The Bride Wore Vintage—And Her Own Custom Designs—To Her Loire Valley Wedding
Sophia Gilligan and Alexandre Bennet found love “right by the cucumbers.” It was 2019, and Sophia was shopping at Trader Joe’s with her friend Gabby Bauer on the Lower East Side of New York City. The pair suddenly ran into Alexandre—who went to Indiana University with Gabby—in the produce section. “I genuinely fell in love with her at first sight at Trader Joe’s,” Alexandre remembers of his brief meeting with Sophia. “I don’t remember meeting too many people in my life with such specificity the first time.” The two would become friends as they saw each other out and about. “Alex, a native New Yorker, seemed to know everyone and had stories about every inch of the city—which impressed me as transplanted Midwesterner,” shares Sophia, who works as the senior creative marketing manager at Clare V. “Our first date, almost exactly two years later, was to Le French Diner on Orchard Street.”
Their relationship grew quickly, bonding over their strong ties to their families and fashion connections. (Alexandre’s mother had been the head of sales at Manolo Blahnik for nearly 30 years, and Sophia’s aunt is the accessories designer, Clare Vivier.) The couple even made a major move together to Los Angeles as Alexandre started his business, Joon Pistachios. “From the passing of my father and facing some serious medical issues to sharing a tiny studio before starting over fresh in Los Angeles when I changed careers and started my company, we built an entirely new life together with our love as the constant,” reflects Alexandre.
When Alexandre was planning a proposal, he hoped to curate a night of “nostalgia, family, joy, and celebration.” He put plans into motion to spend a weekend back in NYC with Sophia and have their families join as a surprise. “Having moved to LA, I kept talking about how we needed to go back to Le French Diner—our first date spot—without Sophie knowing that I was secretly planning a celebration at Felix, where we shared our first kiss,” says Alexandre. “We still laugh at how much fun we had at the dinner: between the food, nonstop conversation, and all the excitement, we were already on cloud nine before I even proposed. When we finally got to the after-party at Felix, it hit us—this night was going to fly by in a blur.”
When deciding on a location for their summer wedding, which was held on August 30, 2025, the couple turned to the Loire Valley in France, a place filled with meaning for both of their families. Not only was Alexandre’s father French, but the bride’s aunt and uncle, Thierry and Clare Vivier, own a home in the region. The to-be-weds decided on Château de la Huberdière—a retreat in Nazelles-Négron that overlooked Leonardo da Vinci’s final resting place—as their venue. “The chateau’s owners, Patrick and Lodo are well-versed in helping others celebrate this special region,” explains Sophia.
The bride was well-versed in organizing events herself after a decade of working in fashion at brands like Ulla Johnson, so she took charge of organizing the wedding celebration. “I felt confident we did not need to hire a wedding planner and could handle it ourselves, even while living thousands of miles away in LA,” Sophia says. “We were engaged for a year and a half—which helped—and I truly enjoyed researching vendors, gathering inspiration, and ensuring each creative detail had meaning and intention.” The couple also hired Maryne Olive Marchesi of Marchesi Weddings as a month-of coordinator to ensure all the final details were settled and relieve the bride of planning duties that final week. “If not for her (and Alex!) stepping up, their support allowed me to be present and enjoy every single moment,” adds Sophia. “I would be remiss not to mention Clare’s husband, Thierry, whose family is from the area and served as our ‘boots on the ground’—and incredible translator—throughout the planning process.”
The celebrations would move from casual to elegant, beginning with an outdoor party on Thursday evening at Clare Vivier’s garden in Saint-Calais. “Everything was prepared by family members, who were in and out of the kitchen all afternoon, and then we brought in a local crêpe truck for dinner,” describes the bride. “The party went late into the night, with an impromptu concert with my uncles playing guitar, my cousins taking turns on the mic, and Alexandre DJ-ing and guests dancing to Prince and Sade under the stars.”
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