Karen and Hamish's Modern Garden Wedding at Le Park Mougins on the French Riviera

Karen got ready in the grand hall of Le Park Mougins, the marble staircase climbing behind her and her ceremony ball gown already on display. The gown was by Ese Azenabor: off-shoulder satin with a star-embroidered skirt and cathedral train. A second look, the reception mermaid with beaded off-shoulder bodice and detachable overskirt, hung beside it.

Hair and makeup ran with Jauladie Beauty. A clean luminous skin finish, soft brow, brushed lash, hair pinned at the back. The Menbur jewellery roll laid out the day's pieces: cushion-cut diamond engagement ring, pavé wedding band, diamond tennis necklace.

1 sequence sat her in the embroidered ball gown between two white floral urns at the garden entrance, the cathedral train sweeping across the stone. Another caught her smiling in the beaded mermaid in front of the ceremony gown still on its hanger, the contrast pulled in soft daylight from the hall's tall windows.

The ceremony was held on the platform over the pond, framed by clean-lined modern arches dressed in white hydrangeas against black supporting structures. A mirrored aisle ran toward it, throwing back the light and the water. A lighthearted touch broke the formality: the rings were hidden under a guest's chair. Karen wore Ese Azenabor. The brief afternoon shower passed without touching the mood.

The bridal party photographed at the medieval stone entrance of Le Park Mougins, an arch flanked by carved columns and two stone lion statues. The 4 bridesmaids stood in burnt orange satin gowns, the shade pulled deliberately against the Mediterranean greens and the cream stone of the property.

Karen wore the mermaid reception dress with its detachable overskirt for the bridal party portraits, the off-shoulder beaded bodice catching the late-afternoon light. The formal frame ran symmetrical, 2 bridesmaids on each side of the bride, the cathedral arches behind them sharp against the daylight.

Another sequence ran looser, the five women laughing across the stone steps, the lion statues holding their gaze toward the camera. The burnt orange against the bride's white satin and against the carved stone created a visual through-line for the bridal-party portraits and pulled the day's palette anchor for the wider editorial frame. The bouquets came from PearlyWhite Concept, soft white and ivory tones that matched the bride's flowers.

The evening leaned into the couple's love of a good party. A live UK band carried the night and is still a talking point among the guests. The other hit was a Vogue-style photo booth, handcrafted by the couple's own carpenter, which gave everyone a cover of their own. Traiteur Ruth Williams handled the food. When we asked for their advice, it was simple. "Trust your planner and allow them to guide the process. We trusted our planner, Natalie, completely, which made the experience smooth and enjoyable from start to finish."

The design held one disciplined idea: black and white, modern, exact. White sculptural florals and white hydrangeas were set against black tablecloths, black bar menus, and a sleek black bar. The bouquet kept to classic white roses. Modern typography and subtle silver-mirror accents carried through the stationery and the tables. The detail guests remember most: bar menus printed with the couple's own engagement photographs, a personal note tucked inside a very polished room.

Le Park Mougins sits near Mougins, on the French Riviera. The ceremony's focal point was a platform built out over a pond, the still centre the rest of the design pulled toward.