Location: Cognac • Nouvelle-Aquitaine • South of France
Loïs and JJ Gallichan hosted one hundred guests for a weekend celebration that reflected years of summers spent in the Cognac countryside. Their chosen setting, Château de Brives, a Stunning wedding Château near Cognac offered woodland, barns, and open lawns, allowing each part of the day to unfold naturally. The weekend began with a hog roast at the bride’s parents’ home, where friends gathered under soft light, reconnecting over travel stories and garden music. The modern chateau perfect for intimate weddings in the south of France remained a surprise until the ceremony day, when guests followed shaded paths through pine-scented woodland. It was a calm, personal introduction to the South of France setting that had long felt like home.
Wedding Inspiration
- Secluded countryside venues surrounded by vineyards in Nouvelle-Aquitaine
- Wedding planners specializing in multi-day celebrations
- Top fine art film photographers in the South of France
- Explore the FWS Magazine’s 280+ ad-free pages
Gypsophila, Candlelight, and a Pronovias Cape in Motion
The woodland ceremony carried a soft rhythm, marked by white gypsophila, pale foliage, and acoustic music. Loïs wore a Pronovias gown with sculpted sleeves and a cape that moved gently in the breeze, while bridesmaids in white and groomsmen in beige linen mirrored the palette’s quiet tones. Dinner returned guests to Château de Brives, where candlelight filled the stone barns and tables shimmered beneath long tapers. A vintage Porsche and sixties VW camper van added personal touches one for arrival, one for photographs as the celebration transitioned from golden hour to evening glow beneath timber beams and gravel courtyards.
Live Music, Late Dancing, and a Sunlit Farewell on the Grounds
The evening flowed from an acoustic singer and piano into a late-night party led by Mixology, a DJ accompanied by saxophone and bongo. Inside the barns, candlelight deepened as the dance floor filled, while the courtyard offered cool air and quiet conversation. Morning brought everyone back together with wood-fired pizzas and gelato served in the sunshine. The celebration came together through the coordination of Last First Date Weddings, one of France’s trusted bilingual planners, and Matthias Toth, among the top wedding photographers in Nouvelle-Aquitaine. Their collaboration shaped a weekend of movement, ease, and understated warmth — a South of France gathering that lingered in memory.
For more South of France Wedding inspiration
- Fashion-Forward Wedding Inspiration at Château Marcellus
- Eco-Friendly Wedding with Rustic Vibes at Chateau de Malliac
