Marissa Mascolo, who works at Ralph Lauren, met Guillaume Maurice Leduc at a mutual friend’s party on the Upper East Side. “We both actually almost didn’t go because we were so tired from work. We found each other pretty quickly, without any introductions, and we were drawn to each other,” says Marissa. Three years of dating later, Guillaume proposed on holiday in Santorini.
After spending some time in Italy, in Rome, and visiting some of her family in Abruzzo, the two flew to Greece and stayed in Oia, on the northwestern tip of Santorini. The couple had a romantic dinner overlooking the water and headed back to their hotel room for a drink on the balcony. Guillaume opened a bottle of champagne and then got down on one knee to pop the question. “We generally don’t like being the center of attention and aren’t showy people, so the fact that it was just the two of us couldn’t have been more perfect,” Marissa says.
The newly engaged duo debated between his native France and her native New York for the wedding destination. After visiting New York venues and feeling like something wasn’t quite right, they fell in love with Château de Robernier in France. “There was no way we were going to have our wedding anywhere else,” she says. For their aesthetic, they wanted something elegant that highlighted the region of Provence. To help plan their big day, they hired Natalie Ruiz from Wedding Angels.
When it came to picking out her dress, Marissa knew she wanted something crepe, simple, and fitted. After trying on dozens of dresses, she landed on a Marchesa gown from Gabriella New York. “It was really my personality and so fitting for the venue,” she says. She completed the look with a cathedral veil, Jimmy Choo shoes, and natural makeup.
The groom wore a custom Ralph Lauren Purple Label navy blue tuxedo. “I work for Ralph Lauren, and I knew right from the beginning, he would be dressed in head to toe in RL . . . I was really involved in his outfit; I’m Guillaume’s ‘stylist’ in his day to day, so I was super set on being involved in his outfit for our wedding,” says the bride. Marissa’s three bridesmaids wore Katie May dusty rose colored dresses, and her flower girl wore a blush pink dress by BHLDN.
The intimate and romantic ceremony incorporated English, Italian, and French. Their officiant, Peter Madan, spoke all three languages and really told the story of Marissa and Guillaume beautifully. One of Marissa’s cousins read a passage in Italian, and one of Guillaume’s family members read another passage in French, while someone from Marissa’s family read the English translation. Languages were also mixed for their vows. “I knew it would mean so much if I was able to say my vows in French—I was so nervous because I don’t speak fluent French, but it was such a special moment, as it meant so much to Guillaume, and I also won major brownie points with my new French family,” says the bride. After saying, “Oui,” in place of “I do,” the couple recessed to a live acoustic version of “Is This Love” by Bob Marley.
Immediately after the ceremony, champagne bottles were popped—when in France! In front of the château, cocktails, wine, and rosé were served, while the acoustic duo Becky & Belha performed covers of modern songs. From the balcony, Marissa threw her bouquet into the crowd, and at 9:00 P.M., everyone moved into the courtyard for dinner.
The al fresco meal was served with hanging lights and candles to set the tone. “When Guillaume and I made our entrance to the dinner, I was so taken back on how beautiful the space looked,” the bride remembers. Throughout dinner, A DJ played songs from a playlist the newlyweds had created. The maid-of-honor, best man, Guillaume’s two best friends, the groom’s parents, and the groom’s brother made speeches throughout the evening. “Guillaume’s brother and friends all incorporated English in their speeches even though they don’t really speak the language, and it was the sweetest thing ever,” Marissa says. And after the bride’s father’s sentimental speech, which left everyone in tears, the macaron tower with sparklers was brought out. “We didn’t ‘cut the cake,’ but we fed each other macarons,” says the bride. Guillaume closed the speeches out by thanking everyone in attendance and saying some personal words to his wife. “I remember he called me his wife out loud for the first time in that speech, and I was like ‘OMG, yes, I’m his wife now!’”
Guests then moved into the ballroom for a dance party that would last until around four or five in the morning. Marissa danced with her father to “My Girl,” and the groom danced to a French ballad with his mother. Right before that, the newlyweds did their first dance as Mr. and Mrs. to the acoustic version of “Latch” by Sam Smith. “We had a really romantic choreographed dance in the most un-cheesy way with a killer lift towards the end. It was an opportunity to have my Dirty Dancing moment,” she says. Once the night switched into full-on party-mode, the dancing could’ve gone on forever. “I remember after the music stopped, we were all still in the ballroom, and the guys were just belting out French songs!”
