An Intimate Wedding for 27 at Hotel Marignan Champs-Elysees
Gratiana Georgescu and Liviu Turcu were both in medical school in Romania when they first met at a congress’s party. As the only two attendees who didn’t dance, they struck up a conversation and quickly became best friends. After two years of being each other’s confidant, they fell in love. When it came time to propose, Liviu popped the question at a restaurant by the sea in the couple’s hometown, where they had their first date.
An Unforgettable Destination Engagement
“We moved to Paris when we both started our residency in orthopedic surgery,” Gratiana shares, “so having our wedding in Paris was a milestone that was a symbol for all our struggles and happy moments.”
The couple credits living in France for making them the strong individuals and surgeons they are now – not to mention, building a solid foundation for their relationship. Even their wedding rings are inscribed with the message, “Forged in the fire of adversity.” (Forgé dans le feu d’adversité.)
“Forgé dans le feu d’adversité.”
An Intimate Wedding at Hotel Marignan Champs-Elysees
Gratiana and Liviu had their hearts set on an intimate wedding, and chose Hotel Marignan Champs-Elysees as the venue to host their 27 guests. Before the ceremony, the bride got ready at the house of French pianist and composer, Laurent Ferlet, and played the piano for Liviu and their friends. She wore a princess-style wedding dress by San Patrick Novias, styled with a cape and bolero, and the groom was dressed in a dark marine blue suit, complete with a Tissot watch and custom shoes by Hockerty.
A religious ceremony and cocktail party were held on the hotel’s iconic terrace, with panoramic views of the Eiffel Tower and Bridgerton-themed music being played by Quatuor Anouman. Guests then transitioned to the salon for a reception dinner, which was decorated and styled by Judith from Wonder Full Concept.
“Each table was named after the most famous monuments in Paris,” the bride explains. “The atmosphere was very warm, the guests played games, answering questions about us, receiving little prizes, and we even danced the traditional Romanian dance called ‘Hora.’ For the couple’s dance we chose the song ‘If You Love Her’ by Forest Blakk and Meghan Trainor.”
The wedding cake cutting took place back outside on the terrace, where everyone could see the Tour Eiffel lighting up the night. The cake was a simple yet delectable creation featuring two distinct layers – chocolate with pistachio cream, and almond with passion fruit cream.
“All the details, including choosing the vendors, were organized by me while also working 12 hours per day and doing 24-hour night shifts at one of the biggest hospitals in Paris,” says the bride. “So, it was a real challenge; but I loved every moment of preparing this wedding, and this made it more special. I put my heart and soul into it.”
A Honeymoon for Animal Lovers
As animal lovers, the newlyweds chose to spend a few days of their honeymoon at the Thoiry Safari – a charming chateau not far from Paris, which was transformed into a safari park.
“We were lodged in the room near the elephants and we even got to see their medical training,” Gratiana adds. “After that, we went to Parrot World, the first immersive animal park dedicated to South America, and we were lodged in a room where parrots came to our terrace. We even got to feed the penguins. After this, we spent two days at Disneyland, finishing our honeymoon afterwards by visiting the charming coast town of Etretat, Normandie.”
WEDDING TALENT
Location: Hotel Marignan Champs-Élysées, Paris, France; Floral & Event Design: Wonder Full Concept; Entertainment: Quatuor Anouman; Engagement Ring: Teilor; Wedding Bands: Noam Carver; Wedding Dress: San Patrick Novias; Bridal Salon: O’Scarlett Paris; Hair & Makeup: MJ Makeup Paris; Bridal Purse: Clio Peppiatt; Bridal Shoes: Kate Whitcomb; Groom’s Attire: L’empire du Marié; Groom’s Watch: Tissot; Groom’s Shoes: Hockerty; Photography: Bach Photography