A South of France Weekend to Remember: Jasmine & Max’s Wedding at Château l’Hospitalet
- Author: Natali Grace Levine
- Wedding date: 06/19/2026
- City: Montpellier
Love Story
“Some love stories begin through the people closest to us, and ours started 17 years ago when Max’s younger sister, who was my best friend, introduced us.” Jasmine and Max were just fifteen, meeting on a night out neither of them expected to matter as much as it eventually would. Seventeen years and eleven of them as a couple later, that simple introduction had carried them through more than most relationships ever cover, including seven and a half years building an entire life together in New Zealand. They became permanent residents there, traveled to more than ten countries along the way, and collected friendships that have lasted well beyond that chapter. Eventually they came home to the UK, bringing a lifetime of memories with them and, if anything, an even stronger sense that they’d found exactly what they were looking for.
The proposal itself came during a trip to Dubai, at their favorite hotel, Jumeirah Al Naseem, on a private balcony overlooking Burj Al Arab. “There were no grand audiences or elaborate plans or set-ups, just the two of us, the most beautiful words, a breathtaking setting, and one of the most meaningful moments of our lives.” Jasmine had spent ten years hoping the question would eventually come, and still didn’t see it arriving that particular evening. They celebrated in true Dubai style afterward, dancing until 3am and raising a glass at the Burj Al Arab itself. “After 17 years since we first met, saying ‘I do’ felt less like the start of a new chapter and more like the perfect celebration of a love story that has been years in the making.”
About Your Wedding
Jasmine and Max married at Château l’Hospitalet, part of the Gérard Bertrand wine estate in Narbonne, on June 19th, 2026, before 78 guests, after sixteen months of planning that began the moment they booked the venue. As genuine wine lovers, they felt the château was right from the first visit: world-class vineyards, exceptional wine, and scenery that did most of the work before a single decoration went up. Choosing a destination wedding also meant something they cared about deeply: an entire weekend with family and friends in one place rather than a single rushed day. “It also allowed us to spend an entire weekend with our family and friends in one place, rather than just one day.”
Their vision leaned into effortless glamour, the kind the South of France does better than almost anywhere else, elegant styling paired with the natural beauty of the surrounding vineyards. Every detail, from décor down to the smallest styling choice, worked toward one classic, refined aesthetic built specifically to photograph as timelessly as it felt in person. Rather than chasing trends, Jasmine and Max focused on what mattered to them: incredible food and wine, live music, and a dance floor that stayed full deep into the night. Getting the weekend’s timing right turned out to be the hardest part of planning, balancing a relaxed, unrushed flow against the reality of a summer wedding in the South of France, heat and all, while still making the most of golden evening light and sunsets over the vineyards. Looking back, they say it was worth every minute, with the day unfolding exactly as they’d hoped.
Morning Details
The morning split quietly in two directions, Jasmine settling into the château’s president suite with champagne and a playful bathtub photoshoot, while Max and his groomsmen traded nerves for a sauna session in a suite overlooking the vineyards. Rather than sending traditional paper invitations, the couple built an entire wedding website through The Knot, complete with itinerary pages, RSVP functionality, travel and accommodation details, and even a section for guests to leave advice and well wishes. “It was a modern, practical approach that kept everyone informed and made planning a destination wedding so much easier for both us and our guests.” Jasmine designed the rest of the stationery herself too, including a personalized handkerchief for her dad printed with a heartfelt message, an emotional touch that landed exactly as intended on the morning itself.
Jewelry carried its own quiet meaning that morning. Jasmine wore a Mejuri necklace gifted by her father, two interlinked rings symbolizing partnership and unity, a piece she now treasures for the sentiment behind it as much as the design itself. Her wedding ring came together almost effortlessly too, found in under ten minutes at Cara Jewelry in Dubai, the very same city where Max had proposed the year before. Max chose his own band closer to home in Dorset, a classic design engraved on the inside with their initials and wedding date, a small, permanent detail neither of them will ever stop noticing.
Bride Getting Ready
Jasmine’s dress came from Stella York, and finding it was far easier than she expected, thanks entirely to her mum. “My dress was designed by Stella York, and finding it was surprisingly easy thanks to my mum. She actually found my dress, just as she had my older sister’s before me.” They found it at a bridal boutique in Wimborne, Dorset, and Jasmine knew almost instantly. “I didn’t spend months searching or try on endless dresses. Sometimes you just know, and that’s exactly how it felt.” She kept her accessories deliberately simple, letting the dress’s sparkle and detail speak for itself, save for one meaningful exception: her cousin’s veil, worn as something borrowed and already woven into the family’s own love story.
Getting ready happened in the president suite at the château, playful and relaxed from the start, champagne in hand for a bathtub photoshoot that produced some of the morning’s most memorable, unguarded shots. Jasmine’s bouquet came together through several rounds of collaboration with florist Jenny at The Flower Shop Designs, white calla lilies, carnations, chrysanthemums, hydrangeas, and snapdragons, finished with cascading green amaranthus for a modern, organic feel. Surrounding her that morning were her Maid of Honor and best friend, Brooke Good, alongside bridesmaids Poppy Marshall, Ellie Bolson, and cousin Isabelle Roberts, a room full of the people who’ve known her longest, keeping the morning calm, funny, and full of the kind of small moments she says she’ll treasure as much as the wedding itself.
Groom Getting Ready
Max and his groomsmen got ready in a suite overlooking the vineyards at the château, the same sweeping view that would frame much of the day ahead. Before the tuxedos went on, the group unwound together with a sauna session, an easy, low-key start to a morning that stayed relaxed straight through. Joining Max were his Best Man, Toby Moffat, his brothers Sam and Jack Gibbins, and close friends Jake Lambrianou and Will Thomas, the kind of company that turns nerves into laughter fairly quickly. The groomsmen wore individually fitted tailored tuxedos, classic black-tie styling chosen specifically to match the timeless, elegant tone the couple had built the entire day around.
Ceremony
“Our ceremony took place in front of the beautiful château, surrounded by the stunning vineyards of the South of France.” An elegant fountain stood just in front of the building, water reflecting the château behind it in a way the couple describes as quintessentially French, exactly the kind of romantic backdrop they’d pictured from the beginning. Jasmine walked the aisle to “Can’t Help Falling in Love,” a timeless, emotional choice that set the tone before she’d even reached the altar. Their niece Mia Gibbins served as flower girl alongside page boy Remy Marshall, while Jasmine’s brother Cameron Knijff carried the rings, each adding their own small, joyful presence to the ceremony.
“The moment I’ll never forget is walking down the aisle with my dad and locking eyes with Max for the very first time. Everything else disappeared, and it felt as though it was just the two of us.” Around them, the emotion clearly wasn’t limited to the couple alone. “There wasn’t a dry eye in the audience.” Seeing family and friends so visibly moved only deepened how meaningful the ceremony felt, a room full of people who’d waited years to watch this exact moment happen.
Photoshoot After The Ceremony
The photography moved through several distinct locations across the afternoon, each one capturing a different mood of the day. Portraits began right at the ceremony platform beneath the floral arch, making full use of the backdrop where they’d just exchanged vows minutes earlier. From there, Jasmine and Max wandered through the estate’s own vineyards and grapevines during cocktail hour. “We wandered through the vineyards and grapevines, which captured the relaxed elegance of our South of France wedding perfectly.” Later, the mood shifted again entirely, playful shots around the château courtyard’s margarita tower, followed by romantic frames on the dance floor during their first dance as the evening wound down. Each location told its own piece of the day, tracing a clear line from the emotion of the ceremony through to the joy of the celebration that followed.
Wedding Venue & Decor
The palette stayed timeless and elegant throughout, crisp whites and fresh greenery designed specifically to let the château and its surrounding vineyards take center stage rather than compete with the decor. Floral arrangements leaned into that same abundance of white blooms and lush greenery, paired with natural wood, soft candlelight, and neutral linens for a warm, genuinely luxurious atmosphere. To break the palette just enough, guests were encouraged to wear colorful dresses, adding pops of color to the photographs while the overall styling stayed classic and refined.
Behind that vision stood wedding planner Erika of Blossom Events by Erika, translating Jasmine and Max’s ideas into a fully realized weekend across multiple locations on the estate. The couple has nothing but praise for the entire team who brought it together. “We genuinely couldn’t have asked for a better team. Every supplier was passionate, professional and completely invested in making our wedding everything we had imagined.” One name stood out for its impact on the day itself: photographer Nikita Burtsev, whose calm, creative presence behind the camera helped the couple feel completely at ease, resulting in images that read as natural and unmistakably them rather than posed.
Couple's Advice
“Plan as much as you can in advance and take the time to create a clear vision before you start making decisions. If possible, visit the venue beforehand to visualize the spaces and how you want the day to flow. It makes planning so much easier and gives you confidence that your ideas will work in the setting. On the wedding day itself, let go of the little things. You’ve already done all the hard work, so trust your suppliers, be present and enjoy every moment. The day goes by incredibly quickly, and the best memories come from embracing every second rather than striving for perfection"
Reception
Food and drink sat near the top of the couple’s priorities, and it showed: a three-course wedding breakfast from a Michelin-starred chef, opening with an elegant amuse-bouche and paired throughout with wines from the Gérard Bertrand estate itself. A personalized cocktail menu ran through the weekend too, built around different moments from the celebration, including the guest favorite, “Nelson’s Night Cap,” an espresso martini named after the couple’s beloved dog. Rather than a traditional wedding cake, Jasmine and Max opted for something considerably more them, a full margarita tower that became one of the evening’s biggest talking points.
Music carried the night from start to finish, a live saxophonist and DJ keeping the dance floor packed well past midnight. The couple’s first dance moved to “At Last” by Etta James, a fitting soundtrack given everything that had led to this exact moment. “After 17 years since we first met and 11 years as a couple, the lyrics couldn’t have felt more fitting; it was the perfect soundtrack to such a special moment.” Looking back, neither of them can point to a single highlight, only the whole picture at once: every person they love gathered in one place, celebrating together for an entire weekend rather than a single day. “We wanted our guests to leave feeling like they’d experienced more than just a wedding; we wanted it to feel like the best weekend away with the people they love most.”
Wedding Team
- Photographer Nikita Burtsev
- Wedding Planner @blossom_events_by_erika
- Venue @chateaulhospitalet
- Videography @mpfilms.pl
- Make-up @sambeauties
- Hair @bs.elegance
- Florist @theflowershop_designs
- Décor & Styling @lm_events
- Sound & Production @thynanofficiel
- DJ @weareluvwed
- Saxophonist @vickyb.uk
- Beach Party Venue @hospitaletbeach
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