When you picture a wedding in the South of France, your mind might immediately wander to glamorous hotels on the Côte d’Azur, Champagne towers and black tie dinners overlooking the Mediterranean. And yes, the South of France does all of that incredibly well.

But there is another side to weddings here that we absolutely love.

Think bare feet on warm terracotta, dinner at one long table beneath the trees, olive branches moving in the evening breeze and glasses of local rosé appearing just as the sun begins to disappear behind the hills. Less formality, more long summer evenings. Less worrying about tradition, more creating a celebration that actually feels like you.

For couples dreaming of something relaxed, beautiful and a little bit wild around the edges, the South of France is rather hard to beat.

A big thank you to Sébastien Boudot, Elizabeth Ruby, for the gorgeous images from Le Galinier, Chateau Lacoste & La Coquillade featured throughout this post.

A Free Spirited Guide to Getting Married in the South of France

Photography: Sebastien Boudot

Find Your Little Corner of the South

One of the best things about planning a wedding here is just how different the landscape can feel within a relatively small area.

In Provence, the villages of the Luberon are surrounded by vineyards, olive groves and beautiful old stone properties. Places around Gordes, Ménerbes and Bonnieux have that wonderfully

sun-faded palette that seems made for an outdoor wedding. Think pale stone, dusty greens, old wooden shutters and tables spilling out into the garden.

Photography: Sebastien Boudot

 Closer to Aix-en-Provence, the landscape is dotted with bastides and traditional Provençal mas, many with courtyards, fountains and gardens where almost the entire wedding day can unfold outdoors.

Head into the Luberon and the scenery becomes softer and more rural, with vineyards, olive groves and picturesque Provençal villages along the way. Estates such as Le Galinier, near Lourmarin, offer that wonderful feeling of escaping for a few days, with beautiful gardens, character-filled spaces and plenty of room to gather all your favourite people in one place.

And then there are the hills just behind the Côte d’Azur. You can be surprisingly close to Cannes, Nice or the Mediterranean while feeling completely removed from the polished Riviera atmosphere.

That contrast is part of the magic.

Let the Setting Do the Styling

The loveliest bohemian weddings in the South of France often don’t need very much added to them.

If your dinner is already taking place beneath olive trees or in the courtyard of an old farmhouse, you can allow the surroundings to do a lot of the work.

We love using what is naturally available locally. Flowers can take inspiration from Provençal markets, with loose arrangements of garden roses, herbs, wild-looking foliage and seasonal flowers rather than anything too structured. Linen tablecloths, handmade ceramics and baskets of fruit can look beautiful without making the tables feel overly styled.

Photography: Sebastien Boudot

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