Natasha & felix
Provence, France
September 14-17, 2023
A LITTLE BACKSTORY
Natasha & Felix reached out to us in early May for their wedding the following summer. While there were lots of question marks over the weekend as a whole, Natasha (Singaporean-American) and Felix (French-Swedish) knew from the get-go that they wanted to simultaneously host their loved ones in the South of France and celebrate their unique cultural heritages.
After we conducted a thorough venue search, Natasha & Felix confirmed Château des Alpilles for both their Wedding Day and Pool Party. From there, we knew that the areas surrounding Saint-Rémy & Les Baux de Provence would serve up some major potential for the auxiliary events - a Chinese Tea Ceremony, Rehearsal Dinner and Welcome Party.
But let's rewind for a hot second. Natasha & Felix are known in their circles for being tried + true oenophiles. Not only did they get engaged in Napa Valley, they are avid collectors of wines from across the globe (and they happen to be pretty discerning foodies as well).
So when we discovered Hôtel de Tourrel in the heart of Saint-Rémy, a covert boutique hotel dating back to 1670 that was originally built as the private home of an aristocratic family, we knew we had struck gold. Not only was the hotel's design a lesson in contemporary elegance (think: high sandstone arches meet zinc countertop bars), the gastronomy was a standout feature with its Michelin star restaurant and floor-to-ceiling wine racks. And just like that, the Tea Ceremony & Rehearsal Dinner locations were official.
The Welcome Party location was the final piece of the puzzle, and our goal was to pinpoint a non-traditional blank space, where we could seamlessly weave together Natasha & Felix's cultures with those very elements that make Provence, and particularly the Alpilles region, unique. Enter: Carrières des Lumiéres. This jaw-dropping former quarry turned immersive multimedia art experience was It with a capital I. Here, we had the opportunity to celebrate some of the greatest French artists (spoiler alert - Cézanne) through dancing projections of iconic artworks with Provence as the subject. Not to mention a whole lotta freedom to unleash our creativity with surprise entertainment acts, such as an acrobatic lion dance troupe!
All in all, these distinctive event spaces offered a one-of-a-kind flow that reflected Natasha & Felix to a tee.
A modern palette of cream, brown and black with shades of pink and burgundy
THE COLOR WAY
THE LOCATIONS
Day 1 - Hôtel de Tourrel
x marks the {ceremony} spot!
x
Saint-Rémy-de-Provence // Les Baux de Provence
Day 2 - Carrières de Lumiéres
Day 3 - Château des Alpilles
Day 4 - Château des Alpilles
WEEKEND MOOD
Disco balls and glitter (where appropriate).
Focus on a fun farewell party
Modern architecture and using bold patterns + contrasting colors.
Coachella vibes for the party!
Incredible food & beverage was a MUST
09.14.23
Two things that were paramount throughout Natasha & Felix's wedding weekend were honoring both of their cultures and paying homage to their love of wine + exceptional culinary experiences.
The Chinese Tea Ceremony on a rooftop in Saint-Rémy was followed by a Michelin star dinner under Chef Romain Lorenzon, making for a deeply meaningful and intimate way to kick off the weekend.
Alongside their VIPs, Natasha & Felix welcomed guests to the storied Hôtel de Tourrel, which blends 17th century architecture with contemporary design. Backdropped by picturesque rooftops and the town's magnificent church dome, their families took turns sharing beautiful memories, hopes and wishes and presenting N&F with gifts to treasure for a lifetime.
Once the tea ceremony was complete, Champagne was poured, canapés were had and guests were finally ushered downstairs where an eight course tasting menu awaited them.
CHINESE TEA CERERMONY
PEEK AT THE PLAYLIST
STATIONERY & GRAPHIC DESIGN
For the design approach, the couple tasked us with marrying the natural beauty of Provence with modern minimalist sensibilities. And since event branding is often a strong, yet underrated tool for laying this foundation in the guest experience, we knew that this would be a category where we would spend a lot of time + focus.
Few graphic design studios match the level of intentionality that Anja Savic of The Letterist emphasizes in her approach to typographically inspired stationery, and we flagged her as a top contender for the project once the itinerary of events and general aesthetic design direction started coming together in more detail.
Some of our favorite paperie touches throughout the weekend?
01 // The bold custom cocktail napkins, alternating phrases like Welcome, Cheers and Goodbye in both Mandarin and Swedish.
02 // The custom fortunes we had printed and sent to a fortune cookie manufacturer to produce (and pass all food safety checks!)
03 // The wedding day seating chart, which featured multi-sized panels in cream, chocolate, berry and rose hues that we hung from the iron windows of church ruins at Château des Alpilles.
Old world elegance meets contemporary spirit indeed.
The Grand Entrance
Carrières de Lumiéres is an ancient limestone quarry tucked away in the hills of Les Baux de Provence. To build suspense on the evening, we had guests arrive and have a glass of Champagne alongside bite-sized canapés in the caved entrance prior to Natasha & Felix joining.
For those familiar with Les Baux de Provence, you may know it's named one of the most beautiful villages in France. Its dramatic views and rocky terrain were more than fitting for the evening's "Met Gala Chic" dress code. So it was only natural that we planned some time for couple portraits throughout this time-weathered town.
It's a winding cliffside road that connects the hilltop village of Les Baux de Provence to the entrance of Carrières de Lumiéres... hairpin turns, steep drops and insurmountable beauty were part of the package deal. As we imagined this scene, it was a 1962 Jaguar E-type that took center stage in this entirely cinematic moment that 007 himself would endorse.
Ultimately, it was a no-brainer that this sleek steel blue convertible would facilitate N&F's grand entrance to the Welcome Party!
welcome PARTY
Mini baguettes
Petite salty tarts filled with vegetables from the garden
Serrano ham, mozzarella and parmesan cheese rolls
Charles Heidsieck Champagne
PEEK AT THE WELCOME MENU
Up next
The Portrait Session
Fashion Credits
Dress: Andrew Kwon
Shoes: D'ACCORI
Clutch: Cult Mia
Earrings: Sara Robertsson Jewellery
Bracelet & Necklace: Ring Concierge
NATASHA
Suit: Tom Ford
Shoes: YSL + John Lobb
FELIX
The Show
Much debate was had about what N&F wanted to project in the immersive exhibition space as guests transitioned from the initial welcome space to the quarry's inner sanctum where live action food stations, cozy lounges and nightclub-energy dancing would be enjoyed. In the end, it was a celebration of French Post-Impressionist painter, Cézanne, that won out! A 35 minute montage of his most famous works paid beautiful homage to not only the region, but Felix's French heritage as well.
Fast-forward past the Welcome Party's main events, and you'd find guests wandering through this same space en route to their shuttles, but this time, it was a groovy, psychedelic and all-around kaleidoscopic retrospective of The Beatles. This surprise twist made the soundtrack the star, complemented fittingly by spinning polka dots, drippy rainbows and unquestionably good vibrations.
welcome Party
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The Welcome Bags for the weekend included hand-painted cookies from Lemon Tree Cakes that were inspired by Cézanne's still life portfolio, unwittingly giving guests a glimpse of the surprises in store!
The Floorplan & Lounge Design
When it came to the Welcome Party floorplan, the primary challenge was the vastness of the space itself.
The guest count being under 100, we knew intentionality was key in the placement of the bar, furniture and food stations in order to make the space feel simultaneously intimate and awe-inspiring.
And with the design of any floorplan, we always want to be conscious of how guests will move through the space... and what they might feel at any given moment.
welcome PARTY
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Aim to anticipate what someone might be doing when they decide they want a drink, and thus place the bar in close proximity accordingly.
There are dozens of considerations that play into the humble floorplan, not the least of which should be the psychology of people (and how the art of "unreasonable hospitality" plays into that).
PRO TIP
For this design, we started at the center of the space with a large square bar as the focal point and worked our way outwards with chic lounge vignettes and hightop community tables to encourage conversation (and keep them close to the DJ for dancing once the beat became irresistible)!
We employed chinoiserie drum stools, fringed velvet ottomans, faux leather arm chairs, wireless brass table lamps and plush bar stools to bring the club-in-a-quarry vision to life.
Live action food stations occupied the real estate closer to the entrance of the space since we knew guests would want to enjoy these more substantial bites earlier in the evening.
Mirroring the stations on opposite sides of the room created a triangular shape with the bar, which did wonders for eliminating long lines + bottlenecks in any one spot!
The "Before"
Food stations
We do love a good cocktail style dining event - it's a perfect way to kick-off a few days of festivities with creativity in flavors and presentation. It also allows guests who haven't seen each other in forever (or family members who are meeting for the first time) to mingle in a laidback and free-spirited setting.
For Natasha & Felix's Welcome, we were tasked with designing an Asian & French fusion menu featuring 3 chef-attended stations and 11 passed apps (beyond those featured during guest arrival)!
Let's be honest, food is our love language, so we were more than happy to take the deep dive d0wn Creative Cuisine Avenue.
welcome PARTY
On the menu was a whole lotta yum - sneak a peek at the sweet and salty flavors N&F decided to feature below!
chicken, pork or shrimp potstickers // Chinese noodle soup with soy sauce + pepper or sweet chili sauce // pork, duck or vegetarian stir fry // lamb & tagine spring rolls // vegan aïoli with potatoes // pepper, strawberry and ginger detox shots // salmon & beet mini rolls // veal tartare with honey & lemon // pork meatballs with Siamese flavors // crispy mushroom with goat & parmesan cheese // mixed crostini with eggplant, tomato confit, basil oil or zucchini toppers // tomato gazpacho shots // Gianduja tarts // Jivara chocolate, raspberry and lime tarts // crunchy meringue with basil, strawberry and pistachio
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We partnered with one of the go-to production companies for the Cannes Film Festival, D&X Events, to build entirely custom bar concepts featuring a bold Cole & Son red chinoiserie wallpaper for the bar facades and whimsical pink + red trimming from GP&J Baker for the cream-colored canopy overhead. This combo drew the eyes exactly where we intended and juxtaposed beautifully against the 360° limestone quarry textures of the space as a whole.
Twist our arms... we'll design a bespoke food station for you!
The Entertainment
Our given middle names may not be Razzle + Dazzle, but years of experience in the surprise + delight department have made it our identity.
We love to knock guests off their feet, plain and simple. So when it came to the way we transitioned guests from one part of the Welcome Party to the next, the sky was truly the limit.
N&F went all-in on our idea to build upon the immersive Cézanne art show with an acrobatic lion dance troupe to lead guests to the main party space.
Crimson lights flooded the quarry, while traditional tanggu drums, cymbals and gongs transported guests to Asia, seamlessly blending the couple's French and Chinese heritages.
welcome PARTY
What could have been an awkward or unnatural 3 minute walk from one space to the next became a fun, interactive and meaningful moment that guests could not stop talking about throughout the weekend!
Once all the guests crossed the Red Carpet (a perfect tie-in for the Met Gala dress code!), the dragons *literally* took the stage with an acrobatic storytelling set that culminated in a symbolic moment of gifts being presented to the couple that represented good fortune for their marriage.
The music profile went from sexy house background music to upbeat remixes and unexpected mashups. The energy when The White Lotus theme dropped was palpable. As always, DJ AMAXXY understood the assignment!
Back to the start
Events are pure theater, and we are so grateful to work with clients who dream big and let us dream with them.
Getting Ready
While many of the VIPs stayed at Château des Alpilles throughout the weekend, Natasha & Felix opted for nearby Baumanière, a 5-star property in Les Baux de Provence. Situated only 3 minutes from the Welcome Party location, this spot offered a picturesque mountain drive to Château des Alpilles that up-leveled an already spectacular classic car experience for the "getting there" on the Wedding Day. Of course, staying off-site for the first couple of events provide N&F the added bonus of not having to be "on" 100% of the time. Baumanière kept them close enough to the heart of the action, while still allowing them to move at a slower pace + truly soak up every moment of togetherness throughout the events.
WEDDING DAY
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On the morning of the wedding, Natasha & Felix enjoyed a beautiful breakfast together on their private terrace. From there, Felix zipped over to Château des Alpilles to get ready for the day with friends, while Natasha greeted her Mom, Maid of Honor and Bridesmaid for hours of pampering + relaxation.
Schedule as many of your family/bridal party portraits before the ceremony as possible, keeping in mind that each grouping will take approximately 2-3 minutes. This frees you up to enjoy Cocktail Hour with your guests outside of a handful of couple portraits + VIP shots post-I do's!
Guests staying at Château des Alpilles enjoyed a delicious lunch where bubbles, conviviality and autumnal Provençal fare where shared beneath the plane trees.
PRO TIP
The ceremony
Among the top priorities from the start was a grand bridal entrance. It was one of the reasons Château des Alpilles worked so well as the wedding day location! Its dramatic plane tree allée backdropped by the iconic 19th c mansion offered the exact fairytale setting N&F were looking for.
wedding day
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Natasha & Felix got their cinematic ceremony after all. And with Felix's father officiating, these 30 minutes of vows, readings and starry-eyed gazes were enchanting in every sense of the word.
We always have Plans B, C and D in our back pockets in case of inclement weather, and with heavy rains forecasted for the Wedding Day all week, we were all set to proceed with our backup tents for the Ceremony, Cocktail Hour & Dinner.
Miraculously, around 7am on the morning of the wedding, the forecast started looking up! We're utterly convinced it was the collective rain dances from the 4 different cultures represented in N&F's guest list that got Mother Earth's attention, but where the supernatural is concerned, we don't ask too many questions. We just radiate as much light, positivity and gratitude as we can!
While the events preceding the Wedding Day emphasized bold, striking blooms, we didn't want to compete with the natural elegance and romantic ambiance of the wedding day location. Working alongside Liberty Lane Flowers, our goal was harmony.
Major aura points were earned when the string quartet from Paris revealed their incredible range. From Lana to Bach, they had hearts skipping beats!
LA VIE EN ROSE - Final Song Before Processional
CELLO SUITE 1 IN G MAJOR by Yoyo Ma/Bach - Groom's Entrance
VIDEO GAMES by Lana del Rey - Bridal Entrance
VIDA LA VIDA by Coldplay - Recessional
the CEREMONY MUSIC
Enter: creamy delphinium, ballet pink roses, little lime hydrangea, trailing ivy and a cast of complementary characters that will forever live in our heads rent-free.
cocktail Hour
wedding day
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Flora & Grace are masters at their craft. This documentary meets fine art photo + video team truly understand how to build authentic connections with couples so that they feel comfortable in front of the camera, while also being mindful of light, timing and the bajillion of other things to consider when capturing every single frame. The results speak for themselves! (And spoiler alert: They gave us the exact 30 minutes we needed to transform the entire event space for dinner. We love them.)
Oh good! Looks like were not the only ones who LOVE a good Cocktail Hour.
With limited storage on-site, we had to get clever about how we'd hide crates of glassware + other bar supplies. Ultimately, these natural bamboo screens served as a chic nod to the chateau's own bamboo forest amidst 20 acres of land. With a little bit of strategic positioning, function and design joined forces seamlessly.
Since Natasha & Felix decided against a First Look, the first time they saw each other all dressed up that day was when Natasha walked down the aisle. Cue the tears. This also meant that we needed to do all couple portraits during Cocktail Hour. Easy peasy right? Normally.... yes. But since we only had 30 minutes to flip the Ceremony Space into the Dinner Setup (with time for detail photos!), we had to be very strategic about the timing of these portraits to give our venue, catering, floral, rental, entertainment and photography partners enough time to deliver their best work.
In our style approach to Cocktail Hour, we married N&F's passion for modern design with the natural, rustic textures you find throughout Provence - wood, stone and wrought iron were all key players!
Floral-wise, we followed a French country chic aesthetic for the tables + lounge vignettes (think: potted plants and herbs). Meanwhile, the bar featured more involved arrangements that offered guests a little glimpse of the dinner table style to come!
We quite literally tied our seating chart into the existing environment. Bold panels from The Letterist were strung across the stone ruins by the bar in one of our favorite takes of modern minimalism yet!
The Table Design
wedding day
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A consortium of classics banded together for N&F's tablescape design. Pure white dinner plates made in porcelain capital of France, Limoges, created an understatedly elegant backdrop for the impeccable food presentation across the 4-course meal from Helen Traiteur. Modern wine glasses specially developed for the grape varieties guests experienced in the wine pairings played a supporting role. And a stunning mélange of roses, nerine and swans-in-flight iris decorated each table alongside the soft glow of candlelight from textured pottery-style votives and pleated glass pillar holders. Champagne-colored flatware and woven cane-back dining chairs with matte black edges completed the look of this alluring al fresco feast.
A mixture of round + rectangular tables created depth, variety and an overall feeling of intimacy in an otherwise open space. It remains one of our favorite dinner designs to date!
Menus doubled as place cards, and since each guest chose between two starters and two entrées, we customized their menu to their exact order. We still dream in this proofing process!
Variation One
Variation Two
Variation Three
Variation Four
THE LAYOUT
THE PAPERIE
dinner service
How did we flip the entire ceremony space into this romantic dinner setup in just 22 minutes? That's a secret we'll never tell. Jk, jk. It was a whole lotta strategic prep with our phenomenal vendor team.
We secured a spot within the trees adjacent to the 19th c mansion where we could store the tables, pre-laid with steamed linens, plates and flatware - all hidden from guest view! When it came time to move all the furniture into position, every single person on every vendor team (from catering and florals to rentals and yours truly) had a specific task to ensure no one was doubling up on work.
Once everything was in position, we set the glassware, the stationery, the candles, the blooms and those darling chairs. We zhuzhed up the linens and straightened servers' bow ties in the final moments preceding the guest transition to the dinner space, so that when they arrived, seats would be pulled back + wine poured for them in the spirit of fine dining.
wedding day
Starter: Zucchini flower filled with fish & crab // Candied lemon from Menton City // Acidulated carrot // Yellow zucchini // Spciy oil
Wine Pairing: Domaine Droin, Chablis 2021
Main: Duo of Bresse Chicken // Roasted Olive stuffing // Cubik of zitone gratin with Parmesan // Purple artichoke // Chanterelles
Wine pairing: Domaine Tempier, Syrah 2019
Dessert: Chocolate sphere with white chocolate mousse and red berries // Hot golden sauce spiced with Gin
Wine pairing: Domaine Droin, Chablis 2019
ON THE MENU
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As planners, dinner service is always here, there and everywhere. It takes a village! And our village is typically made up of 8-12 pros who have worked with us in many a destination for years!
One team member directs the back-of-house (managing quality control, dietaries and timing), while another team member or two keeps a pulse on the guest experience + VIPs out front. Another team member oversees entertainment and A/V, while yet another manages speeches (giving 10 min heads up's to speech-givers too... no one wants to be surprised by a microphone just seconds before their speech or toast!).
We have another team member coordinating vendor meals, one making sure all rentals are being cleaned, stored and accounted for as they are bussed after each course, and the rest of our crew putting the final touches on the party space/directing all vendor partners on that side of things. #VILLAGE
Inspired by the glitterati (Elie Saab, Hermione de Paula and Naeem Khan) featured across Natasha's three distinct wedding day fashion ensembles, movement, glint and texture were essential in the construction of this sculptural dessert.
Slices of cake were rolled out on the dance floor à la brass trolley since there was already a formal dessert course during dinner. 'Twas a sweet treat indeed!
Guests were serenaded by a Paris-based jazz quartet that performed French classics in a sexy bossa nova style. Live music is the ultimate "it" factor when it comes to producing an all-around spellbinding ambiance.
Once guests were seated, George, N&F's toastmaster, introduced Natasha & Felix who came through the main château doors in their second change of attire for the evening.
To officially kick off the dinner service, Natasha's parents took the stage for a heartfelt toast that had us all in tears
The crème de la crème of the dinner was the cake cutting. Pun fully intended. London-based cake designer, Pam Jones of Lemon Tree Cakes, traveled across the Channel to create both the hand-painted Welcome Gift cookies inspired by Cézanne paintings AND this ethereally modern 3-tier cake for the wedding day.
The Dance Party
For their First Dance, Natasha & Felix commissioned a remix to 'Dancing Queen' and wow... it set the bar way too high for all First Dances moving forward.
wedding day
BACK TO THE START
A destination search is nothing without a solid list of prerequisites to stand by when comparing countries and regions to host your destination wedding. Though we must say, a recurring theme for our clients is a flexible curfew. The less one exists, the better!
The beauty of France compared to the US is that many venues will allow you to go until 2am, 3am and sometimes even 4am! The French do know how to have a good time. And Château des Alpilles fit the bill perfectly when it came to N&F's vision of a laser show-filled, neon sign-hedged, concert energy-infused dance party reminiscent of the music festivals so treasured in the history of their relationship. And so the CoachElsa Dance Party was born - the name paying homage to N&F's fluffy samoyed pup named Elsa.
We pitched a sailcloth tent and built an entire world from the ground up - one replete with a costume bar, face gem station, hot dog + french fry corner and more. The costume bar was raided from the outset, as Swedish band Håll Käften took the stage - their energy matching that of School of Rock & Get Him to the Greek.
Amid the flashing lights and disco balls was a sea of pink feather boas, beaded sunglasses, CoachElsa branded wristbands and Viking hats - the latter being a tongue-in-cheek nod to Felix's Swedish side. We're told viking hats were spotted at the Marseille airport days later... and never have we been more proud.
As Håll Käften's set closed and DJ AMAXXY's began, the light show shifted from off-whites, ambers and red to a much more vivid display of blues, purples and other euphoric hues.
One of our favorite details of the night was the shot spinner - the Father of the Groom's idea! We had a 3-tiered trolley with each tier featuring a shot glass of a different clear liquid - vodka, aquavit (the national spirit of Sweden) or water. Guests would take their turn at the spinner, which would land on either Shelf 1, 2 or 3. They'd pick their poison from there!
09.17.23
Taking a page from Francis Mallmann's playbook, we approached the recovery day with open-fire cooking... poolside. While most guests partied until 4am (and who could blame them with Teenage Dirtbag bringing us all back to the year 2000?), many of them were staying at Château des Alpilles so they could conveniently roll out of bed and into a flamingo pool float.
Rosé All Day was the theme of this relaxed house party farewell. So naturally we leaned into it with details like rosé pong (feat. pink solo cups as a playful nod to N&F's American university meet-cute roots). Braz & Bros were a BBQ sensation, prepping burgers and hot dogs alongside brunch classics from the chateau.
DJ AMAXXY finished off his 3-day run with us where we started the day with chill beach club vibes and slowly transitioned into more outdoor summer party tunes.
THE FAREWELL
