New Yorkers Stephanie and Kareem Bakr chose a French chateau not for spectacle, but for sincerity. They wanted a wedding that felt intentional, elegant, and fully theirs. “We wanted the day to feel classic and timeless, but real,” says Stephanie. Photographer Emily Prada captured exactly that balance: sunlight in motion, human warmth framed by 18th-century geometry, and moments that felt lived, not performed.
Location: France
Style: Timeless, Elegant, Classic
Time of planning: 18 months
Number of guests: 80
Setting: Chateau
Season: Summer
They met the night before New York went into lockdown. Both worked in fast-paced fields, both were always traveling, and suddenly, neither was. “It was the first time in years we had nowhere to rush,” Stephanie says. Their first date already had a touch of cinema: Kareem rented a 1969 Mustang from the Classic Car Club and drove them down to the Jersey Shore for lunch on the beach.
Four years later, they married at a chateau wrapped in green hills. Planning took a year and a half, but the goal stayed constant: intimacy within elegance. “We wanted our guests to feel like they were at home in France,” the couple recalls.
Welcome day
Their wedding wasn’t built around a single day but around an atmosphere. Stephanie and Kareem wanted their guests to arrive, settle in, and feel vibe before the vows even began. The chateau turned into a private home for the weekend with a candlelit dinner the night before. The first glasses of wine poured long before the ceremony.
Stephanie wore a fitted white midi dress with a structured neckline and high heels, her hair styled in loose waves that felt modern yet classic. Kareem chose a light gray suit with a white shirt, no tie, formal enough for the chateau, but relaxed in tone.
Later, the celebration moved downstairs to the stone cellar. Long wooden tables were set under arched ceilings, lit only by candles. Guests stood in small groups, wine glasses in hand, sampling boards of French charcuterie, cheese, and fresh baguette.
Dinner took place on the lawn, where round tables in white linen were arranged across the manicured grass, perfectly aligned with the symmetry of the 18th-century facade. The setup felt architectural yet warm, an open-air layout where the building itself framed the celebration. Each table followed a strict mono-floral design: white roses only, placed as single stems in slim glass vases, alternating with clear candle cylinders for a clean, rhythmic look.
The floral design by BayaFlor & Design emphasized restraint over opulence, while stationery by Christigraphy echoed the same tone through ivory paper and fine typography. Together, the setting achieved what the couple envisioned: classic, symmetrical, and unmistakably French.
Guests arrived dressed for the setting, the style could only be described as garden cocktail. Linen suits, floral dresses, neutral heels, and woven bags fit seamlessly into the landscape. Children ran between tables in pastel outfits, softening the formality of the scene. It was elegant, but easy — a mix of New York polish and French countryside charm.
As the evening went on, Stephanie changed into a white mini dress with a sculpted bow neckline and open back, paired with heels that mirrored her earlier look. The silhouette was playful yet refined, marking a shift from the structured dinner to the start of celebration. It was the perfect close to a night that balanced taste, ease, and anticipation for the day ahead.
Pool Party
The wedding morning unfolded around the chateau’s pool terrace, a private courtyard surrounded by stone walls and trimmed greenery. Instead of a formal bridal prep, Stephanie and Kareem spent the early hours outdoors with friends, glasses of rosé in hand and music playing low.
Stephanie wore a white lace two-piece set: a structured bikini top and a sheer embroidered skirt, a look that felt equal parts bridal and resort. Her hair was loose, her skin sun-lit, the kind of beauty that doesn’t need touch-ups. Kareem joined in a light blue shirt, keeping to the same palette of easy elegance.
The scene looked more like a European summer editorial than a traditional wedding morning: inflatables floating in the pool, friends lounging in white deck chairs, and laughter echoing between the old stone walls. It was simple, uncurated, and exactly the balance they wanted before the formality of the day ahead.
Bride's Morning & Fashion
Stephanie’s morning began surrounded by her bridesmaids, all dressed in navy silk robes, gathered in one of the château’s paneled rooms. The atmosphere felt relaxed but purposeful: a mix of laughter, last-minute details, and quiet focus before the ceremony.
The bride wore naturally glowing makeup, soft, luminous skin, and a neutral palette by a Paris-based team. Her hair was styled in a smooth, high bun with softly curled strands framing her face, an elegant, timeless look that balanced simplicity and ease.
Stephanie shared a first look not with her groom, but with her father. It was a quiet, emotional moment before walking down the aisle. “It was the only time I’ve ever seen him cry,” she recalls.
Her gown, by Lazaro, featured a structured silk corset with diagonal draping and a single off-shoulder neckline. The fabric caught the light softly, emphasizing the clean construction rather than embellishment. A long sheer veil with a straight edge added balance, while a bouquet of six white roses kept the look refined and minimal. She completed the look with Jimmy Choo heels, a delicate diamond necklace, and a bouquet of white roses.
Groom's Fashion
Kareem kept his look classic and structured, wearing a black tuxedo from SuitSupply paired with a white shirt and bow tie. The fit was sharp, emphasizing clean lines and quiet confidence rather than trend.
His morning unfolded in one of the chateau’s courtyards with his groomsmen: a relaxed rhythm of greetings, final adjustments, and a few glasses raised before the ceremony. The group’s black-and-white palette mirrored the timeless aesthetic of the day, setting a perfect balance to Stephanie’s refined elegance.
Ceremony
The lovebirds chose to hold their ceremony in front of the chateau’s main facade, letting the architecture itself set the tone. “We wanted the building to be part of the ceremony — it felt natural to stand right there,” says Stephanie.
The design followed the chateau’s geometry: a symmetrical layout of iron chairs with soft pink cushions, facing an asymmetrical floral arch by BayaFlor & Design. The arrangement combined ivory and blush blooms with greenery, striking the perfect balance between structure and softness. Guests found woven baskets filled with parasols and fans, a thoughtful detail that blended comfort with charm.
Live musicians dressed in soft rose tones played strings as guests took their seats, their music floating across the garden and blending with the quiet rustle of leaves. The overall impression was refined, calm, and distinctly French.
Kareem saw Stephanie for the first time during the ceremony itself, as she appeared at the end of the aisle framed by the chateau.
The scene was intimate but cinematic: guests rose, the string quartet shifted into a soft music, and both fathers joined to walk the couple part of the way together. The photographs by Emily Prada, shot partly on film, captured the texture and air of the setting: the stone, the symmetry, the human scale against history.
Cocktail Hour
The cocktail hour unfolded on the chateau’s lawn, where long buffet tables were arranged near the hedges, lined with French charcuterie, cheeses, and chilled rosé. Guests gathered around, balancing plates and glasses, moving easily between conversation and the view of the facade.
The styling stayed consistent with the ceremony, ivory linens, glassware, and small floral accents that echoed the earlier palette. The focus was on hospitality and ease. Between bites and laughter, the atmosphere turned from formal to familiar, setting the tone for the night ahead.
Moments Together
After the ceremony, the newlyweds took a short walk through the château grounds — just the two of them, still within sight of their guests. Emily Prada captured these frames as a quiet contrast to the formality of the vows: the train brushing against gravel, the veil lifted by the wind, the laughter that replaced ceremony stillness.
The symmetry of the facades and the couple’s movement through them made every frame feel balanced yet spontaneous. These weren’t staged portraits but fleeting, elegant moments that reflected the tone of their day: refined, real, and effortlessly timeless.
Emily, known for her ability to catch movement within stillness, turned these few minutes into her signature kind of frames: the veil in motion, the dress caught by wind, and laughter that feels unposed.
Reception & Decor
Inside the ballroom, the mood shifted from soft minimalism to a bolder, more opulent tone. The dinner took place in a grand hall lined with deep red drapes, gold accents, and crystal chandeliers in a sharp contrast to the clean outdoor palette. Tables were styled with white linens, cream and blush florals, and candles reflected in mirrored surfaces, creating a warm, cinematic glow.
The couple’s first dance opened the evening, elegant and a little playful, set to “The Way You Look Tonight” by Frank Sinatra. Surrounded by friends already clapping along, they moved easily through the song’s rhythm, blending classic charm with relaxed joy.
The atmosphere turned celebratory fast, with speeches and laughter filling the room. Both fathers, the bride’s sister, and the groom’s best friend took the floor for heartfelt toasts, keeping the tone warm, personal, and full of humor.
Later, Stephanie changed into a sequined slip dress that caught every flash of light, a look made for movement. Together, they cut the all-white tiered cake, then led everyone to the underground space for the after-party.
The night ended as it began without excess staging, just real energy. Flash photos, champagne, and music turned the chateau’s stone cellar into something closer to a Paris club, closing the day exactly as they envisioned it: timeless, but alive.
Advice from the couple:
• Don’t sweat the small stuff! So many little details we wrong or were forgotten but no one noticed but us!
PHOTOGRAPHER Emily Prada | FLORAL DESIGN BayaFlor & Design | STATIONERY Christi Graphy | BRIDAL GOWN Lazaro | BRIDAL SHOES Jimmy Choo | BRIDAL PERFUME Yves Saint Laurent | SUIT SuitSupply
