Blair Bitove and Jackson Safrata were introduced through one of Blair’s college friends, who had grown up in Vancouver with Jackson. On the day of their first date, following lunch, he joined Blair’s family for dinner ahead of a concert they were all attending. “He fit so seamlessly in with my family, and I knew then it was a perfect match,” Blair shares.
Five years later, during a family trip to Sardinia, Blair and Jackson left early one evening, planning to reserve a table at a restaurant only reachable by boat. But Jackson had other plans. They arrived instead at a quiet beach, where a blanket and candles had been set out...and a ring awaited. “As I said yes, there were local fishermen nearby, and they all screamed, 'Aggurri’—'Congrats' in Italian,” Blair remembers.
With Jackson from Vancouver and Blair having grown up between Toronto and Florida before attending school in Los Angeles, the couple knew their guests would be traveling no matter the location of their wedding. The two envisioned a summer wedding and began exploring venues across France and Italy. The search ended the moment they arrived at Château de la Croix des Gardes. With Over The Moon The List Planner Mindy Weiss leading the way, every detail came together seamlessly, and Over The Moon The List Photographer José Villa was there to capture it all with Over The Moon The List Videographer Caputo Films. Guests received invitations by Lehr and Black, stylized with calligraphy by Lisa Holtzman.
As for her wardrobe, Blair had tried on dresses at bridal shops in Toronto and Florida, which helped her get a sense of what she liked. In New York, she met with the team at Chanel to discuss the process of creating a custom look. “I just love how timeless their clothing is, and once we picked the château as our venue, having a French designer made sense,” she says. The Chanel Haute Couture team sent an initial round of sketches, followed by a canvas sample. “It came out better than I could have ever imagined.”
On the day-of, Blair’s hair was styled by Tony Pham with makeup by Hailey Hoff. Jackson wore an off-white Brunello Cucinelli tuxedo jacket, while the wedding party wore white dresses by ILA.
On August 28, 2024, Blair walked down the aisle with her father to Kina Grannis’ “Can’t Help Falling in Love,” meeting her mother halfway to the altar. “My dad is Macedonian Eastern Orthodox and my mom is Jewish, so we had a chuppah, but it was unique because it actually looked like the roof of a house—or as our florist says, 'A temple of the gods,’” she notes of the Roni design. Two friends read the Seven Blessings, the couple broke the glass, and crowns were exchanged in keeping with Macedonian tradition. “Seeing Jackson for the first time at the altar will always be the best moment for me,” Blair shares. “We locked eyes and shed a few tears, it was so special.”
After the ceremony, guests gathered in the garden for cocktails, while the newlyweds took portraits. As the sun fell, Blair and Jackson made their entrance, and the reception began with a seated dinner atop Nuage linens. The menu, shaped by season and setting, began with sea bream tartare, followed by a pasta course and ended with Made in Cake’s confection.The scene was brought to life with lighting byNicoo Design and rentals from Deco Flamm.
When asked of her favorite moment the bride credits the entertainment. “The band was incredible,” Blair remembers ofInspiration Live Music. “Guests were greeted at the reception with violinists in the bushes as if they were statues. The band came out on the balcony at one point of the night and it was so magical.” As the night carried on, the château’s garage—transformed into a nightclub—kept the party going until 5 a.m.
When it was all said and done, for their honeymoon, the couple set off through St. Tropez, Portofino, Umbria, and Tuscany—staying at Cheval Blanc, Splendido, Reschio, and Il Pellicano—a perfect continuation of the celebrations.
