Château du Grand Val

Chateau Guests Arrive & Dinner

Dinner for Chateau Guests

Mont-Saint-Michel Abbey

Mont Saint-Michel Day Trip

St. Malo Bachelor & Bachelorette Party

Plage Saint-Enogat

Coastal Town of Dinard Day Trip

Chateau Guests Crêpe Wagon Dinner

Chateau Guests Calvados Tasting

Wedding Rehearsal

Welcome Cocktail Dinner Party

Wedding Day

Ceremony

Chateau du Grand Val

Cocktail Hour

Reception

Post-Wedding Brunch

Bonjour et bienvenue !

We’re so excited to share the details of our upcoming celebration at the stunning Château du Grand Val. Join us for a week of love, laughter, and unforgettable memories as we say "I do" in one of the most beautiful settings imaginable. Set against the backdrop of rolling French countryside and rich history, our wedding will be a week-long celebration with our closest family and friends. We can’t wait to celebrate with you! Stay tuned for all the details and updates as we count down to this magical week.

Our Wedding

About the Chateau

We can't wait to welcome you in Brittany for a week of delicious food, drink, and fun. The Château du Grand Val will be our venue throughout the week and a variety of activities will take place intermittently at the chateau itself and around the region of Brittany. Please refer to each event's details for specifics on where activities will take place and what transportation will be available. À votre santé !

Located in Brittany, the Château du Grand Val is a small, beautiful chateau dating from the 15th century and with a breathtaking view of the valley and the medieval village of Combourg. Brittany is considered by many to be the most beautiful and exciting part of France for many reasons. And it is no coincidence that French Romanticism started right here. Around the Château du Grand Val you will find the best food, world-class seafood, miles of beaches, steep cliffs, picturesque villages, and medieval towns. Between these experiences you will find peace and harmony. Lie by the pool, read a good book, stroll in the park, or maybe take a morning walk on the trails in the beautiful chestnut forest. As early as February, daffodils, camellias, magnolias, and other things are blooming in the chateau’s park. In less than 40 minutes, you can reach some of the major sights in Brittany: Sant-Malo, Cancale, Dinan, Dinard, and Le-Mont-Saint-Michel.

The Venue

Getting To Combourg

The Château du Grand Val is located a 10 minute drive outside of the town of Combourg. There are several ways you can get to Combourg; it all depends on your preference. Flying into Paris:&nbsp;- Charles DeGaul, (CDG)- Paris-Orly, (ORY) From Paris, the TGV (railway) leaves from CDG or any "Gare" (train station) and arrives in Rennes, where you could rent a car or take a train to Combourg (~45 minute drive or 30 minutes by train). Alternatively, you could rent a car in Paris and drive to Combourg (~4.5 hour drive). Emily and her friend Kate once did this drive in 2022 and made a roadtrip out of it, stopping at Versailles and Giverny along the way (highly recommended). Flying into a Regional Airport:- Rennes (ZFJ)- Dinard-Pleurtuit-St Malo (DNR) There are regional flights that you could take from Paris or the UK and fly into Dinard or Rennes instead of taking the train or driving from Paris.&nbsp;Dinard is approximately the same distance (45 minutes) as Rennes from Combourg.&nbsp;&nbsp; Renting a Car: Even if you choose not to rent a car personally, we highly recommend coordinating with other guests who may be renting a car to facilitate either train station pick ups or the ability for you to easily get rides back and forth to the chateau.

An ETIAS Visa Will NOT Be Required

Previously estimated to begin in the latter half of 2025, the <a href="https://travel-europe.europa.eu/etias/what-etias_en" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">ETIAS visa program</a> now will start operations in the last quarter of 2026. No action will be required from any of you for travel to our wedding as our celebrations will take place well before the last quarter of 2026.

Where to Stay in Combourg

While we would love to welcome everyone to stay at the chateau itself, we are unfortunately limited in the space we are able to offer. We recommend one of the following accommodations instead.

Hôtel Restaurant Du Lac

Hôtel Restaurant du Château

Maison de Luciné

Flights & Accommodations

Wedding Week Day Trips

We have a week of delicious food, drink, and fun planned for you all in Brittany. Below are the following events we already have planned for the group (and suggest you avoid doing in advance): Monday: Visit to Mont Saint-MichelTuesday: Visit to the coastal town of Dinard

Additional Sightseeing Recommendations

If you're making your way to France and have time to spare, we suggest taking some time before or after the wedding to see other sights in France. (Or across Europe, for those of you who are more adventurous!) Below are some of our recommendations for France in particular: Brittany / Normandy:- Château de Fougères- Dinan- Normandy (D-Day Beaches)- Saint-Malo- Giverny- Rouen Paris:- Palace of Versailles- Louvre Museum- Musée d'Orsay- Musée de l'Orangerie- Catacombs of Paris- Notre Dame- Sacré-Cœur- Montmartre- Moulin Rouge- Eiffel Tower- Seine Dinner Cruise (Ducasse sur Seine)- Shakespeare &amp; Co- Restaurants / cafes such as La Renommée (ask to have drinks / dessert downstairs after dinner - it's a VIBE), Shabour, Restaurant Eels, Angelina, Pierre Hermé, Chocolat Chapon (get the dark chocolate mousse, trust us), &amp; Ladurée Other places in France:- Annecy- Nice- Bordeaux (wine region)

Things to Do

Q + A

Though Emily and Aaron grew up on opposite coasts, their paths seemed destined to cross long before they actually did. Some might even say an invisible string connected them… (Emily was allowed exactly one Taylor Swift reference, and this is it.) Emily grew up in Allendale, Michigan, before heading to the University of Michigan for college. After graduation, she moved to Utah to work for Qualtrics, and eventually to Seattle in 2019. Aaron, on the other hand, was born and raised in Foster City, California. He also attended the University of Michigan, then pursued a career in politics and attended graduate school at the University of Washington, eventually moving to Seattle in 2021. Here’s the twist: Aaron and Emily actually lived in the same dorm, East Quad, during their&nbsp;years at Michigan. Emily was living there for an intensive language program, and Aaron was part of a community service-focused learning community. Despite likely sharing the same dining hall (and probably the same meals), they didn’t meet until almost nine years later. Fast forward to Seattle – Emily had been there for four years, and Aaron had been there for two. On April 28, 2023, they finally met after matching on a dating app. Emily almost didn’t make it to the date because of an appointment running late, and Aaron was late because he got distracted petting a dog (on brand, as Emily would learn – the dog part, that is). But when they finally sat down for dinner, things quickly clicked. They both wildly overestimated their spice tolerance and spent the next 20 minutes sweating profusely. Once they recovered, the conversation flowed easily – so easily, in fact, that they spent an hour discussing their D&amp;D characters. And when they realized that Emily had a mutual friend with Aaron (who, bizarrely, had been on a group trip to Bulgaria with him at seventeen), they knew it was fate. (Their mutual friend, Hannah, predicted a month into Aaron and Emily’s relationship that she would receive their wedding invitation in her mailbox…. and now she’s officiating it!) Just a month in, Aaron asked Emily to be exclusive while out to dinner. After she said yes, he reached across the table for a “hand hug” (in his defense, it was the middle of the meal, and they couldn't hug properly), and Emily thought he was trying to give her a high five. Confusion ensued (and laughter), but she at least didn’t change her mind. Freya, Emily’s cat, was a bit slower to warm up to Aaron. (Even though Emily’s heart filled with joy when Aaron laid down on the floor to pet Freya when he first met her.) For the first few months, she’d hide in Emily’s room, poke her head out to check if Aaron was still around, glare at him, and retreat. But after many treats, she finally accepted him – and she’s even learned to sit on command for snacks. Now Aaron has nearly two dozen nicknames for her. In return, Freya will sometimes tolerate a 30-second cuddle. Over the last two years, Emily and Aaron have grown deeper in love, traveled together, bought a house, and added a new member to the family – Freya’s new sister Artemis! Aaron proposed at Disney World, booking a private fireworks cruise and popping the question while fireworks lit up the night sky over Magic Kingdom. We’re so excited to have you celebrate with us during our wedding week. We can’t wait to share this special time with all of you!

Emily & Aaron

Emily & Aaron

Photos

Paris

Seattle