Influencer Ella McFadin’s French Château Wedding Was an Editorial Take on Countryside Elegance

Chic draping, organic palettes, and couture-like bridal moments beneath the light of the Ariège

The wedding of influencer Ella McFadin and James Hanbury-Williams at Château de Sibra unfolded with a quiet, effortless beauty that lingered long after the weekend ended. The historic estate in France’s Ariège region – all soft stone, winding gardens, and luminous countryside light – created a setting where old-world romance and modern aesthetics blended seamlessly. It was a natural fit for a couple whose style is both refined and forward-thinking. The celebration embraced the château’s inherent charm while weaving in thoughtfully curated design: airy draping, earth-toned palettes, sculptural florals, and an ambiance that felt more like an intimate gathering at a beloved estate than a conventional wedding. Every touch reflected Ella’s distinctive sensibility – elevated, understated, and quietly luxurious. Her bridal wardrobe echoed that vision with ease. From polished looks throughout the weekend’s events to a fairytale-like ceremony gown and a fashion-forward reception ensemble, Ella brought an editorial presence to the French countryside, enhancing its softness rather than overshadowing it.

Influencer Ella McFadin’s French Château Wedding Was an Editorial Take on Countryside Elegance

Our Love Story

^{The Day We Met}

We first “met” in 2021 on a dating app, and after a few messages and a handful of loosely planned dates that never quite happened, we finally ended up on a first date that turned into the most unexpected all-day adventure. We started with Sunday brunch at Chez Ma Tante in Greenpoint, which somehow led to a spontaneous moped ride around Brooklyn (I lied and said I’d never been on one, ha), and eventually to evening drinks at Roberta’s in Bushwick on the hottest day of summer.

At our last stop, an Aperol spritz even ruined my very cute top — a moment we still laugh about, as James insists I did it on purpose to go back to his apartment (I didn’t!). I went home after drinks and immediately knew I wanted to see him again; the whole day had felt so easy, fun, and completely natural.

^{The Proposal}

After years of spending weekends tucked away in boutique hotels and Airbnbs across the Catskills, we finally bought a house together there. It quickly became our special place — somewhere we loved escaping to as a little family with our pup, Crispy, after we adopted her.

In November of last year, we drove up for the weekend to check on our renovations, and James secretly worked with the team at Cedar Lakes Estate to convince me to extend the trip. I initially declined, thinking he’d need to get back to the city for work, but when I asked him again later he said he’d love to go. At that point I was definitely onto him, but still tried to play it cool.

The moment we arrived and checked into our room, we took Crispy for a walk around the property. About thirty seconds into the walk, James dropped to one knee. It was pure magic — in our happiest place, with Crispy literally jumping for joy beside us. We ended the night with a romantic candlelit dinner on the property, just the two of us, soaking it all in.

^{The Engagement Ring}

I never had a dream ring in mind; I’d never tried any on, and the only thing I ever mentioned was that I hoped it would be unique. James worked with our close friend at Bijan & Co to find the perfect stone and ended up sketching the setting himself, which was then scanned and turned into the final design. Knowing he created it from his own imagination makes the ring feel truly ours. It revealed a creative side of him I’d never seen, and my ring now feels deeply personal and full of love.

Our Wedding

^{The Vision}

We knew from the beginning that we wanted our wedding to honor the Ariège, the quietly stunning region of France where James’s family has had a home for more than two decades and where he has taken me each summer for the past four years. It’s a part of the country that still feels beautifully undiscovered, dotted with historic châteaus and shaped by a relaxed, countryside rhythm. Our vision was to let the natural beauty of this place guide the entire long-weekend celebration and to share with our guests the charm of a region that has become such a meaningful part of our love story.

^{Our Team of Vendors}

We were intentional about choosing local vendors to support the Ariège, even bringing in specialty beer and wine sourced through friends of James’s parents, complete with a traveling beer tap that followed us to all four venues throughout the weekend. I worked hand in hand with my planner to translate my style and vision to every vendor, and although many of them had never created anything like this before, they embraced the challenge wholeheartedly. It became this beautiful blend of regional tradition and fresh creativity.

^{The Location}

We chose four venues that each showed a different side of the Ariège. Our wedding day was held at the beautiful Château de Sibra, while our welcome apéritif unfolded at Château de Camon — both historic properties that feel straight out of a fairytale. We hosted our rehearsal lunch at Domaine de la Hille, the charming house we stayed in for the week, and ended the celebrations with a recovery day at Domaine Gayda, a local winery with the most stunning views. Because so many of our friends traveled so far, we wanted to give them a full weekend of events that truly showcased the magic of this region we love so much.

^{The Ceremony}

The ceremony truly felt magical. I was surprisingly calm, especially after seeing my draping vision brought to life exactly as I’d imagined. My dad kept cracking jokes as we walked down the lawn together (a two-minute walk that felt like an eternity), and we giggled the whole way. Because it was such a long aisle, I could see all of our guests from far away, which made the moment feel even more surreal and special.

Influencer Ella McFadin’s French Château Wedding Was an Editorial Take on Countryside Elegance

Having James’s brother as our celebrant immediately put me at ease; he balanced humor and heart so beautifully that I was smiling ear to ear throughout the ceremony. And of course, Crispy stole the show as our ring bearer, trotting down the aisle with the rings on her collar and instantly lifting everyone’s mood. It all felt so personal, warm, and completely us.

^{The Cocktail Hour}

From the ceremony we flowed straight into cocktail hour, where we finally had the joy of greeting each of our guests. With just under 110 people, it struck the perfect balance of intimate yet lively, with everyone spilling onto the lawn with Hugo Basil Spritzes in hand. Since we didn’t do a first look, we slipped away for a few photos together, but our photo and video team made it feel effortless and fun — especially when our friends jumped in for a few frames (and a few spontaneous tequila shots).

We eventually went upstairs for a quick moment alone, thinking we’d decompress, but ended up simply staring out the window at all of our loved ones below and soaking in that surreal feeling. A little snack, a quick debrief, and we were right back downstairs — we were just too excited to get out there and enjoy our party.

^{The Reception}

Our dinner reception was everything we hoped it would be, al fresco beneath the glow of the château, with the most unexpected sunset after being told it would rain all day. We stuck with our gut and kept Plan A, and it ended up feeling completely magical. I chose a horseshoe table layout with our main table at the center, which created the most intimate, connected atmosphere for the evening.

We were spoiled with the most incredible speeches from the best man, my sister, my dad, and, of course, James — who spoke beautifully for nearly twenty minutes without a single note. I held his dad’s hand the entire time… a moment I’ll never forget.

^{The Special Touches}

One of the most special touches of the weekend was the guest experience we created. Because the Ariège is such a remote region with limited hotel options, James and I took it upon ourselves to secure accommodations for everyone well in advance so no one felt pressured or stressed about where to stay. We placed guests at each of the venues where we were hosting events, which meant no unnecessary travel between locations and a much more seamless experience overall. It also naturally grouped certain friends together, and watching new friendships form throughout the weekend was something we truly loved.

^{Our Favorite Moment}

One of our favorite moments of the entire weekend was a little pocket of time we intentionally planned with our planner during cocktail hour. We slipped away to the bridal suite with two cocktails and a plate of passed apps — just the two of us — and took a breath.

From up above, we could look down on our cocktail hour and see all of our friends mingling: friends from London, where James grew up; our friends from New York; and friends from California, where I’m from — all in one place. Watching our worlds blend so seamlessly was one of the most special feelings of the weekend.

Our Style

^{The Bridal Looks}

My wedding wardrobe felt like a true expression of my style. I wore a Sept NY gown for the ceremony, a design I’m proud to be the first bride ever to wear. My reception look was a custom Alexandra Grecco set I designed with their team, which has since inspired a piece in their newest collection.

We also customized an existing Alexandra Grecco look in a stunning green shade for our earth-tone welcome party. For the rehearsal lunch, I wore a timeless LEIN set, followed by a fully custom short-and-overshirt look from them for our recovery day.

^{The Groom Looks}

James wanted a suit that made a statement and wasn’t expected of a groom. He chose F.E. Castleberry for the wedding — an elevated blend of British tailoring and New York edge — paired with a vintage Hermès tie from his grandad and a brooch from my 94-year-old grandmother, Puffy. For our welcome apéritif, he wore a custom chocolate-brown Haitch suit that fit the earth-tone palette perfectly.

^{Our Bridesmaid’s Looks}

I didn’t have bridesmaids, but my sister wore white with me in an Alexandra Grecco look that matched my reception set. Twinning behind the DJ booth as she closed out the night with her set was a highlight.

Our Advice

^{For the Planning Process}

My biggest piece of advice is to sit down with your partner early on and talk about what you want the big moments of the weekend to be — the ones you’ll remember forever. Decide together where you want to invest your energy and budget, what you’re comfortable pulling back on, and, most importantly, the feeling you want your guests to have.

Once you’re aligned on that vision, you can keep coming back to it whenever decisions get overwhelming. James and I are both pretty decisive and opinionated, so getting on the same page from the beginning was crucial. It made it easier to confidently make choices that weren’t always the “typical wedding” route but felt perfectly true to us.

^{For On The Day}

Everyone kept saying how calm I was on the day, and honestly, it was true. I didn’t look at my phone once, which is wild for me as a creator. I have no idea how people post in real time during their wedding. Once the day started, I just let go completely. I was so excited to see James and to be surrounded by everyone we love that nothing else even crossed my mind. Being fully present was the best decision I could’ve made.

^{For Post-Wedding}

My biggest post-wedding advice is to fully soak in the newlywed bubble — it truly is the best ever. Give yourselves permission to slow down, be present, and enjoy the shift into married life. We’ve never felt more connected, and taking that time to savor the sweetness of it all has been such a gift.