Great Question! We honestly just like wine! No, truly the reason is that for the longest time we felt we had missed out on all major events because we either couldn't financially afford to get home, or because we couldn't get time off work. We have often felt we missed out on a lot of quality time with our loved ones while living in NYC. But also that our family and friends from home (Wales) never get to meet our acquired family from NYC. It felt important to us to have a wedding that wasn't over in a flash. We love French style and elegance, (and wine!) but it's actually the venue itself we fell in love with. We can share the story of how we found Château Fengari another time, but it really is an excuse to get our favourite people together to make new memories with! It means so much that you'll consider venturing to France to celebrate with us.
The best way to get to Clérac is by plane. The nearest airports are Bordeaux (45 mins away) or Bergerac (1 hour 15 mins away)
Unfortunately YES! But it is so worth it! In Clérac where the venue is situated, it isn't really walkable. But because it's in the middle of countryside taxis are extremely expensive and have to be prepared/booked long in advance. You can reserve a car rental in advance, it isn't too expensive, and most are pay at pick-up! Since many of you know each other, perhaps team up, especially if you do not feel comfortable driving. We drove a little Fiat 500 from Bordeaux airport using Enterprise. There's several to choose from. With Google Maps, the drive was straight-forward and well signed. But for the Brits, remember to drive on the opposite side of the road ;-)
You can share rides/leave your car at the venue the day of our ceremony and fetch it the next day :-) But since taxi's are pretty impossible, we are arranging a shuttle taxi service that will work for a few hours to shuttle guests back their hotels/BnBs.
We absolutely adore your children, however besides immediate family (sibling's children) this is an adults only wedding. That does not mean they cannot attend the "Beach Party" the next day, it's simply for our ceremony + reception.
The dress code is formal, traditional wedding attire. However since this is South-West France in mid-September temperatures can be around 26 degrees, so perhaps best to opt for a lighter/linen suit and breathable fabrics. When we were there (Sept 3) it was 29-30 and quite hot, though it did rain one day! In addition there is grass, stilettos may be tricky! The beach/pool party is optional, but we will be having a dip! So bring your trunks if you want to brave the lake... otherwise it's just casual/chill-France-Chateau vibes ;-)