Vineyards are the perfect venue for an intimate wedding, and we love how this couple infused their personality, story and heritage into their nuptials. Besides the subtle inclusion of the bride’s half-Indian heritage and the groom’s creative designs, they also included their friends and family, as well as utilised the romantic outdoor space to the fullest.
Keeping their décor minimal to enhance the French vineyard setting, they used lavender as part of the decorations and everything just came together beautifully. Many thanks to Et Voila Weddings for another beautiful wedding and Caroline Cuinet Wellings of BlueCicada Photography for this incredible set of photos. The bride was truly resplendent and the wedding looked every bit out of a fairytale.
Nina: “We had a clear vision of the atmosphere we wanted for the wedding: something relaxed but special as our friends and family would have travelled to be there. We were looking for somewhere with a wow factor but not a traditional French Chateaux as we wanted it outdoors to make the most of the beautiful Provençale countryside. The vine arch was a natural focal point for the ceremony and the courtyard was perfect for dinner as it was enclosed but outdoors, retaining a really intimate feel. As soon as we saw the venue, we knew it was perfect.
“I’m half-Indian and I wanted to incorporate some of the Indian and Hindu traditions into the wedding. My dress was the first one I tried on but I loved it as it was so different – it complemented my figure and it was made from crinkled silk chiffon, which gathered at the centre to create a short train – almost like a saree. I also wore Indian-style jewellery. My bridesmaids’ dresses felt slightly Indian-inspired as well, as they were bejewelled and the skirt was draped in the front – similar to my dress. The flowergirl dresses were from India, and they had bangles and bags from India to throw lavender from.
“Ian walked in to Indian drummers, which is part of the Hindu wedding tradition. At the reception dinner, my cousins performed an Indian dance during the meal and surprised us by dragging us up onto the dancefloor with them, much to our surprise and amusement of all our guests.
“Although the ceremony was ‘western’, at the end we said vows taken from the Hindu wedding ceremony as we took our first ‘7 steps’ (called Saptapadi). Before we sat down for the meal, we had a race to see who could sit down first. According to Hindu tradition, whoever sits down first will rule the household. I won – obviously, a wise move from Ian!
“We also wanted to inject our own personal touches into the whole day, like including our friends in the ceremony – our friend was our celebrant! Ian also designed an art deco logo of our names for the wedding, which was on everything related to our wedding: from the invites to the lavender confetti bags, and we projected it onto the wall as a focal point. I wanted a green and white bouquet with white roses to represent York, where I am from, and asked for a cactus to be included in the bouquet (it’s a private joke with Ian).”
Tips from the bride: “It’s important to nail the big points (venue, food and entertainment) as that’s all your guests will remember! If you’re planning an outdoor wedding, ensure there is a bad weather contingency plan that you’re happy with, however unlikely. Add some personal touches to make the day memorable for your guests, and most importantly, make the day extra special for you and your fiancé. Finally, have fun! It is a party, after all!”
NINA & IAN {Europe}
Photography by Caroline Cuinet Wellings of Blue Cicada Photography / Videography by Joshua Lawrence Wedding / Venue Chateau Val Joanis Vineyard, Pertuis, France / Number of Guests 105 / Wedding Planning by Et Voila Weddings / Bridal Gown by Tadashi Shoji from BHLDN / Bride’s Shoes by Valentino and Jimmy Choo / Hair & Makeup by Penny’s Bridal / Groom’s Attire by Etro / Groom’s Shoes by Bally / Wedding Bands by Garrard and David Yurman / Bridesmaids’ Dresses by Virgo’s Lounge from ASOS / Bridal Bouquet by Poppies Shop – La Boutique coquelicots / Flowers by Poppies Shop – La Boutique coquelicots / Décor DIY / Wedding Cake by Marrou / Catering by Marrou / Wedding Favours Rococco Chocolates / Art and Stationery DIY / Entertainment by DJ Ali Rose Rees