A Classic, Elegant Wedding at La Maison des Centraliens in Paris, France

When Morgan McLeod (24 and an event coordinator) met Kevin Brown (29 and in wine and spirits distribution), they connected right away. “I was falling completely in love with him with every minute,” Morgan says. Two years later, Morgan and Kevin were engaged and deciding where to have an intimate but unforgettable wedding. “We toyed with the idea of eloping but ultimately couldn’t imagine our wedding day without our immediate family and a few close friends,” she says. “It was a little daunting planning a wedding in Paris since we live in California and neither of us speaks French.” The couple relied on Billy of Luxe Paris Events to help coordinate the classically elegant day, which began with a ceremony on the steps of the Chapelle Expiatoire, a national monument for nearly 200 years in the center of Paris's 8th Arrondissement. Simple glass vases filled with white hydrangeas and roses were the only decorations for the ceremony, which was followed by a chic reception for the couple's 10 special guests at La Maison des Centraliens. After dinner the newlyweds cut into a traditional croquembouche wedding "cake" made from a tower of round pastries. “From start to finish, it was easily the best day of our lives,” Morgan says. "Plus, we have an excuse to visit Paris often.” —Carolyn Meers