This Couple Married at a Historic French Château Nestled in the Foothills of the Pyrenees
“I sent the first message,” Ella McFadin, a lifestyle creator and beauty brand founder, says of meeting James Hanbury-Williams, a retail VP, on a dating app in 2021. “I made a light-hearted joke about matcha as James was working in the matcha world at the time.”
They exchanged a few messages back and forth, attempting to plan dates that never came to fruition. “It wasn’t until Ella ran into a mutual friend of mine that finally led to us following through,” James remembers. “Ella was wearing the cutest top, which later got a bit ruined by an Aperol spritz during the second stop at Roberta’s in Bushwick of our all-day date.” They began with Sunday brunch in Greenpoint, which turned into a moped ride around Brooklyn, which then morphed into evening drinks on the hottest day of the summer in New York City. “I knew I immediately wanted to see him again once I got home that evening,” Ella says.
In 2024, after years of spending their weekends staying at boutique hotels and Airbnbs in the Catskills, they bought a house there together. “It became our special place to go together with our rescue golden retriever pup, Crispy,” Ella says.
Later that same year, they were going up for the weekend to check in on the progress of their renovations. “We ended up extending our trip that weekend a few more days at Cedar Lakes Estate, which I found odd,” Ella recalls. “I would have thought James needed to be back for work.”
Shortly after they arrived and checked into their room, they went for a walk with Crispy around the property. “About 30 seconds into our walk, James dropped down to one knee,” Ella remembers. “It was pure magic in our happy place with Crispy jumping for joy beside us.” They had a romantic candlelit dinner together later that evening.
Once their renovations were finished, the Catskills became a sanctuary for the couple, outside of their busy life in Brooklyn. “We’ve spent countless weekends all over the area over the years, and I couldn’t think of anything more perfect than getting down on one knee outside a quaint, lakeside cottage at Cedar Lakes Estate,” James says. “While I’m not sure I nailed the surprise element, as I knew Ella was on to me, it felt natural and true to us as a couple.”
The wedding was held on September 13, 2025, at Château de Sibra in the Ariège region of France. “My family has a home in this corner of France, nestled in the foothills of the Pyrenees, and it has been the backdrop of my summers since childhood,” James explains. “The region remains strikingly true to itself—untouched, unhurried, and deeply authentic. For more than 20 years, I’ve cherished the little things that define life here: father-son bike rides that trace winding country roads, lengthy lunches that stretch well into the afternoon, and the sense that time itself slows down. Yet, what I treasure most is having the chance to share this timeless place with Ella; letting her experience the beauty, serenity, and intimacy of a world that has always felt like home.”
Since meeting in 2021, Ella and James have spent a month together at the house every summer and also for various family holidays. “It quickly became a part of our love story, and immediately upon our engagement we knew it would be memorable to have our wedding celebration there and share the lesser-known region of France with all our nearest and dearest,” Ella says. “Planning a wedding abroad was a challenge, but the excitement to share this special place with our people made it all worthwhile.”
Of course, there were inevitable bumps along the way. “Despite that, the planning calls—paired with a few trips back to France during our engagement—gave us confidence that our wedding weekend would be nothing short of unforgettable,” James says. “Having my parents nearby was an immeasurable gift; they were able to connect us with beloved local vendors, from vineyards to venues, whose talent and authenticity helped bring our vision to life.”
The couple entrusted local planner Sandra Dodds of Rubijoy with organizing everything. “She was a dream to work with: kind, realistic, and fun,” James says. “I am already missing our weekly calls with her leading up to the big day. She was the loveliest to work with: her eye, execution, and of course her being bilingual, helped us immensely throughout the entire process, as Ella’s and my French is definitely a work in progress.”
Ella’s close friend and bridal stylist Lauren Burke helped her curate her wedding weekend wardrobe. “I knew nothing about the bridal world before getting engaged,” Ella admits. “[That said], it was important to me that I felt elevated, yet, like myself throughout the entire weekend. I wanted looks that made me feel confident but were also comfortable, jewelry that complimented my looks without being a distraction, and of course beauty looks that highlighted my natural features, photographed well, and incorporated some of my own everyday staples from Skin by Ella.”
She did five dress appointments in three days, and only one dress stood out to her at the end. “So I said yes immediately,” she says. “It was a dream come true to be the first bride to wear Gown 18 from September New York.”
James knew that he wanted a suit that was more of a statement than what you’d wear to work or casually. “Luckily, I have a number of friends that love tailoring and have a better knowledge than I do for where to go,” he says. “F.E. Castleberry jumped out at me because he blends legacy British tailoring with some New York edge. His bright pink shop in Tribeca feels like a haven of creativity next to the expensive restaurants and tall high-rises.” His tie was vintage Hermès from his grandad’s collection, and he also accessorized with a brooch. “It was my favorite part,” James admits. “It was from Puffy, Ella’s 94-year-old grandmother, who couldn’t travel to the wedding but wanted to be there. It was an honor to ask her for something that, quite frankly, completed my look.”
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