Wedding in Normandy at the Manoir des Prévanches – Nejma + Nicolas

In all the pretty tales of our childhood, we expect the happy ending as a matter of course. For Nejma & Nicolas, this July 14, 2012 marked the beginning of their new life. It was 6 years ago now. A happy day in a bucolic Normandy with retro and poetic touches.

Nine months of preparations will have rocked this trip and this beautiful day in July was its apotheosis. An explosion of beautiful emotions that moved me to tears and made me laugh out loud.

In the idyllic setting of Prevanches Manor, Nejma & Nicolas welcomed their families and loved ones for a weekend. A break made of sharing, joy and love. Surrounded by a fine team of service providers, they were able to fully enjoy these few days, the memory of which will remain a unique moment for all.

Nicolas, the happy groom, tells us a little more about this beautiful adventure divinely immortalized by the talented Ricardo Vieira...

“Today I had to tell you about the most beautiful day of my life that our two wedding planners only embellished or even simply made possible.

The initial meeting

"Nejma and I met seven years ago at university in Paris. A meeting made of small steps with the help of the one who will be our common witness. We are linked by tolerance, discovery, the desire to understand the other, to be able to conceive of life differently, not to be caught up in the wave but to create our own movement, to make life better. Curiosity has driven us from the start. Proof of this is that while we have been together for 5 months, I am going to Liverpool for 6 months on an Erasmus exchange, this kind of life-size couple test.

During the next six years, we continued on the same path with a lot of love but miles that separated us. After Liverpool, I stayed a few months in Paris and then left for a year in Lyon. She in Paris, then in Riyadh, then in Vienna. I returned to Paris, Nejma left for New York for four months. Nejma returned, I left for the Netherlands. Like inverted magnets, we were just waiting to be able to turn around and finally settle down together.

At the beginning of 2011, I was in the Netherlands, Nejma in France when we seriously discussed the idea of ​​getting married in the summer of 2012! Finally ready to settle down in the same city, Paris, I was getting ready to leave The Hague to start a normal life! But, Madame, unpredictable as she is, had decided shortly before my departure to apply for one of those dream jobs but… in Jordan… I said yes… ok… but we’re going together! It’s July, Nejma’s job starts in October and I have an exam in Paris in December… We don’t have much time left, roughly September, for the engagement…”

The marriage proposal

"The idea of ​​getting married came with time, not surprisingly, it was natural. For example, the decision was made to contact Clementine and Nessa even before the "official marriage proposal". The miracle happens: we understand each other, they are terribly efficient, serious, with their hands on their hearts and smiles on their lips. We now know that our move to Amman will not jeopardize the success of this event. We will learn later that they were the magic minds and hands of a day we had dreamed of without imagining we could make it happen.

From there, everything goes very quickly! For the "marriage proposal", at least for the sake of it, I had my super romantic plans on the Pont Alexandre III in Paris, near which we had passed the first evening... But a complete "upheaval" when it came to the long-planned lunch during which our parents met for the first time, we discussed the wedding date, a little pressed for time I admit. But, Nejma's mother rightly points out that we can't talk about a wedding date before the engagement... a philosophical-sociological discussion begins, my father invoking the fact that the engagement is the meeting of families and that now, it's done! Nejma's mother gets back to basics: "but, the engagement is the ring!" As a subliminal message, I understood "well, Jean-Francis, we might have to get started there, huh!" I desperately feel that the gilding of the Pont Alexandre III is fading and that intimacy will have to wait! And here I am, doing it wrong, I take out the famous box that was supposed to be wrapped differently. With three-franc-six-cent elegance, I give the box to Nejma… who kindly suggests that I open it… completely at ease… scrutinized by 5 pairs of eyes… I do so… with words of an originality that everyone will appreciate: “Nejma, will you be my wife?” Phew, she accepts and I struggle a little more to put the ring on her finger. The fiancée’s mother is over the moon, everyone is happy, Nejma and I are a little disoriented!

A request that was absolutely not in line with the plan and a bit chaotic, but the main thing is there, we are engaged and happy!”

Wedding in Normandy at the Manoir des Prévanches

“The place first. We had to find it in two weeks (early October). Clémentine suggested to us The Manoir des Prévanches, a superb Norman farmhouse wonderfully maintained by its owner, Mr De Bonnardi. A unique proposition for a unique weekend. We adopted it without hesitation. As usual, Clémentine hit the nail on the head… »

Wedding preparations in Normandy

"Having found this gem, it was a question of choosing what to put on our plates. We have a little more time but little margin for tastings which only come in January when everyone is in Paris. Here again, we were won over by one of Clémentine's two proposals with the assurance of offering our families and friends who came from far away the best of French cuisine: Great Path.

The venue and the caterer found, we are reassured. My exams successfully passed, I throw myself in February into the arms of Jordan for a new adventure but this time as a couple.

From another continent, it's not easy to organize a wedding in France. Meetings with our service providers are done on Skype or waiting for the big day, sometimes with the regret of not being able to experience these moments of preparation with our families and friends who live in France, Saudi Arabia or elsewhere. Hours spent on the phone or on our email box imagining what our day will be like, embellished with always reassuring messages from Clémentine and Nessa. For the various and varied inspirations, thank you to the wedding bloggers and wedding planners of the global internet!

Slowly but surely the cogs of the happiness machine are installed, one by one with precision and creativity, by conductors always available as if these ladies had 48 hours in their day. We choose an outstanding photographer who "loves people's happiness" as demonstrated on his website and who guides us with humanity and sensitivity to capture in images what we are. A couple of passionate and talented florists are suggested to us by MIY, with themes and colors that Nessa knows how to recommend according to the seasons and our desires.

The Wedding Day

"July 14, 2012. The long-awaited weekend always arrives at an incredible speed. We were alone in Amman, we are now surrounded by all our loved ones that we find after several months of absence. The active presence of our wedding planners offers us the luxury of being relaxed on the big day (very important!!!) during our preparations, to allow James, a hairdresser and makeup artist of remarkable finesse, to work serenely and for us to take the time to welcome those who come from far away to celebrate this union.

We finally discover the faces and smiles of all our service providers who will make us and our guests happy. Clémentine reveals a thunderous organization and Nessa a splendid decoration between two calls on the latest generation walkie-talkie. At 17 p.m., while the barn where the ceremony will take place is ready and our guests well settled, a torrential rain falls on the Prévanches estate like a call for total lack of restraint for this moment of intense emotion. The sun reappears and gives us time to head with trembling legs towards the designated place after having discovered each other in intimacy.

Then come all these faces filled with joy that we cross a little stunned, then the magic words of our three witnesses: my brother, his sister and our friend through whom all this happened. Our guests discover us fully, stripped naked, to exchange our vows surrounded by ballads played by musician friends. The rings exchanged, we leave the barn by a brief but intense guard of honor to enjoy a delicious cocktail together. Both busy sharing our joy with our families and friends, the chef has the nice attention to bring us something to drink and enjoy the dishes.

A little late, as always, there followed colorful and rustic couple photos while the cooking of the veal hurried us towards the dinner venue, a guarantee of the quality and seriousness of the chef who informed the wedding planners minute by minute (by walkie-talkie...). A successful meal, interspersed with moving speeches from our parents and entertainment mixing creativity and humor concocted by our witnesses and friends, including a trial where we were accused of being ourselves and condemned to remain so!

We ended the evening with a Constantine orchestra full of sweetness for an unforgettable henna ceremony and a DJ who took over until the end of the night with taste and availability. Thank you, thank you, thank you to all of you.

To our wedding planners: we love you!”

An anecdote

I spent the day with shirt cuffs that I had forgotten to turn in the heat of the moment during my preparation. The cufflinks ordered overseas and made for the occasion were highlighted beyond reason!

What if I had to do it again?

I would turn my shirt cuffs back…

Advice from the newlyweds

DO enjoy (no limits) but DON'T eat too fast ! "

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Wedding addresses at the Manoir des Prévanches

Save the date – Grapheart Studio

Venue - Prevanches Manor
Caterer – Great Path

Flowers -  Mrs. Artisan Florist
Photographer – Ricardo Vieira

Bride's Attire – Rime Arodaky et  Jimmy Choo
Groom's Attire – Kenzo (suit, shoes), Pierre Cardin (shirt, belt), Monsieur Jean Yves (bow tie), WhiteTruffle (cufflinks)

Bridal hair and makeup artist –  James Harold
Groom's Hairdresser and Barber – Gentleman's Workshop
Henna – Arcahenna  

DJ and music –  DJ Events and Constantine Orchestra

Wedding planners –  MIY (Extraordinary!)

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To Nejma & Nicolas…

6 years and two children later, you have written together the most beautiful happy ending. A beautiful tale that I continue to follow with the same wonder. You are part of these beautiful people that I will always carry in my heart <3

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A WORD FROM THE EDITOR

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