Wedding day details

Chapelle de la Thierhurst

Wedding Ceremony

Hôtel Val-Vignes Colmar Haut-Koenigsbourg, The Originals Relais

Cocktail Hour (Vin d'honneur)

Hôtel Val-Vignes Colmar Haut-Koenigsbourg,The Originals Relais

Reception and after party

Our Wedding

Our love story

John and I first met in Regensburg, Germany in the summer of 2020. I was wrapping up my study abroad year at the University of Regensburg and John had recently moved to Bavaria with the US Army. We immediately formed a special bond and made the most out of our first summer together! After just a few weeks of dating, my exchange year had come to a close and I returned to France to complete my Master's degree. That was the start of our long-distance relationship. We started seeing each other less often, exchanging visits between France and Germany when we could. Military exercises, semester exams, and Covid restrictions made our visits less frequent throughout the first year. Nevertheless, our love continued to grow and our bond only strengthened :) After I completed my Master's degree, I started teaching in Alsace while John remained in Regensburg. Fortunately, my schedule as a teacher afforded us plenty of opportunities to see each other on a regular basis (vive les vacances !). We continued to grow as a couple and began to travel the world together. In June 2024, John received military orders to Stuttgart, Germany and I accepted a teacher position at a Franco-German kindergarten there! We moved in together before the schoolyear started and have had a wonderful experience in our new city. In June 2025, we went on a trip to Norway for our five- year anniversary. On June 20th, 2025, John proposed in front of the fjords and... I SAID OUI ! We can't wait to share our wedding day with all of you !

Our Story

Photos

Wedding Party

Q + A

How to get there 

Airports:- Basel-Mulhouse Airport (45 minute drive to venue)- Zurich Airport (1h45 drive to venue / 2h30 train to Colmar Train Station)- Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport (2h30 fast train to Colmar Train Station / 5-6 hour drive to venue) We strongly encourage renting a car in Alsace to enjoy greater flexibility throughout your trip!

Hotel recommendations

This is the hotel where our cocktail hour and reception will take place.If you would like to stay here, please specify in your email that you are coming for Elise &amp; John's wedding.You may also send us your request (number of people and dates). We would be happy to forward it to the hotel.

7 minute walk from the venue

Logis Hôtel le Parc Rest. Joséphine

8 minute walk from the venue

Hotel Munsch Colmar Nord

We recommend hotels that are accessible by foot from the reception venue in Saint-Hippolyte. Otherwise, there are plenty of hotels in the other surrounding villages and in Colmar. Airbnbs may also be available. Feel free to reach out to us at any time if you have questions or need assistance — we're always happy to help!

Travel

Alsace is renowned for its distinctive culture, exceptional wines, and stunning scenery. Situated along the borders of Germany and Switzerland, it has long been shaped by its neighbors and continues to embody a rich blend of these cultural influences. Here are some of our favorite things to do in Alsace :

The Alsace Wine Route, or Route des Vins d'Alsace, is over 170 km long and is home to some of the most beautiful vineyards in the world. At the foothills of the Vosges Mountains, local wineries harvest Riesling, Gewurztraminer, Pinot Gris, Muscat, Pinot Blanc, Sylvaner and Pinot Noir. We highly recommend a winery tour or a local dégustation for our wine enthusiasts!Our wedding reception will take place in Saint-Hyppolite, a village that is right along the wine route.

Alsace Wine Route

Haut Koenigsbourg Castle is located in the Vosges Mountains and can be seen from our wedding reception. It is possible to hike up to the castle from the wedding reception if you wish. John and I did this and we loved the hike!From the top of the castle, the view of the Alsace plain is remarkable!Haut Koenigsbourg is also accessible by car.

Château du Haut-Kœnigsbourg

Colmar is a 20-minute drive from our wedding reception. This small city is beautiful and well worth the visit! I went to high-school here :)

Colmar

The small wine-growing villages are full of charm.Here are our favorites, listed by distance from our wedding reception:- Eguisheim: 29 minute drive from the venue- Kaysersberg : 26 minute drive from the venue- Riquewihr: 20 minute drive from the venue- Ribeauvillé: 10 minute drive from the venue

Stroll through Alsace’s villages: Eguisheim, Riquewihr, Kaysersberg... 

Strasbourg is the largest city in Alsace. I recommend spending a day here and taking a tour on the Bateau Mouche. The boat will take you to the European Parliament Building and tell you about the history of the city and the Alsace region.The Cathedral Notre-Dame de Strasbourg is very impressive and you can scale the spiral staircase for a wonderful view of the city. It is John's favorite cathedral in Europe ;)40-minute drive from the venue

Strasbourg

Alsace has had a rather complex history; its proximity to Germany made it a contentious territory in both World Wars. The Sigolsheim American Memorial (pictured) was erected in memory of all American Units (12 Divisions), that fought alongside the French First Army from November 1944 to February 1945 for the liberation of the Alsace province.To immerse yourself in history you can visit:🇺🇸 Sigolsheim American Memorial (Hill 351)🇫🇷 National Necropolis of Sigolsheim🇫🇷 Hartmannswillerkopf (Vieil Armand) WWI🇺🇸 Audie Murphy Memorial in Holtzwihr🇫🇷 Fort Schoenenbourg – Maginot Line🇫🇷 Natzweiler-Struthof Concentration Camp🇫🇷 Alsace-Moselle Memorial (Schirmeck)

Memorial sites 

Europa Park is an amusement park in Germany that will take you to every country in Europe in a single day. It's a beautiful park with rides for all ages. (Fun fact: I worked here as a summer job when I was a university student!) 45 minute drive from the venue

Europa-Park

This park features animals from my local region. You can see many storks here, which are a prominent symbol of Alsace! 14 minute drive from the venue

Naturoparc

You can find more things to do on this great website :https://www.my-weekend-in-alsace.com/visit-alsace-must-do-see/

Elise & John

Elise & John

E&J

Wedding day details

2:30 PM–4:00 PM

Wedding Ceremony

5:00 PM–7:30 PM

Cocktail Hour (Vin d'honneur)

8:00 PM–4:00 AM

Reception and after party