"We knew right away that we didn't want to get married in our hometown," says Andrea. "We wanted to have a unique wedding that would reflect our personalities and be an event to remember for our guests, as well as for ourselves." In the end, Blake chose Paris because it is his favorite city in the world and Andrea chose the Four Seasons Hotel George V because of its unparalleled service and elegance.

Since having a destination wedding meant having a smaller number of attendees, the couple was able to make their wedding more luxurious. And although they found that planning a wedding from overseas was challenging, they were able to reply on and trust the hotel's event coordinators, Christophe and Romy. "They dispelled all of our anxieties and made the process so easy and enjoyable," remembers Andrea, who recognizes that it was an added thrill to work with celebrity florist and creative director for the hotel, Jeff Leatham. "He personally designed all of the arrangements and decorated our chuppah." With a color palette of purple, lavender, pink and fuchsia, Leatham was devoted to creating the vibrant, modern aesthetic that the couple desired.

For the cuisine, the chefs of the hotel’s Michelin starred restaurant prepared the hors d'oeuvres, a four-course seated dinner, and two magnificent cakes. "When the traditional white wedding cake and the croquembouche were brought out with sparklers lit, we were completely overtaken with excitement and then stunned by how elaborately they were decorated," recalls Andrea. "It was a wonderful moment to cut the cakes with all of our guests surrounding us on the dance floor."

Every detail came together perfectly and the end result was "beyond our dreams!" agrees the newlyweds. "We were able to spend time with all of our guests and they were able to get to know each other, which created such a warm feeling of love and joy. There is no better way to celebrate the start of your new married life together than by spending it with the people who are closest to you," Andrea observes. "We are so happy with our decision to have a destination wedding in Paris. From the welcome dinner cruise on the River Seine to the au revoir brunch at the famous Laduree Patisserie, the entire weekend felt magical and unforgettable!"

Location: Four Season Hotel George V, Paris, France; Floral Design: Jeff Leatham, Paris, France and New York, NY; Invitations: Checkerboard at Katie and Co., Houston, TX; DJ: DJ Cougard; Grooms Shoes: Churchs; Grooms Jacket: Kleinfeld Men, New York, NY; Groom’s Shirt: Hamilton Shirts; Groom’s Pants: Armani; Earrings: Julian Gold, Corpus Christi, TX; Bracelet: Nadri; Shoes: Manolo Blahnik; Wedding Gown and Veil: Priscilla of Boston; Photography: One and Only Paris Photography, Paris, France