You have been seduced by Chateau Pralong and you dream of organising your wedding there? During your visit to the château, the owner, Didier Bayzelon, will reveal all his secrets to you so that your wedding will be the one of your dreams. The visit is like a rehearsal of the D-day in chronological order. Arrival of the guests, parking of their cars in the car park, ceremony in the park or in the church, aperitif in the different possible spaces (inside or outside around the swimming pool…), dinner and dance in the reception rooms, and finally accommodation of your guests in the rooms of both houses. At each stage, step by step, Didier will give you his advice, tips and all his good addresses. Follow the guide!
Organising your wedding in Pralong: the first decisions
The first decision is to choose the place, according to your budget but above all to your heart’s desire. Chateau Pralong is an atypical place. If you choose it, you will have a unique wedding that will suit you. You will organise it according to your own ideas.
For the organisation of the ceremony: If you choose to get married in the Catholic Church, call the Diocese of Viviers (tel 04 75 52 64 12). If you prefer a secular ceremony in the castle, choose your celebrant or organise the ceremony with your witnesses.
For the choice of the caterer : In Pralong, you are free to choose. Didier recommends Julien at Mets Délices Traiteur on 06 32 23 84 20 (mail: www.metsdelices.fr tel: 04 75 33 05 21), a great professional who has always given complete satisfaction to the Pralong bride and groom. If you prefer a simpler caterer, Didier recommends Charly Vincendon in Satillieu (tel : 04 75 34 95 86, mail : [email protected] ) who has a very good quality/price ratio.
Complete freedom to choose your service providers
For spirits, wine and champagne, you buy them wherever you like. The owner does not take any corkage rights. You can have your order delivered to the château by your carrier a few days before your stay, taking care to have your name put on each box.
You will also need to find the DJ, the decoration, the florist, the hairdresser, the beauty salon, and all the service providers for the day before and the day after, as you will need to organise not only a party on D-Day, but also a 4-day and 3-night stay with your loved ones at the château.
Didier will advise you for the decoration, Manon, the florist in the nearest village, Satillieu. Contact her on behalf of Didier ( [email protected] and tel 06 30 33 43 47 ). Manon has great taste.
The choice of the DJ is very personal. Didier likes Alexandre who you can reach on 06 64 92 21 06.
For the photographer, Didier recommends Philippe Nombret, in Annonay (tel 04 75 33 50 60) or Magali Stora (www.magalistora.com tel 06 15 40 71 94).
To allocate the rooms to your guests, you can find details of all the rooms with their names and bed sizes in the “Practical information” section at the bottom of the Château de Pralong page on our website.
The day before the wedding in Pralong
You usually arrive in Pralong on Friday morning. You settle in the house with your relatives, family or friends. They help you decorate the reception rooms. Stepladders are at your disposal .
For Friday lunch, you can order delicious and reasonably priced trays at the Crouzet delicatessen in Satillieu. (tel 04 75 34 98 74). You can also buy sandwiches or quiche plates at the excellent Boulangerie Roux in Satillieu (tel 04 75 34 98 63).
Don’t forget to put all the wine and champagne in the large fridge in the catering area next to the reception rooms.
On Friday evening, why not organise a pizza party with all those who helped you? Didier had an old bread oven, perfect for pizzas, renovated and completed the whole thing with a work surface with an integrated fridge to put the different ingredients needed to make custom-made pizzas.
You can also plan a typical Ardèche dinner that you order at the Crouzet delicatessen: the “caillettes ardéchoises” to be served with potatoes in field dress and a salad: quick, cheap and delicious. The “caillettes ardéchoises” are balls of pork meat and chopped vegetables. They are exquisite and not greasy. To be served in the dining room of the castle or in the garden.
The D-day and the next day
On Saturday morning, delivery of croissants and fresh bread by the Boulangerie Roux even early.
Then, hairdressing for the bride and groom. Two possibilities: in Satillieu, two salons or a hairdresser who comes to Pralong: Artistic (www.artistifcoiffure.fr tel : 06 84 05 01 50)
Religious ceremony outside the estate, or secular ceremony in the castle.
Arrival of guests, car parks N°2 and N°3 provided for this purpose. Do not park in the bend.
Aperitif-cocktail in the park around the swimming pool with the superb view of the Vivarais hills.
Around 9 pm, go to the reception room for dinner and dance until the end of the night, without any time restriction.
The day after the party is always a good convivial moment, which will remain engraved in everyone’s memory. Plan a brunch with the same caterer as the reception, or have trays of cold meats delivered. All your guests will keep a fond memory of your wedding. Pralong will remain your family castle and that of your guests forever. Why not come back to it to celebrate a wedding anniversary?
