Villa wedding
on the French riviera
H & H | 22.06.2023
Villa Ephrussi de Rothschild - Saint Jean de Cap Ferrat
Photography by Jeremie HKB
Videography by Jino Agnelli
This couple contacted us six months ahead of their June wedding with a few specific ideas. They didn't know exactly how they wanted to organise their wedding week, but they knew they wanted it to be a surprise. Pretexting a venue tour in France with their wedding planner, the bride and groom invited three friends each, to come and help them pick a venue. The initial plan was that they would only reveal the actual purpose of the trip once at the airport. Personal circumstances meant the plan changed a few times, and that more family was eventually involved in the wedding, and they still managed to maintain a fun, intimate feel to the wedding, as well as keeping it a surprise for some of their guests.
This 17-guest wedding had us work on a lot of personalized details, to make the guest experience as elevated, personable and as fun as possible, with - not one - but two fine dinning experiences planned for the guests, including a Michelin Star dinner with one of the best views over the Mediterranean Sea.
This elegant wedding will make you want to experience the Cote d'Azure like these guests did.
After a fun bachelor and bachelorette weekend in Paris, our bride and groom made way to the Cote d'Azure a few days before the wedding with their friends. They checked in to the villa we had sourced for them, where the wedding reception was to take place.
While we were getting the last details ready, having some shopping done and getting rental deliveries, the guests were able to enjoy their time at the beach and discover the surrounding area, including Villeneuve-sur-Mer, where the groom had spent six months as a student.
On Day I of the wedding festivities, guests headed to Eze Village, a unique medieval village clinging to the top of a mountain, overhanging the bay. Guests were greeted with champagne in a private salon at Chateau Eza, and were able to enjoy the view from the terrasse, while an accordion player and a guitarist were playing French music, among other things. After some speeches, they were served a five course meal. And since it was June 21st, the 'Fête de la Musique' in France, those who wanted could go down to the surrounding villages to enjoy more music before turning in.
Scroll down for more - including a French villa reception for 17 and the wedding video.
Day II started at the Four Seasons Grand Hotel du Cap Ferrat for our groom and his party. The bride got ready at the villa with her girlfriends with pastries, snacks and champagne. The wedding florist had set aside some flowers for one of the bridesmaids to create the bridal bouquet on the morning of, and she offered it to the bride during a sweet tête à tête moment on the terrace.
Then, everyone made their way to the ceremony at Villa Ephrussi.
The ceremony was set up in the Florentine gardens, an intimate location at Villa Ephrussi, overlooking the Villefranche Bay. Guests were greeted by classical music played by a string trio. The bride's father-in-law officiated the ceremony.
Then, the guests got to enjoy a glass of champagne while exploring the gardens and the property. The bride and groom had their couple portraits taken, and everyone was taken back to the villa for cocktails and reception.