A Romantic Parisian-Inspired Wedding at The Club at Hillbrook in Ohio

Devin VanderMaas has been sketching her dream wedding dress since childhood. So, when the time came to choose a dress for her wedding to Ranga Covindassamy, she didn't need to go shopping.

Instead, she pulled out her sketches and called on a local dressmaker in New York City to help make her childhood dreams a reality. “There were 15 layers of fabric,” she says of the resulting gown, which was made from a mix of silk organza, satin-faced organza, silk chiffon, habotai silk, and Chantilly lace she had hand-selected. “Each of these layers was a different shade of nude to cream and were intentionally layered to achieve the right shade of off-white.”

As the materials of Devin's wedding dress, every detail—from the location to the wedding cake—of the couple's wedding was hand-selected. To honor Ranga’s French heritage, the pair focused on a “Cleveland is the new Paris” theme and included details like a croquembouche, romantic flowers, macarons, and, of course, French fries. As a nod to Devin’s family in Ohio, the couple sent guests home with maple syrup made on her grandparents’ property.

It all came together at The Club at Hillbrook in Chagrin Hills, Ohio on June 1, 2019. “One of the things we both love about Ohio is the beautiful nature, landscapes, fresh air, a sense of peace and plentiful flowers,” she says. "We really married both of our cultures: the all-American girl and the true Frenchman.”

Keep reading for more on Devin and Ranga’s outdoor garden party in Ohio, as planned by A Charming Fête and photographed by Lauren Gabrielle Photography. 

Devin worked with a New York City-based dressmaker to create an A-line gown featuring a semi-scoop neckline, low back, and three-foot train covered in floral appliqués. On the big day, she completed her look with a custom cathedral-length veil, a bouquet of blush and white peonies, and a pair of lace Christian Louboutin heels. 

Before the ceremony, guests grabbed cones of fresh lavender (another French touch!) to toss as the newlyweds made their exit!

The couple said “I do” in the venue's garden and used the staircase to a fountain as an altar. It was artfully decorated with an arch of roses, peonies, and delphinium in shades of pink, blush, and white.

The couple's flower girls donned handmade lace dresses and flower crowns made of baby’s breath. They carried giant hearts made of baby’s breath, while the couple’s ring bearer hurried down the aisle in a bow tie and suspenders.

Devin and Ranga skipped the wedding party and instead had their siblings stand beside them. Devin’s grandfather presided over the ceremony. 

Instead of writing their own vows, the couple chose to share the customary words. “We really wanted traditional vows,” Devin says. Ranga also kept his look traditional, sporting a custom tuxedo and bow tie with accessories from Giorgio Armani and a Rolex watch.

After the ceremony, guests showered the newlyweds in lavender to symbolize “love, devotion, and the promise of a new adventure.”

Devin is a self-proclaimed lover of Champagne, so she and Ranga began cocktail hour by toasting with a tower of couples filled with bubbles. Dark & Stormys were also on the menu cocktail since Ranga loves rum. Sweet treats, including macarons and cream puffs, also graced the menu.

Devin swapped her gown for a 1950s silhouette for dinner and dancing. “I wanted this dress to match the Motown feel of our entrance song, ‘Going to the Chapel' by the Dixie," she says. "It also reminded me of the movie Father of the Bride! ” She found the outfit at a dress store in Pennsylvania, then paired it with her “something blue” heels from Manolo Blahnik. 

“To further tie the French and American theme together, we tied our escort cards to bottles of maple syrup, which were also the party favors,” Devin says. Each escort card corresponded to a vanilla macaron place card on the tables.

“The aesthetic vision of the wedding was a 'secret garden party feel' with an emphasis on plentiful flowers throughout the space and a strong focus on a soft, romantic, candle-lit alfresco dinner,” Devin says of the reception, which took place under the venue’s covered terraces. Tables were topped with blush dinnerware and candles as well as floral centerpieces. 

On tables, centerpieces alternated between mini topiaries and low arrangements of ranunculus and peonies.

The alfresco menu included airline chicken, Delmonico steak, and Chilean sea bass.

After dinner, Devin and Ranga cut into two wedding “cakes.” The first was a traditional American wedding cake made by Devin's mother. It was a four-tiered confection with vanilla, chocolate, red velvet, and carrot cake flavors. The second was a croquembouche, a tower of French puff pastries drizzled with caramel.

Before the party moved to the “dance cave” inside the manor, Devin changed into a sparkly, sequin dress by Parker and metallic Jimmy Choo heels. The newlyweds took their first dance to Leon Bridges’s “Beyond.”

Late-night, Devin and Ranga served French fries (naturally!) in custom boxes that read, “Cleveland is the new Paris.”

After a “very sparkly exit,” the newlyweds set off on a honeymoon that included a stop in Palermo, Sicily (for Ranga to compete in the Targa Florio car race), a long-layover in Paris for a dinner at the three-Michelin-starred Arpège, and a week of relaxation in Hawaii.