French Blue and Lavender Fields at Chateau des Barrenques, Provence

Nina prepared in the light-filled rooms of the bastide, slipping into a flowing Rime Arodaky gown with hand-drawn floral satin and spaghetti straps. Charlotte Arquier handled makeup while the bride added her own finishing touch, a traditional Philippine Pina fabric piece by Vania Romoff woven from pineapple leaves. Thomas dressed in a sand-colored double-breasted linen suit nearby, adjusting his cuffs before heading to the garden.

Friends and family officiated the outdoor ceremony, where Nina’s bridesmaids reenacted the couple’s love story and the groom’s party performed personalized French classics. Nina composed the original song for her walk down the aisle, adding a deeply personal layer. Thomas waited on a wrought-iron bench surrounded by a floral ground arrangement as summer sunlight warmed the garden.

Julien Soria photographed Nina on the sunlit lawn, her long veil lifting behind her in the summer breeze. She extended her bouquet toward the lens, the arrangement of orchids, lilies, and locally sourced hydrangeas blurring into soft focus while the full sweep of her Rime Arodaky gown held the background in sharp silhouette against the estate’s pale stone walls.

Julien Soria guided Nina and Thomas along the gravel courtyard of the bastide, capturing candid kisses and quiet exchanges in the warm July light. The couple moved easily together, Thomas in his beige linen suit and Nina’s flowing skirt catching the breeze, with the powder-blue shutters and pale rendered walls of the estate framing every shot.

Guests gathered on the gravel forecourt of the bastide beneath powder-blue shutters, drinks in hand as the summer sun began to soften. Around twenty guests mingled near the central tower entrance, with the relaxed atmosphere reflecting the couple’s desire to keep the transition from ceremony to dinner loose and conversational.

La Vallergue Traiteur served a multi-course dinner outdoors around a stone fountain, with long tables arranged in a U-shape on the gravel courtyard. Before dessert, Nina surprised Thomas with a half-French, half-English serenade that delighted every guest at the table. ToTem ToTem and William Balde kept the energy high as the couple danced their first dance under the trees at nightfall.

Dentelle et Paillettes orchestrated the design in a palette of French Blue, with handmade signage and stationery created by Nina’s aunt, Geri Zarate. The floral installations by Bloomday blended exotic orchids and lilies with local hydrangeas. White linen tables held white ceramic plates, folded napkins, silver cutlery, and multiple wine glasses beneath the open Provencal sky.