L&S | Romance meets farmers market at this thoughtful Paris wedding

Lesley and Simon tied the knot under the Paris summer skies. From a farmers-market inspired cocktail hour to personalized guest favours and organic materials, every element told their story. With this fashion-forward couple, aesthetics mattered just as much as the meaning behind each detail and vendors were chosen for who they were just as much as what they did. The result? A wedding that unfolded like a whimsical fairy tale, unmistakably theirs. Their day started off with an intimate Chinese tea ceremony, before a reception in the heart of Paris most stunning park.

Organisation & design: Meraki Mariages | Photography: Saya Photographie / Studio Ohlala

Their love story

She's Canadian, he's French. And it is in New York that their story begins, with Simon waiting twenty minutes in the cold for his Hinge date to show up. And, thank god she did! A few years later, he gets down on one knee during their holiday in Cinque Terre. Despite getting legally married in New York, they'd never had the opportunity to celebrate with their close friends and family. And so, after their recent move to Paris, the time had finally come to make their dream come true - whilst reinventing their careers, job hunting and settling down.

Organisation & design: Meraki Mariages | Photography: Saya Photography / Studio Ohlala

The Chinese tea ceremony

L&S's wedding day started with an intimate Chinese tea ceremony in a sunlight-bathed suite of Le Jardin de Verre. The Chinese tea ceremony is one of the most significant parts of a traditional Chinese wedding. It is a way for the couple to show gratitude and respect to their elders, while also receiving blessings for their future life together. During the ceremony, the bride and groom kneel before their parents and serve them tea, which symbolises their deep respect and appreciation. In return, the couple often receives gifts or words of wisdom. The tea used in the wedding ceremony is carefully chosen, often featuring red dates and lotus seeds, which symbolise fertility and a harmonious marriage. This intimate ritual is a beautiful blend of tradition, love, and respect, connecting families and creating lasting memories.

Organisation & design: Meraki Mariages | Photography: Saya Photography / Studio Ohlala

The vision: A story that unfolds, space after space

L&S priority was to craft a deeply personal celebration with guest experience front of mind, and an organic take on design. Nothing was to be over the top - instead, every single element should hold meaning and look like it belonged there. Minimizing food / flower waste and giving their international guests a taste of France was also high on our agenda. So we designed their wedding day as a story that unfolded, space after space. A soft romantic ceremony that let the moment speak for itself, a farmers market inspired cocktail hour and a whimsical candlelit dinner.  A cohesive colour palette featuring soft hues of pinks, lilac, yellows and peach brought it all together. Vintage French items, a cheese, charcuterie and crepes tasting with regionally sourced produce, and organic materials and shapes added to the immersive experience.

Organisation & design: Meraki Mariages | Photography: Saya Photography / Studio Ohlala

Details that matter

Lesley and Simon share a love for coffee, plants and two stuffed animal children. When they reached out for me to organize and design their multi-location wedding in less that two months, one of the bride's first asks was "How could we include Hedgie and Potato?" (their sweet stuffies). So, naturally, Hedgie and Potato had to feature prominently throughout the wedding - and the guests went home with coffee beans roaster by the bride herself in partnership with Synapse. We browsed dozens of options for additional guest favours until Lesley came across Les Petits Pots d'Alice, an NGO that employs disabled people to produce delicious tea jelly in the sweetest personalizable jars. For day of-stationary and signage, Lesley wanted organic textures - and trusted us to handcraft it for them.

Stationary: Meraki Mariages | Photography: Saya Photography / Studio Ohlala

The fashion

These two have such impeccable taste they belong in a fashion editorial. For the ceremony and afternoon, the bride donned a whimsical Enzoani mermaid gown embellished with lace that she paired with Manolo Blahnik pointed-toe heels, while the groom opted for a classic Italian tuxedo. Lesley later changed into a tailor-made mini for their first dance and cake cutting - and we are in love!

Photography: Saya Photography / Studio Ohlala

A live illustrator for cocktail hour

While there is no shortage of ideas for guest favours, we love it when they double up as an interactive element during cocktail hour. It has higher impact, and makes for a truly unique souvenir for the guests who dressed up for the occasion. For L&S' wedding, we worked with the incredible talented Rachel Wetk and set up a workshop for her to be an integral part of the farmers' market.

Organisation & design: Meraki Mariages | Photography: Saya Photography / Studio Ohlala

The reception

The wedding dinner is one of our favourite moments. After the emotions of the ceremony and the countless couple photo shoots during cocktail hour, it is when the bride and groom can finally sit down and take it all in. When you look around and see all of your favourite people, united for the first (and perhaps the last) time ever. Glasses clink, laughter and chatter fill the room and, as the sun goes down, the candles reveal an intimate and warm atmosphere. It's the symbolic power of sharing a meal, your childhood friend sitting next to a family member you haven't seen in a long time. Pure magic. And Lesley & Simon's dinner was just that.

Organisation & design: Meraki Mariages | Photography: Saya Photography / Studio Ohlala

Designing and planning this wedding in less than two months would have been impossible without a trusting relationship. And I can't thank Lesley and Simon enough for trusting me to put together the biggest day of their lives, and giving us such creative freedom. A huge thank you to the Ora Farmhouse team, our photographer Saya and all the incredible vendors who worked with us on this project.

---

The Team

Wedding planning & design: Meraki Mariages

Venue and catering: Ora Farmhouse

Photography: Saya Photography

Content creator & filmmaker: Nana & Maëva for Studio Ohlala

Bridal assistant: Lia for Studio Ohlala

Flowers: Gigi for Meraki Mariages

Violin & live band: Santiago Falcon

Live watercolour artist: Rachel Wetk

Wedding cake: GK Sugar Art

Cheese & charcuterie station: Le Haricot Magique

HMUA: Crystal Bride

Tea ceremony and getting ready venue: Le Jardin de Verre by Locke Hotels

Stationary & signage: Meraki Mariages

Rentals: Big Day Bazaar

Need help organizing your own wedding? Let's talk!

Wedding inspiration | Chinese wedding in Paris | Chinese tea ceremony | Wedding inspiration | Editorial wedding photography