My Big Day: Florence And Alvaro

Florence and Alvaro's dreamy countryside wedding in the South of France last July brought together colourful details – origami table decorations, paper lanterns, painted signs – against the stunning backdrop of sunflower fields and lemon and peach trees at the Jardins de Coursiana in La Romieu.

The international affair saw guests fly in from across the globe (Florence's background is French and Spanish, while Alvaro is Italian-Peruvian), so the couple wanted to keep things simple when it came to wedding decor, which translated into them making everything from the invites to the table displays.

They relished the chance to give a personal imprint to every aspect of the occasion: ribbons embellished jars which displayed flowers from local flower farm Roseraie de Provent, plants provided a quirky alternative to traditional seating charts and even their car got a shaving foam and beer can newlywed makeover.

When the couple said their vows in Florence's hometown of Aubiac, they mistakenly exchanged the wrong rings at the ceremony and only realised later, when wedding photographer Marianne Taylor was snapping them in the stunning gardens of their reception venue. "Alvaro's finger was quite sore with the small ring but mine was fine," says Florence. "And we exchanged them again in a middle of a field. We haven't taken them off since!"

Marianne Taylor Photography

Florence's top tip for brides-to-be is to begin the festivities early to maximise precious time with friends and family. "Start celebrating the night before with a casual dinner for the guests and make the party go on the following day with a brunch or a picnic," she says. "It felt great to be able to spend more time with all these friends and family as you have very little time to talk with them on the wedding day."