French Wedding Planner: about Bonjour Weddings

WEDDINGS À LA FRANÇAISE, BY BONJOUR WEDDINGS

Bonjour Weddings is a Full Service Wedding Planning agency based in the French Alps.
We are specialized in fun multi-day weddings in France for Anglophone and multicultural couples in France. We love providing you and your guests with well rounded, curated experiences throughout the wedding, and will personalize your event in detail to make it extra special.

We guide you and take care of you during the whole planning process and top that off with our very own concierge service for the wedding week, making the adventure that is planning a wedding, seamless.

Bonjour mon amour!

Célia Athanase

FOUNDER OF BONJOUR WEDDINGS,

LEAD WEDDING PLANNER ⎪ EVENT DESIGNER ⎪ CELEBRANT

I was lucky enough to be raised in a highly creative family, be exposed to English from a young age, and grow up in an amazingly lively village with a very close-knit community that was constantly organizing events.

Through theatre, circus and music, I was able to not only perform, but actively participate in imagining, creating and organizing shows and events, as well as setting up, and taking down scenery, stages and tents.

I always loved those behind the scenes moments, the hustling to get things ready, the physicality of putting things together, and the teamwork that goes into it all, invisible to the spectator's eye.

I see planning weddings as a very similar process where guests won't see all the work that has been going on for months, and clients will enjoy the day without having to be aware of any behind the scenes.

After seven fun and challenge-filled years teaching English to middle schoolers, I knew I needed to find a new carrier path where I could explore my creativity better.

I trained in a wedding-planning school for a year in Aix-en Provence in the South of France, where I graduated top of my class. I interned with a renowned wedding planning company specialized in Provence and Riviera destination weddings.

I created my company, survived Covid, and am now savoring each and every moment I get to practice this job that is so fulfilling for me.

I am energetic, creative, imaginative, detail-oriented and a good listener.

5 fun-facts about me:

I have two sisters and one brother

I have a dog, Lumos, and a cat, Maro

I can speak 5 languages (not all very well, though)

I was a high-level athlete in three countries

I studied sociolinguistics and wrote a dissertation about the Geordie accent and dialect for my Masters in Newcastle

That is more than enough about me. Do get in touch, so that I can get to know you!

- Célia

Meet our french wedding planner team

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What makes Bonjour Weddings different from other wedding planning agencies?

At Bonjour Weddings, we love creating a unique blend of who you are infused with some French flair, to make your wedding the most intentional and special day for you. We know what you wanting to have a destination wedding in France entails, and are experts at creating a well rounded experience for you and your guests. Our boundless creativity will enhance your vision and elevate it. Thanks to our Concierge service, we are able to go those extra miles to make sure all of the hassle and logistical details are taken care of on Wedding Week. We know that Luxury Weddings aren't only about the aesthetic, but also about the service you get. By Full Planning Service, we mean it. We also make it a point to work with suppliers who will be a perfect fit for you, and are constantly looking into new professionals. We do not have a set team of suppliers.
Where are you based and where do you work?

We specialize in Destination Weddings for English-speaking clients in France, and work in Metropolitan France. We have done weddings from Brittany to the Cote d'Azure, and are so excited to add a few new regions to our list with our upcoming 2023 weddings. We are based in Grenoble, which is quite central and allows us to access different regions of France easily. We are always keen to travel and be on the move. If your wedding is located outside of Metropolitan France, please do get in touch. We will be happy to customize a proposal to your project, or refer you to another planner if we decide not to take your wedding on.
When should we reach out to you?

We have worked on a variety of Timelines from 6 months to more than two years. We are happy to look into any type of timeframe, and evaluate whether or not we can take on the project based on our current workload. We will try to refer you to a fellow planner if we decide not to take on your wedding.
Can we get in touch, no strings attached?

Absolutely. We understand that committing to a wedding planner is a big decision, and we want to make sure that we would actually be the best planners for the job before sending you a proposal. That is why we enjoy spending some time with couples before starting to work together. We offer a 1-hour complimentary session with couples, to discuss their plans, understand who they are and what they need. If the consultation went well, we will submit a proposal. Our proposals are extensive documents, retracing our conversation and our understanding of what you want, as well as some avenues to explore. Most of our proposals also include a moodboard and an estimate budget based on our conversation and our ideas. If you like our proposal, we move forward sign a contract and start working together. If you don't, just say the word, and we will part ways. A 30% non-refundable deposit is necessary to retain our services. We offer 3-installment payment plans, or monthly payment plans.
How much does a wedding with Bonjour Weddings typically cost?

We typically work on weddings with budgets starting on average from €75/100k for 50/80 guests. Depending on the region you choose to get married, we suggest budgeting around 1000€ to 3000€+ per guest, to get your overall budget. Whether you know exactly where you want your budget, or have no idea how much to invest, we will guide you through it. From an early stage, we are able to establish a budget in alignement with your vision, and refine it as we go. Our fees start at 10 000€ for weddings with budgets between 75 and 150 thousand euros. For weddings with over 150 000€ budget, we charge a 15% flat fee. Small weddings and elopements are priced on quote.
Do you organise venue scouting, tastings and trials?

Yes, we do. Depending on your needs, we can assist with the organisation of your pre-wedding visits, tastings and trials. We come up with a schedule and organise appointments with the venues and suppliers. We also schedule time to go out and make dinner or activity reservations. This is a really fun time for you and us to become acquainted with each other, but also enjoy France on your own if you want to. If you are unable to come to France, we can organise virtual visits with venues and/or go in your place. Because we know what you are looking for, we become your emissary here in France and make sure your interests are observed when we visit the venue and meet with a supplier. We have done tastings for some of our clients before. The only thing we cannot do in your place is fittings and trials, but we can arrange for trials to be done earlier in the wedding week with your beauty artist.
How many weddings do you organize per year?

We want to maintain a high quality service and only take on a maximum of ten Full Planning Weddings. Our Day of coordination service availability is very limited. Celebrancy booking starts at the beginning of the wedding year.