sodifferentandsointense,anddespiteit
beinga logisticalnightmaretogetmyjungle
friendstoMorocco,I’msohappythatsomeof
themarehere.”A PERFECTDAY
Withtheformalitiestakencareof,it wastime
tocelebrate,andaftershoweringFleur
andMarcelinconfettiastheyexitedtheir
ceremonytoa renditionofOhHappyDay, the
120-strongweddingpartyheadedtothe
hotel’soutdoorterrace,overlookingthe
infinitypoolandwithviewsofthemountains
beyond,forchampagneandcanapes.
Forthebuffetthatfollowed,Fleurand
MarceloptedfortraditionalMoroccancuisine- chicken,beefandvegetabletaginesanda
dessertofpoachedpearswithcinnamon
syrupservedwithvanillaicecream.
“Marcelis hardtoplease,buthehadtasted
thewholemenuinadvanceandwaslike:
‘Thisis good!’”Fleurtellsus.
Fleurhadsetherheartontheluxehotelas
a weddingvenueaftercheckingit outlastyear
asa potentialfitnessretreatforhercompany
W8Gym.Butlastmonthwasthefirsttime
theyhadvisitedit together.
“I waslike:‘Trustme!’”laughsFleur.
AssoonasMarcelsawit,hewassold.“You
canhearyourvoiceechothroughthevalleys,”
hesays.“Iwaslike:‘Igetit,I getit.’It’s
breathtakingandsopeaceful.”
GettingmarriedinMoroccoalsoprovedto
beperfectfortheirfamilies– bothhave
relativesintheUKandMarcelalsohasfamily
inSenegalandParis.
“HadwemarriedintheUK,it wouldhave
beenverydifficultforolderfamilymembers
inAfricatocome,”saysMarcel,whomovedto
Londonwhenhewas20,andwhosefamily
broughthandmadeclothfromtheirvillagein
SenegalasthoughtfulgiftsforFleur’sfamily.
DANCEDOESTHETALKING
Afterdinnerandspeeches– givenbyMarcel,
hisbrotherandbestmanMarc,Fleur’sfather
Malcolmandhersisterandmaidofhonour
Keshia– thecouplecuttheirseven-tier,
marble-effectweddingcake.
Thentherewasanoutfitchangeforboth
brideandgroom.Fleurslippedintoa white
jumpsuitbyUKdesignerRaine&Bea,while
hernewhusbandchangedintoa suithe’d
sourcedinJapan– wherehepoppedthe
questioninMarch.
Thenewlyweds’firstdancewastoTheVow
byRuth-AnneCunningham.“I’vewritten
withRuth,”saysFleur.“Thelyricstothe‘We’d love to start a
family, but at the moment,
I’m just excited to call
Marcel my husband’ Fleur
s
Justa monthafterthey
starteddating,thecouple
drewupa relationship
contract.“Itsaysthingslike
wehavetotalktoeachother
everyday,wehavetokiss
everyday,”Fleursays.“And
wesignedit.In2010!I think
weknew,backthen,thatthis
was‘the’relationship”Hotel L’Amandier proved the perfect location
for the nuptials after Fleur visited last year.
“I thought it was incredible, so I FaceTimed
Marcel by the pool and I was just like: ‘Look at
this!’ I told him if we were to get married, this
could be the place...”
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