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Crimson Ranunculus and Limestone Arches at Couvent Notre-Dame des Pres

Brooke and Daniel's summer wedding at Couvent Notre-Dame des Pres, Provence, with scarlet ranunculus and a Weddings Secrets gown. 49 photos by Gaetana Valastro.

By Elena Moretti | Published 9 June 2025

Brooke and Daniel chose Couvent Notre-Dame des Pres, a 12th-century convent wedding venue in the hills above Marseille for a summer celebration built around deep crimson, chalk white, and noir. Planner Pauline of Mamma Mia Events shaped every detail to answer the bold colour story. Explore more historic wedding venues and chateaux across Provence for your own celebration.

Photography
Gaetana valastro
Venue
Couvent Notre-Dame des Prés, Alpes-de-Haute-Provence
Region
Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, France
Couple
Brooke & Daniel

Getting Ready

Black-and-white portrait of groom in tuxedo and bow tie seated on sofa drinking from crystal glass
Groom in navy suit and bow tie standing between French windows with directional natural light and gold candles
Bride smiling over shoulder showing low open back wedding dress during getting ready
Black and white full-length portrait of groom leaning against sofa in formal chateau sitting room

Maeva B. built a look that held its own against the bold palette with a deep berry lip and skin full of warmth. Haingo worked with equally confident lines on the hair. The bridal suite caught the soft, directional light of a summer morning in Provence, and Gaetana Valastro captured a quiet moment at the window, earrings not yet on, before the day began.


Ceremony

Bride in ivory V-neck gown reading handwritten vows to groom during outdoor ceremony with deep red anthurium bouquet
Wedding ceremony with white roses
White bentwood chairs with deep red satin ribbons and red anthurium pedestal arrangements beside willow tree

Beneath tall willow trees, the ceremony unfolded with theatrical stillness in the June light. Two floral pillars of scarlet ranunculus and dark anthuriums framed the couple against open Provencal sky. The groom's black tuxedo was a deliberate counterpoint, the one dark vertical in a composition built from crimson, ivory, and gold afternoon sun.


Bridal Portraits

Close-up of bride holding ivory rose and ranunculus bouquet tied with deep red velvet ribbon against white fitted gown
Bride portrait with champagne tower in elegant ballroom reception setting
Rear three-quarter portrait of bride in open-back sleeveless gown with soft waves against white wall

The gown by Weddings Secrets is architectural in the best sense: a sleek silhouette with precise seaming that photographed like sculpture against rough stone. No lace, no volume, just clean ivory crepe that let the crimson florals speak. In one frame, the bride stands alone beneath a stone arch, a single stem of red ranunculus held loosely at her side.


Couple Portraits

Groom kissing bride on cheek beside tall white pedestals topped with deep red rose and anthurium arrangements
Bride in ivory satin gown and groom in black tuxedo between white plinths with deep red floral arrangements
Groom kisses bride on forehead beside modern floral arrangement with anthurium leaves in high-contrast B&W
Black and white portrait of bride and groom in elegant indoor setting with damask wallpaper

Moving through the convent's grounds, the styling held its logic: black tuxedo, ivory crepe gown, and the recurring crimson of a bloom carried loosely. The stone corridors and sun-bright courtyards gave Gaetana Valastro a full range of light to work with. There is one portrait, the pair close together in a stone doorway, foreheads almost touching, that needs no explanation.


Reception

Couple laughing behind reception table with red rose centerpiece and twisted candles under stone arched courtyard
Bride and groom laughing behind reception table with deep red and burgundy floral arrangement, white taper candles, and re...
Black and white bride and groom laughing while cutting two-tier decorated cake
Champagne coupe tower with strawberries and rose petals at wedding reception

Mamma Mia Events delivered a reception tablescape that rewarded slow looking. White linens, tall glassware, and restrained geometry created a foundation from which the crimson florals and grape clusters rose with real impact. The summer evening light through the convent windows turned everything slightly golden, and the sound of laughter and the acoustics of old stone filled the space.


Design and Details

Single-tier white wedding cake with deep red ranunculus and burgundy anthurium on a pedestal stand
Formal table setting with dusty rose menu card and burgundy florals on silver charger plate
Minimalist reception table setup with red roses in stone courtyard with classical columns
Red floral arrangement and white cake display on pedestal table in historic stone archway setting

La Serra par Le Petit Jardin's floral work is the emotional core of this wedding's visual identity. Red ranunculus, dramatic anthuriums, and clusters of deep-hued grapes built the ceremony pillars into something almost architectural. Joli Bazaar's white linens and polished glassware created negative space that made every crimson accent vibrate. Claire's cake featured hand-applied details in the same red.


Flat Lays

Two yellow gold wedding rings on white stationery card with red Art Deco border on ivory silk fabric
Personalised wedding love note card with deep red border and handwritten message on white fabric
Stationery flat lay with deep red typography envelope and menu gold wedding bands red rose petals and burgundy anthurium
Wedding flat lay with gold shoes, black clutch, candles and cake on neutral linen fabric

The flat-lay details read as a precise colour edit: an ivory and deep crimson invitation suite, clusters of ruby-red ranunculus buds beside a single anthurium bloom, and a custom cake detail from Claire at Celebrons Joliment. Zephyrade jewellery, delicate pieces with a subtle glint, lay beside the bridal accessories. Gaetana Valastro captured the waxy sheen of the anthurium and the parchment grain of Tezenas Studio stationery.


Venue

Historic stone colonnade with arches and columns at wedding venue interior
Historic stone building exterior with Romanesque architecture and Mediterranean courtyard landscaping
Historic stone courtyard with intimate reception table setup featuring red florals and limestone architecture
Aerial view of intimate reception setup in stone courtyard with round table and wedding cake display

Standing inside the courtyard of Couvent Notre-Dame des Pres, the tension between old and new is immediate. Rough-hewn stone archways filter the June afternoon light into warm amber bands, while the clean interiors offer a gallery-like calm. La Serra par Le Petit Jardin threaded glossy burgundy grapes and trailing greenery through the architecture, softening hard edges without dulling the drama.

Aesthetic
ModernClassic
Guest Count
-
Budget Range
€70k - €90k
Bride's Dress
-

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The Venue

The couple chose Couvent Notre-Dame des Prés, a domaine in Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur.

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