France Wedding Photographer
Sometimes when you work on a wedding you get a really palpable sense of the pre-ordained. We met Liz and Ella not too long after our New Zealand trip, and hearing how their love story had spanned continents, endured absences and struggled against conflicting time zones would have had us dewy eyed at the best of times, not least in the few months after experiencing our own ‘Lost in Translation’ moments on the other side of the Earth. Before we had time to check that we had not fallen amongst the pages of an F. Scott Fitzgerald novel, Liz and Ella let us know that they had chosen to get married at the beautiful and decadent Chateau De La Motte Husson of ‘Escape to the Chateau’ fame. We’d worked there once before at that time, and the thought of returning to that whimsical old chateau with such a wonderful couple filled us with excitement.
The day itself could not have worked better. Liz and Ella are two of the most relaxed people you’re ever likely to meet, as are the Chateau’s owners and Hosts, Dick and Angel. We usually send a form out three weeks before a wedding day in order to capture timings and important information, but for this wedding our form was returned with one simple instruction; ‘Angel knows everything.’ On the day, Angel perfectly and effortlessly choreographed everything without anyone even realising what was happening, allowing the guests and our Couple to enjoy the heady sun and wine soaked haze that is the hallmark of an afternoon in The Orangery. After all, this is France!
Liz had opted for a beautiful Phase Eight jumpsuit with an embellished belt and a simple but delightfully girly floral crown. Ella chose Grace Loves Lace’s ‘Rosa’ dress, with its layers of intricate geometric lace. Their looks worked so effortlessly together and suited their unique personalities. Angel coordinated the flowers, cut from the Chateau gardens. In short, there was very little ‘fuss’ – Liz and Ella’s priorities lay elsewhere, in good food and good wine, and lazy conversations with their treasured friends and family over the course a beautiful sun soaked day in the Loire Valley.
The dining closed with bread and more cheese, and a simple wedding cake made by the Chateau team. And then they danced and danced and danced until the sun was just a memory. Ash and I left the wedding party to enjoy the last hour unobserved, taking our leave across the moonlit grass meadow, hearing only the crickets and the dull thump of a roaring party still in full swing.
Venue: Chateau de la Motte Husson
Ella’s dress: Grace Loves Lace
Liz’s Jump Suit: Phase Eight
Photos: Us
