This Wedding at a Château in Bordeaux Wine Country Blended Chadian Traditions With French Romance

Imane Abba-Kaka and Patrick Guerriero exchanged numbers in 2021, just as the world was beginning to reopen after the pandemic. Although they initially attended the same Lower East Side party hosted by a mutual friend, they didn’t actually become acquainted until the after-party in the West Village later that same night. “Patrick walked up to me and introduced himself,” Imane remembers. “It sounds simple—but especially in New York, where so many interactions happen through apps—there was something genuine and straightforward about it.”

After Patrick got Imane’s number, the two texted constantly before their first date at the New York Athletic Club. And then, four years later, Patrick proposed on June 18, 2024, at the same place where they’d had their first date. “Patrick casually asked me the day before if I wanted to meet him there after work for drinks, so I didn’t think much of it,” Imane explains.

As they stood on the roof of the club, overlooking Central Park, he started pointing toward Wollman Rink, where they had gone ice skating together. “I wasn’t wearing my contacts and couldn’t see what he was talking about,” Imane remembers. “He kept pointing while I kept squinting and insisting I couldn’t see anything. Eventually he told me to turn around and asked, ‘Can you see this?’ When I turned around, he was on one knee.”

After Imane said yes, Patrick’s mother appeared with champagne before the couple returned inside the New York Athletic Club, where their closest friends were waiting to celebrate. They spent the rest of the evening eating, drinking, laughing, and calling loved ones with the news.

Two years after the engagement, the wedding was held on June 6, 2026 at Château Bellefont-Belcier in Saint-Émilion, France. “The date itself was very intentional,” Imane says. “With guests traveling from Europe, Africa, and the United States, we loved that 6/6 looks the same whether you read it the American or European way. It also happened to fall on a Saturday at the start of summer.”

The choice of Saint-Émilion was a personal one for Imane. While she was born and raised in Houston and Patrick in New York City, France felt like the perfect meeting point for their families and cultures: Imane lived in Bordeaux as a child, and that’s where her twin brothers were born, making it a meaningful place for the couple to begin their marriage. “One thing that still shocks my Type-A personality is that we booked Château Bellefont-Belcier before ever seeing it in person,” Imane says. “When we finally visited that fall, it was a cold, gray, and gloomy day, yet we somehow loved it even more than we had online.”

The planning process took about a year and a half, and after interviewing more than 15 wedding planners, the couple ultimately chose Diane and Efren from Renaissance Studio. “From the beginning, they understood our vision of blending Chadian traditions with a French château setting,” Imane says.

“Wedding planning was the hardest project either of us has ever taken on,” Patrick says. “Bringing together people from different countries, cultures, and time zones taught us patience, compromise, and how to show up for one another.”

The couple technically had two ceremonies—the first took place on Friday evening and was their traditional Chadian celebration, and the second was their wedding ceremony on Saturday. “The Friday ceremony allowed me to share my culture with so many people who had never experienced it before,” Imane explains.

As guests entered, they were greeted by a sea of red. The entire room was draped in rich red fabrics, flowers, carpets, candles, and décor. “Traditionally, Chadian brides wear red while the groom wears white,” Imane explains. “Red is considered a color that commands attention and symbolizes celebration, joy, and prominence. Imane wore a traditional bright red Chadian ensemble known as lafaye (or thobe) accompanied by gold jewelry sourced in Chad by her aunt.

“Being able to share this tradition with guests from all over the world was one of my favorite parts of the weekend,” Imane says. “For many, it was their first introduction to Chadian wedding customs.”

Before the couple entered, their bridesmaids and groomsmen formed a tunnel, singing, cheering, and clapping as they walked into the room. Imane and Patrick came in holding hands while their mothers followed behind them. “As the celebration began, guests threw money over us as a symbol of prosperity, happiness, health, and abundance for our future together,” Imane explains.

Once the couple was seated, the henna ceremony began. In Chadian culture, it is traditionally led by an older woman in the family. Imane’s mother’s cousin had the honor of leading this one. She applied henna to the bride and groom’s palms while candles were lit around them and music filled the room.

Throughout the service, Imane carried a traditional umbrella symbolizing protection, while Patrick carried a ceremonial sword representing strength and responsibility. As the ceremony went on, guests continued celebrating around the couple, throwing money, dancing, and singing. “Our friend Bunny Laughlin even created custom $100 bills featuring our faces,” Imane remembers. “I still have them and will treasure them forever.”

The following day was the wedding ceremony. After months of shopping with little to show for it, Imane found the one at the last bridal salon she visited. The couture gown was by Pnina Tornai and felt unlike anything else she had worn. “I was drawn to the lace, long sleeves, high neckline, and delicate scallops,” she says. “I wanted something that felt regal, romantic, and timeless while still delivering a distinct wow factor.”

The ceremony space overlooked the vineyards and featured an aisle covered in white flower petals leading to a rectangular structure filled with even more white flowers. Violinist Jeremy Green performed a rendition of “Dangerously in Love” by Beyoncé for the procession as the wedding party walked in. “From the beginning, guests were cheering, laughing, and clapping along as our friends made their entrances,” Imane says.

The bride walked down the aisle with her father to a personalized violin rendition of “Umbrella” by Rihanna. “As soon as those first notes began, everything suddenly felt real,” she says. “When I saw Patrick standing at the end of the aisle, I became emotional. Then I looked at my father. My father is not someone who wears his emotions openly, but when the moment came for him to give me away, he hugged me and simply would not let go. I eventually had to gently push him away because neither of us wanted to move. That was the moment I finally cried. Then he hugged Patrick. Watching the two of them embrace and cry together is one of the most emotional memories I have from the entire weekend.”

The couple’s officiant was one of Patrick’s closest friends. “He struck the perfect balance between heartfelt and humorous, reminding everyone why we were there while still making us laugh,” Imane says. “As we walked back down the aisle as husband and wife, the violinist transitioned into ‘Empire State of Mind’ by Alicia Keys. It felt like the perfect recessional song. Our story began in New York City, and even though we were getting married in the French countryside, New York will always be part of who we are. There couldn’t have been a more fitting way to exit the ceremony.”

“For me, the overwhelming feeling throughout the ceremony was gratitude,” Patrick adds. “At one point, we looked out at all our guests and saw people from every chapter of our lives sitting together—family from Chad, friends from Texas, friends from New York, college friends, work friends, and people who had known us for decades sitting beside people who had only recently entered our lives. It felt incredibly rare and special.”

After taking photos, the bridesmaids and groomsmen guided guests toward cocktail hour while the newlyweds disappeared back inside the château. “For about five or 10 minutes, it was just the two of us,” Imane says. “We sat together, had a drink, and processed what had just happened. Looking back, it was one of my favorite moments of the entire day. Weddings are filled with people and celebrations, but there are very few moments when you’re truly alone together. Sitting there and realizing, ‘We actually did it,’ felt incredibly special.”

During cocktail hour, guests enjoyed oysters, canapés, and local wines alongside signature cocktails called the “Imane à Spritz” and “Patrón Pat.” And, when the newlyweds eventually joined their guests, friends were dancing, drinks were flowing, and conversations were happening everywhere. “Seeing everything come together—and how much joy it brought the people we love—made every spreadsheet and planning call worth it,” Imane says. “Beyond the flowers, fashion, and celebrations, I get to spend the rest of my life with my best friend. That’s really what the weekend was about.”

We wanted our invitation suite to set the tone for the entire wedding weekend. Although our first evening was a White Party, we chose a rich red velvet invitation to mirror the décor and color palette of the celebration, while the acrylic glass Save the Date with gold detailing previewed the timeless elegance we envisioned for our wedding day. —Imane