A Candlelit French Wedding Overlooking the Atlantic Ocean

Overlooking the Atlantic Ocean near La Rochelle, the historic Fort La Pointe provided an extraordinary setting for Adelaide and Xavier’s wedding, a celebration that brought together their French and Italian heritage in the most personal way. Beautifully documented by Alexandra of STUDIO AURA, the day was a wonderful balance of understated elegance, meaningful family traditions and thoughtful details, with delicate florals by LA PETITE FLEURISTE DU COIN complementing the fort’s centuries-old architecture.

Adelaide and Xavier first met in Milan, where Adelaide was completing her studies in Art Management and Xavier was already working. After meeting at a dinner with mutual friends, they exchanged contact details, although their story wouldn’t truly begin until several years later. Adelaide had always dreamed of living in Paris, and when she eventually made the move, the two reconnected. Their relationship ultimately brought together two countries and cultures that would become central to their wedding celebration.

Xavier proposed during a romantic trip to Morocco, following a sunset camel ride through the dunes of M’Hamid. With the desert stretching out around them, he asked Adelaide to turn towards the dunes for a photograph. When she turned back, he was on one knee, holding a ring he had secretly purchased at a market in Marrakech just days earlier.

Choosing Fort La Pointe was especially meaningful. The 17th-century fort belongs to Xavier’s family and was where his mother spent her childhood summers. Perched above the Atlantic, its ancient stone walls and sweeping ocean views offered a setting that needed very little embellishment.

With no running water or electricity, the fort also presented a wonderfully unusual opportunity to create a celebration illuminated entirely by candlelight. Adelaide envisioned something chic, delicate and refined, allowing the history and natural beauty of the location to take centre stage. Rather than elaborate arrangements, she favoured carefully considered details that felt entirely at home within the surroundings.

Fashion was particularly significant to Adelaide, who works for a French Haute Couture maison she had admired since childhood. For the ceremony, she wore a prototype gown from the house, a deeply personal choice that represented the fulfilment of a lifelong dream. Crafted from delicate pleated tulle, the gown had an ethereal, almost Grecian quality. A French lace veil created by a Parisian atelier completed the look.

For the evening, Adelaide changed into a lace gown by Italian maison ATELIER EMÉ, featuring an open back and a more relaxed, sensual silhouette. Together, the two dresses represented her Italian roots, Xavier’s French heritage and the life they had built between the two countries.

The floral design by LA PETITE FLEURISTE DU COIN embraced a restrained palette of soft yellow and white, with delicate wildflowers and playful craspedias bringing a natural softness to the historic setting.

Adelaide’s bouquet was particularly sentimental. Composed entirely of daisies, it reminded her of the flowers growing in the garden of her childhood country home in Italy. Simple and beautifully nostalgic, it was a lovely way to carry a little piece of home down the aisle.Italian lace also appeared throughout the table settings, subtly connecting the reception styling to Adelaide’s evening gown and her family’s heritage.

With approximately 250 guests travelling to celebrate, the ceremony brought together Adelaide and Xavier’s French and Italian families and friends. Adelaide had chosen not to have a first look, wanting Xavier to see her for the first time as she walked towards him at the ceremony.

The cocktail hour was one of the couple’s favourite parts of the day. An oyster bar, foie gras, mozzarella, ravioli and Spritz stations created a relaxed culinary journey through both cultures. With classic Italian music playing and the Atlantic as a backdrop, guests moved between stations, enjoying the beautiful food and convivial atmosphere. Among the most touching moments was a song performed by Xavier’s siblings to welcome Adelaide into their family, alongside heartfelt speeches from her bridesmaids.

As darkness settled over Fort La Pointe, more than 1,000 candles transformed the ancient stone walls into a wonderfully romantic setting. Their warm glow, combined with the delicate wildflowers, Italian lace and ocean beyond, created an atmosphere that felt both intimate and timeless. The evening continued with wonderful food, music and dancing, celebrating not only the couple’s marriage but the coming together of two families and their traditions.

For Adelaide and Xavier, the greatest joy was sharing such a meaningful place with everyone they loved. And through the beautiful imagery captured by STUDIO AURA, the warmth, romance and deeply personal spirit of their celebration will be remembered for years to come.