Unique Wedding Ideas

The following list of wedding services includes not only the more traditional wedding services you expect to find at all weddings, such as a photographer, florist and wedding band. It also includes some more creative and unique wedding services ideas that will enhance your wedding day or wedding weekend and make it that much more special and memorable.


Balloon Rides

On the eve of your wedding or as an activity to be held the next day, why not take to the air with a hot air balloon ride with a small group of your closest family and friends. Balloon rides are a perfect way to relax and enjoy a moment of freedom as you soar over the landscape and terrain of Tuscany's hills, get a bird's eye view of the castles in the Loire Valley, or float over the Italian lakes.


Chauffeured tours

A private chauffeur to and from any of your wedding and honeymoon events, is a perfect opportunity for you to relax and enjoy the romance of one another's company, worry free. After your destination wedding ceremony, sit back and enjoy yourself as a private chauffeur guides you both to your exclusive wedding reception.


Cooking Classes

France and Italy are known for their top cuisine. Sensual and seductive, cooking classes will help you prepare traditional French or Italian cuisine for your significant other; bringing an extra spark to your relationship. Let your private instructor guide you through local dishes and etiquette so that you can better understand what went into the catering for your reception. Many of our wedding venues in France and Italy offer a variety of local cuisine.


Costumes

Have you ever imagined yourself as Marie Antoinette or Cinderella or any other fairytale princess? Take a step back in time with a voluminous golden silk dress fanning out from a tightly worn corset. Costumed weddings and receptions are perfect, yet unusual, for a unique destination wedding in France. Ask your wedding organizer about how you can become Cinderella without having to go to Disney!


Dance Classes

There is something enchanting about the invitation to the first dance after tying the knot. As you slowly count in your head each beat, let the music guide your feet along the marble floor of the castle as you dance your first dance as husband and wife. A romantic intimate session with a professional dance teacher will make this dream come true. Or why not have everyone join in the fun by organizing a welcome party the night before the wedding and inviting a professional dance instructor to teach you and your guests some simple dance moves. Guaranteed to get you all in the mood for your big day!


Fireworks

The romantic twinkle of a star-filled sky over your castle wedding is breathtaking. Add an unusual twist with magnificent white and light yellow streaming fireworks, and your guests will think they are either in a dream or at a celebrity wedding! Light up your love with colorful fireworks to commemorate your unique destination wedding.


Medieval games

If your choice of venue happens to be a medieval chateau, why not take advantage of that theme and offer the children attending your wedding an afternoon discovering the games children used to play in medieval times. Guaranteed to keep them busy for hours! You'll also find that most of the adults will also be intrigued and give the games a try. Laughter and fun will abound.


Flowers

An essential part of any wedding checklist is elegant and romantic flowers. Our first class florists will make customized, handmade bouquets and arrangements for the wedding party, the chapel and the reception venues. We have also carefully developed several themed floral packages just in case you are in need of inspiration!


Guest Activities

Your guests have come to your wedding in France or Italy to celebrate your love for one another. They have also come to be entertained by the local culture. Guest activities often include full day excursions with a personal guide, or perhaps a customized event at a resort or hotel. Your castle or villa wedding will be remarkable when you add something special for the enjoyment of your family and friends.


Horseback Excursions

Saddle-up and head out for a romantic gallop through an ancient town. Stop in an apple orchard, unfolding a blanket and opening a picnic basket for a lovely romantic feast. Perhaps you might enjoy riding a horse to the entrance of your celebration, or have a Cinderella-style horse-drawn carriage dash along the promenade to the entrance of your castle. Horseback excursions are perfect for you and your guests as a romantic and exciting activity.


Menus

In conjunction with each of our top catering professionals, a unique menu can be designed as a souvenir for your guests. Customized with elegant calligraphy and graphics, these menus can match your wedding invitation, or be spiced up with the original titles to adorn your magnificent reception. This is a great way to tie the catering in with the rest of your celebration.


Music

Solo violinists, quartets, symphonies, disc jockeys, or stereos... Music is an essential part of your wedding ceremony and reception. Choose from a variety of themes and talents, and our professional musicians from local establishments will entertain your wedding celebration with traditional music, or jazz it up with good old fashioned rock and roll. Your personal wedding coordinator will be able to give you tips on how to strike a balance between fun and romance that meets your budget.


Nuptial favors

To make your guests feel welcome and have something to remember your special day, what could be better than customized nuptial favors? Your wedding coordinator will work with you to develop personalized gift baskets for your guests. Imagine how delighted they will be to receive a map of the area indicating ancient ruins or the closest beach, tips on local activities and etiquette, a bottle of regional wine and a sample of unusual sweets. These can be delivered to your guests' hotel rooms or distributed at various venues.


Cheese and wine tasting

A perfect way to introduce your guests to the local culture is to organize an informal welcome party the day before the wedding. There is indeed no better way for your guests to meet one another and discover the delights of France or Italy than with a buffet of delicious local cheeses, antipasti, charcuterie (cold meat cuts), a selection of bread and baguettes and of course lots of wine! To be held at your wedding venue, in a local winery or why not in the local village square!


Photographer

A professional top-rated wedding photographer will be available for you throughout your special day. Perhaps there is a special moment-looking like a princess in front of an ancient monument- or a detail-like your dress or your bouquet-you would like captured; we can arrange for an intimate session with your photographer, capturing your memories in a customized album. A wedding photographer is an essential and your wedding consultant will assist you in finding one to fit your budget and your style.


Laser show

If you consider fireworks displays to be too traditional, why not surprise your guests at the end of the evening with a laser show? Accompanied by music, you and your guests will be wowed as colored lasers light up the night sky and surrounding buildings. Combine this with the presentation and cutting of your traditional French pyramid cream puff wedding cake and the effect will be increased ten-fold.


Private Guides

Europe has a deep, rich history. Sometimes a walking headphone tour is not as informational as you might hope. A private guide can tell you about a little known local tradition, the history of an ancient chapel or which particular princess visited a villa. Perhaps you would like to ask questions about an excursion to Disney, celebrity sightings or the castle where you have your reception. A private guide is available for an up-close and personal look at the history of each of our excursion locations and regions in France and Italy. Ask your wedding consultant about personalized and hassle free tour packages.


Site Inspections

You glance through the photos and description of your chosen wedding location. You have heard about the accommodations for your guests, but you are just not sure about the final decisions and would like an opportunity to visit them. Let one of our guides or personal wedding planners assist you in visiting each of your locations. Taking a closer look at the chapel where the ceremony will take place or the villa for the reception can help you make more personalized decisions based on local tradition. Be sure to bring your checklist so you can go over everything with your organizer! Make your wedding perfect and stress free by viewing your perfect place.


Bike tours

Enjoy the surrounding countryside, a harmonious combination of rivers, rich vineyards and vast forests as you take a relaxing bike ride through some quaint and quiet country roads with a local guide. Discover the landscapes, unspoiled nature, beautiful gardens and breathtaking castles or villas as you amble along. A truly enchanting way to discover the local fauna and flora and be at one with the delights nature has to offer.


Stylists

France and Italy are known for fashion and the celebrity status that comes with it. Your wedding day cannot be complete without the accessories, make-up, and gorgeous hairstyles, highlighting your beautiful dress and dashing tuxedos. Let one of our top-rated stylists help you find the look that best brings out your natural beauty. Our stylists can also offer easy tips on how to look your best.


Vintage Cars

Sometimes a little class is only the turn of a key away. Vintage cars have added an elegant ambiance to many weddings in France and Italy. Used during official ceremonies, vintage cars can chauffeur you and your fiancé through the gates of a magnificent castle, drive you down to the beach or whisk you off to your Paris honeymoon. Vintage cars may be rented from private collectors or rental agencies throughout Europe. Your personal wedding planner will assist you in finding the perfect vehicle for your destination wedding.


Wedding Cakes

The taste of a delicious frosted wedding cake is unbeatable. The first cut of the cake is romantic and time revealing, an invitation to look into the future. It is as important for tying the knot as your dress, the rings and flowers. Let one of our caterers design a specially-made wedding cake for your occasion. European pastry chefs are highly awarded, and a little pastry may be what your wedding in France or Italy needs. Your wedding consultant will help you find the best wedding cake or dessert for your wedding package.


Wedding Videos

After you finish your destination wedding and enjoy your romantic one-on-one honeymoon; you will want to reminisce about your perfect wedding in France or Italy. A special professional video of your reception is the perfect and easy way to capture your memories. Look at the video again after you've established a family and taken your kids to Disney, and your love will be renewed. A wedding video will never go out of style, and those who are in your life can share that dream moment again and again with you. Be sure to ask your organizer about a photo and video package to fit your budget.


Wedding websites

Stay organized and keep your guests informed with your personal wedding website. Your personal wedding website allows you to share essential information about your wedding, the location and suggested activities to your guests. Building your own wedding website is easy to do with the step-by-step instructions which are fully customizable and allow you to upload photos and text. Get started on your personal wedding website!

One for the boys?

While we are not at all sexist here at Chateau & Villa Weddings, we have a sneaky feeling that this activity would have more male takers than female. Why not organize a cigar tasting with a real connoisseur and sample some of the best cigars available in a convivial and fun atmosphere! A unique and relaxing way for the boys to do some pre-wedding bonding.

And not forgetting the girls!

While the boys are off sampling cigars, the girls can enjoy a tour of a famous perfume house and spend a fun afternoon creating their own perfume which will be bottled and delivered to the reception venue the following day...complete with a personalized label. This activity is only available in Paris.


Entertaining artists

As your guests sip their bubbly and admire the surrounding scenery after your fairy tale wedding ceremony, why not entertain them with a professional close-up magician or perhaps a silhouettist or caricaturist. In our experience, this adds a special touch to the cocktail reception and in the case of the silhouettist and caricaturist, your guests will be thrilled to take away their personalized keep sake after the wedding.