A Romantic Château de Varennes Wedding in Burgundy
French château elegance, lavender fields and a joyful destination wedding in the heart of Burgundy.
Some wedding stories begin long before the wedding day.
For L&L, ours began a year earlier with an engagement session in Beaune. When I returned to photograph their wedding at Château de Varennes in Burgundy, it felt like continuing a story we had already begun.
As a wedding photographer in France, these connections are one of the things I value most. By the time their wedding arrived, we already knew each other, creating an effortless, joyful atmosphere throughout the weekend.
A Welcome Dinner Beneath the Burgundy Sunset
The celebration began with a relaxed welcome dinner behind Château de Varennes, overlooking the lavender fields.
The couple had chosen one long table so that all of their guests could dine together. Abundant floral arrangements by Le Clos Végétal ran along the table, complemented by overhead lights and the warm Burgundy sunset.
With speeches from their parents, wonderful food and everyone gathered around one table, the evening felt intimate despite the nearly one hundred guests.
I also photographed the dinner from above with my drone, capturing the setting as the last light disappeared over the countryside.
A French Château Wedding
The following day, Château de Varennes became the backdrop for their wedding celebration.
I loved photographing throughout the property: the elegant salons upstairs during the preparations, the magnificent marble staircase, the chapel, the gardens, the lavender fields and the swimming pool overlooking the château.
The ceremony took place directly in front of the château, framed by two abundant floral arrangements in white and green. L’s brother officiated the ceremony, making the moment particularly personal.
The summer heat was intense, so we kept the group portraits in the shade, while still making the most of the beautiful surroundings.
Two Couple Sessions on their wedding day
Rather than taking the couple away from their guests for a long portrait session, we created two shorter moments together.
The first took place at the beginning of cocktail hour, with the brighter late-afternoon light.
Later, just before dinner, we stepped away again. The sun was lower, creating warmer and softer light around the pool and lavender fields.
This gave L&L two distinct atmospheres in their gallery, while still allowing them plenty of time to enjoy their cocktail hour with their guests.
The result is a mix of romantic, editorial and spontaneous imagery that feels true to them.
A Joyful Summer Celebration
Cocktail hour unfolded around the château with live music from The Party Professors, who had been discovered by L&L at another wedding in France the year before.
Guests enjoyed drinks beneath the summer sun, carrying parasols and gathering around the gardens. Children played on the swing beneath the trees while friends and family simply enjoyed being together.
Dinner was served outdoors in front of the orangery, with white and blue patterned linens, candles and abundant floral arrangements creating a romantic tablescape.
The French-inspired cuisine was beautifully presented, something L was particularly happy to have photographed, and the evening continued with heartfelt and wonderfully funny speeches before the celebration moved indoors for dancing.
Château de Varennes Wedding Photography
For L&L, their Château de Varennes wedding was a celebration of everything they loved about France: the beauty of a historic château, the Burgundy countryside, beautiful food, flowers, music and, above all, bringing their favourite people together.
For me, it was especially meaningful to photograph their wedding after having met them in Beaune the year before.
It is one of my favourite parts of being a Château de Varennes wedding photographer: not simply documenting a beautiful place, but becoming part of the story that makes the celebration uniquely yours.
A Château de Varennes Wedding, Beautifully Personal
What stayed with me most from their wedding wasn’t simply how beautiful Château de Varennes was.
It was how joyful and personal the entire celebration felt.
From their engagement session in Beaune a year earlier to their wedding weekend, we had time to build a genuine connection. By the time I arrived at Château de Varennes, there was already a sense of trust and familiarity between us.
That made it easy to photograph them naturally, whether we were wandering through the lavender fields, taking a few quiet moments together by the pool, or simply enjoying the energy of their celebration.
And this is what I value most as a photographer: creating an experience where you can forget about the camera and truly be yourselves.
Because the most meaningful photographs are not always the perfectly planned ones. Sometimes, they happen in between, when you are laughing with your friends, listening to a speech, walking hand in hand, or simply enjoying the people you travelled so far to celebrate with.
If you loved L&L’s wedding, follow me on follow me on instagram to see more photos and videos of my latest weddings!
Discover the talented vendors who brought their Château de Varennes wedding to life:
Photography
HERITAGE STORY
Wedding Planner
JANE ROSE EVENTS
Florist
LE CLOS VEGETAL
Dress
HOUSE OF RENHUE
Venue
CHÂTEAU DE VARENNES
Caterer
GEORGE WINTERFORD
Musicians
THE PARTY PROFESSORS
Hairdresser
CELIA DAMNA
Make up artist
ANNETTE THORNTON
Sound system
NOEL PERREAUT
Sound system
SOUND LIVE 21
Planning Your Own Wedding in France?
If you’re dreaming of your own celebration in France and are searching for a refined, artistic, and discreet team, I would be honored to capture your weekend.
Learn more about working with a
and discover how I can document your French celebration with elegance and cinematic storytelling, in both photo & video.