Our Wedding Story at Chateau Challain (documented by MTV)

[honeybee5517]

This is both and engagement and wedding story.

While in Paris this summer for a study abroad program, MTV contacted my fiance for what I thought was a documentary about studying abroad. They were with us for a few days, occupying so much of my fiance's time that I was growing irritated. It was our last week in Paris and we'd planned to spend it as a family (we have a daughter), but MTV kept ripping my family apart! On Monday, August 4, my fiance was gone most of the day, but told me to be ready for dinner out with him around 6. I met him and the crew at our apartment that evening before dinner. Jason seemed stressed for time and nervous. As soon as running in, he ran out to buy grey goose and wine for a picnic he was planning for later that night. I watched him chug a small bottle of liquor, confused, but not leery as to why he was so anxious as I thought it was because of the cameras. We finished getting ready and left our apartment with my daughter in the care of my sister and a friend.

He led me to the Pompidou, a large, pompously modern art museum that we frequented for its spectacular views of the city. We ate dinner at Georges, a restaurant on the top floor. The food was excellent and the view was beautiful, but I spent most of the dinner by myself with one producers. Jason, I supposed out of the anxiety he had and the liquor he drank, spent most of the dinner in the restroom with the other producer. I thought it strange because during our interviews on the way there, the dinner was made out to be a huge romantic gesture.

Dinner ended and we ran from the restaurant to catch sunset at my favorite place in Paris, the Tulleries gardens at the foot of the Louvre. We'd picked up our picnic supplies before getting there and I was ready for the beauty of the place to reveal itself to me as the sun went down through the distanced Arc de Triomphe. My anxiety-ridden Jason fumbled opening our wine and began fumbling through his words as well before he said something that caught my attention. He'd already coaxed me to take my rings off so he could "look at them" (we've been engaged so long I started weearing my wedding band and had both rings saudered together just before leaving for our trip) and when he caught my attention, he got on one knee and asked me to stand up. I refused at first, but obeyed once he began to insist.

The rest is a blur. He asked me to marry him again using the sweetest, most lovely words. I began crying and dropped to my knees as he repeatedly asked, "will you marry me tomorrow?" I responded "yes, yes, I already said yes." Jason pulled out a business card of Chateau Challain, a chateau we planned to marry at over the summer, but cancelled in lue of costly opportunities we decided to take instead. He pointed to the card and said "do you want to marry me tomorrow, there?" I began to sob again as he prompted me to tell him what I needed for the wedding. I cried that I didn't care. He proceded to tell me that he took the wedding dress I brought to Paris (with all my hopes for an elopment in its bag) that was too big for me to begin with, but became exceedingly large as I lost weight there, to a tailor without my knowledge. He told me we were getting married at the chateau and that the cameras were really there for our wedding.

The next day we woke up, seperated to run last minute errands, and met at the train station. On the way there, I cried about not being able to talk to my family as I knew they already knew what was going on, but couldn't bare with the thought of them not being there for it. With a camera in my face, I collasped on myself in a ball of tears at the sight of my family at the doors of the Chateau as we drove up.

I quickly toured the Chateau before getting ready for our ceremony at 6pm. In my suite, I was surprised with beautiful wedding flowers and a hair stylist. The flowers, done by Jean-Marie a member of the permanent staff of the Chateau, were masterfully put together. My hair style, despite my only describing to the stylist what I wanted and slightly changing it with her guidance, was superb.

I walked down to the chapel with my little brother. It was a really fun walk that pre-luded what was to be a fun ceremony. We walked into a small, round chapel decorated with intricate stained glass windows and filled with the sweet sound of Pachelbel's Cannon pouring from a violinist. I don't know what made the ceremony so fun, but for me, it was the most fun part of the day. I was really relaxed and giggly. It was comfortable and exciting.

We walked out of the chapel into the music room where we were met by a live jazz band for the cocktail hour. Shortly there after, we were escorted to an outside area that was set up for our reception. As we were all seated, people in victorian era dress came forward from behind the trees and put on a short skit for us. It was cute and perfectly suited for Jason's likings. During dinner, Jason stood to make a toast. He gave a heart-felt speech that induced tears around the table.

When dinner was over, we were showed to an area that was set up to be an outside living room. We were only seated shortly before fireworks began. I was again brought to tears.

We finally ended the night with a traditional French wedding cake and a final dance to a song Jason picked, "So this is Love" from the Disney Cinderella soundtrack.

I was rendered speechless most of the day and cried tears of joy for the same amount. It all flew by in a whirlwind of excitement. The episode is suppose to air in November. I still can't believe it happened. I'm beginning to settle on the idea that my Jason did the sweetest thing for me. I'm not settled on the idea that MTV was actually there and that I'm going to relive this through a true life episode.

[Davematthews16]

What an incredible story!! Congratulations, you are very lucky! :)

[Bianca]

Your wedding sounds like a fairy tale that belongs in a movie! Congratulations!

[B&J2008]

That is so sweet! It sounds like an amazing experience and I can't wait to watch it in November!

[teacherbride]

Wow, that sounds amazing and so romantic. The MTV episode will be such a great way of remembering your special day. I hope they were able capture even a portion of the beauty and emotion that you must have felt that day.

[EricaG]

That is such an incredible story! Now you will always have that part of your life on film since they were with you filming through the proposal and wedding.

[amandalovesryan]

That is such a great story. I looked at your pics and it makes me miss Paris. It is so amazing there. You are so lucky! Congrats!

[honeybee5517]

When were you in Paris? I loved it there! We met the most beautiful people there. I'm so glad we have this connection with France now...we always have an excuse to go back!

[Kelly C]

This is a beautiful story. I have tears in my eyes. I'm so happy for you.

[Kat81]

awww what an amazing story. I love it. I can't wait to watch it when it airs.