A Wedding in Rodin's Garden Followed by a Dinner Cruise with Fireworks

A Wedding in Rodin's Garden followed by a Dinner Cruise with Fireworks

By RACHEL KAPLAN

PARIS—The City of Light never ceases to amaze. We learned that this summer when we were able to arrange a small wedding for Sarah Pazdan and Thomas Gabriel from Santa Barbara, California, in the magnificent garden of the Rodin Museum on the Left Bank for a very modest price.

How was this possible? How could Ooh La La! France Wedding Planner manage such a feat when all others including Dior pay a small fortune to show their couture beneath a tent in the same garden?

Because of our special relationship with the Rodin Museum, the staff there understood how much this event meant to our bridal couple, especially when they had to cross a continent and an ocean to get there.

We also took a chance that the weather was going to be okay—a fairly big chance in September as it turns out—and we were able to pull it off. Fortunately, despite rain earlier in the day, at the last minute, the sun DID COME OUT—and the show went on. And we have the pictures to prove it!

Then it was off to the Eiffel Tower, by the Ecole Militaire for a lovely group shot of the wedding party, before the group boarded a glass boat on the quai de la Bourdonnais where you can stop for a grand total of 15 minutes…Naturally, we were at the ready with a red carpet welcome and our photographer for an entrance worthy of the Cannes Film Festival The guests each received a glass of champagne as they boarded the boat, and then were passed freshly prepared hot hors d’oeuvres. The boat had a wonderful deck where people could admire the city’s skyline and monuments—and smoke if they so wished. Because Ooh La La! France Wedding Planner prides itself on realizing the dreams of every bride, we made sure the décor fit in with the black-and-white striped tablecloth and chargers that the bride’s mother carried all the way over from California. They worked beautifully with the chairs covered in white and set off by black satin ribbon sashes. We love the way the bronze color of the chargers matched the color of the champagne! To top it off, we had one of the best florists in Paris, Luc Deschamps, who normally works for Louis Vuitton and Dior, create a stunning table runner made of fresh hydrangeas, roses and coxcombs, all the marvelous shades of shocking pink, lavender, and Indian rose.

While the groom was able to eat an excellent double cheeseburger and fries (his request!) the other guests dining on filet mignon, wild mushrooms, grilled cherry tomatoes and green beans, which were preceded by a delectable melon and lobster salad. For the finale, our bride chose the most amazing cake that looked like a giant pale pink rose that when cut revealed itself as a delicious vanilla-flavored butter pound cake! Naturally, the open bar and the DJ went on all night; we couldn’t keep it all moving fast enough especially since we wanted to make sure our dinner cruise allowed our guests to enjoy the biggest spectacle of fireworks in all of Europe! Yes, our lovely bridal couple had fireworks (free of charge) the night of their wedding…what better way to celebrate with friends and family. Just imagine?! Fourth of July on September 12, 2015—and on your own private boat on the Seine River, with the Statue of Liberty blessing this wonderful occasion. We only hope we can do it again next year!