A Château Lacanaud Wedding That Turned Into a Two-Day Celebration

Getting ready happened inside Château Lacanaud's own rooms: whitewashed stone walls, exposed oak beams and chandelier light, with the French doors thrown open against the heat. Bryony's gown was a sculpted strapless design with a draped sweetheart bodice and a sleek, fitted silhouette. Her cathedral-length veil was embroidered with a large floral lace appliqué at the hem, trailing behind her like something from another century. She wore strappy white heeled sandals from Manolo Blahnik and carried a white parasol against the sun. Her bridesmaids matched each other in floor-length yellow slip dresses. James wore a cream double-breasted linen suit with a navy polka-dot tie and a white boutonnière, a relaxed match for his bride. Paper fans, handed out for the heat, turned into an accessory of their own.

The outdoor ceremony was held on the château's open lawn, a long white aisle runner flanked by cross-back wooden chairs and tall stone urns overflowing with white delphinium and gypsophila. Guests fanned themselves in the midday heat as a live cellist played. James waited at the altar with a paper fan of his own, beaming. The couple read their vows from small leather-bound books. The exchange stayed quietly emotional even against the heat.

The recessional carried all the energy the ceremony had held back. Bryony and James ran hand in hand back down the aisle through an arch of confetti thrown by their guests. The château rose behind them under a cloudless sky.

The wedding cake was a classic French croquembouche, choux pastry piled high and brought out to cheers under the evening sky. Dinner and dancing then moved into the château's stone barn, fairy lights and a disco ball carrying on where the daylight left off. A live band gave way to a DJ set that kept the dancefloor full into the early hours. The stone walls held the day's heat long after the sun had gone. The celebration did not stop there. The following afternoon, guests were back at the château pool, floats and all, the unmistakable energy of people who were not ready for the weekend to end.

The design ran to a crisp white and natural linen palette throughout, clean and confident rather than cold. Bryony carried a generous, loosely gathered bouquet of ivory garden roses, and stationery was kept to refined script on white. The bar carried its own printed list: Bordeaux rosé, Sauvignon Blanc, Aperol Spritz and Coronas. One more detail said something about the couple themselves: a nod to their football team, worked quietly into the day, and a recent match win.

Château Lacanaud sits in the Dordogne behind pale stone outbuildings, ancient cedar trees and a lily-fringed lake, manicured lawns and a pool giving it a different mood in every corner. It sits among the chateau wedding venues in the Dordogne built for this kind of grounds, well suited to a multi-day stay.

The day was photographed by Sandra Balkè Photography, whose documentary, light-filled style favoured genuine emotion over stiff, posed shots. It ran from the first look inside the château to the confetti recessional and the golden-hour portraits among the roses. For a couple who wanted their friends and family together for more than one evening, a wedding in the Dordogne gave them the room they needed. Guests were still drifting by the pool the next afternoon, in no hurry to say goodbye.