Wedding at Château de Vallery in Burgundy

First time at Château de Vallery

May 2015 was my first wedding at Château de Vallery in Burgundy. This estate is one of France's most beautiful heritage sites. The civil ceremony had taken place a few days before in Paris, covered by a colleague, Benoît Billard. Having told the bride and groom from the outset that I already had a wedding on the date of the civil ceremony, they preferred to book me for the most important day at Château de Valerry. So on Saturday, from the very first hour, I was in action. The large room in which the bride and her entourage were getting ready, with its large bay windows, provided contrasting light and a play of light and shadow. All the ingredients were there for a beautiful sequence of preparations.

Monsieur's preparations in the bridal suite

Traditionally at Château de Vallery, the groom prepares in the splendid bridal chamber known as the Pigeonnier. As its name suggests, this is a former dovecote with a glass dome roof. This is where the groom got ready before joining his bride at the cocktail party in the château's grand ballroom.

Equestrian show, fireworks, gastronomic tasting on the programme

There was no shortage of activities to liven up the day, including a horse show during the cocktail reception, fireworks during the evening, gourmet tastings, bands and DJs. More than 400 guests gathered on the estate to celebrate the grandiose wedding of Caroline and Christophe.

Latino-Oriental dancefloor

As a wedding photographer I shoot them with brides and grooms from all walks of life, and I think I've shot almost every religious ceremony possible today in 2017. It was a mixed and multicultural wedding, oriental and latino. A beautiful mix of origins but also declined in the festivities. For example, at the cocktail party there was a chef specializing in each region of the globe, and in the evening on the dancefloor, Latin and Oriental ambience, folklore and modernity all came together at the same time, with human warmth typical of the Mediterranean and dance steps bending bodies to the rhythm of Salsa.