The backdrop for today's real wedding looks like something lifted out of a story book, or a Disney movie! Bristol-based couple Jen and David tied the knot with a destination wedding in France, and their venue, Château de Saint-Martory, a renovated renaissance castle nestled on the banks of the Garonne river, close to Toulouse, set the scene for a magical celebration. Starting the day with breakfast in bed together, this couple carved out a day that was relaxed, fun, and gin-filled, from their outdoor ceremony among the trees, to a stunning courtyard dinner. Hello, Sugar Photography captured this sweet couple and their beautiful big day.

Jen and Dave say they often joke that they don’t have a very good love story, but we beg to differ! “We met at a work weekend away and were instantly attracted to each other. The details of our relationship from there are perhaps not the greatest love story as we were very casual for a while… however, I always say that perhaps the most romantic thing about how we met is that neither one of us was looking for that special someone, we were both very happy on our own, but we got on so well and had such a connection that we chose to be together (as opposed to a ‘making the jigsaw fit’ situation).”

The couple got engaged just before Christmas with a proposal Jen describes as ‘very special.’ “We always try to have a little Christmas Day, just the two of us, as we don’t get much alone time over the holiday. Each day in December, Dave and I open our advent calendars together in the evening. I opened mine first, put my finger through the foil to find there was no chocolate, instead something else fell out into my lap. I was so confused and, if I’m honest, a bit upset about the lack of chocolate!”

She then realised what was about to happen! “Dave got down on one knee, held the ring, and asked me if I would spend the rest of my life with him. I was so surprised as I genuinely had not expected it. It was perfect - just the two of us, all dressed up in our fake Christmas Day clothes in our home, which we had lovingly refurbished together. How could you say no to that?! Nothing confirmed that I had made the right decision more than a few minutes later Dave walking in from the kitchen with the missing advent calendar chocolate in a little bag saying “I knew you would be upset about the chocolate”.” Now that’s a keeper!

“Very relaxed and magical,” is how this pair sum up the feel of their wedding day. “It really was like a fairytale with the beautiful chateau in the background, the river running alongside, and stunning grounds.”

Jen says they kept the look of the day quite natural, “The venue itself was so beautiful, it sung for itself. We added a few handmade items for a very personal touch and one statement piece (the beautiful moon gate from florist Amy Tyman) but kept everything else very simple and understated.”

For Jen, having her family take part in her day was particularly meaningful, "Having Pete, my sister’s boyfriend play an acoustic version of Christina Perri’s ‘A Thousand Years’ was so special - he is a very talented guitar player and had learnt the whole song just for us. Obviously, having my dad walk me down the aisle was very special and meant so much to me….and his speech. He’s naturally very shy, so seeing him stand up and deliver a funny and heartfelt speech made me very proud.”

The couple had their ceremony in a pretty shady spot, making the most of the grounds around the chateau.

The couple wanted their guests to have fun, and have enough time on the day to soak up the beautiful surroundings, “We had games to keep people entertained, including a homemade coconut shy where each coconut had the face of a member of the bridal party on it. We turned a beautiful plum tree into a little hideaway with a table and chairs, flowers and candles hanging from the branches and antique mirrors tied to the trunk so guests could check make up etc. It was lucky really as our guests needed a shady spot in the scorching 40 degree heat!”

We've been seeing more and more glitter stations in weddings recently - it's officially a trend and we are 100% on board!

Ultra soft pampas grass and protea gave Jen's beautiful bouquet a contemporary romantic feel.

Not stressing over the small stuff is Jen and Dave’s number one piece of advice, “There are so many things you and everyone else will not even notice on the day. The best example being chairs - we thought about hiring some more attractive chairs, but didn’t in the end and I’m so glad about that - no one even noticed them. The other advice I would give to couples more for on the day, is schedule in some alone time so you can soak up the experience and make sure it happens - it rushes by so quickly so take time to savour it, together.”

The couple tell us they had lots of their favourite Disney songs feature in their day, “Immediately after the ceremony we played “You’ll be in my heart” by Phil Collins (a song from Tarzan) as he words meant so much to us both. We also had an acoustic set performed by one of the members of our band for the evening, The Sabres.”

The couple dubbed their little flower girls the flower fairies, “Evie (8) walked down the aisle wearing fairy wings and we had several sets which the older bridesmaids and I wore throughout the day, adding to the magical feel.”

The bride and groom fell hard for the atmosphere at Château de Saint-Martory, “The energy of the chateau is incredible - it makes you feel instantly relaxed and like you have been whisked away into a story book, and it felt like home in a way. Secondly, as a venue, it was straightforward - there were no mandatory supplier lists or rules about how things must be done etc., it was relaxed.”

The chateau manager was really sealed the deal for Jen and Dave. “This genuinely went on our pros and cons list for each venue in big capitals - ANGIE - she was a huge part in our choice. Planning a wedding abroad is tough, but we had complete confidence that she would help make the whole process as easy for us as possible - she was so professional and friendly, we fell for her as well as the chateau. She was an absolute gem.”

On the morning of the wedding, Jen and Dave made sure to catch some alone time together, “We had breakfast together in bed - knowing that once we left the room, everything would be crazy. We gave each other gifts - I gave Dave a bespoke watch engraved with “to my husband, best friend and soul mate”. Dave gave me a platinum ring that we had designed together with two diamonds set in it - one the solitaire from my Nanna’s engagement ring, and one the solitaire from my great Nanna’s engagement ring, so I always have a little piece of both of them with me.”

Jen tells us about one of her favourite personal touches, “One of the things that I know our family really loved (and got quite emotional about) is we hung polaroid size photos on an antique Welsh dresser in the barn where we had the evening - we had three timelines - Dave through childhood, me through childhood and our adventures together.”

Gin featured heavily in the celebrations! “We love gin and have quite a collection, so gin featured in the favours, we had a home-made ring toss game where you had to get the rings on gin bottles, and a dedicated gin table with lots of different gins, accompaniments, books about gin etc…”

What a setting for an outdoor supper!

The couple kept the magical fairy vibes going in the decor, “We decorated it with large jam jars full of moss and tiny little led lights to give the effect of fireflies.”

We love the sound of these guys’ amazing honeymoon! “We went to Tanzania for a week long safari, followed by a week on Zanzibar. Would definitely recommend - the safari was one of the most incredible experiences - each day surpassed both of our expectations.”

Thanks so much to Jen and Dave for sharing your gorgeous destination wedding with us, and to Hello, Sugar Photography to documenting it so beautifully - visit the gallery below to see more details of their day.