An Enchanted Countryside Wedding in France

Chris and Kristin initially connected by matching on Tinder in September of 2019. About a month later, after a few good chats and text exchanges, they had their first date. Chris planned a night out at the jazz club Birdland located in the heart of New York City. The two enjoyed each other’s company far too much to end the night so soon so they walked hand in hand to another restaurant for dessert. They sat in hushed voices until they were the last guests left for the night.

Two years later for their anniversary Chris completely recreated their first date and got down on one knee to ask Kristin to spend the rest of her life with him as his wife. The couple worked with Samantha Bottelier, their wedding planner, to create the perfect celebration of their love. Despite meticulous planning, the weather had other ideas, necessitating an unexpected Plan B for the vow exchange. Get inspired by their gorgeous destination wedding in France, captured by Saya Photography and Studio Ohlala.

Bride: Kristin-Armani Rutty

Groom: Christopher Hill

Photography By: Saya Photography and Studio Ohlala 

Place of Residence: Stamford, CT

Wedding Date: July 23, 2023

Wedding Location: Chateau de Bouthonvilliers in Dangeau, France

Wedding Theme/Motif/Inspiration: We knew from very early on that we wanted something that was whimsical, comforting, and memorable. In 5 words: a neutral toned ethereal garden party. My husband and I are both earth signs and gravitate towards earthy rich colors, so our color theme was an extension of that with olive and sage greens, chocolate browns, and creamy whites.

Honeymoon Destination: Southern Italy: Rome, Amalfi, Minori, Positano, Matera, Scila, Taormina, Cefalu 

Briefly tell us about your wedding experience and how the both of you felt on your big day. 

The wedding day itself was so hectic and went by too fast. There would be pockets of calm that we carved out specifically to realign and be present in but overall there were so many magical and overwhelming moments. So much love, so much joy, and so much beauty in one day. The memories will last a lifetime.

Wedding song, and the significance of the song: 

Two songs were of the utmost importance. The song I would walk down the aisle to and our first dance song. I have been a huge fan of Hayao Myazaki and was a Studio Ghibli kid growing up. Because of this, Joe Hisashi’s film scores have played in my head as the soundtrack to my life. I knew immediately that I wanted to walk down the aisle to “One Summer’s Day” from Spirited Away. It was the perfect way to honor the little girl who had always dreamt of a love and a life of peace and joy. Our first dance was “Best Part” by H.E.R and Daniel Caesar. We would often play this at the very beginning of our relationship so it felt right to dance to something that was contemporary, meaningful, and easy to slow dance to. 

What are you most looking forward to as a married couple? 

Sharing our lives together, traveling as much as we can, building a home together that our friends and family can visit as often as possible, and starting a family.

We wish the happy couple a lifetime of wedded bliss!

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