JOIN US IN CELEBRATION OF OUR MARRIAGE
MAY 29 - MAY 31, 2026
*NOTE: THIS IS NOT MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND; THIS IS THE WEEKEND AFTER MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND*
CHATEAU LES OLIVIERS DE SALETTES
Charols, Drôme
France
WEDDING WEEKEND SCHEDULE
WELCOME DINNER
FRIDAY, MAY 29, 2026
Drinks at 6:30PM
Dinner at 7:00PM
ATTIRE: GARDEN PARTY
(Florals, button-down shirts; no ties or suit jackets required)
THE WEDDING
SATURDAY, MAY 30, 2026
4:30PM
ATTIRE: FORMAL OR COCKTAIL
(Dresses of all lengths; suits and ties)
FAREWELL BRUNCH/POOL PARTY
SUNDAY, MAY 31, 2026
11:00AM to 4:00PM
ATTIRE: CASUAL
(Whatever you want! T-shirts, shorts, dresses, pajamas...)
The pool will be open for whoever would like a swim, so please feel free to bring your swimsuits as well!
TRANSPORTATION
GETTING TO CHATEAU LES OLIVIERS DE SALETTES
All events over the wedding weekend will take place at Chateau Les Oliviers de Salettes. Please note that due to the size of the venue, we can't accommodate all guests at the venue itself; we will be providing wedding blocks for and shuttle blocks to and from additional hotels in the area (see "Where to Stay" for more details).
We're very grateful to everyone who is traveling far and wide to come to our celebration, but we're not able to give each individual guest a personal travel itinerary, or tell each person exactly which airline, airport, or flight they should take. We hope the below summary of travel options will help you determine the route you'd like to take. You may wish to work with a travel agent or just use Google Flights to figure out what works best for you.
Festivities on Friday, May 29 will start with drinks at 6:30PM and a dinner buffet starting at 7:00PM. Again, shuttles will be provided for those staying at the designated hotels off-site.
To get to the area of the wedding, regardless of which specific hotel you are staying at, here are some travel options:
NEARBY AIRPORTS
NO DIRECT FLIGHTS FROM NEW YORK CITY
-Marseille Provence Airport (2 hours or less by car)
-Lyon Saint-Exupéry Airport (2 hours by car)
DIRECT FLIGHTS FROM NEW YORK CITY
-Nice Côte D'Azur Airport (3.5 hours by car)
-Geneva International Airport (3.5 hours by car)
NEARBY TRAIN STATIONS
CLOSEST STATION: MONTELIMAR STATION (25 minutes by car)
From there, you can:
-Take an Uber
-Reserve a taxi with Taxi Montélimar: https://www.taxi-montelimar.com/
-Reserve a taxi with Taxi Proxi: https://www.taxiproxi.fr/commander-taxis-reserver.php
-Reserve a taxi with Taxi Christophe Gimbert: https://www.taxi-gimbert-christophe.fr/contact
TGV/HIGH-SPEED RAIL STATION: AVIGNON STATION (1.5 hours by car)
From there, you can:
-Take an Uber
-Reserve a taxi with G7 Taxi: https://www.g7.fr/en/book-taxi
-Reserve a taxi with Avignon Taxi: https://avignontaxis.fr/association-taxis-radio-avignon-english/
-Reserve a taxi with Taxis Avignon: https://www.taxis-avignon.com/taxi/votre-chauffeur-taxi-pro/reservation-taxi-avignon
TGV/HIGH-SPEED RAIL STATION: VALENCE STATION (50 minutes by car)
From there you can:
-Take an Uber
-Reserve a taxi with G7 Taxi: https://www.g7.fr/en/book-taxi
-Reserve a taxi with Radio Taxi Valence: https://radiotaxis-valence.com/reserver
-Reserve a taxi with Taxi Proxi: https://www.taxiproxi.fr/commander-taxis-reserver.php
CAR RENTALS
Our wedding planner, who lives and works in France, reports that all major car rental companies are available in Paris, the airports, and major train stations. She recommends using either https://www.rentalcars.com/ or https://www.booking.com/.
REMINDER: MOST CARS IN FRANCE ARE MANUAL/STICK-SHIFT--SO MAKE SURE TO REQUEST AN AUTOMATIC CAR IF YOU NEED ONE! (But hey, at least they drive on the same side of the road as we do!)
COMING FROM PARIS
If you decide to come to the wedding directly from Paris, we recommend one of the following options:
-Taking the TGV (high-speed rail) to Valence, and either reserving a car or hiring a taxi to pick you up for the 50 minute drive. (See above section on train stations for details on reserving a taxi.)
-Renting a car in Paris and driving directly (6-7 hours, but a beautiful drive!).
WHERE TO STAY
HOTEL ACCOMODATIONS
PLEASE NOTE: Because the wedding venue does not have enough rooms to accommodate all our guests, we are booking hotel blocks at equally wonderful hotels in the area.
When you RSVP, we will let you know if you are staying at at the wedding venue itself, or if you will be part of the hotel block at our second hotel in the area. YOU WILL NOT BE ABLE TO RESERVE YOUR OWN ROOMS DIRECTLY WITH EITHER HOTEL, due to the limitations of wedding blocks in France. Instead, we will assign you a room and the hotel will contact you directly to pay for it. We promise all rooms are lovely and in a similar price range!
For those staying off-site, we will provide shuttle buses to and from the venue all three days of the wedding weekend for those staying at our other designated hotel blocks.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
WILL GUESTS BE STAYING ON SITE?
Because space at the wedding venue itself is limited, unfortunately many guests will not be able to stay on site. We will let everyone know who is staying where, and we will be providing shuttles to select hotels in the area (which we will announce in the near future). Our goal is to keep large parties together while making sure everyone has enough space.
HOW DO I RESERVE MY ROOM AT LES OLIVIERS DE SALETTES?
Unless we tell you otherwise, YOU DO NOT NEED TO MAKE YOUR OWN ROOM RESERVATION at Les Oliviers de Salettes--in fact, you won't be able to (the weekend is blocked out)! Once we receive all RSVPs for the wedding, we will assign you your room and let you know the price to pay the hotel.
CAN I STAY AT LES OLIVIERS DE SALETTES EITHER BEFORE OR AFTER THE WEDDING WEEKEND?
Yes! You are more than welcome to stay at Les Oliviers de Salettes for as many days as you would like before or after the wedding weekend. To book your room for any days OTHER THAN MAY 29-31, you will need to contact the hotel directly.
Important note: because we can only assign rooms to our wedding guests after we receive all RSVPs, YOU MAY NEED TO SWITCH ROOMS for the duration of the wedding weekend if you decide to make a reservation before or after the wedding weekend. We unfortunately cannot guarantee that you'll be staying in the same room outside of that time period. The pricing for the rooms may also be different.
CAN I REQUEST A SPECIFIC ROOM TO STAY IN DURING THE WEDDING WEEKEND?
We unfortunately can't guarantee you a specific room during the wedding weekend, since we won't know how many guests are attending until we receive all RSVPs. We'll do our best to accommodate any requests, but cannot guarantee a specific room, building, or price. We're going to be playing a complex game of wedding guest tetris to make sure everyone is in the right space. But we promise all rooms at Les Oliviers de Salettes are wonderful--it is a five-star hotel, after all!
WHAT IS THE VENUE?
Chateau Les Oliviers de Salettes is a five-star hotel with two restaurants, a spa, nascent wine vineyards, and an active lavender farm. The main building is a modest chateau build in the 16th century around a medieval square tower. The hotel was once part of the command of the Order of Saint John (also known as the Knights Hospitaller).
Today, the hotel is a beautiful destination with a Michelin-starred restaurant, Lavandin. All catering for our wedding will be provided by Lavandin, so come hungry!
You can visit their website here to learn more: https://www.chateaulesoliviersdesalettes.com/
ARE CHILDREN WELCOME?
We understand that each family's childcare situation is different, especially for an extended trip to Europe. You are welcome to bring your children, though we're not sure yet if we'll have any childcare or activities for them at the venue.
ARE ALL EVENTS AT THE SAME LOCATION?
Yes! The welcome dinner, wedding day itself, and goodbye brunch will all take place at Chateau Les Oliviers de Salettes. Again, we will provide shuttle service for anyone staying at hotels off-site.
WILL THERE BE VEGETARIAN OPTIONS?
Yes! We will have a variety of options to meet everyones dietary needs. Please let us know when you RSVP of any allergies or dietary restrictions.
OUR STORY
2020: It was the best of times; it was the worst of times (mostly the worst of times).
In the summer of 2020, New York City was finally reopening and reawakening after lockdown. Friends were cautiously reuniting, masked, at a distance of six feet in parks across the city. People were redownloading their dating apps and starting to meet for outdoor-only picnics and drinks. And, as all modern romances begin, Melanie and Elie matched on Hinge.
After exchanging a few messages, Elie and Melanie decided to have a zoom pre-date, just to make sure each person was worth getting covid from before officially meeting. Each agreed the other passed the test, and we agreed to meet in person at Suprema Provisions in the West Village.
We were engaging in the usual first-date banter (how many siblings, college, work), when a man wearing headphones walked passed our table--and farted LOUDLY AND FOR A SUSTAINED PERIOD while passing us. Elie and Melanie locked eyes, shocked to be trapped together in an unexpected crop-dusting--and burst out laughing. The ice was officially broken, and the rest, as they say was history. We've never found that man, but we hope to thank him one day.
Since then, Melanie and Elie eaten and walked their way through 9 US cities and 11 countries together (though we always come back to our couch in the end). We're excited to embark on this next adventure together, surrounded by all the people we love!
VISITING PARIS
If you decide to visit Paris on your trip, here are our recommendations.
(Note: The parenthetical numbers listed at the end of each item indicate which arrondissement, or neighborhood, each site is located. The map of Paris' neighborhoods is organized like a snail shell, starting at the center and winding its way outwards.)
Most Popular Museums
-The Louvre, of course! Like the Metropolitan Museum of Art, you can't do it all in one day. To avoid feeling overwhelmed, we suggest looking at the website ahead of time to see which exhibitions you want to prioritize. (1e)
-Musée de l'Orangerie: Where Monet's waterlily paintings are. They also have an excellent Impressionist collection. It's on the other side of the Tuileries from the Louvre, but you probably don't want to do it all in one day. (1e)
-Musée d'Orsay: Has a lot of Impressionist and classical art. It's also in a beautiful building, which used to be a train station, which was the site of an infamous train crash in 1895. (7e)
-Pompidou: (Currently closed for major renovations.) Paris' modern and contemporary art museum--their version of the MoMA. The building is very unusual, and has great vistas for taking photos of Paris (4e)
Obscure Museums (That Are Still Cool!)
-Musée Carnavalet: The museum of the history of Paris. It's quirky and has unusual objects like the guillotines from the Reign of Terror. (3e)
-Museum of the Art and History of Judaism: In the former Jewish quarter, this museum is not a museum of the Holocaust. It was purposely created to celebrate Jewish culture and history. (3e)
-Mémorial de la Shoah: France's official Holocaust memorial; it features a wall with the names of every person taken from France. (4e)
-Museum of Montmartre: It's a small museum, but it has some nice art and exhibits about the artists who lived and created there (18e)
-Arab World Institute: A very cool museum of Arab peoples, their customs, and art. They have a café people really like on the rooftop, which has beautiful views. (5e)
-Invalides: The museum of the French army--and also where Napoleon is buried. Interesting for history buffs.
-Palais de Tokyo: Cool modern art museum. (8e)
-Trocadéro: A museum complex across the river from the Eiffel Tour. Not must-sees per se, but they do have a great view of the Eiffel Tour for photos.
-Panthéon: No, you're not in Greece. This church-turned-revolutionary-hall-turned-church-again-turned museum now has a crypt for some of most of the famous dead people of France: Victor Hugo, Marie Curie and Louis Pasteur, Voltaire, Rousseau, and others. History buffs like to pay homage. (5e)
Churches
-Notre-Dame: Now you can go back inside, but they’re still making repairs after the fire. The island itself (Île-de-la-Cité) is fun to explore as well.
-Sacré-Coeur: The last church in Paris built with public funds (which caused quite a controversy at the turn of the last century). Has a gorgeous mosaic on the ceiling. Very touristy because it's on a big hill with amazing views of the city--and is therefore also famous for pick pockets, so be careful. (18e)
-Saint Eustache Church: Located on the site of the former Les Halles (the open-air markets that got bulldozed in the late 1960s), this church is famous for its positive community engagement. It was one of the first churches to actively support the gay community during the AIDS crisis. (1e)
-Saint Sulpice: Another nice church that people love. (6e)
Other Attractions
-Eiffel Tour, of course. (7e)
-Père Lachaise Cemetery: This is the famous cemetery where Jim Morrison, Oscar Wilde, Edith Piaf, Chopin, Balzac, Proust and others are buried. Makes for a lovely walk. (20e)
-Cemetery of Montmartre: Much less well known than the above, but a more interesting place to visit, in our opinions. There's a weird juxtaposition of city and cemetery overlapping. (18e)
-Luxembourg Gardens: Perhaps the most famous park in Paris; a good place to sit and enjoy a croissant. (6e)
-Parc Monceau: A beautiful park in northwestern Paris, surrounded by mansions. It has more greenery than most parks within the périphérique (the main boundaries of Paris). We like it better than the Luxembourg Gardens! (8e)
-Coulée verte René-Dumont aka Promenade plantée: The original Highline! It's not as cool as the Highline is today, but still a fun stroll.
-Pedestrian streets like rue Cler (7e) and rue Montorgueil (1e/2e): these pedestrian streets have cute cafés and shops. If you're passing nearby, we recommend walking by.
-The Passage des Panoramas: Indoor shops/arcades in a very belle époque architecture. They're hard to find, but mostly located in the 2e.
-The Bon Marché and the Grande Épicerie: two absolutely incredible department stores. The former is for fancy clothes; the second is the Mecca for food. Elie always visits the Grande Épicerie when we're in town to stock up on chocolate. (6e)
Neighborhoods to Explore
-The Marais: Where Elie's mother grew up! Today it’s the trendiest neighborhood in Paris, with lots of bars, restaurants, and cool stores. It is also historically the Jewish quarter of Paris. Some of that Jewish legacy still remains, in pockets. (3e and 4e)
-Montmartre: This neighborhood wasn't incorporated into Paris until the late 1800s, which explains why its architecture is so different. It's very quaint--and touristy. Includes the only active wine vineyard left in Paris proper. (18e)
-Saint-Germain-des-près: This is where Sartre, Camus, and the other existentialists used to hang out. Today it's very bougie. You can visit the overpriced/famous restaurants where they used to eat (like Les Deux Magots-- no, not maggots), but today the area features also lots of fancy shopping.
-Latin Quarter: Also known as the Student Quarter, today it is very touristy. You can visit the English-language bookstore, Shakespeare & Co., and stock up on some new reading. Rue Mouffetard is like Paris' MacDougal Street, packed with cheap eats and college students.
-10e/11e: Used to be very grungy, and now is a very trendy area. Kind of like the Brooklyn of Paris; we enjoy walking around.
-Canal Saint-Martin: A lovely place to sit and have a picnic (pique-nique) (10e)
-Île-Saint-Louis: This is the island right next to the island that Notre Dame sits on. Today the apartments are owned by rich people who are never home. It's a quaint place for a stroll with great photos of the Seine (4e)
-9e: This area is very Bobo (bohemian bourgeois)--think western Brooklyn. Lots of good restaurants if you know where to look.
Daytrips
-Versailles: A 30 minute train ride outside of Paris, this palace and its amazing gardens are a touristy but fun excursion.
-Giverny: This is the town where Monet lived and painted his waterlilies. Buy tickets in advance to visit his home, gardens, and the waterlilies themselves. It makes a lovely overnight or long day trip, with cute restaurants in the town.
Restaurants
(Organized by name, cuisine, arrondissement)
Chez Denise La Tour Montlhery: Brasserie (1e)
Francois Perret: Viennoiserie (1e)
Wagu Restaurant 1129: Japanese BBQ (1e)
Plentitude: Nouveau French (1e)
Telescope: Coffee (1e)
Sur mer: Seafood (1e)
19 Saint Roch: Brasserie (1e)
Menkicchi Ramen: Ramen (1e)
Casa Pregonda: Spanish Tapas (2e)
Drouant: French (2e)
Edgar & Achille: Seafood (2e)
Omurice: Japanese (2e)
Kitchen Izakaya: Japanese (2e)
Frenchie - Bar a Vins: Wine Bar (2e)
Mam from Hanoi: Vietnamese (2e)
Qasti Green: Lebanese (2e)
Joli: Brasserie (3e)
Huddle Cafe: Coffee (3e)
The Little Red Door: Cocktail Bar (3e)
Sain Boulangerie: Bakery (3e)
Brigat Gelato: Ice cream (3e)
Grave: Ice cream (3e)
Datil: Nouveau French (3e)
Neulo: Ice cream and flan (4e)
Baltis: Ice cream (4e)
Une glace a Paris: Ice cream (4e)
Bistrot des Tournelles: Bistro (4e)
Miznon Paris: Israeli (4e)
Le Petit Bal Perdu: Brasserie (5e)
Narro: Brasserie (5e)
Brass: Brasserie (6e)
Le petit Lutetia: French (6e)
Cravan: Cocktail Bar (6e)
Quinsou: Nouveau French (6e)
Wani: Tea cafe (6e)
Girotti: Ice cream (6e)
Angiolo: Ice cream (6e)
Relais Louis XIII: Brasserie (6e)
Kinugawa Rive Gauche: Japanese (7e)
Bonnotte Club: Brasserie (7e)
Le Bar Long: Brasserie (8e)
Le Clarence: Brasserie (8e)
Le Savarin: Brasserie (9e)
Cuisine Nouveau: French (9e)
Artigelato: Ice cream (9e)
Passioné: Nouveau French (9e)
Bistrot Rougement: Bistro (9e)
Insana Paris: Colombian/Brazilian (9e)
Elbi: Mediterranean (10e)
Sucre Glace: Ice cream (10e)
JJ Hings: Ice cream (10e)
Jah Jah: West African (10e)
Chop Chop Love: (10e)
Siseng: Vietnamese (10e)
Urfa Durum: Kurdish sandwiches (10e)
La combine: Ice cream (10e)
Comer Paris.Mexico: Mexican (10e)
Buddy Buddy: Nut butter coffee bar (10e)
Cagnard: Mediterranean (10e)
Soré: West African (10e)
Les Arlots: Brasserie (10e)
Faubourg Daimant: Latin American (10e)
Eels: Nouveau French (10e)
Senstion: Chinese (11e)
Masahikuta: Japanese Fusion (11e)
Waly Fay: West African (11e)
Dreamin Man: Coffee (11e)
Kubri Paris: Lebanese (11e)
Reyna: Filipino (11e)
Maison: Nouveau French (11e)
Tapisserie by Septime: Viennoiserie (11e)
Bistrot Paul Bert: Bistro (11e)
Folderol: Ice cream (11e)
La Glace Alain Ducasse: Ice cream (11e)
Rori Pizza: Pizza (11e)
Orgueil: Brasserie (11e)
Recoin: Bistro (11e)
Le servan: Asian fusion (11e)
Le dauphin: Brasserie (11e)
Le Tagine: Moroccan (11e)
Brutos: Brazilian (11e)
Le Saint Sebastien: Brasserie (11e)
Vantre: Brasserie (11e)
Double Dragon: Filipino (11e)
Haikara: Japanese (11e)
Cafe Content: Bistro (11e)
Table - Bruno Verjus: Brasserie (12e)
Pizzou Aligre: Pizza (12e)
Restaurant Passerini: Italian (12e)
Thai Yim: Thai (12e)
Le duc: Seafood (14e)
Mosuke par Mory Sacko: Japanese/African (14e)
L'Aventure: Brasserie (16e)
Enzo & Lily: Ice cream (16e)
Schnock: Brasserie (17e)
Pleincoeur: Viennoiserie (17e)
MAM by Stephanie Quellec: Epicierie (17e)
Tiramisserie: Dessert (17e)
Gare au Gorille: Mediterranean (17e)
Atelier P1: Viennoiserie (18e)
Fana: Bistro (18e)
Le Sens Unique: Brasserie (18e)
Gemüse: Kebab (18e)
Le Maquis: Bistro (18e)
Cheval D'or: French (19e)
Soces: Seafood (19e)
Combat: Cocktail Bar (19e)
La Halle aux Olivier: Rooftop restaurant (20e)
Le food Market: Food market (20e)
La tabla de Maïna: Fusion Japanese, Peruvian, and French (20e)
Semola Pizzeria: Pizza (20e)
Dandelion: Nouveau French (20e)
Dilia: Italian (20e)
Paloma: Spanish (20e)
Copain: Coffee (Multiple locations)
M'Seddi: Patisserie (Multiple locations)
Glazed: Ice cream (Multiple locations)
Jeffrey Cagnes: Patisserie (Multiple locations)
Mamiche: Viennoiserie (Multiple locations)
Dumbo: Smashburger (Multiple locations)
Maison Aleph: Patisserie (Multiple locations)
Chocolat Chapon: Chocolate (Multiple locations)
La Tropicale Glacier: Ice cream (Multiple locations)
Plaka: Greek sandwiches (Multiple locations)
Plaq: Hot chocolate (Multiple locations)
The French Bastards: Ice cream (Multiple locations)
Jacques Genin: Chocolate (Multiple locations)
Cafe nuances: Coffee (Multiple locations)
VISITING NICE
If you decide to visit Nice and the surrounding towns during your travels, here are our recommendations.
Museums and Activities
-Chagal Museum
-Matisse Museum
-Picasso Museum (Antibes)
-Renoir Museum (Cagnes-sur-mer)
-Nice food tour
-Nice walking tour
-Walk the Promenade des Anglais
-Climb Castle Hill
Villages/Towns Nearby
-Antibes (visit Gelateria del Porto, an amazing ice cream spot!)
-Cannes
-Èze (amazing views from the cliffs)
-Menton
-Monaco (technically a separate country!)
-Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat
-Saint-Paul-de-Vence
-Saint Tropez
VISITING LYON
If you decide to visit Lyon during your travels, here are our recommendations.
Museums and Activities
-Les Halles: An incredible indoor food market for gourmands.
-The Lumière Museum: A museum in the home of the inventors of modern film, the Lumière Brothers. Worth a visit for film and history buffs!
-Silk-making workshops: Lyon has historically specialized in the making of silk in France. You can still visit the artisans in their workshops today.
-Guided tour of passageways: Lyon is a hilly city with secret passageways, many of which were used by the French Resistance during WWII to convey messages.
-The Resistance Museum: Lyon is understandably proud of their role in Free France during WWII.
-The Roman theaters and ruins: Centuries ago, in 43 BCE, Lyon was the Roman colony Lugdunum. Many remains from this period have been excavated, including a huge amphitheater where you can see live performances today. There is also an archeological museum next door.
-Basilica of Notre-Dame de Fourvière: Take the funicular up to the cliff to see the church and the amazing views!
