Never before had a marriage been celebrated at the Mont-Saint-Michel Abbey. Vincent Flovinno, Secular Ceremonial Officiant during this exceptional union, tells us behind the scenes and clarifies certain points.
This is the event that has attracted attention around the world in recent weeks: the ultra-exclusive wedding which took place on June 1, 2026 at the summit of Mont-Saint-Michel Abbey of a particularly influential couple of Chinese billionaires. The bride is none other than the famous top model Ming Xi, a face known worldwide for having been the face of the Flower by Kenzo perfume advertising campaign and a model for Givenchy, Chanel, Balmain, Dior and Victoria’s Secret. By his side, her husband Mario Hoson of the late “king of casinos” of Macau Stanley Ho, is a brilliant businessman who notably became co-owner of the basketball team (NBA). He is also included in the Fortune China ranking of the 40 most influential people under the age of 40.
Already civilly married seven years ago, in 2019, the lovers saw their plans disrupted by the ups and downs of life: the death of Mario’s father, Covid-19, and the birth of their two children. It is to seal this love story that they chose to treat themselves to an exceptional wedding never seen before, in the heart of the Abbey of Mont-Saint-Michel. But contrary to what we may hear, it is neither a religious marriage, nor the first marriage celebrated in 1000 years. “In fact, there has never been a marriage in the entire history of the Abbey. This is the very first“, tells us Vincent Flovinno, who had the honor of officiating the wedding of Ming Xi and Mario Ho. “The Abbey has belonged to the State since the French Revolution and is deconsecrated, which means that no Catholic marriages are authorized there even if there is a monastic presence and liturgical celebrations. Moreover, the Church does not plan this type of celebration in an abbey. This is the reason why there has never been a wedding at the Mont-Saint-Michel Abbey.” explains Vincent, who has been officiating for 15 years. It is therefore a secular wedding, tailor-made, in a unique setting overlooking the bay of Mont-Saint-Michel, between land, sky and sea.
This is precisely what attracted the newlyweds: the beauty of this place full of history and emotion, which is none other than the number one tourist destination in France after the capital. To be able to organize this secular ceremony there, the couple spent millions, which will be used to “participate in the maintenance of the Mont-Saint-Michel Abbey and the 110 monuments of the Center des Monuments Nationaux (CMN), in compliance with strict specifications guaranteeing the conservation of the site“.
Thus, after having climbed more than 300 steps to access this former prison, the 150 guests (between 150 and 180, editor’s note) were able to discover a magnificent floral decoration composed of thousands of pink flowers, as well as a warm atmosphere punctuated by violins whose sound resonated perfectly under the stones of the abbey. The event nevertheless began with a memorable unexpected event: “when the drones took off from the terrace to film, the gulls, the real masters of the place, attacked them for five minutes before understanding that they were not predators” relates the officiant.
The bride, dressed in a haute couture dress from Dior, embellished with 200 carats of Graff diamonds, was both sublime and touching. “I felt real sincerity, emotion and real love between the couple, especially at the moment of exchanging vows, we all felt it“, tells us Vincent Flovinno.
After the spectacular celebration under the vaults of the abbey, the festivities of this billionaire couple continued in Normandy. The Chinese couple continued the event in Deauville, at the prestigious Hôtel Barrière Le Normandy. The bride wore another high-end outfit, adorning herself on this occasion with more than 100 carats of diamonds by Graff.
According to the officiant, this exceptional event at Mont-Saint-Michel will undeniably inspire other future brides and grooms. Although an organization of such a scale is not within the reach of all budgets, he is convinced that this spotlight will generate a real peak in requests for intimate ceremonies around the historic monument. The place should therefore see new requests flourish for weddings in the form of “elopements” (a romantic escape or a wedding in a very small group) at Mont-Saint-Michel. For the officiant, the key to the success of these future intimate moments will mainly rest on an essential pair: the officiant and the photographer, capable of capturing and enhancing all the emotion of these suspended moments.
Thanks to Vincent Flovinno, secular ceremony officiant and director of the Cérémonie de Rêve by Flovinno agency.
