A&M | An intimate summer garden wedding in France

Surrounded by thirty of their closest friends and family, Alexandra and Mathieu said 'yes' in a charming French town - just a few miles away from Paris. A rustic and playful celebration rooted in authenticity that took place in the bride's childhood home, a dream she held long before they even got engaged. Their reception unfolded in the pretty back garden, transformed for the occasion into a little corner of paradise inspired by summer.

Organisation & design: Meraki Mariages | Bouquet and boutonnière: Gigi for Meraki Mariages | Photo credit: Morgane Naël

The proposal story

"We've been together for almost ten years. On a cold November evening, just after I'd gotten a big promotion at work, Mathieu organized a romantic staycation in a Parisian hotel. Overexcited to celebrate the good news, I didn't suspect a thing until I saw him pacing back and forth in the bedroom, insisting I get dressed so we could have a drink on our terrace. A few minutes later, when the Eiffel Tower lit up, he went down on one knee. I later learned that he'd even asked my father for my hand beforehand", Alexandra recounts.

Organisation & design: Meraki Mariages | Bouquet: Gigi for Meraki Mariages | Photo credit: Morgane Naël

The big day

I always get teary-eyed when I first see my brides on their wedding day. Some see the stunning gown or the way light hits her face - I see a shift. The emotions of a woman about to walk into one of the biggest days of her life - a chapter that ends and a new one that opens, just before our eyes. As the city hall is often the first step in the wedding celebrations, it brings a whole lot of unexpected emotions, no matter how much you say it's "just a formality" and that "the real wedding isn't until later". As Alexandra walked into the cityhall on her father's arm, there wasn't a dry eye in sight.

Organisation & design: Meraki Mariages | Bouquet / Boutonnière: Gigi for Meraki Mariages | Photo: Morgane Naël

A few tears, some signatures and a big "yes" later, it was time for their newlywed photoshoot in the city's park. Such a special moment, capturing the joy and excitement of a couple - and always a great opportunity to spend some "alone" time before kicking off the reception.

Organisation & design: Meraki Mariages | Fleurs: Gigi pour Meraki Mariages | Crédit photo: Morgane Naël

The vision

Alexandra's priority: turning her childhood home into an elegant, colorful and down-to-earth rustic reception. The challenge: making her dreams come true with a mini budget and being able to set it all up in just a few hours (oh, the joy of outdoor weddings when the weather is unstable!). After a few discussions with our love birds, we knew we'd go for a fresh color palette to contrast against the garden's beautiful greens.

Linen handpainted welcome sign by Meraki Mariages | Photo: Morgane Naël

Organic materials for a rustic chic reception

The rustic aesthetic is characterised by natural and organic elements like wood, burlap and wicker. For A&M, we found lots of baskets, vintage oil lamps and worn out terracotta flower pots, that we mixed and matched to achieve an effortless look. For the details, we opted for textured materials like a handmade linen welcome sign and cotton woven paper. As for the flowers, we opted for a majority of potted plants - giving the illusions they had always been there. They completely belonged to the garden. Last but not least, we turned to citrus fruits to bring pops of vibrant colors and freshness without breaking the bank. In total, we used about fourty kilos of lemons and ten of grapefruits to decorate the tables, buffet and garden.

Pro styling tip: To achieve an effortless look, avoid "matchy matchy" at all costs. No matter your aesthetic, opt for a wide variety of items, and various shades of your main colors rather than the exact same thing throughout. It's what adds depth and texture to your design.

Menus, name tags and table signs Meraki Mariages | Photo credit: Morgane Naël

Holding space for family, and surprises

As a wedding planner, I often liaise with the couple's bridesmaids, groom squad and family - whether to reassure them, keep them up to date with the day's itinerary or (literally) hold their hand before they enter the ceremony with their children. While the bride and groom are naturally at the centre of all attentions, a wedding day is also a particularly important day for the parents. They, too, go through a rollercoaster of emotions - from stress to panic, joy and nostalgia - and it is my role to hold space for them. And, when the family and friends contact me to organize a surprise, I know how much it means to them to be included and honor their bond to the bride and groom. For A&M, the bride's sister spent hours learning how to make a wedding cake (and the chocolate letters, hats off to her for the technique!) and orchestrated a surprise moment for their entrance into the reception space. No matter how much a couple wants an editorial style, I always know the photos that capture raw emotions are the ones they will cherish the most.

Cake by the bride's sister | Photo credit: Morgane Naël

Alexandra's tip to future brides and grooms

Choose the right vendors, because they will hold the day together. And, if you have to choose, prioritize quality over quantity. For both our registry and our religious wedding, I'm so happy we chose to do fewer things or scale down the size of the event or the number of guests, rather than trying to save up on every expense line. In the end, we didn't have to worry about a single thing on the day of our wedding, and this was priceless.

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