FAQs

  • Beats us! Your guess is as good as ours.

  • Our ceremony, cocktail hour, and dinner will take place outdoors, beneath the open sky, with a beautiful tent standing bravely by in case of rain.

    When it is time to dance, we shall move indoors, where the revelry will continue within castle walls. All festivities occur on the castle grounds, so once you arrive, there is no need to venture forth again.

  • In the fair lands of Dordogne at this time of year, the daytime temperature usually hovers around a pleasant 73°F (around 23°C for those of you who still refuse to use the far superior Fahrenheit scale). Evenings, however, may grow a touch cooler, as castles are known to do. A light jacket, shawl, or heroic cape is warmly recommended once the sun dips behind the turrets.

  • Imagine yourself attending a wedding… in a castle… in France. Attire should be elegant, whimsical, or at the very least clean.

    For gentlemen: black tie preferred. A tuxedo or suit is most welcome. Colors and fabrics are yours to choose, provided they are not white.

    For ladies: long dresses or elegant jumpsuits are encouraged. Full length is preferred, though over-the-knee attire is acceptable. Colors are entirely up to you, but please avoid solid white, solid black, or solid red.

    Also, there will be grass. Stilettos are allowed, but only if you wish to personally assist with lawn aeration.

  • Yes, the wedding will be entirely vegan, and we promise it will be absolutely delicious. No sad salads, no mysterious beige foods (unless you’ve never heard of risotto). Just beautiful, indulgent, thoughtfully prepared dishes that happen to be plant-based.

    For those staying at the castle who would like to bring their own food, you are welcome to do so, including non-vegan items, with one gentle but firm exception: please do not bring foie gras onto the property. While it is popular in the region, it is produced through an extremely inhumane process involving force-feeding geese, and has been banned in several countries for this reason. In respect for the bride, we kindly ask that it be left off the castle menu.

  • Indeed! Should you possess the bravery, stamina, and organizational wizardry required to shepherd small humans across multiple flights and several hours of trains, then truly, your children have earned their place at the feast. We would be delighted to celebrate with them, and we bow deeply to your heroic efforts. Fur children are also welcome to attend 🐾

  • We shall be hosting wedding festivities from Friday evening through Sunday, so those are the most important days to plan around.

    That said, the bride and groom are still finalizing their own travel plans, but our current dream is to be in France from the Monday before the wedding to the Monday after. You are more than welcome to arrive earlier, linger later, and even conspire with us on adventures before the big day. If you have ideas and would like to include us, we are all ears and enthusiasm!

    If your travels require arriving later or departing earlier, fear not. We are simply grateful you’ll be with us on Saturday, the most important day of all, when the magic officially happens.

  • The French have a reputation for being a bit brusque, but never fear. A cheerful greeting, a polite bonjour, and a genuine interest in history will open many doors. For our American guests, should anyone give you grief about your pronunciation, a gentle reminder that if it weren’t for the Americans, they’d be speaking german! And for our Nordic guests, bringing up how Normandy was established is an excellent conversational bridge.

    Disclaimer: Don’t actually do this

  • The castle has ample parking, and your noble steed (or rental car) will be well accommodated.

  • Absolutely! Capture memories to your heart’s content. We kindly ask that you refrain from using flash during the ceremony, so the moment may remain as magical as possible. We will also have a professional photographer and videographer, and we’ll be more than happy to share their photos with you afterward, should you wish.

  • Your presence is truly the most perfect wedding present we could ask for! That said, for those of you who insist on giving something, we would be deeply grateful for contributions to organizations close to our hearts:
    Legal Impact for Chickens
    The Good Food Institute
    Elephant Nature Park
    ASPCA
    You are also welcome to contribute to our honeymoon adventure in Tanzania!
    Marie’s Venmo: @Marie-Gibbons-13
    Martin’s Swish: +358 40 128 3822

  • Never fear. This is a multi-chapter love story! We will also be celebrating in North Carolina, where we plan to be legally married as soon as our fiancé visa is approved. Once granted, we’ll have only three months to make it official, so that celebration will be smaller and likely planned on shorter notice, but no less joyful. You are warmly invited to that celebration as well, whether you missed France or simply wish to celebrate with us twice!

  • For speeches, song requests, and additional questions, please reach out to our Toast masters Hanna and Thomas at martinmarie2026@gmail.com