Just outside Paris, where forest meets stone and centuries of history linger in the walls, Rachel and Phil gathered their closest people for a wedding that felt less like a single evening and more like stepping into a world of their own making. Styled by our members from Bow Creative, the celebration moved effortlessly through spaces filled with candlelight, textures, and thoughtful designs. Ceremony design remained intentionally restrained within the abbey’s dramatic ruins, where organic florals and wooden benches quietly echoed the site’s history. As the evening progressed, deep red florals, moss, fruit, and abundant candlelight transformed the refectory into something lush and atmospheric, while a roaming saxophonist and late-night tattoos kept the energy alive long after dinner. Beautifully documented by our member wedding photographer Weddings By Nato, the celebration felt intimate, expressive, and unmistakably personal.
Our Love Story
The Day We Met
We met at a birthday party on Zoom during Covid. I came prepared—wine poured, popcorn in hand—and logged on to see a cute guy quietly preparing a steak. His name, I soon learned, was Phil. We still joke about who made the first move: I recorded him to send to friends, and he asked the birthday host for my number.
The Proposal
Over the course of our relationship, upstate New York became deeply meaningful to us. To celebrate four years together, Phil planned a weekend away, presenting it simply—as he always does—as a chance to leave the city. What I didn’t realize was how carefully orchestrated everything was. I unknowingly delayed the proposal by two hours because of work, but Phil, steady and patient, held the center of it all. What I also didn’t know was that the surprise didn’t end there. After he proposed, we arrived at our favorite Airbnb, where our family and closest friends were waiting. It transformed an intimate moment into something larger—one held by everyone we loved.
The Engagement Ring
We designed the ring together, landing on a marquise center stone framed by two half-moons. Together, they created something that felt antique, as if it had lived another life before finding its way to us, yet was entirely our own. Phil worked with the incredible Nesserine at Marissa Perry to bring it to life.
Our Wedding
The Vision
From the very beginning, our vision for the wedding centered on two things. The first was the guest experience. More than any single moment, what mattered most was creating a space where everyone felt not just invited, but truly part of it. Phil and I love to host and love a party, and we wanted the wedding to be an experience for all. We intentionally looked at venues where our guests could stay together. There was something deeply meaningful to us about waking up under the same roof, free from timelines and not confined to a single evening. The second was that everything should feel immersive and deeply connected to our larger story. Nothing was designed in isolation. Every detail—from the food to the music to the atmosphere—was chosen not just for how it looked, but for how it contributed to the emotional arc of the wedding. We wanted our guests to feel as though they were stepping into a fully realized world, where each element carried meaning—experiencing not just a celebration, but the places, emotions, and history that had shaped us and brought us to that moment.
Our Team of Vendors
With those two pieces in mind, we approached each vendor as a creative partner to help shape a world that guests stepped into. Each vendor brought their own artistry, warmth, and positive energy, united by a collective commitment to creating something emotionally grounded, full of joy and unexpected moments—an experience that felt as meaningful to live as it was to create. We couldn’t have asked for better partners than Apricity, Bow Creative, Weddings by Nato (Nato, Miria, and Max), Moments by Mary, Trine Juel, PHKA, Jean Andre, and our tattoo artists—Ben and Jonathan, along with Dave and Anna. Every single person was someone we formed deep relationships with, and we cannot wait to collaborate with them again. And, of course, every single person at the Abbaye (especially Elisabeth and Romane) didn’t just help us plan a wedding—they helped us create something we will carry with us forever.
The Location
Phil and I knew we wanted to get married overseas, and ultimately decided on France. It’s where I grew up and first learned from my parents what it meant to host and to truly immerse yourself in a place and its culture. It’s where Phil and I return whenever we need to reset, and where his father once studied abroad—always dreaming of one day bringing Phil’s mom back. We wanted to invite our guests into that world—to experience the Paris we love through the moments that have shaped us. A boat ride along the Seine, a wine tasting at Phil’s favorite, Ambassade de Bourgogne, and a women’s luncheon at my favorite, Fontaine de Mars. Each gathering became a way of sharing not just the city, but the memories we had built within it.
But for the wedding itself, we found ourselves drawn just beyond Paris, searching for a setting that could hold the intimacy and immersion we had envisioned. Our planner, Beryl, suggested exploring Paris Society venues, which led me to Abbaye des Vaux-de-Cernay. Driving down the long driveway as the Abbaye came into view, I turned to Phil and said, “This is it.” This was only confirmed as we toured the venue: all the guests could stay together; there were so many activities; the place’s history was felt immediately; and the beauty was indescribable. What made it even more meaningful was the people. From the moment we arrived, there was a warmth and generosity in how everyone carried themselves. By the time we left, it no longer felt like we had simply found a venue—it felt like we had found a place we would long to return to for years after the wedding. It was beyond anything we had imagined—not just beautiful, but filled with a sense of magic we couldn’t wait to share with everyone we loved.
The Ceremony
Because the Abbaye was already so striking, we approached the ceremony with restraint. We wanted the design to feel inseparable from the space itself—something discovered rather than added. Since the ceremony took place in the church ruins, we chose wooden benches as a quiet nod to the site’s history. For florals, we worked closely with PHKA to create arrangements that felt rooted in the environment—organic, textural, and intentionally understated. Nothing was meant to compete with the architecture. Instead, every element existed in conversation with it, keeping the setting the focal point. We are big into movies, so we naturally chose songs from some of our favorite films to guide the ceremony. Our family members and flower girls walked down the aisle to the theme from About Time, and my parents and I walked in to a rendition of Iris by an incredible Paris Society pianist, Lisa.
The Cocktail Hour
After the ceremony, guests crossed the courtyard into cocktail hour, where they were met with incredible bites by Chef Luis Carlino Veerayen and continued covers by the incredible Lisa. Guests were surprised by New York–based photographer Jean Andre, who created a live analog portrait station set against the backdrop of the Abbaye. Each guest left with a personal artifact of the day—a small, tangible memory to carry forward.
The Reception
We broke the reception into two parts: dinner and then Chez DewClaw. Guests were guided from the cocktail hour to dinner along a path of overflowing candlelight, the glow pulling them forward into the Abbaye’s historic refectory, already alive with music. Outside, as Phil and I practiced our first dance in the fading light, we could hear it all beginning—Paris Society’s Zoran dropping incredible beats, and Thoj, the saxophonist, moving effortlessly through the room, at times standing atop the tables, his music weaving between guests and stone. For the design, we intentionally shifted the floral palette from the green-and-white tones of the ceremony into rich, deep reds—colors evocative of old tapestries, ripened fruit, and the forest at dusk. The transition mirrored the movement from day into night and called back to the Abbaye’s history as a hunting lodge. Moss, fruit, and abundant candlelight layered the space, creating a sense of warmth, texture, and immersion, as though the room itself had come alive.
The menu reflected our shared history as well. Each dish honored a place that had shaped us—pasta inspired by Mezzatorre, chicken en jus reminiscent of Sundays in France, and fish as a quiet nod to my Croatian heritage. As the evening progressed, guests danced from the long tables to the windows (one of my favorite memories). Our family gave the most beautiful speeches before Thoj led everyone outside for surprise fireworks—even for us. Guests then moved into the main downstairs of the Abbaye for Chez DewClaw—echoing a classic Cladentine: DJ, tattoos, snacks, games, and more. Music and dancing stretched into the early hours of the morning—the final tattoo was given at 6:30 AM.
The Special Touches
We wanted the wedding week to feel alive with moments of spontaneity—unexpected gestures that reflected who we are and how we celebrate. We welcomed guests with notes and candles from the Abbaye. Before the welcome event, we surprised our guests with a scavenger hunt across the Abbaye grounds, ending by the lake where they met us for a buffet of food and drinks. At the reception, we introduced another surprise: tattoo artists offering guests the opportunity to leave with something lasting from the weekend.
Later in the evening, the energy shifted again with karaoke, which brought a sense of ease and joy that allowed everyone to fully let go. In many ways, Phil and I were surprised too. My brother Alex, who officiated our ceremony, had secretly arranged a live performance of “All You Need Is Love” by the incredible High Row Music. And just as we transitioned from dinner to the inside reception, we were surprised by fireworks illuminating the sky, paired with songs from The Holiday and Phish.
Our Favorite Moment
We have always loved the expression “if I could bottle it up”—that desire to capture a feeling and hold onto it forever. For us, the wedding holds a few distinct bottles. For Rachel, it was the morning of the wedding. I sat alone at the top of the stairs at the Abbaye, listening to the quiet rhythm of our friends and family gathering below. I stayed there for a while, just taking it in. Everyone we loved was in one place. For Phil, it was also the morning—but for an entirely different reason. The power went out, and in its absence, everything slowed. What could have felt disruptive instead became a gift. We used the quiet to read our vows privately, practicing the words we would soon share aloud. It was just us—uninterrupted, suspended in time before everything began.
Another bottle for both of us was the decision to get ready together. Rather than separating into tradition, we chose to share those final hours. The women and men gathered in our room, drinks in hand, music playing, everyone moving in and out—helping, laughing. There was a beautiful, unstructured chaos to it. And then there is Big Phil. Phil’s dad studied abroad in Paris and always dreamed of bringing his wife, Cindy, back there one day. As it so often does, life got in the way. Our wedding became the moment that dream was finally fulfilled. We didn’t know it at the time, but it would also be the last time we were all together—the last time many of us would see him healthy and whole. He passed away just a few months later. Now when we look back, that bottle holds something even deeper. The Abbaye is not only the place where our marriage began. It is also where we remember Phil’s dad exactly as he was in that moment—joyful, present, surrounded by everyone he loved. And for that, we feel incredibly lucky.
Our Style
The Bridal Looks
My stylist, Alexandra Blair (Alexandra by Appt), helped shape a wardrobe rooted in reinvention and storytelling. At the center of it was my ceremony look: a 1950s veil, transformed into a dress and layered with four additional veils, originally sourced via Le Grand Strip and then designed by the incredible Lovell Faye. It felt less like wearing something new and more like carrying history forward—honoring the past while reshaping it into something entirely my own. I paired it with Chanel earrings and Souliers Dulion shoes.
The Groom Looks
My husband, Phil, partnered with David Murray at Grey Clothiers to create custom suits for each event. For the welcome event, he went with a burgundy-red suit to contrast with my monochrome attire. For the wedding, he wore a white tuxedo jacket and later changed into a black patterned tuxedo jacket for the after-party.
Bridesmaids’ & Groomsmen’s Looks
Phil and I chose not to have traditional bridesmaids or groomsmen. Instead, we spent the morning surrounded by large groups of our closest friends and family. For the close women in my family, they leaned into black, each sourcing vintage dresses with the help of Alexandra and Le Grand Strip. The result was timeless and effortless—each piece distinct, yet connected. For the women who got ready with me, I sourced vintage getting-ready pieces from Stella Dallas Living and Illia’s Vintage Lingerie in NYC and Pompon in Paris. Like Phil, my brothers and my dad also turned to David Murray for their custom-made suits, each paired with an artfully feathered bow tie to match their individual suit colors. They spent the morning skeet shooting and enjoying the Abbaye property.
Our Advice
For the Planning Process
Identify what matters most to you as a couple early on. There will be moments where the number of decisions feels overwhelming, but whenever we felt unsure, we returned to those priorities. It made everything clearer and ensured the wedding remained true to us.
For On The Day
Surround yourself with people who help you stay present. The day moves quickly, and the greatest gift you can give yourself is the ability to experience it fully. Having people around us who grounded us and reminded us to slow down and take it all in made all the difference. And bringing it back to vendors—choosing vendors who excelled at their jobs allowed us to be more present on the day. Trine helped me feel unbelievably grounded, while Nato, Max, Miria, and Mary kept us laughing and having the most fun.
For Post-Wedding
Plan something afterward—even just a mini-moon or a few quiet days together. There is a unique emotional high that follows the wedding, and having space to decompress, reflect, and celebrate privately allows you to hold onto that feeling a little longer.
Vendors
Bride & Groom: Rachel Bozich, Phil Pennell
Photographer: Weddings By Nato
Videographer: Mary Lee
Venue: Abbaye des Vaux-de-Cernay
Wedding Planner: Apricity Event Co
Wedding Stylist: Bow Creative
Furniture & Decor Hire: Options France, Locaprod Evenement, Cloth & Confetti
Florist: PHKA
Stationery: Cupid’s Archive
Hair & Makeup: Trine Juel
Photo Experience: Jean Andre Antoine
Music: DJ Black Beardz, Thoj
Style
Bridal Stylist: Alexandra Blair
Bridal Stylist Assistant: Field to Frame
Ceremony Dress: Lovellfaye, Le Grand Strip Bridal
Reception Dress: Alexandra Blair, Lovellfaye
After Party Dress: Tadashi Shoji, Le Grand Strip Bridal
Shoes & Accessories: Souliers Dulion, Chanel
Groom Suit: Grey Clothiers
Groom Shoes & Accessories: Belgian Shoes, Brackish
Wedding & Engagement Rings: Marissa Perry