Today’s wedding is just so utterly chic. Having lived in France, I can confirm that most people there are this stylish and this good looking. (I know – it’s ridiculous). And then there’s the Provence sunlight. Seriously, THAT SUNLIGHT! I dare you not to start drooling over Ivan Franchet’s swoonworthy photos of the day.
Anne and Anthony, a Parisian couple who both work in finance in London, wisely decided to adopt an effortlessly chic, laid-back Provencal vibe for their wedding style. Between the local flowers (why yes, that DOES include plenty of lavender), lovely vintage furniture, and, our favorite, Liberty print galore.
Oh, and that wood chuppah with the sweetest florals? Anne built the structure the morning of the wedding, along with her father and brother. GAH!
And of course we can’t leave out that timeless French style — we’re sure you won’t be shocked to learn that Anne’s effortlessly elegant, summery dress was custom designed by the very Parisian Celestina Agostino. Now over to the beautiful bride…
How We Met
Anne, the bride: I met Anthony through one of my colleagues, who was his flatmate at the time.
A Castle Venue
We got married at Bregancon Castle in Bormes les Mimosas. We wanted to get married in the south of France, where we both spent our childhood holidays.
French Country Flowers
We wanted to keep it simple but chic, in the spirit of the venue and the region of Provence. We had a lot Liberty print, plus lots of vintage furniture and flowers – especially lavender!
Invitation Designed by the Bride
I designed the invitation myself. I kept it very simple but chic, with some writing and lavender on the corner.
A Celestina Agostino Dress
My dress was made by Celestina Agostino in Paris. I came with ideas, but she told me to trust her 100% which I did, and I was more than happy. She made my dress extremely comfortable, to let me dance and enjoy my day. Also, she picked guipure instead of standard lace, and I really loved it.
Something Borrowed
I had a veil for religious reasons but didn’t really like it. As far as jewelry, I was only wearing simple diamonds earrings my best friend lent me 10 minutes before the ceremony… it wasn’t planned at all.
Jimmy Choos
I wore pale rose Jimmy Choo heels for the ceremony, which I quickly got rid of afterward! I had more comfy shoes from Repetto, made especially for dancing.
Hair + Makeup
It was 35 degrees C on the day, so I didn’t really have any option other than to put my hair up! My hair dresser, Marlaine, was from Marseille; my mum found her one month before the wedding, after the original one had to cancel. We met two days before the D-day for a test and she understood what I needed: quick and comfortable! She also did my family and best friends’ hair… it was a great experience.
Because it was so hot, I kept my makeup really light. I was tanned and didn’t need much. My bridesmaid Chloe had a special lipstick we used for both of us.
The handsome groom
Anthony was wearing a blue tailor-made suit from a French designer and a blue polka dot bow tie. He looked similar to how he usually does and I recognized him, tanned, smiling like a little boy… this is what we wanted, to be ourselves, just a bit more dressed up than usual to please our parents.
Unofficial Bridesmaids
I didn’t ask them “would you be my bridesmaids,” but my best friends were there for me the whole time without official titles. They decided to wear floral dresses, as Liberty fabric was spread everywhere in the wedding decorations. I really liked the idea.
A Chuppah Built by the Bride
I had a clear idea of what I wanted: a wood structure and flowers. Simple and small, as the place was already beautiful.
I built the structure with my brother and my father in the morning before the wedding, and the florist came later in the afternoon to decorate.
A Personal Ceremony
Our rabbi has known us since childhood and he’s very close to our families, so he made a very nice speech, very touching. Also, a chazan from Paris, also close friend of my father, sang a song my grandfather loved.
Eclectic Music
My cousins performed during the cocktail hour, only vocals and percussion. It was amazing, and a perfect warm-up for everyone.
The first song was supposed to be Allumez le feu of Jonny Haliday (a famous French singer), but 5 minutes before, my husband changed his mind, scared that it was too old-school, and asked the DJ for another one I can’t even remember… It made me really sad.
An Israeli singer played traditional Jewish songs. We also had a gypsy band, was great moment; our friends got really excited. And finally we had a DJ, who came from Paris and played till 5 in the morning. It was difficult to coordinate all these musicians from different worlds, but it was great and everybody loved the fact it was so special and personal.
Flowers of Provence
We went to the florist’s home in Provence; she showed us flowers and decorations she had in her own garden and house and I told her to do something similar for the wedding… I like when things are simple and personal. I’m not good at flowers and I liked her style, so I gave her my blessing to do something she liked. It was actually perfect.
Our fabulous Photographer
Our photographer was Ivan Franchet. He was the photographer at my brother’s wedding two years back. We didn’t even think to look for anyone else, and he was our first call once we fixed the wedding date. We loved my brother’s wedding pictures, the spontaneity and the way he managed to capture each moment, even the most informal.
…and videographer
Gabriel Menassier was our videographer. He was great and made the perfect clip, not cheesy at all.
A Fake Cake!
Initially, we didn’t want a cake, as we are not big fans of this tradition. Dancing around a big cake was not really our thing. The caterer was really disappointed, though, so we let him make one but were not involved in the process.
In the end we had a really good time, I chose I Don’t Wanna Miss a Thing by Aerosmith and everybody was living in the moment with us. We found out eventually that the cake was 100% fake!
Entertainment
We had a photo booth hidden in a vintage Wolkswagen van. No reason, just for fun.
Our mums made speeches, was touching.
Dancing with everyone
We had one challenge, to dance with every single guest who came all the way to Provence to celebrate with us. That is what my best friend from Israel, who couldn’t come, told me to do before the wedding, and I think we made it.
All in the Family
We are very close to our families and didn’t really need to do anything special to keep them involved, they were there all the way. It was a team effort and everybody was happy. My brother managed the music with Anthony, my dad was on top everything, we let my mum pretend that she was in charge of design and fashion (even if she has “special” taste), Anthony’s family is more discreet but they helped a lot.
Advice to couples currently planning their wedding
Even if you want everything to be perfect, it is not possible, so try to let it go and enjoy the moment. Time flies during that special day.
Anne & Anthony’s little white book
Photography – Ivan Franchet
Videography – Gabriel Menassier
Venue – Bregancon Castle
Bride’s dress – Celestina Agostino
Bride’s shoes – Jimmy Choo and Repetto
