Photos (above): Real Wedding: Maxine & Thomas - Photographer: Anaïs Lesy
Marriage Proposal plus Paris!
On June 21, 2024, Thomas proposed to 'his' Maxine. Maxine excitedly shares: “I was working that Sunday, and we have this little ritual of going out to dinner together after my work on Sundays. However, when I got home that evening, there were candles everywhere. Thomas proposed to me, and of course, my answer was a resounding ‘Yes!’. Then Thomas said I could pack my suitcase, and we would leave immediately. The destination was a complete surprise for me. We ended up driving to Paris and had dinner at the Parisian restaurant Costes. Thomas had even arranged time off at my work for the following days. It was a really wonderful surprise!”
Marrying in the woods... with Geoff to the rescue
Maxine and Thomas immediately knew who would cater their wedding: “Bistro ’t Verschil is our favorite restaurant. We definitely wanted them to provide the food at our celebration. Because we also wanted to marry in a forest, a wedding planner was indispensable. In a forest, you have to provide everything yourself: a tent, various materials, equipment, furniture, electricity, and so on. That’s why we chose to work with wedding planner Geoff. We found him via House of Weddings, and my sister also had positive experiences with Geoff. Geoffrey took care of the complete styling and coordination of our wedding. We are super glad we chose him; we were so carefree that day. Everything was perfect!”
They had their wedding invitations made at Drukkerij Baert: “We are super satisfied with Drukkerij Baert! The next time I need printed materials, I will definitely go back to them,” shares Maxine.
Parisian Style with Blue Hues
Maxine and Thomas chose a theme close to their hearts. Maxine shares: “We really wanted a celebration in Parisian style; think of the elegant style with blue hues from Ralph Lauren. Since we often take trips to Paris and also celebrated our engagement there, it’s completely fitting for us. That's why we asked all guests to come in blue, in any shade of blue. The end result was stunning in the photos!”
Dream Dress at JPC Collection
Maxine found her wedding dress at JPC Collection in Antwerp, despite this not initially being her plan. Maxine: “I was actually planning to design a dress myself. I brought many photos of all sorts of dresses I liked to the bridal shop. To my surprise, the shop assistant at JPC Collection said there was certainly a line among the different dresses. She then brought me five dresses, and the second one I tried on was immediately my dream dress! With the veil, I knew for sure: this is the dress. I didn't need to search further, let alone design my gown.”
Thomas rented his wedding suit from Vanwynsberghe in Kuurne.
Wedding Rings from Scaldis
Maxine and Thomas had their wedding rings made by jeweler Scaldis in Kortrijk. Maxine: “I wear both white gold and yellow gold. The team at Scaldis created a design that combined both colors. My ring is additionally based on Thomas's, with extra diamonds added. We went a few times and tried on various rings until we—with the custom design Scaldis made—had exactly what we wanted. It was truly excellent!”
Maxine’s mother also had a ring made at Scaldis. It was chosen especially for the wedding and is set with a blue sapphire, perfectly in theme.
Civil Marriage
Maxine and Thomas were already legally married in Roeselare on April 19, 2025, exactly five years after they became a couple. Maxine: “We really wanted to get married on that date. However, we didn’t have enough time to organize our wedding celebration. Therefore, we planned our civil marriage on April 19, and our church wedding and celebration on June 28, 2025.”
Church Ceremony with Live Music
On June 28, 2025, Maxine and Thomas’s big day finally arrived! Their church wedding took place in Oostnieuwkerke. Maxine shares: “The most beautiful moment of our day was when I entered the church. Thomas and I saw each other for the first time in our wedding outfits at that moment, and all our loved ones around us were so enthusiastic. It really was very special.”
Live music made the service even more intense: “Singer Steffi Vertriest and her pianist performed beautiful live music. The self-chosen songs made our ceremony very personal.”
Lunch & Picture Break
After the church ceremony, Maxine and Thomas enjoyed a lunch with their close family. They also chose a brief photoshoot with photographer Anaïs Lesy. Maxine explains: “We wanted to fully experience our wedding day and not miss a moment of the celebration. That’s why we opted mainly for atmospheric photos and a short photoshoot during lunch.”
Secret Party Location in the Woods
After the lunch and photoshoot, the couple and their friends and family headed to the party location. Maxine and Thomas kept this location a secret for their guests until the very last moment. “The invitation only included the address of a parking lot. Some people thought we would set up a tent there. However, someone was ready to guide guests to shuttles. The shuttles then drove along a long tree-lined avenue, after which the guests still had to walk a hundred meters through the woods. Here, they still saw nothing of the party, until they suddenly came to a clearing in the woods, where the beautiful tent from Stretched greeted them. It was truly an impressive arrival!” laughs Maxine.
Two Receptions, Twice the Atmosphere
Due to limited space at the location, Maxine and Thomas organized two receptions. The first reception took place after the church ceremony and lunch for the daytime guests, and the second took place after that, for the evening guests who also stayed for dinner. Maxine: “During both receptions, there was a ‘cortador’ from Joka to slice delicious Spanish jamón. We love going to Spain and thought this was a personal and atmospheric element to add. During the second reception, a speech was also given, followed by a fun song. Everyone began dancing spontaneously, which set the mood even before we sat at the table.”
Original Entrance
For the dinner, Maxine and Thomas made a very original entrance. “Thomas didn’t just want to walk in. Geoff came up with the idea that I could sit on Thomas’s shoulders as we came in together. This was a super fun moment, full of ambiance!” laughs Maxine.
During the dinner, the catering was provided by Bistro 't Verschil. Maxine shares: “We love good food and didn’t want the menu to be too special. Our menu was actually quite classic, with a chic twist. It completely suited us.”
Dessert on the Dance Floor
After the dinner, it was time for Maxine and Thomas’s opening dance. They had taken dance lessons at Dance School Dançar. “We found our opening dance so special. We sometimes do the choreography again at home and relive that fantastic moment. Everyone stood around us and was very enthusiastic. We could hardly eat the dessert because everyone was dancing!” laughs Maxine. The party then fully erupted, with DJ Thomas Vermandere at the turntables.
Maxine’s Top Tips
Maxine gladly shares her golden advice for future couples: “Enjoy, because it goes by so quickly. Everyone has an opinion; however, listen mainly to yourself and choose what suits you. It helps to have a common thread or theme so that everything forms one beautiful whole. Everyone said afterward that our wedding celebration fit us perfectly. We thought that was the most beautiful compliment.”
The whole House of Weddings team warmly congratulates Maxine and Thomas and wishes them lots of love and happiness in the future! Thank you for sharing your story with us.
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Wedding planning & styling: Geoff / Location: private / Tent: Stretched / Photographer: Anaïs Lesy / Content creator: Bymel Bridal Content / Graphic design & printed materials: Drukkerij Baert / Wedding dress: JPC Collection (brand: Pronovias) / Wedding suit: Vanwynsberghe / Shoes Maxine: Azur Shoes Knokke (brand: Casadei), Thomas: Paul Smith / Wedding rings: Scaldis / Engagement ring: Neslany Jewels / Catering & dessert: Cortador from Joka + Bistro 't Verschil / Flowers: Maison Julie / Master of ceremonies: Davy Delem / Decoration & furniture: Picobello + Options via Geoff / DJ: Thomas Vermandere / Lighting & sound: via Geoff / Live music: Steffi Vertriest / Makeup & hair: Mint Makeup + Hairstyling Sabine / Wedding transport: wedding bus via Sima Tours + classic car from the family / Opening dance: Dance School Dançar
