i just returned from our local farmers market. i needed to buy chicken and a few vegetables and i came home with a baguette, almond croissants, fresh cheese, a couple kinds of cured meat, olives, cherrys, rosé, and lillet blanc. my brain (stomach) is really trying to hang on to the high from our perfect french holiday and for that i thank (blame) miss mary nevin and her frenchman, thomas. :) we first met mary nevin and her mom over a quick cup of coffee in atlanta where they gave us a rundown of the wedding day mixed with a general picture of the small town where thomas grew up and where the ceremony and reception would take place. they told us just enough to make us realize that we were in for the time of our lives- nothing less! a few months later we met thomas over dinner and had a great night getting to know him, as well as he and mary nevin as a couple. you know how complimentary colours lie opposite one another on the color wheel? well, not to get too cheesy on you but that is honestly what i thought of hanging out with these two- they are so different that they literally make the other more vibrant and unique just by being together. mary nevin is overflowing with energy and passion and love and it is so obvious from the very first second you meet her. thomas is more reserved and calm and analytical- he listens and supports mary nevin and doesn’t seem to ever take his eyes completely off of her. they share a deep respect and love for one another and for those around them- always putting others first and serving others side by side. after spending a couple of days with them i realized that thomas was the only person with whom mary nevin would allow herself to fully relax. it was sweet to catch them in moment of stillness when it seemed like they’d truly forgotten they were surrounded by people. it’s so wonderful to witness and capture such intimate moments. i love these two.
confession, we’re going to start with an image from our own room- i’m sure their room and view was quite similar as we all stayed together in an old castle that had been converted into the most perfectly relaxing bed & breakfast:
we arrived at thomas’s parent’s home in time to explore a little- the seemingly endless expanse of vineyards, orchards and gardens truly took our breath away. here are some of thomas’s cousins gathering flowers to weave into their hair for the wedding. i can’t believe this is real life:
mary nevin spent the morning with her little sister who was also her maid of honor and makeup artist- these two only took a break from laughing and chatting to finalize lipstick. they’re so fun to be around!
mary nevin is so gifted with kids- they all love her just as much as she loves them! her three little flower girls felt like the luckiest girls in the world on the day of the wedding. here is one of her sweet little attendants just before we all headed to the church:
many of the guests walked from the house to the church just down the hill in the village. i love this image matt captured of thomas and his grandmother:
thomas’s mom making sure everything is just perfect prior to the ceremony- you’re never too old for this! ;)
the atmosphere was so laid back and celebratory! thomas & mary nevin shared a short, excited conversation before the ceremony officially began- happiness was shining on both of their faces:
mary nevin received a rousing round of applause when she finished her vows in perfect french:
after the ceremony, guests changed into comfortable clothes to prepare for their all-night celebration of thomas & mary nevin! matt found a quiet minute to sneak away and drive back through the town and up the other side of the valley to capture this stunning image of the reception just before sunset. this is one of my favorite images ever:
robot lawn mower. i did exactly what this gentleman is doing when i first saw it too:
i love this family portrait:
dinner was beautifully prepared french comfort food- whole roasted lamb with crispy skin, nutty couscous and garbanzo beans topped with savory stewed vegetables and so much more- all complemented perfectly with deliciously deep red wine made from their own grapes.
after dinner there was dancing and general celebration of mary nevin & thomas and life in general- the french are good at that. :) mary nevin & thomas removed themselves from the center of attention and took a few moments to soak up the day and enjoy being together. what a perfect way to end the evening.
***please click here to see mary nevin & thomas’s slideshow***
