MELISSA CROTEAU & OLIVIER LACOSTE

Melissa Croteau was living and working in Las Vegas as a hairstylist and assistant at A Robert Cromeans Hair Salon at the Mandalay Bay, when she met Olivier Lacoste at a night club. He was in Las Vegas on vacation for the World Series of Poker, and his French accent immediately caught Melissa’s attention. “I was 25 at the time, so the thought of speaking with a French man was very exciting,” she explains. “We connected instantly and I had him buying me chocolate martinis for the rest of the night.”

By Olivier’s account, his instincts told him that Melissa was “it” for him, and the two spent eleven days together out of the two weeks he was in Las Vegas. Having grown attached to each other, Melissa says, “We weren’t sure we were ever going to see one another again, but he told me that if I wanted to, he would find a way.” This led to a long-distance relationship with Skype dates and Olivier flying back periodically. After six months, however, Melissa decided to take the plunge by packing her bags and moving to France.

A year later, the couple moved to Paris and had their first son. At their son’s first birthday, which was celebrated back in America, 40 people had gathered at Melissa’s parents' house. The one-year-old happily had chocolate cake smeared all over his shirt, so Olivier took him to get changed. Once they returned, Melissa looked down to see her son wearing a sweatshirt that said, “Mommy, I have a question.” When she unzipped it, the shirt read, “Will you marry Papa?” Ironically, Melissa states “Just that morning, I was complaining to my future maid of honor that he was never going to ask me to marry him!”

Olivier and Melissa had a two-year engagement, due to their families being on two different continents and having to plan a destination wedding from France. Everything culminated in a wedding day that panned out perfectly. Both the bride and groom were feeling calm on their way to their wedding venue, Mechanics Hall, with Olivier joking that “he knew exactly what he was facing for the next 40 years.”

The wedding décor was inspired by the old world glamour of Mechanics Hall, paired with an enchanted forest theme. “Walking into the venue was a dream,” says the bride. “Everything we had envisioned came true.” Chandeliers provided a soft and dramatic light, highlighting the beautiful floral arrangements. 

Guests enjoyed a gourmet menu featuring cuisine from the couple’s two cultures, such as New England lobster bisque, plum flavored sorbet with Armagnac, and a special French dessert for Olivier–a croquembouche. Melissa’s attention to detail was also evident, from the handmade guest favors to the perfectly timed music.

Thanks to a talented group of wedding vendors including the DJ, floral designer, and photographer M. Benedicte Verley Photography, the newlyweds and their guests enjoyed an amazing celebration. “There was a tangible electric feeling in the air,” Melissa says. “Everyone had been waiting so long for Olivier and I to get married, and you could feel it. It was just pure love everywhere."