Perrine & Aurélien
Today, the vibrant Perrine shares with us the memories of her Franco-Belgian wedding with Aurélien!
Picture: Antoine Melis
The proposal
I'm always on the lookout and love organising surprises for him and my loved ones. He knew I wouldn't miss the opportunity of his 30th birthday to prepare something for him, and he was right. I was very proud to have surprised him at the top of a tree house where we were both going to spend the night, when I realised that he was one step ahead of me. The champagne bubbles celebrated both his birthday and our happiness at being engaged. It was a magical, timeless moment to have this evening and this night in a bubble of happiness among the trees, like a little honeymoon from the first YES.
What stood out for them :
What really stood out for us was the ceremony, which we imagined from start to finish. We designed it together and a very close friend agreed to conduct the ceremony. It was a magical moment for us: pronouncing our commitment to each other in front of all our friends and family who were there as witnesses. Everything was exactly as we had imagined it : the speeches, the texts and our vows will stay with us for all our years of marriage to come !
The venue :
We were lucky enough to get married at my parents' house in Belgium. For the event, tents were set up for the ceremony and the reception. It was in Belgium and you can never be too careful. It was magical to be able to enjoy the place that marked my childhood, and at the same time so surreal to have such a party there! It was a Franco-Belgian wedding and the atmosphere was very festive, with everyone gathered together : our friends, our two large families and our parents' friends - that was a lot of people ! We were carried along by all the love and joy of our nearest and dearest throughout the day. It's hard for the bride and groom to enjoy all the guests, but there's no greater joy than seeing them having fun together and promising to meet again in France or Belgium !
Their inspirations :
We both love the elegance of tradition, but we're just as enthusiastic about fun and colour, so we wanted a wedding that reflected that. I'm a fan of the blogs Un Beau Jour and And I said Yes which are great sources of inspiration. Wedding fairs such as Andy (in Paris) and Marry Me (in Brussels) also gave us the chance to meet lots of suppliers with great ideas ! As we were lucky enough to be in the town where I grew up, we surrounded ourselves as much as possible with suppliers we already knew. Even if they didn't specialise in events, what mattered to us was that they were happy to be involved in the preparations for our wedding ! We knew we could trust them and that they wouldn't let us down !
Shoe design :
Right from the start I had a fixed idea: water-green shoes that would add colour to my rather classic white dress. And of course, as a fan of beautiful shoes, I couldn't imagine myself wearing anything other than beautiful pumps. It was one of my witnesses, who shares my taste for beautiful shoes, who told me about Dessine moi un soulier. As a result, I had my shoes even before choosing my dress.
More than just a pair of shoes, it's a magical experience to be able to create your own pair for that very special day. My advice to brides-to-be: go and try them on and, like me, it will be one of your first certainties !
Her favorite service providers :
- Our fairy godmother: Isabelle from Be Your Guest who organises everything with a master's hand, leaves nothing to chance in the preparations and pampers you on the big day.
- Our favourite paparazzi : Antoine Melis l photography & retouching l who worked wonders.
- Our ceremony soundtrack, superbly performed by Odisi, they're magic, it was sublime.
-My dress : I found it at Nuit Blanche in Paris, a paradise of sumptuous dresses, and they're very attentive, even to the point of adding pockets.
-My accessories : a gorgeous creation by Ladoudoun who has incredible ideas to fulfil your wildest dreams.
- Bow tie : we found THE bow tie we needed at Colonel Moutarde.
- Groom's sock s: Josette & Tic for quirky, colourful socks.
Perrine's advice :
Trust what you want as a bride and groom. Everyone will have something to say about your choices or your desires, but in the end, what's important is that you do what makes you happy. When you have to make a choice, ask yourself the question: ‘Will this make us happy on the big day, or will we miss it if we don't do it ?’ and forget about what is or isn't done, these days there's no such thing as a ready-made wedding code !
