Nature-Inspired Destination Wedding in Provence, France

Nature-Inspired Wedding in Provence at Château Martinay

September 11, 2026
Words by Lauren Ertl
Photos courtesy of Karol R. Photographie

Both away from home at boarding school, love bloomed between a young Brittanie and Dan that would eventually lead them to plan a destination wedding at Château Martinay(opens in new tab) in the striking region of Provence, France.

After a long period of calling each other “boyfriend and girlfriend”, the two graduated to “fiancé and fiancée” in October of 2019. Of course, the pandemic quickly stepped in, threatening any wedding plans the couple had in motion later that year. So when Brittanie and Dan found themselves living in Portland, Oregon, and deeply missing quality time with loved ones, an eventual destination wedding sounded like a dream.

If everyone would have to travel anyway to spend meaningful time celebrating with the couple, Brittanie and Dan figured, “why really shoot for some extraordinary setting?”

“Provence abounds with natural beauty,” Brittanie says, “and like many others, we were charmed by its picturesque hilltop villages, vineyards and gorgeous valleys. It is an alluring, romantic landscape, and exudes a sense of rural elegance.”

But, of course, coordinating the movement of 80 guests from Paris airports to the TGV train, and then to Avignon and various Provençal hotels would require physician-level attention to detail. Thankfully, the beloved venue in the south of France that Dan and Brittanie had their hearts set on came equipped with a planner.

Château Martinay’s impressive grounds and on-site accommodations for 26 guests, paired with planner Stéphanie’s expertise and organizational skills, set the couple up well.

“It’s an amazing property perfect for entertaining and combines the service you’d expect at a hotel with the privacy of a vacation rental,” Brittanie says. “There are spacious patios, pathways through the woods and fields to explore, cozy interiors and a beautiful pool area.”

Aiming to evoke an atmosphere of natural elegance, Brittanie and Dan opted for lush greenery and black accents to adorn the banisters, balconies, entryways, and tables. “We worked with a local design agency in Aix-en-Provence to create custom invitations, reflecting the green and black theme and natural motifs,” the bride says.

Breaking with tradition to align with the theme, the couple selected attire consisting of a stunning black gown and cape plus a sleek, black tuxedo.

The ceremony took place under a majestic oak tree, discovered during a pre-wedding site visit. It resonated with the couple’s shared love for natural preservation and conservation.

Collaborating with their closest friends, they designed the ceremony to reflect their values. For example, the bride and groom walked down the aisle together, meeting Brittanie’s lifelong friend, Johnna, who acted as the officiant, at the oak tree altar. Later, Dan’s friend, Kayla, read a love poem by Pablo Neruda before the couple closed the chapter of their engagement with a kiss.

“We walked down the aisle to the instrumental version of A$AP ROCKY’s L$D,” Dan adds. “While the parents were all oblivious, our friends certainly had a chuckle when they recognized it.”

The reception prioritized exceptional food and drink, as Brittanie and Dan planned a varied cocktail hour followed by traditional French cuisine. Forgoing the first dance, the couple utilized that time to connect with each guest individually.

For those inspired by Dan and Brittanie’s authentic approach to their wedding and hope to duplicate that energy, the couple leaves a few pieces of solid advice:

“Clearly communicate all relevant information ahead of time on your wedding website, and reiterate to your guests where they can find this information. No detail is too small – load up that FAQ page.”
“In terms of tools, we utilized G Suite (Google Docs and Google Sheets) to facilitate planning and record-keeping. For international payments, I found Wise to be the fastest and most trustworthy option for transferring funds.”
“Provide suggested or recommended activities for your guests, but don’t dictate their schedules. This is a vacation for them, after all. During the pre-wedding site visit, take some time to explore the surrounding area so you can recommend specific things to do and stand behind your recommendations (i.e. don’t send guests to tourist traps).”