Most couples have never planned a wedding before. Almost none have planned one in a foreign country, in a language that may not be their own, with vendors they have never met. The decision to work with a luxury wedding planner is not simply a convenience — it is the single most important hire you will make for your celebration.

I want to demystify the process. Not to sell you on it — but because the couples who arrive at our first conversation already understanding how this works are the ones who get the most out of our collaboration.

The First Step: Honest Clarity Before Anything Else

Before we discuss florals, before we talk about venues, before we scroll through any mood boards — we talk about the essentials. Your guest count. Your date window. And your budget.

I know that budget conversations can feel uncomfortable. They should not. Budget is not a limitation — it is a design parameter. When I know what you are working with, I can tell you honestly what is achievable, what requires a trade-off, and where your investment will deliver the greatest impact. That conversation is the foundation of everything that follows.

I ask every prospective couple to come to our discovery call with a genuine figure in mind. Not a minimum. Not a ceiling. The number that represents what you are genuinely prepared to invest in the most significant celebration of your lives.

What Full-Service Planning Actually Covers

I work exclusively on full-service engagements. Here is what that means in practice:

Venue sourcing and contract review — including in-person site visits, detailed comparison, and negotiation on your behalf
Vendor curation — every single vendor I recommend is someone I have personally worked with and trust entirely
Design and creative direction — mood boards, 3D renderings, tablescaping, and the cohesive visual language of your celebration
Budget management — a real-time, transparent tracker that evolves with your planning
Guest logistics — accommodation blocks, transportation, welcome bags, dietary management
Day-of and multi-day coordination — my team is on the ground from the first vendor arrival to the last glass of champagne

I charge a flat fee, not a percentage of your budget. My incentive is to deliver a celebration that exceeds your expectations at the number you gave me.

The Timeline: When to Reach Out

The short answer is: as early as possible. The best venues in Provence and the French Riviera are frequently booked 18 to 24 months in advance for peak summer dates. The best photographers, the best floral designers, the most talented caterers — they are the same.

I take on four to six weddings per year. This is a deliberate choice. It means that every couple I work with receives my full attention, and that I am present — genuinely present — on their wedding day. When you are one of six, not one of thirty, the difference in the quality of that attention is substantial.

If your date is more than twelve months away, we have a generous planning horizon. If you are working with a shorter window, reach out as soon as possible — not because it is impossible, but because every week matters in securing the vendors and venues that will make your celebration what it should be.

Check out my FAQ for more advices.

What I Need From You

The best client relationships I have had share a common characteristic: couples who are clear about what they love, trusting about what they do not know, and genuinely curious about the process.

You do not need to arrive with a Pinterest board, though you are welcome to. You do not need to have made any decisions. You need to have thought about the feeling you want — not the details, but the atmosphere. Do you want your guests to feel like they have stepped into a private world? Do you want something that feels like a long, perfect summer lunch? Do you want ceremony and grandeur, or ease and intimacy? These instincts are what I work from.

The details — the flowers, the table linen, the menu, the music — those are my job. Your job is to trust the process and to enjoy it.

A Note on Communication Across Time Zones

The majority of my couples are based in the United States, the United Kingdom, or Australia. I have structured my practice to work seamlessly across time zones, and I adapt my communication cadence to your preferences from the beginning. Some couples want weekly updates. Others prefer monthly check-ins with a shared planning platform that gives them visibility at any time. Both work. What never works is silence — and I will not let that happen.

Planning a destination wedding in the South of France from thousands of miles away requires a particular kind of trust. My role is to earn that trust completely, and to make the process not just manageable but genuinely joyful. It is one of the best parts of this work.

If you are beginning to think seriously about a celebration in Provence or on the French Riviera, I would love to hear from you.