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French Wedding Style

Bohemian French Charm at Chateau St Michel, Pyrenees

Carly and Ben's bohemian wedding at Chateau St Michel in the Pyrenees foothills, with pampas grass, a croquembouche, and a secret cellar party. Planned by…

By Elena Moretti | Published 10 December 2019
Bohemian French Charm at Chateau St Michel, Pyrenees

Carly and Ben toured venues across South West France before finding Chateau St Michel in the foothills of the Pyrenees. Planned and photographed by Mark and Clementine of Awardweddings, their celebration blended bohemian texture with French charm across the Burgundy countryside. The result was a day as warm and natural as the couple themselves.

Photography
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Venue
Chateau St Michel
Region
Occitanie, France
Couple
Carly & Ben

Getting Ready

A getting-ready detail shot showing an ivory lace wedding dress hanging in a doorway beside a pair of gold strappy block-heel sandals placed on wide-plank hardwood floors. The dress features intricate floral lace detailing throughout and a flowing skirt. The setting is an indoor room with white wood-paneled walls and doors, likely a chateau or historic venue interior, with natural light streaming through the windows creating soft shadows on the floor. The composition is a wide detail shot at floor level, emphasizing the bridal accessories against the classic white-painted architectural millwork.
Close-up detail shot of an ivory lace wedding dress laid out on a rustic wooden plank floor. The gown features intricate floral and botanical lace patterns across multiple layers, with a scalloped lace hem visible at the bottom edge. Natural light falls across the fabric, highlighting the texture and delicate embroidery details of the overlay. No people are visible; this is a getting-ready detail image focused entirely on the dress.
A collage of nine wedding photographs from a French chateau wedding, showcasing multiple moments throughout the day. The venue is a grand red-brick chateau with turrets, visible in both an exterior wide shot and a couple portrait on the grounds, where the bride wears a lace gown and the groom a tan suit. Additional images include: a close-up of a boho-style bouquet featuring blush pink roses, pampas grass, and greenery; a getting-ready portrait of the bride in a low-back white gown with lace sleeves; a tablescape with white linens, greenery runners, and gold accents; a guest signing a guestbook; a confetti exit through a doorway with colorful guests in navy, floral, and jewel-toned outfits; a candid couple portrait among tall grasses with the groom in a cream suit; and a warm-toned evening reception shot with string lights illuminating a long dinner table filled with guests. The overall styling theme is boho-romantic with a palette of blush, cream, and greenery. Potential venue feature image.
A portrait of a bride standing at an open French door, shown from behind at a three-quarter angle, smiling downward. She is wearing an ivory fitted lace wedding dress with a deep V-back, floral lace flutter sleeves, and a row of small buttons along the spine. Her medium-length blonde hair is styled in loose waves, half-up. The setting appears to be indoors at a chateau or manor house, with a stone balustrade visible through the doorway. The image is softly lit with natural light flooding in from the window, giving it an airy, bright quality. Close-up portrait composition with a shallow depth of field.

An ivory lace wedding dress by Victoria Sanders Studio hung in a doorway beside gold strappy block-heel sandals, the warm light of the chateau setting the romantic tone. Carly's soft waves were styled by Muriel of Marry Us in France, who also officiated the ceremony. The couple's portrait, his nuzzling into her temple as she smiled with eyes closed, captured the gentle intimacy of the morning.

Ceremony

An outdoor wedding ceremony close-up showing three people mid-ritual: a bride in a short-sleeve lace white dress with pom-pom trim hem, a female officiant wearing white trousers and a blue and white floral kimono-style wrap with a clip-on microphone, and a groom in a beige suit with a white floral boutonniere. The officiant is holding a wooden or leather cord or wand, appearing to perform a handfasting or unity ritual, with the couple's hands extended toward it. The backdrop features ivory fabric draped through the branches of a large leafy tree, creating a boho-style ceremony backdrop. The composition is a medium portrait shot with the background softly blurred.
Close-up detail shot of a ceremony aisle floral arrangement placed in a white woven basket, positioned beside a wooden chair with additional arrangements visible in the blurred background. The arrangement features blush pink roses, blush and dusty pink dahlias with green buds, and tall pampas grass plumes extending upward, styled in a boho aesthetic. Olive branches and eucalyptus provide lush greenery throughout the composition. The overall palette is blush pink, dusty rose, and green with warm tan tones from the pampas grass.
The bride is being walked down the outdoor aisle by a man in a blue blazer and beige trousers, likely her father, during a garden ceremony on the grounds of a red-brick French chateau with a distinctive round turret visible in the background. The bride wears a fitted, long-sleeved lace gown with floral embroidery and carries a large, loose bouquet featuring pampas grass, greenery, olive branches, and blush blooms in a boho style. Guests seated on wooden folding chairs line both sides of the grass aisle, with olive branch arrangements decorating the chair ends; onlookers including women in yellow dresses are visible to the left. The shot is a medium wide portrait taken at aisle level, capturing the processional moment with the chateau architecture prominently featured in the background. Potential venue feature image.
Detail shot of an outdoor wedding ceremony setup on a grass lawn, showing rows of dark wood folding chairs with ivory cushions. The aisle chairs are decorated with small bunches of olive branches tied with twine or thin ribbon, giving a rustic, natural aesthetic. A draped ivory or white fabric panel is partially visible on the left side of the frame, likely part of a ceremony arch or backdrop. No guests are present, suggesting this was taken before the ceremony. The composition is a shallow-depth-of-field portrait-orientation shot with the foreground chair in focus and the remaining rows softly blurred.

The bride walked down the outdoor aisle accompanied by her father beneath a broad tree draped in neutral fabric, its branches forming a natural canopy. Olive bouquets and rose-filled arrangements lined the aisle, framing the couple against the chateau's garden backdrop. Muriel of Marry Us in France led the heartfelt ceremony, wearing dual hats as both stylist and officiant.

Cocktail Hour

A caricature artist is drawing a portrait sketch on a clipboard during what appears to be an outdoor cocktail hour, with the groom standing nearby as the likely subject. The groom wears a light beige linen suit with a dark tie and a white and cream floral boutonniere. The sketch on the clipboard shows a smiling female face in a caricature style. In the background, guests mingle near white-clothed tables in an outdoor courtyard or terrace setting with terracotta planters visible. The shot is a close-up detail capturing the artist's hand and clipboard in the foreground, with the groom partially visible at center frame.
A cocktail hour or outdoor reception taking place on a wooden deck surrounding a large rectangular swimming pool in front of a red brick French chateau with grey slate turrets and white-trimmed windows. Approximately 30-40 guests are spread across the terrace and lawn area, dressed in smart-casual summer attire, with some sitting at the pool's edge and others mingling near white market umbrellas and wooden wine barrel decorations. A white marquee tent is visible to the left, and a lounge seating area with grey wicker furniture is positioned to the right near a bar service station. Wide shot taken from pool level looking toward the chateau facade. Potential venue feature image.
A couple portrait taken outdoors on the grounds of a red-brick French chateau with a distinctive corner tower and slate roof. The bride and groom are photographed from behind, walking together toward the chateau; the bride raises her bouquet of dried pampas grass and neutral-toned dried florals high in the air in a celebratory gesture. The bride wears a fitted lace wedding gown with a low open back and a short train, while the groom wears a light beige suit. In the background, white marquee tents and a small group of guests are visible to the left of the chateau, suggesting a cocktail hour or outdoor reception in progress. The image is shot in warm golden-hour light with a slightly hazy, sun-flared exposure, giving the overall tones an amber warmth. Full-length portrait composition. Potential venue feature image.

A caricature artist sketched guest portraits on a clipboard during the poolside cocktail hour, while the groom stood nearby watching the process unfold. Guests mingled on the lawn with canapes and champagne as the afternoon light softened across the chateau grounds. The relaxed atmosphere reflected Clementine's styling: open, light, and connected to the surrounding landscape.

Reception

A male drummer performs live at an outdoor evening wedding reception, playing a clear acrylic drum kit with red/bronze cymbals under a white tent structure. The musician is wearing glasses, a white shirt, and a dark vest, and is actively mid-play with drumsticks raised. The setting is dimly lit with artificial lighting illuminating the performer and kit against a dark background, suggesting a nighttime outdoor reception entertainment setup. The shot is a medium close-up focused on the performer and drum kit from a slight low angle.
An outdoor wedding reception dinner table set up in a garden or parkland setting, photographed from one end in a perspective wide shot that emphasizes the length of the table. The long rectangular table is covered with a white linen tablecloth and lined on both sides with dark wood folding chairs fitted with white tufted seat cushions. The tablescape features a green garland runner of eucalyptus and olive branches interspersed with blush pink florals, tall white taper candles in brass candlestick holders, silver champagne ice buckets with rosé and white wine bottles, water bottles, wine glasses, white plate place settings, and wicker bread baskets. The decor palette is white, gold, and greenery with blush accents, giving the overall styling a relaxed rustic-chic feel. Fairy lights are faintly visible strung between trees in the background.
A live band performs during a wedding reception inside a large white sailcloth or marquee tent. The groom, wearing a cream three-piece suit with a dark tie and navy loafers, dances energetically at center stage in front of a microphone stand. The band includes a female vocalist in a floral dress, a guitarist in a dark jacket, and a drummer partially visible at the rear left, with amplifiers and music stands on a wood chip-covered ground floor. Several wedding guests in floral and formal attire watch and socialize along the right edge of the frame, with warm tent lighting and string lights visible along the tent's inner border. Wide shot capturing the full performance setup and guest interaction.
An outdoor wedding reception dinner is underway on the grounds of a red-brick chateau, with approximately 50 guests seated along a single long banquet table covered in white linen. Guests are dressed in summer attire including colorful floral and patterned dresses in red, orange, and yellow tones, with most men in white shirts. The table is set with wine bottles, glassware, and scattered greenery as decor, suggesting a relaxed, garden-party styling approach. The wide shot captures the full length of the table from a slight angle, with the chateau's red-brick facade and tall conifer trees visible in the background. Potential venue feature image.

Approximately fifty guests gathered at a single long banquet table on the grounds of the red-brick chateau, foliage garlands, brass candlesticks, and soft cream tapers running the full length. The meal ended with a croquembouche, the classic French finale to a sunlit celebration. As night fell, courtyard lights flickered to life and the couple led guests into a secret cellar party that carried the joy well past midnight.

Flat Lays

Close-up detail shot of an outdoor wedding reception table set with a white linen tablecloth. The centerpiece features a trailing greenery garland of eucalyptus and olive branches running the length of the table, accented with a single blush pink rose and small votive candles. Brass candlesticks holding white taper candles are placed along the garland, alongside clear glass water bottles and stemmed wine glasses turned upside down. Each place setting includes a white ceramic plate, silver cutlery, and a printed paper menu card with a kraft paper tag. Wooden folding chairs are visible in the background. The overall decor palette is white, gold, and greenery with a rustic-natural styling theme.
A flat lay detail shot of bridal accessories arranged on a round wooden side table. The items include a pair of gold/bronze metallic platform heels, a silver ornate tray holding a tan ring box, printed stationery cards with botanical-illustrated borders (including a card labeled 'Bride'), a diamond engagement ring displayed on a card, gold hoop earrings, and eucalyptus stems with silver-green leaves. The overall styling palette is warm gold and metallic tones with a rustic, boho aesthetic.
A couple portrait shot outdoors, with the groom nuzzling into the bride's temple as she smiles with her eyes closed. The groom wears a light sand-beige linen suit with a white shirt and dark tie, while the bride wears a white lace wedding dress featuring sheer three-quarter-length sleeves with floral lace detailing. The bride holds a large, loosely arranged bouquet incorporating greenery and olive branches, blush pink roses, pampas grass, and dried neutral-toned florals, consistent with a boho styling aesthetic. The portrait is a medium close-up framed against tall ornamental grasses that fill the background, with warm golden-hour light filtering through.
Close-up detail shot of an outdoor wedding reception table set with a white linen tablecloth. The centerpiece features a garland of eucalyptus and olive branches running along the table's length, interspersed with lit taper candles in brass candlestick holders and small votive tea lights. Place settings include white round plates layered with a printed menu card and a kraft paper name card reading 'Lisa,' flanked by silver cutlery and inverted wine glasses. Water and wine bottles are placed along the center of the table, and dark wood folding chairs are visible in the background. The overall styling is minimal and nature-forward with a green and white palette accented by warm brass tones.

The couple's portrait outdoors showed the groom in a light sand-beige linen suit nuzzling into the bride's temple, framed by the estate's pampas grass and olive branches. Stationery, accessories, and table details reflected a laid-back Provencal palette of cream, blush, and soft green. The ceremony tree draped in neutral fabric, flanked by olive and rose arrangements, appeared in both the flat lay story and the ceremony gallery.

More from the Day

Wide exterior shot of a French château venue photographed from across the grounds, framed by large trees in the foreground. The building is a multi-story red brick château with slate-roofed turrets, mansard roofing, and ornate dormer windows typical of 19th-century French architecture. A small white structure or tent is faintly visible to the left side of the building, suggesting event setup. The composition uses the tree canopy as a natural frame around the façade. Potential venue feature image.
Aesthetic
Bohemian
Guest Count
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Budget Range
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Bride's Dress
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