There is nothing I love more than a dreamy destination wedding…..except maybe one that took place in a Chateau in France! Oh yes, when I say this wedding is Heavenly, I mean with a capital H! We’re talking flower crowns, a 1930s inspired wedding dress, a floral aisle arch oh and a sparkler exit, and all against a fairytale castle backdrop. With every last detail captured beautifully by Wookie Photography, this is definitely a wedding that will have you swooning…..

Inspired by their love of french food Charlotte and Grant set out in search for the perfect venue for their destination wedding and found it in the Dordogne. Charlotte explains “I always wanted something rustic in a venue; nothing too fancy but beautiful. And one that could accommodate our friends (the wedding party) and both families on site. A view of the French countryside we love so much was also really important to us.” And when they visited Chateau Cazenac with its towering turrets, stunning grounds, panoramic views over rolling hills and old barn, they knew: this was it. From the pretty colour palette to the lush fresh Summer flowers and Charlotte & Grant’s modern vintage style this wedding is simply my idea of perfection….. I hope you have your pinning finger ready!

Before we take a look at all the heavenly details, a few words from Amy at WOOKIE Photography “Charlotte & Grant were married at the beautiful Chateau Cazenac. Guests made their way over from England for three exciting days of BBQs, pool parties & cinema evenings to celebrate their marriage, which took place on the lawn of the beautiful Chateau in the middle of the long weekend. The wedding had a really homely feel, which felt more like an amazing house party- the guests were involved at every stage, from helping to set up the wedding, to sitting out talking all night after the wedding. It was a beautiful day with so many details- but it was the atmosphere which really made Charlotte & Grant’s celebration magical.”

“For my dress I wanted something simple, but elegant with a vintage influence that suited the simple surroundings of the chateau (and to match the 1930s style of my engagement ring). As soon as I saw Belle & Bunty’s collection, I fell in love with their style and loved the fact it was all handmade in London.”

Their ceremony was outside in the beautiful grounds of the chateau under a beautiful arbor of flowers. Luckily the weather on the day was perfect, despite it raining the day before AND after.

“I focused my search for bridesmaid dresses on looking for light pink to match our colour theme. I also wanted something floaty and romantic at a good price (under £100) and managed to find the perfect dresses on ASOS.” Unfortunately, somewhere in transit to France, one of them went missing! But luckily, Charlotte was completely chilled and the last minute alternative appears perfectly mismatched. Even better than that though, it turned out to be the only hiccup throughout the whole day! Which is amazing considering they organized the whole wedding from another country, and dragged almost everything for the day with them from the UK!

“In terms of flowers we had wild flowers decorate our wedding arch and side of aisles, then beautiful light greens and pinks for the bouquets and bridal crown.”

After readings from family and the signing of the register, they cut a ribbon (a French tradition) and walked to the other side of the chateau for a champagne reception with a minstrel quartet. “We had canapés, champagne and lemonade on the lawn, overlooking the view, after the ceremony.”

Didn’t the groom & groomsmen look fab? I especially love the socks that match their ties! ” I love navy and light blue with cream – it always looks really crisp and summery, without being too formal. With this in mind, we found the ideal suits at Reiss and the shoes were from Office.”

After the champagne reception and portraits, everyone made their way to the barn for the all important speeches and the yummy wedding breakfast. “One of the main motivations for having the wedding in France was the food, so we wanted to keep the menus as authentic as possible. For starters we had boards of meats (that included Bayonne ham, salami, rosette & chorizo), jJars of foie gras with pots of onion confit
 along with pots of duck rillets, dishes of olives and pickles and 
bread baskets with lovely bread from le coux. Followed by hog roast with an array of salads for main and instead of a wedding cake a selection of 13 local gateaux and tarts (very cost effective and the guests love them!)”

Later on, guests mingled in the twilight as the bride threw her bouquet from a balcony, and played around with a makeshift photo booth. As night fell, everyone made a walkway to the barn with sparklers, and the bride and groom made their way into the barn for the first dance. The band played into the small hours, and most people danced all night whilst a few snuck off into the chateau to play the piano and carry on the merriment!

 Tell us a little about your photographer…..

“We were clear on the style of photography we wanted; journalistic with a vintage finish – over exposed. Wookie’s style totally ticked the box. Importantly for us they made the effort to travel up from Brighton to meet us. We liked Amy straight away, she very professional but also very personable. She understood what we wanted immediately.

I would also always recommend having UK photographer if great quality, styled photos are important to you. Based on my experience the extra costs to bring a UK photographer is totally worth it”

I wish the happy newlyweds Charlotte & Grant every happiness! A huge thankyou to them, and fabulous photographers Wookie Photography, for allowing me to share their dreamy wedding with you. To see more of Amy and Wookie Photography‘s work, pop across to their website www.wookiephotography.com and you can also follow them on Facebook, Instagram, & Twitter.

I don’t know about you, but I’m off to peruse every gorgeous detail of this wedding all over again!…..

Amy

x

Photography ~ Wookie Photography

Flowers ~ Fleurs De Famille

Wedding Dress ~ Belle & Bunty

Bridal Jacket ~ Alice & Olivia 

Groom & Ushers ~ Reiss

Bridesmaids Dresses ~ Religion on ASOS

Venue ~ Chateau Cazenac (The Fairytale Chateau)

Ceremony & Reception ~ Chateau Cazenac (The Fairytale Chateau)

Day-Of Coordination ~ Marry Me In France

Catering ~ Chez Amis

Band ~ Hicksville