This Couple Followed Their Bohemian Wedding Ceremony in Saint-Tropez with a Black-Tie Reception

patricia ralph wedding couple kissing under arch on the beach
Franklyn Kwayke

When Patricia Osei Kofi isn't working as a professional opera singer, she's a flight attendant for Lufthansa, and on a flight in October 2016, she met Ralph Missy, a passenger in the First-Class cabin. The pair went six months without seeing each other—but fate connected them once again on another flight, this time to Hong Kong. The pair shared their first date when they hit the ground, and a year later, they celebrated their anniversary at the same restaurant. Ralph took his opportunity to recreate their first date and, after dinner, popped the question.

Although they live in Germany, the couple decided to host their wedding in Saint-Tropez, France, where they took their first trip together; it was on this vacation that Ralph really understood that Patricia was the woman he wanted to marry—and that had to do, in part, with her voice. "We married in Saint-Tropez because it was the destination of our first journey together. While there, I realized that Patricia was the woman [for me] when she began singing to herself on the empty beach," he recalls. "As a surprise for me, she performed the same song at our reception on the wedding day."

Although it was difficult to plan a wedding from another country without speaking French, they worked with Charlotte Nizard from Wedding Saint-Tropez to help them navigate the local laws, language, and traditions with ease. They invited 60 guests to join them for a beach ceremony on June 15, 2019, at Le 1051 in Ramatuelle, France; the service was followed by a black-tie reception at Pan Dei Palace, a castle in Saint-Tropez. "We wanted to have a casual, romantic, bohemian-style beach wedding for the ceremony, so we asked everyone to dress in all white," the bride says.

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A Venue with Meaning

patricia ralph wedding pool and palm tree
Franklyn Kwayke

"We chose the Pan Dei Palais in Saint-Tropez, because it was where we spent our first holiday together; Ralph also has a special bond to the city, since he spends a lot of time there for his work," says Patricia of the duo's choice in wedding venue. "We found Le 1051 shortly after we got engaged—we loved this place for its simple beauty and we got to know Maxime, the owner of this family-run business, who was so friendly and helpful and helped us create the perfect spot for our celebration."

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The Reception Dress

patricia ralph wedding bride in reception dress
Franklyn Kwayke

Patricia knew she wanted a Berta wedding dress, so she traveled to the flagship store in Tel Aviv with her friend Nora to find the perfect gown. The second garment she tried on—a spaghetti strap, mermaid-style number with an elaborate train—made her feel like a bride instantly.

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The Ceremony Dress

patricia ralph wedding bride's white ceremony dress
Franklyn Kwayke

Just two months before the big day, Patricia realized that her ceremony would take place on the beach—and that the dress she had already purchased had a long train. So, she decided to find a second gown for the service. "I had a hard time finding this one because my 'main dress' was already perfect and I had to get one off the rack. There was no time to get it tailored," she says. When she traveled back to Tel Aviv for her reception number's final fitting, Patricia and her mom walked by a small store called Limor Rosen. "I tried on one dress and we all knew this was the one!"

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Sparkly Pumps

patricia ralph clear bedazzled wedding shoes
Franklyn Kwayke

The bride also wore diamond hoop earrings, a gift from Ralph on the big day, a tennis bracelet, and her grandmother's aquamarine engagement ring for her "something blue." For the finishing touch, she wore translucent Christian Louboutin pumps.

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All-White Bouquet

patricia ralph bride's white wedding bouquet
Franklyn Kwayke

Patricia held an all-white bouquet, which played right into the event's creamy color palette. The arrangement included peonies and roses; olive leaves were added for dimension.

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The Dapper Groom

patricia ralph wedding groom in black in front of door
Franklyn Kwayke

Ralph wore a white linen suit for the beach ceremony, but later changed into a tuxedo from Zegna for the reception. He, too, wore Christian Louboutin shoes to complete his look.

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Saint-Tropez Ceremony

patricia ralph wedding ceremony couple sitting in chairs
Franklyn Kwayke

The couple's ceremony took place on Pampelonne Beach at noon; a white carpet led guests from the entrance of the service space to wooden chairs facing the ocean.

The toughest part of the planning process for Patricia and Ralph was actually finding a Protestant priest in the South of France to hold a ceremony in English—but with help from their planner, they found the perfect officiant just in time.

  • How to Hire a Wedding Officiant
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Clair de Lune

patricia ralph wedding ceremony processional
Franklyn Kwayke

A live pianist performed "Clair de Lune" by Debussy as Patricia made her way down the aisle, accompanied by her brother.

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The Vows

patricia ralph wedding ceremony vows
Franklyn Kwayke

The couple exchanged personal vows beneath a round floral arch embellished with olive leaves, white flowers, and other greenery. Patricia's best friend and maid of honor, who is also an opera singer, sang 'Oh! Quand je Dors" by Franz Liszt, along with "Le Chemin De L'Amour" by Francis Poulenc. They also wanted to ensure that Ralph's son had a big role in the ceremony, so he acted as ring bearer.

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A Drink and Some Jazz

patricia ralph wedding saxophone player
Franklyn Kwayke

As a solo saxophonist played jazz during the cocktail hour, guests sipped on Billecart-Salmon Brut Reserve Champagne. The bride and her friend surprised Ralph and all of their attendees by singing "Flower Duet" from the opera, Lakmé.

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Small Bites

patricia ralph wedding cocktail hour food
Franklyn Kwayke

Celebrants also enjoyed passed appetizers, including tabbouleh with lemon confit, burrata with confit tomatoes, cucumber naan with cottage cheese, and zucchini gazpacho.

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To the Pool

patricia ralph wedding cocktail hour from above
Franklyn Kwayke

The reception took place on the patio of the Pan Dei Palais, where round tables were covered with white linens and silver cutlery.

13 of 18

On the Tables

patricia ralph wedding table labels
Franklyn Kwayke

The all-white centerpieces placed on the tables varied in height; shimmering candles were strategically placed between flower arrangements. Each guests' spot was marked by a white card, calligraphed with their name and displayed on a sleek silver stand.

For dinner, guests enjoyed a three-course meal that started with a carpaccio di Gambero Rosso, followed by a filet of veal with basil crust, lemongrass, and artichokes for the main course.

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Berry Cocktails

patricia ralph wedding bright red cocktails
Franklyn Kwayke

Yummy (and festive!) red cocktails deviated from the duo's all-white palette.

15 of 18

Cake Blaze

patricia ralph wedding cake with fireworks
Franklyn Kwayke

The couple served a three-tiered vanilla and elderflower semi-naked cake, embellished with fresh flowers and fruits. Just before it was time to cut into the confection, lit sparklers were staked into the dessert.

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Belly Dancers

patricia ralph wedding belly dancer entertainment
Franklyn Kwayke

Dancers brought energy to the party and guests to their feet.

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The First Dance

patricia ralph wedding first dance
Franklyn Kwayke

At the end of the evening, the newlyweds shared their first dance to Aretha Franklin's "You Make Me Feel Like a Natural Woman." The happy couple then took off to the island of Saint Barthélemy for their honeymoon.

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Sources

patricia ralph wedding couple holding hands walking
Franklyn Kwayke

Photography, Franklyn Kwayke

Ceremony Venue, Le 1051, Pamplonne

Reception Venue and Catering, Pan Dei Palais, Saint-Tropz

Event planning and Design, Wedding Saint Tropez

Videographer, Sebastian Faye

Flowers, La Rose D'or

Bride's Ceremony Dress, Limor Rosen

Bride's Reception Dress, Berta

Bride's Shoes, Christian Louboutin

Hair and Makeup, Lea Billard

Groom's Suit, Ermenegildo Zegna

Groom's Shoes, Christian Louboutin

Music, The Nice Soul Band

Cake, Les Delices de Mathenzo

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