Jessica Korasadowicz and Sidney Lebental were out with their separate groups of friends when they first locked eyes at a lounge in the Hamptons. It was Jessica who broke the ice by asking Sidney to take a photo of her and her girlfriends. Sidney obliged, then invited them to join his table so he wouldn’t lose sight of her throughout the evening.
AN EPIC TWO-NIGHT DESTINATION WEDDING IN FRANCE THAT GUESTS ARE STILL REFERRING TO AS ‘THE WEDDING OF THE CENTURY.’
From there, champagne bottles were popped, numbers were exchanged, and a summer romance had begun – a spark that would turn into a full-blown relationship in New York City, growing stronger each year.
After spending months sourcing the perfect pear-shaped diamond and designing a custom engagement ring, Sidney planned a destination proposal. “I already knew I wanted to do it in Saint Barth’s, as it is a place we both love and go to every year,” he shares. “I needed to find the perfect setup; a place that meant something to us; a place that we would visit again and again in the coming years and would always bring back the memory of our engagement. I also wanted something fun, and for me, Bagatelle St. Barth’s had it all.
The staff was in on it, the hired videographer was hiding, trying to not get noticed by Jess. The waiter who is now a friend came and asked to show me his wine cellar, and that was the signal. The rest is history. I arrived with the ring, three-dozen pink roses (Jess's favorite color), Celine Dion's Titanic song (Jess's favorite love song) playing in the background, and I kneeled down. I had a whole speech memorized; but overwhelmed by the emotions, I froze and could barely speak! I finally asked Jess, 'Will you marry me?' and she said YES!”
With Jessica and Sidney having such busy schedules, wedding planner Alejandra Poupel was at the helm to make sure the entire wedding planning process ran smoothly. The end result was an epic two-night destination wedding in France that guests are still referring to as “the wedding of the century.”
For the welcome night, Jessica and Sidney wanted their guests to experience Paris “their way,” which included a Parisian dinner cruise along the Seine with can-can dancers, a DJ, and Michelin star food by Potel et Chabot.
The big day was nothing short of a fairytale wedding at the magnificent Chateau Vaux le Vicomte. Floral décor from Roni Flowers created a stunning atmosphere, and the bride looked like a princess as she walked down the aisle in an Ines di Santo gown and veil, complete with a Swarovski crown. The groom served as Prince Charming, donning a custom David Allen morning suit.
“We took our guests on a magical journey starting at the front of the chateau for champagne and refreshments, through the gardens for the ceremony, and had the cocktail hour by the crown fountain,” the groom describes. “Finally, we took them inside to the ballroom where they were greeted by armed royal guards and walked into a ballroom filled with fog and the Beauty and the Beast theme song played by a harpist and violinists.
We had surprises throughout with juggling bartenders, string quartet turned electronic violinists, live singers, Martha Wylder painting a watercolor live scene of our wedding, and a champagne tower. The food and wine pairings were on point, and we had elaborate displays and food presentations as we are big foodies and wine lovers.”
To complete their fairytale wedding experience, Jess and Sidney will be honeymooning in French Polynesia, Bora Bora, Brando Island, Tahiti, and a California ranch in Big Sur.
WEDDING TALENT
Planner: Alejandra Poupel Events and Design, Paris, France; Dress: Ines Di Santo
Bridal Salon: Mark Ingram Atelier, New York, NY; Invitations: Ceci New York, New York, NY; Wedding Cake: Bastien Blanc-Tailleur Wedding Cakes, Boulogne-Billancourt, France