A Renaissance Celebration at Chateau d'Esclimont near Paris

Victoria and Artem's wedding at Chateau d'Esclimont near Paris featured a Zuhair Murad gown, a pink rose ceremony arch, and gold-accented dining, captured by Alina…

By Elena Moretti | Published 30 January 2022

A Renaissance Celebration at Chateau d'Esclimont near Paris

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Victoria and Artem's celebration unfolded at Chateau d'Esclimont, a Renaissance estate set across 60 hectares of parkland one hour from Paris. CTH Events Paris crafted a refined event with full French detail, from the floral ceremony arch of nine shades of pink roses to the gold-accented reception that followed.

Photography

Alina Sepp

Venue

Chateau d'Esclimont

Region

Ile-de-France, France

Couple

Victoria & Artem

Getting Ready

The bride is preparing to toss her bouquet during the indoor wedding reception, standing on a black-and-white diamond-patterned marble floor with a group of approximately ten female guests lined up behind her in anticipation. The venue is a formal ballroom or chateau reception room featuring wrought-iron candelabra-style chandeliers, mounted deer antler wall decor, and white walls bathed in deep pink and magenta uplighting. The bride wears a fitted, heavily beaded and lace cap-sleeve gown with a deep V-neckline, pearl drop earrings, and a matching necklace; she holds a small bouquet of blush and pink roses with white peonies. The guests behind her are dressed in a mix of vibrant formal wear including teal jumpsuits, red gowns, and coral and jewel-toned dresses. The shot is a medium portrait taken from a low angle slightly in front of the bride, with the assembled guests softly out of focus in the background.

A close-up portrait of a bride indoors, likely during a getting-ready or pre-ceremony moment, holding a smartphone in both hands. She is wearing an ivory sequined lace gown with a white satin bow belt at the waist and a dotted tulle cape or veil draped over her shoulders. Her accessories include drop earrings featuring pearl and crystal details and a pearl ring. Her brown hair is styled in an updo. In the soft background, a woman in a teal sleeveless dress with a necklace is visible, likely a bridesmaid or family member. The setting appears to be an interior room with warm, patterned decor visible in the background.

A getting-ready detail shot of a white ball gown-style wedding dress hanging from a crystal and gilt chandelier inside a chateau or manor house interior. The dress features all-over beading or lace appliqué with a full skirt and is hung on a white satin-ribbon hanger. The room is decorated with floral-patterned wallpaper in warm pink and green tones, and the chandelier's candle-style bulbs are lit, casting a warm amber glow. The image is taken from a low angle looking up toward the chandelier, emphasizing the volume of the gown's skirt in the foreground.

Victoria prepared in the chateau's bridal suite, where her sequin-embellished Zuhair Murad gown with detachable skirt took centre stage. The gown's design allowed a graceful shift from day to evening, its intricate beading catching the light as Alina Sepp captured every moment. Hair and makeup came together with precision, reflecting Victoria's strong personal design vision.

Bridal Portraits

A bride sits in the passenger seat of a vintage white Mercedes-Benz convertible (likely a 190SL) parked on a gravel drive beside a French château with stone masonry and castle turrets visible in the background. The bride wears a voluminous white ball gown with tulle that spills over the car door, and holds a loose, garden-style bouquet with mixed warm-toned blooms and greenery. She is smiling and appears relaxed in a wide portrait-style shot that includes the full length of the classic car. The overall styling is classic and romantic, pairing a heritage vehicle with a traditional bridal look in front of château architecture. Potential venue feature image.

A bride portrait taken outdoors on the grounds of a French chateau, shot from behind in a wide portrait composition. The bride wears a full-length white ballgown with a long cathedral veil and a white fur bolero jacket, her hair pinned up with a decorative accessory. She stands beside a vintage white Mercedes-Benz convertible on a lawn at the edge of a reflective lake, with the chateau's grand facade visible across the water in the background. The setting and classic vehicle give the image a formal, vintage-inspired aesthetic, photographed during autumn as indicated by the orange and yellow foliage on surrounding trees. Potential venue feature image.

A bridal portrait shot indoors, with a bride posing beside an ornate white marble fireplace mantel. She wears a white sheer long-sleeve gown with lace trim detailing and a ruffled front, accessorized with drop pearl earrings, a delicate pendant necklace, and a gold hair accessory in her upswept hair. She lightly touches a large pink hydrangea cluster held in a white ceramic vase, which is part of an abundant floral arrangement on the mantel featuring pink oriental lilies, lavender delphiniums, white lisianthus, and garden roses in mixed pink, white, and purple tones. A crystal chandelier and a gold-framed mirror are visible in the background, suggesting a classic French interior setting. The composition is a three-quarter portrait with soft, warm indoor lighting and a slightly blurred background that draws focus to the bride.

An outdoor portrait capturing a candid moment between a bride and groom, with the bride laughing openly toward the groom whose back is partially visible in the foreground. The bride wears a white lace gown with a sheer illusion neckline decorated with floral appliqués and cap sleeves, paired with a long veil and a decorative hair accessory; she also wears pearl drop earrings. The setting appears to be a garden or estate grounds with ivy-covered walls visible in the background. The shot is a close-up portrait with a shallow depth of field, keeping focus on the bride's expression.

Alina Sepp captured Victoria against Chateau d'Esclimont's Renaissance facades, formal gardens, and tree-lined avenues. The Zuhair Murad gown's sequin embellishment shimmered in the soft light, creating portraits that balanced the scale of the 60-hectare estate with the intimacy of the bride's expression. The autumn colour palette of yellow, red, and green foliage provided a natural warmth.

Reception

Indoor wedding reception dinner scene captured from a medium shot, showing guests seated at round tables raising champagne glasses in a toast. The ornate ballroom features pink-purple uplighting on decorative wall moldings and archways, creating a warm ambient glow. Table decor includes tall candelabras with white taper candles, crystal glassware stacked in a tower arrangement, white and pink floral centerpieces, gold/copper accent vessels, and votive candles on ivory linen tablecloths. Guests visible include a woman in a teal ruffle-sleeve dress and another in a red dress in the foreground, with a full room of approximately 50 or more attendees visible in the background, suggesting a large-scale formal reception in a chateau or palace-style venue.

The bride and groom are dancing at their indoor wedding reception, surrounded by guests who are also dancing and watching. The bride wears a full ballgown with a lace-appliquéd tulle skirt, cap sleeves, and a low open back, with her hair in an updo; the groom is in a dark suit with a black bow tie and a white boutonniere. The ballroom walls are lit with vivid magenta/hot pink uplighting, and decorative stag antler mounts are visible on the walls alongside a wrought-iron chandelier overhead. The floor features a geometric tile pattern, and guests in the background are dressed in varied formal attire including a black-and-white zebra-print gown and a coral/red dress; the shot is taken from behind the couple at a medium distance, capturing the full sweep of the bridal gown.

Inside the chateau, gold accents and clean symmetry shaped the reception tables, guided by Victoria's strong design vision. The menu featured French cuisine that honoured the estate's culinary tradition, while speeches and toasts carried warmth and humour through the evening. Dancing followed beneath the Renaissance ceilings as the celebration gathered its full energy.

Flat Lays

Close-up detail shot of a ring exchange moment during a wedding ceremony, with the groom placing a ring on the bride's finger. The bride is wearing a heavily embellished white lace and beaded cap-sleeve dress with a pearl and crystal necklace, and holds a bouquet with pink flowers partially visible. The groom is dressed in a dark suit. The composition is tightly framed with soft foreground blur framing the hands at center, giving a candid, intimate feel.

Indoor reception detail shot of a sweetheart or head table inside what appears to be a chateau ballroom or grand salon. The round table is draped in a pale grey linen and decorated with an abundant arrangement of blush pink, mauve, and white flowers including garden roses and hydrangeas, flanked by tall gold candelabras with lit taper candles and scattered gold votive candle holders. The table is positioned directly beneath a large oil painting in a gilt-edged frame depicting a woman in a Victorian-era white gown with a child, hung on a warm pink-toned wall. On either side of the painting are mounted white painted stag heads with ornate decorative brackets, and soft purple uplighting illuminates the wall on both sides. The floor features a classic geometric tile pattern in terracotta and dark grey. The overall decor palette combines blush pink, gold, and grey in a classic, chateau-appropriate style. Wide shot capturing the full table and wall backdrop.

A collage of seven wedding photographs from a French château wedding. Top left: a wide exterior shot of a large French château reflected in a calm lake, surrounded by autumn trees — Potential venue feature image. Top right: an indoor getting-ready scene showing the bride seated at a mirror while two attendants style her hair, with pink and white floral arrangements visible in the background. Middle left: a close-up detail shot of a ring exchange during the ceremony, showing the groom placing a ring on the bride's finger, with the bride wearing a beaded ivory lace gown. Middle right: an outdoor portrait of the smiling bride in a full ball gown with intricate beading and a cathedral veil, wearing a white fur wrap and holding a bouquet of pink and white blooms, standing with a guest or groom in a black suit against an autumn garden backdrop; paired with a close-up detail of the back of the beaded ivory ball gown. Bottom left: a couples portrait outdoors with the bride in a deep V-neck beaded ivory gown and long veil, and the groom in a black tuxedo, framed by blush pink and ivory garden roses in soft focus. Bottom right: the bride seated in a vintage white Mercedes-Benz 190SL convertible parked alongside the stone exterior of the château, wearing her veil and gown.

Close-up detail shot of a bride being helped into her wedding dress during the getting-ready portion of the day. The gown is heavily embellished with iridescent white and silver sequins across a tulle base, featuring a fitted bodice with a defined waist seam and a full skirt. A second person's hands are visible fastening the back zipper closure, and they are wearing a statement ring with a large emerald-cut green stone surrounded by a diamond halo. The composition is a tight detail/close-up focusing on the back bodice and waist area of the dress.

Detail compositions showcased the celebration's refined aesthetic in miniature. Calligraphed stationery, gold-edged menus, and delicate ring shots were arranged alongside the bride's accessories and floral sprigs of pink roses. Each flat lay reflected the gold-accented design language that Victoria had envisioned for the day.