thursday: anticipation
Thursday moved with intention. It was the first day where timing mattered, where movement began to take shape, and guests transitioned from visitors to participants.
The schedule was light, the tone was warm, but everything underneath was preparing for what was to come. The day ended not with celebration, but with stillness. A walk through memory. A gesture toward the sacred.
Guest Experience:
Guests were invited to move between structure and softness:
• Morning wellness sessions on the South Lawn and inside the gym suite — slow flow, breathwork, and strength circuits
• Enjoy a light seasonal brunch on the West Lawn from 11:00 AM – 2:00 PM
• Estate remained open for solo wandering until 2:00 PM
• Stylists and beauty support available from early afternoon onward for touch-ups and fittings
• All guests invited to the afternoon rehearsal, evening cocktail hour, dinner, and immersive night walk
Host & Team Movements
Zuri & Julian
• Begin the day privately, sharing breakfast with family
• Join full team and wedding party for Grand Terrace rehearsal at 2:30 PM
• Zuri transitions to prep with glam team ahead of evening events
• Julian spends dinner hour with extended family and speaks briefly at the start of the night walkJulian
• Reviews film sequence for the evening’s projection with AV and Cece
• Spends time with siblings going through home videos and family archives
• Oversees final table and lighting cues at The Refectory
Wedding Party
• Attend processional walkthrough in early afternoon
• Receive personal styling sessions and downtime before evening schedule
Planning & Production Teams
• Final light and sound checks for Saturday ceremony
• Stage and test night walk route beginning at 4:00 PM
• Confirm timing of musical placements and storytelling transitions with AV
Thursday’s events
-
Morning Movement & Wellness Sessions
8:00 AM – 10:00 AM
Location: South Lawn + Estate Gym SuiteA series of gentle, guided sessions to settle the body before the weekend’s pace accelerates. Options included:
– Restorative Stretch + Alignment
– Breathwork + Intentional Movement
– Circuit-Based Strength with Private Trainers -
Grand Terrace Rehearsal
2:30 PM – 4:00 PM
Location: Grand Terrace (Ceremony Site)The first full wedding party rehearsal — informal but intentional. Camille Duval and the estate team led a smooth walk-through of procession timing, spacing, and movement. The terrace remained open for passive observation; light refreshments were available nearby. Guests were gently asked to remain off the main aisle area.
-
Cocktail Hour + Rehearsal Dinner
6:00 PM – 9:00 PM
Location: Villa Fountain GardenHosted by the Toussaint-Lewis family, the evening began around the central fountain where soft jazz, tailored playlists, and passed hors d’oeuvres set the tone. Guests were then invited into a long garden dinner beneath climbing vines and string lighting.
Dress Code: Semi-Formal Garden
Suits without ties, structured silk, crisp cotton, or light tailoring. Phones were asked to remain off the table. -
Castle After Dark: Estate Walk
9:30 PM – 10:45 PM
Location: East Garden → Lower Path → Chapel RuinsAfter dinner, guests followed a soft lantern path through the quiet of the estate. The walk was immersive, ambient, and lightly guided.
Dress Code:Monochrome & Light. Clean silhouettes. No sparkle, no heavy structure.
Morning Movement & Wellness Sessions
8:00 AM – 10:00 AM
Location: South Lawn + Estate Gym Suite
A series of gentle, guided sessions to settle the body before the weekend’s pace accelerates. Options included:
– Restorative Stretch + Alignment
– Breathwork + Intentional Movement
– Circuit-Based Strength with Private Trainers
Linen mats and cool cloths provided. Guests moved barefoot or in soft-soled shoes. Light citrus-sage mist sprayed before and after each session.
Grand Terrace Rehearsal
2:30 PM – 4:00 PM
Location: Grand Terrace (Ceremony Site)
The first full wedding party rehearsal — informal but intentional. Camille Duval and the estate team led a smooth walk-through of procession timing, spacing, and movement. The terrace remained open for passive observation; light refreshments were available nearby. Guests were gently asked to remain off the main aisle area.
Rehearsal Dinner
6:00 PM – 9:00 PM
Location: Villa Fountain Garden
Hosted by the Toussaint-Lewis family, the evening began around the central fountain — soft jazz, tailored playlists, and passed hors d’oeuvres set the tone. Guests were then invited into a long garden dinner beneath climbing vines and string lighting.
There were no formal toasts. Just warmth, wine, and stories across the table.
Dress Code: Semi-Formal Garden
Castle After Dark: Estate Walk
9:30 PM – 10:45 PM
Location: East Garden → Lower Path → Chapel Ruins
After dinner, guests followed a soft lantern path through the quiet of the estate.
The walk was immersive, ambient, and lightly guided. Along the route:
– String quartets tucked between hedges and stone
– Pre-recorded voice notes from family elders, activated at intervals
– Rotating guest readers sharing selected poetry and passages
– A final pause at the chapel ruins — candlelit, open-air, and unspoken
This was not a show. It was an offering.
Dress Code: Monochrome & Light