Florian + Benjamin by Patricia Hendrychova-Estanguet - Together Journal

We wanted a ceremony that felt like summer wrapping its arms around you.

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

We’re Florian and Benjamin — life partners, business partners, dinner party enthusiasts, and professional “just one more glass” specialists. After years navigating the worlds of luxury fashion (Florian) and finance (Benjamin), we decided to follow our dream (and our stomachs) by founding Grand Appétit, a living delicatessen in Switzerland where slow food meets fast laughs. We love good wine, even better cheese, stories that take three hours to tell, and anything that feels a little too beautiful to be reasonable — like spending a year living barefoot in Mauritius. We believe in craftsmanship, connection, and the magic of sharing a table (or a bottle… or two).

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

London. 2016. A dinner party. Florian noticed Benjamin’s smile and thought, “Hmm, elegant, intriguing… solid investment.” Benjamin saw Florian’s energy and thought, “Noisy… but nice noisy.” One glass of wine led to another (and then another), and suddenly the world had a little more color. No drama, no games — just that strange and beautiful feeling that your life has just opened a new door. And this time, it wasn’t a revolving one.

When did you first realize that this was someone you’d like to spend the rest of your life with?

Was it when we survived building IKEA furniture together? More seriously: it was the slow, steady magic of everyday life together — mornings with messy hair and crooked smiles, evenings planning wild dreams over pasta. We realized we weren’t just good at loving each other. We were good at living together. And that, honestly, felt rarer than unicorns.

Tell us about the vision you had for the mood and style of your wedding.

Picture this: a slow golden afternoon under the trees, everyone barefoot in their souls (and sometimes literally), champagne bubbles chasing wild laughter. We wanted a ceremony that felt like summer wrapping its arms around you — soft linen suits, flower garlands, sneakers crunching gravel. And then — BAM — transformation into a movie scene: pink tuxedo, black crystals, laughter bouncing off the château walls. A wedding that started like a siesta and ended like a disco. (Without anyone losing a shoe… almost.)

What styling and visual elements worked best for you?

Provence did most of the heavy lifting — thanks, nature. We simply added some floating fabric, wildflowers, and the occasional bold fashion statement. (Because if you can’t wear a fuchsia tuxedo at your own wedding, when can you?)

Our secret sauce: letting things breathe. No rigid timelines, no overdecorating. Just a frame — and then life painting all over it, beautifully and chaotically.

What did you enjoy most about the planning process and do you have any tips for couples?

Honestly? The wine tastings. And the flower choosing (Florian took it very seriously — Benjamin mostly voted for “more green stuff”).

Our tip: remember you’re planning a party, not a tax audit. Laugh through the chaos. Cry over the seating plan if you must, but don’t forget to eat cake at the tastings. Also: if the forecast says “sunshine,” pack umbrellas anyway. Life is a prankster.

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

Daytime: Florian wore a light linen suit that whispered “Mediterranean poet”, paired with sneakers because dancing > blisters. Benjamin rocked an olive-green suit with tropical sneakers that probably deserved their own Instagram account.

Nighttime: Florian switched to a fuchsia tuxedo, because why whisper when you can sing? Benjamin followed with a black jacket embroidered with enough crystals to confuse a disco ball.

Our philosophy: dress like your inside jokes — loud, stylish, and full of love.

What were one or two elements you were happy to spend a little more on?

Photography and flowers. Because once the wine is drunk, the shoes are lost, you’ll want photos that make you laugh and cry in the same breath. Patricia captured the day not just how it looked, but how it felt. And the flowers? They made it smell like happiness.

Did anything happen on your wedding day that you laugh about in hindsight (even if it was stressful at the time)?

There was no sudden storm, no dress disaster — but there was one unexpected challenge: the bow tie. After all the planning, all the logistics, all the grand dreams… we realized, about 20 minutes before getting dressed, that neither of us actually knew how to tie a real bow tie. Cue: frantic YouTube tutorials, several failed attempts, mild existential despair, and a lot of uncontrollable laughter. Eventually, with the combined wisdom of three witnesses, two smartphones, and a lot of chaotic energy, we got them (mostly) right. And honestly, they were a little crooked — but so were our smiles that day, and it made everything feel even more perfect.