Charlotte + Yoav by Juliette Simon

Our venue already carried a distinct “old farm” charm, which created a warm and inviting atmosphere.

Tell us a little about yourselves, what you do, what you love…

Charlotte: I’m Charlotte, born and raised in Geneva, Switzerland, and I work as a floral designer (@flowersbychachou). After completing a Bachelor’s degree in tourism, working in event planning, and even chasing a dream of becoming an actress in New York, I found my way back to something more creative. Having grown up surrounded by my grandfather’s roses and always being drawn to beauty, colours, and aesthetics, it just felt right.

Yoav: I am what you call a true Swiss Army knife. While working full-time as a product manager, I also teach yoga and improv classes on the side. These passions have been part of my life for years and keep me grounded, while staying connected to inspiring communities. Music and dancing are a big part of what brings us together. Charlotte grew up in a home where music was almost always playing — thanks to her dad, who shaped her love for it. I, on the other hand, have been immersed in hip-hop culture for as long as I can remember and have been dancing and moving my whole life.

Charlotte: We both love cooking, although we approach it very differently — which means we rarely cook together. I tend to follow recipes to the letter, while Yoav prefers to open the fridge and freestyle. Over time, though, our tastes and influences have blended, so at least we can agree on what to cook

How/where/when did you meet – and what were your first impressions?

Charlotte: We met in New York in September 2019 through a mutual friend, which is crazy considering we both grew up in the same neighbourhood in Geneva, our hometown. My first impression of Yoav was an instant crush. He’s incredibly selfless and genuinely interested in people — I had never met someone so curious, asking so many thoughtful questions about my life. It felt refreshing and completely new to me.

Yoav: I remember thinking Charlotte was bubbly, funny, and full of energy. I immediately wanted to get to know her better — and, of course, show her everything I loved about New York, especially the dancing scene.

What styling and visual elements worked best for you? (could be things, the florals, particular hire products or your marquee, etc., something the stylist created or simply just the scenic beauty of your location or the existing design of your venue).

Charlotte: Being a florist, flowers were naturally the central visual element I wanted to perfect for our wedding. I collaborated with a close friend — someone I trust completely and whose taste I admire. Our venue already carried a distinct “old farm” charm, which created a warm and inviting atmosphere; the flowers simply became the finishing touch. Clémence created a beautiful aisle leading to our chuppah (built by amazing friends), which felt like a garden had exploded in a million colours.

Visual details were incredibly important to us, as we wanted our guests to feel a sense of intimacy and uniqueness throughout the celebration. We created some of the stationery and much of the décor ourselves: name tags, gifts, welcome sign, etc. My mother-in-law is a ceramist, so we hand-made ceramic magnets for our guests — a project that brought us even closer. Without a wedding planner, we thoughtfully curated every decorative detail, making the entire experience deeply personal.

What did you enjoy most about the planning process, and do you have any tips for couples starting their wedding planning journey?

Charlotte: To be completely honest, the planning process came with a fair amount of pressure — especially since we chose not to have a wedding planner (largely because I like to keep a close eye on everything). That said, once we had secured the key elements — the venue, catering, florist, and photographers — we felt a sense of relief and accomplishment.

If we had to give a tip, we would suggest talking openly about everything, from the smallest detail to the biggest. In my opinion, it’s important that both bride and groom are involved in the organisation; you’re both getting married, you should both know what’s going on.

Yoav: Some decisions came quite naturally, others made us think deeply about our personal beliefs; Charlotte grew up in a secular household, whereas I grew up in a traditional Jewish one. We wanted to create an environment that felt safe for both of us, but also for our families. Respect for each other’s values was at the core of the organisation.

Tell us about your vendors. Were there any standout suppliers you would like to make special mention of?

Where to begin! They’re the ones who helped us make this day so unforgettable.

To add a more personal touch, we collaborated with Juliette, a friend who works as a graphic designer, on the invitations. She illustrated a playful doodle of Yoav and me dancing atop a wedding cake, and on the back, we’re shown bouncing off a flower — it felt very us. She also designed the menus, featuring whimsical drawings of food that added a joyful spirit to the tables.

Since our wedding had 200+ guests, we decided to have two photographers — one shooting digitally and the other on film. We’re especially drawn to the timeless, colourful quality of analog images. Manon and Juliette went far beyond our expectations. They took the time to get to know us before the event, which made it so easy to share our vision — something they understood completely. They were incredibly professional throughout the day and even managed to capture beautiful moments during the Hora, which, to be fair, is no easy task…

We have to give a special shoutout to Clémence, our florist. As mentioned, she absolutely nailed our vision: lots of colour, yet never overwhelming. She played beautifully with volumes and shapes, bringing to life everything I had been imagining for months. And she managed to do all of this while also being a guest at the wedding.

Tell us about your main outfits, what was unique, and is there a story?

Charlotte: When it came to my dress, I didn’t feel drawn to the traditional bridal boutique experience. Instead, I turned to brands I’ve always loved and eventually found a Reformation dress that I had tailored and subtly reworked to make it my own. I ended up wearing it all night — I had planned a second outfit but thought, “I’ll probably never wear this again, so I might as well make the most of it.” I especially love the silk and champagne tone, which gives it a timeless, effortless feel.

My earrings were from Aglagla, a Geneva-based jewellery brand that I’ve admired for a long time. Their work with vintage glass beads gives each creation a modern and delicate aspect that really resonates with me. I paired them with small diamond studs that once belonged to my great-aunt’s engagement ring, which added a feeling of intimacy.

Yoav: The suit was custom-made by Renomdom (@maisonrenomdom), a Geneva-based tailor known for his beautiful materials and exceptional selection of Italian fabrics. I chose a brown double-breasted suit with bright blue stripes, finished with a custom pink “ChaYo” (our nickname) embroidered inside the pocket.

Tell us about your wedding and engagement rings.

Charlotte: We got engaged by a lake in Northern Maine, towards the end of a road trip through Vermont and Maine. Yoav proposed with a multicoloured stone ring I had spotted earlier at a market in Québec, just before we set off on our trip.

What makes it even more special is that, along the way, we stopped at a small vintage jewellery shop and started casually talking about engagement rings — what I liked, what suited me. Little did I know, he already had the ring with him the whole time.

For our wedding rings, we wanted to keep things simple and timeless. Both are made of silver. Mine is from Eli-O, a Geneva-based jewellery brand, with “Yoav” engraved on the inside. Yoav’s ring comes from Joly-Pottuz, a jewellery store in Megève.

What were one or two elements that were most important to you both that you were happy to spend a little more on? (food, photography, florals, the venue, your outfits?).

Charlotte: What mattered most to us was focusing on the elements that would truly capture the feeling of the day. Photography was especially important — we wanted memories that feel honest and alive, something we can come back to for years and still feel everything.

Florals were also very close to our hearts. It was important that they reflect a real sensitivity to colours, textures, and the atmosphere we wanted to create — something natural, yet intentional.

Yoav: We also spent quite a bit of time with Tobias, our officiant and Rabbi, carefully shaping a ceremony that felt true to us. We wanted to honour certain Jewish traditions while keeping the ceremony modern and engaging for all our guests. It was important for Charlotte to create a small pamphlet explaining the different moments, especially for those experiencing a Jewish wedding for the first time.

Was there a favourite moment (or two) that you will treasure always?

Yoav & Charlotte: Traditionally, at a Jewish wedding, the hora takes place before dinner — a moment where everyone gathers around the newlyweds, lifting, dancing, singing, and celebrating together. It’s such a high-energy, joyful tradition, and there was no way we were going to skip it.

But just before the hora, we decided to surprise our guests with a spontaneous, non-rehearsed dance to L-O-V-E by Nat King Cole. It was one of those light, playful moments where everyone instantly got involved — cheering, clapping, and dancing along with us. Right at the end of the song, the hora kicked off, and everything shifted into a whole other level of energy — it got loud, chaotic, sweaty, and completely unforgettable.

What does being married mean to you, and are there any special rituals you have that you would like to share?

Being married is a big commitment to another person. It may sound a little corny, but to us, it’s a commitment, a promise — to support one another and to stand by each other’s side through both the good times and the more challenging ones.

The idea of sharing our lives and building a future together just made complete sense. It wasn’t about a single moment, but about everything we had already created, and everything we continue to imagine side by side.

We wrote our Ketubah — the traditional wedding contract — together, making it personal and meaningful to us. We reflected on our daily life, our values, and the kind of future we want to build, and in doing so, it all felt incredibly natural.