The Factors That Should Guide Your Choice of Family Reunion Venue

Exclusive Stay, NewsOctober 2018

Few group get-togethers can surely be as depended-on to produce consistent moments of magic as a family reunion. After all, it’s not the kind of event that is exactly held every day, so it probably goes without saying that you will wish to make the next time your family meets up in such a fashion an occasion to remember, for all of the finest reasons.

We admittedly may be just slightly biased here at Château Bouffémont, but the below are the elements that we feel you should especially look out for when comparing family reunion venues.

Just how much of a family reunion is it?

If your intended family reunion will entail little more than catching up with siblings who you see reasonably often regardless, it might be understandable to simply arrange the celebrations for home or a venue in your local area.

Alternatively, you may be holding your fifth or 10th family reunion in as many years – or another similarly important milestone – or you may be set to welcome relatives who you haven’t come face to face with for many years.

In the latter case, the circumstances may be just right to be ambitious, by investigating chateau rentals in France such as the acclaimed service that the prestigious, refined and elegant Château Bouffémont provides.

How easy will it be for everyone to reach the venue location?

One factor that may initially deter you from any thought of renting out such a seemingly extravagant venue as a French chateau is the apparent difficulty of getting there and back home for all of your attendees. However, very few French chateaus can claim to be as conveniently situated for travel as the splendid Château Bouffémont.

While this historic stone-built property’s surroundings may seem to be the epitome of a rural idyll – or the Montmorency Forest, to be exact – it is also only 20 minutes away from Charles de Gaulle Airport, and a 40-minute drive from central Paris.

Nor does such close proximity to the City of Lights simply give you access to well-developed transport connections. That’s because there is also a wealth of exciting things to do with children in the French capital, as explained by the Tripsavvy website, which renders our chateau excellently placed for family day trips.

What activities are on offer in and around the venue?

Once the novelty of coming face to face once more with someone you may not have been in much contact with for years wears off, your family reunion may be at risk of feeling like a slightly austere meeting, rather than the fun opportunity to make new memories that you might have hoped it would be.

This won’t be a concern if you rent out the fairytale venue for your get-together, however. This magnificent property’s three dining halls, dancing hall and lounge area – not to mention the jaw-dropping manicured grounds outside – beg for exploration.

But even more than that, you and your family can also partake in all manner of other activities – from golf, tennis and horse riding to mountain biking, food and wine pairing and even chocolate workshops – that are a guaranteed source of thrills and giggles.

There’s also live entertainment, arts and crafts workshops and gardening activities on offer to delight the little ones, enhancing still further the remarkable credentials of Château Bouffémont as a family reunion venue.

If you would like to hold your upcoming reunion with us here at Château Bouffémont, we would be pleased to be able to help you to make it a reality; feel free to get in touch with us to find out more.

Frequently Asked Questions About Planning an Engagement Party

Exclusive Stay, WeddingsSeptember 2018

Given all of the fuss and headache that typically accompanies the planning of an actual wedding, it’s understandable that for many couples, their engagement party can almost feel like an afterthought in comparison. But with your engagement being one of the most special moments of your life in its own right, here at Château Bouffémont, it deserves a similarly special celebration.

So with no further ado, here are answers to some of the questions that are most routinely asked about organising an engagement party – and which you should be thinking carefully about.

Is it worth having an engagement party?

A formal celebration of your engagement is by no means mandatory, of course. However, given that it is one of the most important things that will ever happen to you in life, it is well worth at least considering putting on a bash to herald you and your beloved’s step into the next phase of your lives together.

Plus, an engagement party can serve as an excellent opportunity to announce your engagement and toast it in the finest style in a stunning venue, such as Château Bouffémont. Such an event also enables you to catch up with, thank and acknowledge many of the people in your lives who have helped you both to make it this far.

Who is responsible for throwing the engagement party?

While it was once the bride’s parents who customarily threw and hosted the engagement party for the loved-up couple, these days, it can be thrown by pretty much anyone, such as other family members, friends or even the couple themselves.

It’s understandable why the traditional practice has faded – after all, if the bride’s parents are already helping out a lot with the wedding, it may seem rude to ask them to reach back into their pockets to make the engagement party possible, too. For this reason, it is today increasingly common for members of the entire wedding party to assist with the engagement party planning.

What’s the difference between an engagement party and a bridal shower?

An engagement party is typically thrown for the whole couple to celebrate the announcement of their engagement, whereas a bridal party is centred specifically on the bride, with guests bringing presents for her. It is not traditional for the groom to turn up to the bridal shower.

On the subject of the bridal shower, the wedding planning website The Knot has a handy checklist for ensuring you don’t overlook a single detail when organising yours.

Are guests expected to bring gifts to an engagement party?

The bridal registry or wedding list – a service provided by a website or retail store to help engaged couples with the communication of their gift preferences to wedding guests – is not such a strong custom for engagement parties. Indeed, it is considered rude to include such a registry or list on an engagement party invite, and you should certainly not expect your guests to bring gifts.

However, given that people do often give gifts to couples as soon as they are engaged, many of your guests may arrive with a small present regardless, such as a decadent dessert or a bottle of wine.

What is a suitable venue for an engagement party?

Your choice of venue for an engagement party naturally depends in part on how many people you intend to invite, but also such factors as budget, the ‘vibe’ that you would like your celebration to have, the activities that can be enjoyed at or near the venue, and how easily your invitees can reach the venue.

You might not have thought that a chateau engagement would tick many of the above boxes, but the great news for lovers of traditional French-styled romance is that it is perfectly possible when you make Château Bouffémont near Paris your choice of engagement party venue.

This is why so many people ultimately get in touch with us to enquire about us providing the backdrop for their engagement bash – and we would add that we can be an equally fairytale venue for an intimate destination wedding in France.

5 Tips For Corporate Event Photography

Corporate, NewsSeptember 2018

A corporate event such as a product launch or fashion show affords your brand many opportunities
to showcase its relevance to the market and highlight how engaged it is with its audience.

However, it is the way your event is photographed that will largely dictate its success, which is why
you mustn’t ever be complacent about the standard of your organisation’s corporate photography.
Here are some tips for ensuring the best results.

Consider how the images will be used

It is very easy, in your first discussions with a prospective event photographer, to suggest to them
that you will use the images ‘everywhere’. But it is also true that knowledge of the exact context in
which your images will be used may greatly influence your photographer’s choices.
Instagram images, for example, are often square so a photographer who knows you will be using
the photos here – rather than on Facebook or physical posters – may shoot in a way that allows the
images to be cropped without being ruined.

Select an intriguing and varied venue

There are, of course, many factors that will dictate the venue that you choose for your next
corporate event, such as its proximity to important transport connections and the price of the rental.
However, another aspect that must be considered is how the given venue will work from an event
photography perspective. Does the site that you are contemplating give your photographer a variety
of interesting backdrops and angles to work with?

The sheer variety and resplendence of the prestigious stone-built property – Château
Bouffémont – is a firm reason why it is are such a popular choice for corporate venue hire in France.
Whether you are seeking a refined interior with crystal chandeliers, or large grounds of spectacular
manicured French gardens, we can give you all of the advantages of such striking settings.

Brief your photographer on who will be attending

If you are engaging a professional to take your event photography rather than attempting to do so
yourself, it is easy to forget that they won’t know all of your attendees. They could, therefore, miss
out on taking a good image of someone who you wish to be photographed.

This is why it makes sense to provide your photographer with information about your event guests
in advance, complete with headshots, so that they can recognise those people on the day and be
sure to take some really interesting images.

Emphasise natural, rather than artificial lighting

As Eventbrite’s VP of Design, Brian Beaver has previously advised: “Where possible, capture natural
lighting, and avoid artificial lighting and flashes. Unnatural light makes your image inherently feel like
a photograph, and takes viewers out of the moment.”

Remember that you will want to make anyone viewing your event photos to be able to easily
imagine themselves there, and artificial lighting can be rather detrimental to this aim.

Don’t take photos of people eating

One only needs to think back to some of the famous cringe-worthy examples of politicians being
photographed in awkward poses while eating – as documented in this article by The Culture Trip – to
be convinced of the wisdom of taking a break from photography once guests start dining.
The fact of the matter is that you are unlikely to produce many – if any – usable shots of people
while eating, and many of your attendees will probably be uncomfortable with you attempting this.
Contact the Château Bouffémont team today to request the corporate brochure and find out more
about why our private venue provides such a suitable and memorable setting for all manner of
events – potentially including yours.

5 Jaw-Dropping Features of the Resplendent Château Bouffémont

Exclusive Stay, Favourite, HistoryAugust 2018

If you are even contemplating staying overnight or holding an event at a French chateau, you will naturally wish to choose a property that draws the eye and woos every person who sees it.

This is why, when you select the historic stone-built Château Bouffémont as your private venue for such purposes, it’s reassuring to know that you can experience all of the below…

The stunning estate

It is customary for many a French chateau to be set in spectacular manicured grounds. However, even by those standards, the five acres of verdant greenery surrounding Château Bouffémont have to be seen to be believed.

After all, there aren’t too many French chateaus that can offer such jaw-dropping gardens as ours over not just one, or even two, but three levels, exuding the French classicism that informed the entire design of our estate.

The extensive terrace

Where is the finest spot from which to survey the entirety of the estate during your short time as lord of the manor at Château Bouffémont?

That may come down to individual taste, but the noble stone-built property’s 120-square-metre terrace certainly affords quite the place to relax with your favourite tipple as you gaze across our extensive gardens and contemplate how to idle the day away.

The halls and living rooms

If the sight of the outside of our fairytale venue would already seem to leave you spellbound enough, you simply have to see how the magic continues inside.

Such tasteful, historically sensitive touches as crystal chandeliers, authentic wood panelling and fine fabrics across prestigious spaces like the Dandy Lounge, Grand Salon and Salon des Anges serve as a testament to the remarkable skills and judgement of the Italian architects, Augusto Busnelli and Marco Allievi.

The suites and guest rooms

Château Bouffémont comprises nine prestigious suites and rooms that are capable of accommodating as many as 27 guests.

These beautifully furnished spaces also demonstrate how adept our venue is at blending aristocratic charm with modern comforts such as flat-screen televisions, radios, telephones, the Internet and Wi-Fi.

Its location in the heart of the Montmorency Forest

One could scarcely choose a more desirable setting for a French chateau than the Montmorency Forest. As the website of the suburban railway service SNCF Transilien explains, this natural area is an invaluable green lung of the Val d’Oise region, 90% of its surface being covered in sweet chestnut trees. It is also an excellent playground for the more active type, with such activities as walking, mountain biking and horse riding all taking place here.

It is also from here that the visitor can easily reach the cosmopolitan delights of Paris, which is situated a mere 30 kilometres from the French chateau.

Many of the world’s most renowned art galleries, museums, historical sites, theatres, restaurants and cafes await your discovery in the French capital. So if you have day trips in mind, why not read the Paris tourist office’s own advice about the many great things to see and do in the city?

Such ingredients as the above all show that Château Bouffémont can be depended on to take the breath away of everyone who encounters this sought-after former residence of the Marquise of Preignes and Baron Empain. Contact us today, and you will soon be able to experience it for yourself.

The Questions You Should be Asking Your Wedding Planner

WeddingsAugust 2018

The wedding planner that you pick will have the immense responsibility of ensuring that every aspect of the organisation of your big day goes smoothly. You should, therefore, expect to ask a lot of questions to each person you are considering for this all-important job.

Here are just some of the questions to ask that will help you to narrow down the candidates.

Will you be available on my wedding day?

This may appear to be an obvious question, but you would be surprised to hear of how often it isn’t asked until the couple realise the true situation all too late. In fact, you should be asking this question before any other, to ensure you do not waste any time considering someone who isn’t free.

If you are strongly interested in working with a particular wedding planner and can be flexible with your dates, you could ask them to give several dates when they will be free within your desired range, so that you can determine when both they and your preferred venue will be available.

Have you organised weddings at this venue before?

Your chosen wedding planner having overseen nuptials at the specific venue you have in mind is a big plus, as they will therefore probably know the venue staff, layout and logistics. This, in turn, should help to make the planning process that bit smoother.

Alternatively, it may be that the person in question has planned weddings at similar venues, which can be a great advantage, too. It could enable you to ask them a little more about their approach to organising weddings in such settings.

This way, if you have an unspeakably romantic French chateau wedding at such a fairytale venue as Château Bouffémont in mind, you can be sure of the planner achieving a ‘vibe’ that you will love.

How do you deal with difficult family members?

There are various ways in which you could phrase a question like this. The key is to uncover evidence of how the wedding planner customarily responds to those unexpected disaster situations that could put them under a lot of pressure. You won’t want to discover that your chosen wedding planner becomes easily flustered or angry in such a situation on your big day itself!

However, you should also gain a sense from this person that they have a foolproof backup plan in mind for such difficult situations and will be organised enough to hopefully ward off any catastrophes from occurring in the first place.

Don’t simply presume that disasters like those told by nine wedding planners for this recent article for Cosmopolitan won’t happen to you; being ready for worst-case scenarios is vital.

How do you prefer to communicate?

Different wedding planners often have very different methods of operating, and you will want to be sure that your chosen wedding planner’s process works well for you.

The wedding planner that you have in mind may be based largely in Paris, for instance, which may seem ideal if you are getting married somewhere like the refined stone-built Château Bouffémont, situated a mere 30 kilometres away.

However, you may be a resident of the UK who will not be visiting France until the wedding, which will not be helpful if your Paris-based wedding planner is never in Britain and prefers to discuss their ideas with you face-to-face, rather than via email or over the phone.

For how long have you been a wedding planner?

We’re not attempting to suggest here that an experienced wedding planner is automatically preferable to an inexperienced one.

However, if the person you choose has spent several decades in the industry rather than just a few years, they will have had greater opportunity to develop connections with vendors that could translate into a better wedding for you.

While it’s important not to become too stressed out by the process of selecting a wedding planner, you should also not underestimate the difference that the right person can make – not least because, as explained by Loverly, working with a wedding planner can bring unexpected benefits.

A Paris Chateau Offers the Best of the City and Countryside

Exclusive Stay, NewsAugust 2018

No city around the world has such an unimpeachable reputation for all things romantic as Paris, and there can surely be no more unspeakably romantic place to stay in the city than a chateau property. But wouldn’t it be even better to play, rest your head and dine in a chateau that really does offer the finest of both urban and rural surroundings? One Paris chateau that most certainly fulfils that brief is Château Bouffémont. We are the very definition of a fairytale venue for events and overnight stays – albeit, one that makes the same ample sense to the head as it does to the heart.

What is the noble property’s relationship with Paris?

Château Bouffémont, of course, has not been a private rentable venue for all of its life, having instead once served as the residence of the Marquise of Preignes and Baron Empain. These distinguished individuals were among many of the European nobility and gentry to build or reside in chateau-like properties that were often strategically situated to offer the best of rural and city life.

The 19th-century ‘great and the good’, after all, often had strong business connections to cities like Paris. It, therefore, made sense to live in a prestigious and resplendent manor house in a sufficiently beautiful and tranquil location for hosting guests, while also being close enough for the residents to be able to head into the city whenever circumstances required.

Now, the advantages enjoyed by such lords of the manor can be yours, when you rent the esteemed Paris chateau for your birthday party, bridal shower, family reunion, corporate event or team-building event.

Alternatively, you may be interested in Château Bouffémont simply on account of the opportunity that it affords to book a romantic getaway to one of the most romantic properties imaginable, a mere 30 kilometres away from one of the world’s most legendarily romantic cities.

Whatever your mood, needs or desires, the Château leaves you well-placed

It is one thing, of course, to rent such an enchanting venue this close to Paris, a city with a reputation as one of the true culture, fashion and recreational capitals and renowned for the most impeccable cuisine, world-beating art and legendary history, as explained by The Telegraph.

However, it is quite another thing to head for the myriad of stimulations and inspirations served up by the French capital, in the knowledge that after your day of urban exploration and discovery is over, you will be returning ‘home’ for the night to a genuinely extraordinary heritage venue.

Château Bouffémont is precisely that property, combining the finest in aristocratic charms with modern comforts, while also being easier to reach than you might think, given that we are just a 20-minute journey from Charles de Gaulle Airport.

With the sprawling 2,200-hectare Montmorency Forest also practically on the doorstep of our Paris chateau just beyond our spectacular manicured French gardens, you really can experience the best of both the countryside and the city during your time as the guest.

There’s no need for it to remain a fantasy

It couldn’t be more straightforward to begin turning your Paris chateau dream into reality; simply contact our team today, and we will get back in touch with you to discuss how we can cater to your bespoke requirements in the finest detail when hiring this unique, luxurious and well-located venue.

Ever Considered Hosting a Family Reunion? Start Planning Now.

Events, Exclusive Stay, Moments, NewsJune 2018

As a magnificent venue of rich heritage, Château Bouffémont continues to attract the interest of families around the world interested in organising a reunion or other family event in a friendly, intimate location.

But if you are considering organising your own family reunion – whether with the aim of reuniting half a dozen of your closest relatives or a great number more of your brood – there are many details to which you will need to pay particular attention.

Here are just some of them.

Who are you planning to invite?

The matter of who you would like to attend the family reunion will naturally greatly influence other elements of your planning, such as the date and location.

The basic parameters of the invite list – such as whether you only intend to invite immediate brothers, sisters and cousins, or instead more distant members of the family who you may not have been in contact with for many years – will need to be decided first.

This is the very least you will need to know before you start to send out invitations for your family reunion – which, as the Gathered Again website explains, is an aspect of your event that deserves plenty of thought in its own right.

Determine a date and location

Once you are sure of which family members are both likely and willing to attend, you will be able to survey them on the location, venue and date that they would prefer for the reunion. On establishing a decent idea of the wishes of your would-be guests, you could then forward each of them three nominated venues to rank in order of preference.

It is a good idea to plan such an ambitious event as a family reunion at least 12 months in advance, not least because you may need to allow such an amount of time to ensure the desired venue is available.

Whether you are interested in a venue in France, the UK, the United States or anywhere else in the world, you will naturally wish to ensure that every member of your intended party can reach it easily and will be appreciative of the surroundings you ultimately choose.

What makes our own venue an excellent choice?

Various factors are likely to guide your prospective attendees’ preferences in relation to the venue itself. Given the disparate nature of the wishes expressed within families for such an event, it is no surprise that Château Bouffémont is such a sought-after family reunion venue.

After all, we offer it offers the finest of all obvious worlds – a tranquil location in Montmorency Forest, but also with the big-city stimulations of Paris and the international connections provided by Charles de Gaulle Airport within easy reach.

All the while, hiring Château Bouffémont for your family reunion also means all of the benefits inherent in an exquisite and luxurious stone-built residence with large, sprawling grounds. Both indoor and outdoor activities can be arranged for your reunion event, bearing in mind what may be the widely varying ages of your family members.

Consider appointing people to organise your reunion

It is unlikely that such a significant event as a family reunion can be planned to the most intricate detail by just one person.

It may, therefore, make sense to appoint members of your family to positions related to various aspects of the event, encompassing such responsibilities as keeping an eye on finances and booking accommodation, right through to sending out invitations and organising activities and excursions.

Finally, it will be time for you to spread the word about your impending family reunion among the people that matter! Contact our professionals here at Château Bouffémont to discuss how we can best accommodate your intended event.

10 Essential Ingredients for a Successful Corporate Video Shoot

Corporate, VideoMay 2018

The filming of a corporate video may be theoretically made easier by a suitably inspirational backdrop – such as that provided by the elegantly furnished function rooms and spectacular manicured French gardens of Château Bouffémont. However, that doesn’t mean you can be anything less than utterly diligent in the approach you take to your brand’s latest video. It is in such a spirit that we present to you 10 of the ingredients that should be present when you are putting together a corporate video, as can be done at this video shoot space in France.

Detailed planning

It is often said that those who fail to prepare should prepare to fail, and one should certainly never underestimate the complexity of a corporate video shoot. Attention to detail at the earliest stage is vital if you are to produce the best result from your company’s shoot.

Clear aims and objectives

There is little point in reaching for a camera until you have a clear sense of your video’s purpose and how it will be used. Will the video be used as a TV advertisement, for example, or perhaps as an online testimonial or a ‘how to’ video to be posted on a video-sharing platform?

A firm grasp of your audience

The matter of who you will be aiming the video at will naturally be informed greatly by the insights gained during the process of determining your aims and objectives for the footage. Once you know your audience, you will be able to tailor the video’s content to address their pain points.

A strong story to tell

The fact that videos tend – by their very nature – to be about images at least as much about text or script, doesn’t mean you can neglect the story element of your video. Indeed, it simply makes a compelling story all the more vital, as you otherwise won’t know what to shoot.

A venue that makes the right impression

The question of the best location in which to shoot your corporate video hinges greatly on such factors as facilities and the aesthetic you desire for your video. This is precisely why you need to think carefully about location and how a given venue will support and strengthen your final video, instead of simply settling for whatever venue may be cheapest or geographically closest.

A ‘recce’ to the intended shooting location

Even the most seemingly insignificant or subtle visual touches or background noises can impact on the suitability – or otherwise – of a given corporate video shooting location. It is therefore strongly advised that you pay a visit, if possible, to the venue prior to the actual filming dates.

The most appropriate narration

Is there a particular style of narration that you feel would best suit the intentions you have for the video or your company’s wider brand ‘voice’? Perhaps you’re thinking of utilising a voiceover, text titles or talking heads? Remember that each of these can have a very different effect on the feel of the resultant corporate video.

A well-defined style

You won’t want your corporate video to end up with an overall ‘style’ that feels rather different to what you had in your head prior to filming, all because you failed to define that style properly from the beginning. Are you interested in taking a cinematic or documentary approach, for instance, or would you prefer something more ‘down to earth’ and ‘humble’ for your brand?

A budget that you stick to

The limits of your budget will shape what approach you take to your corporate video, so this is something that should be absolutely clear to everyone from the earliest stage.

A clearly stated deadline

Specifying a deadline before filming starts will help to instill urgency and assist you in your efforts to formulate a realistic shooting schedule. Your deadline should be realistic and not overly rigid, but not so loose that you risk overspending and your video shoot never being truly finished.

Get in touch with our experts in corporate venue hire today

Could the enchanting setting of Château Bouffémont help to make it the best choice of video shoot space in France for your own brand’s requirements? If you suspect the answer to this is “yes”, don’t hesitate to contact our corporate team to learn more.

For Your Next Birthday, Why Not Stay in an Exquisite French Chateau?

Chef delights, Exclusive Stay, NewsApril 2018

It’s one thing to mark many happy returns with a well-chosen glass (OK, perhaps make that bottle) of the finest of fine wine, surrounded by your loved ones… and it’s quite another thing to truly go the extra mile with your celebration.

Have you, for instance, considered celebrating your next birthday in the resplendent surroundings of your very own chateau in France?

What makes the French chateau experience different?

While Cambridge Dictionary simply defines a chateau as “a large house or castle in France“, there’s no doubt that many of us have much richer and more in-depth associations with the term than this definition implies. The faintest mention of chateau rentals in France tends to conjure up images of spectacular verdant grounds on the outside and the most refined and tasteful decor on the inside.

In other words, we tend to picture a stone-built property like Château Bouffémont, which certainly has impeccable credentials as a French chateau in which to toast your birthday in considerable style.

From its five grand reception halls and nine magical suites, right through to its whole equipped guest kitchen and the full-service team consisting of a chef, butler, housemaid, security guard and concierge, every element of Château Bouffémont exudes sophistication for a suitably sophisticated clientele.

Such elements all befit the building’s extraordinary heritage as an erstwhile residence of the Marquise of Preignes and Baron Empain.

Delight in a setting that is all about fun, refinement and elegance

From its earliest days, Château Bouffémont has lent itself beautifully to all manner of prestigious events, such as the ceremonies hosted by its noble former residents. Today, it continues to cement its reputation as a unique and luxurious private venue for almost every kind of special occasion – not only birthdays.

Whether it is your 20th birthday, your 30th, 50th or literally any other key milestone, you could not hope to choose a backdrop that is more guaranteed to impress your friends and family than Château Bouffémont.

Our chateau rentals in Paris entail you and your guests gaining access to the entire 2,000 square metres of the splendid historic property; for a brief time only, you will be lord of the manor and the chateau will be yours.

But it is not only the height of utter opulence that practically defines the Château Bouffémont experience; it is also a definite sense of fun. This is shown by the variety of recreational, leisure and sporting activities that guests of all ages can partake in, encompassing golf, tennis, horse riding, arts and crafts workshops, cooking classes and many more irresistible possibilities.

A party never to forget, just a drive away from the City of Lights

Nor have we even touched on the small matter of our property being situated just 30 kilometres from central Paris. That is the perfect proximity, we’re sure you’ll agree when you wish to incorporate the many attractions of the endlessly delightful French capital into the kind of action-packed birthday you are sure to remember for decades to come.

Indeed, the Everyday Parisian website has more than a few excellent ideas for ways to while away the hours in Paris when making a birthday visit.

When it comes to birthday chateau rentals in Paris, there can simply be no equal to the infinitely rewarding Château Bouffémont – so why not enquire today about how we can help you to make the noble property your base for your upcoming big bash?

How to have an Intimate Destination Wedding in France

WeddingsMarch 2018

It is unsurprising that so many couples wish to tie the knot in France, which is, after all, perhaps the country on earth to be most indelibly associated with romance. However, whatever your own preferences or plans for your special day may be, it is vital to be well-informed with regard to the legalities and other practical aspects of formalising your union overseas.

What kind of venue do you desire for your big day?

France is such a frequently dreamed-of wedding destination in part due to its abundance of highly distinguished and enchanting venues.

A French chateau wedding is surely the archetypal romantic occasion, as we have good reason to appreciate here at Château Bouffémont, on account of the many enquiries received in relation to hiring the magnificent heritage property for ceremonies and receptions.

While France is blessed with a variety of wedding venues to cater to different aesthetic tastes, it is also crucial to consider the logistics of your special day, including travel connections and the ease, or otherwise, with which your intended guests will be able to reach your chosen venue.

This is another factor that often heightens the appeal of such a well-situated venue as Château Bouffémont, which can be found in the heart of Montmorency Forest, a mere 40-minute journey from central Paris, and 20 minutes from Charles de Gaulle and Paris-Le Bourget airports.

The legal dimension of getting married on French shores

As explained by such online sources as TransferWise, there are many elements and rules that one must follow if they wish to hold a marriage ceremony and/or reception in France.

Some of the legal requirements for a wedding in France – such as for both parties to consent and be at least 18 years of age – may seem easy enough to meet. However, one frequent barrier to those wishing to officially marry in the country is the need to provide proof of residency in France for a minimum of 30 days prior to the application being made, for at least one of the parties.

It is for this reason that many couples ultimately elect to have a legal wedding in their home country, followed by a religious or symbolic ceremony at a French venue of their choice.

This was the approach taken by Natalie of the Weddings Abroad Guide website, who explained: “My husband and I ‘secretly’ got married in the United Kingdom prior to our wedding in France and had a Humanist wedding ceremony on our wedding day in France.

“Our civil ceremony in the United Kingdom was purely to take care of the legalities and our wedding day in France is when we considered ourselves married.”

All of the intricate touches required for a very special wedding

When you are interested in holding a destination wedding that will warm the hearts of everyone present and leave positive memories to last a lifetime, you can scarcely hope to select a more suitable venue than Château Bouffémont.

The noble stone-built property offers an extraordinary setting of manicured French gardens that lends itself beautifully to the most endearing photography. On the inside, meanwhile, you will find the opulent furnishings and crystal chandeliers that practically define the most intimate and charming of wedding venues.

Combine these elements with the exacting service characterised by the highest level of attention to detail, and you may have the ideal venue for your own intimate French chateau wedding.