Inspiration

Stop what you're doing and take a breath, for this wedding is going to leave you breathless. Chateau La Durantie in the Dordogne is divine, and our lovely couple certainly make the most of the gorgeous gardens and fairytale castle during their wedding celebrations, with an outdoor ceremony, outdoor seating area and inside-outside marquee. Sandwiched between two stormy days, their wedding celebrations are drenched in sunshine - which explains why the party ends up in the pool! With a pastel macaroon tower, Pronovias dress and hot pink heels to boot (can you spot the little fashionista giving them a try?), this wedding is all things pretty. Enjoy.

Inspiration Behind The Styling

We found Chateau La Durantie online and, despite visiting on a cold and dreary November day, fell in love with it immediately. The chateau itself is gorgeous – very classic with lots of antiques – so we based our styling around that. We didn’t need to go overboard with props as the setting was already beautiful. When it came to flowers, we went for pastel colours and foliage to reflect the summer season, and this tied in with the minimalist approach. I got a lot of inspiration from Pinterest, and Heidi from Flowers in the Vine managed to replicate the ideas perfectly.

Jenny & Martin

Outdoor Seating Area

When the setting is as stunning as this French chateau you definitely want to make the most of it, and taking the indoors out is a wonderful idea. Hands up who else could while away hours in the sunshine-drenched outdoor sitting room? Dreamy. This fluid indoor-outdoor feel continues into the marquee, with one side lifted up to expose the view, as well as foliage garlands adorning the poles and flowers decorating the tables. I love the sense of being both inside and outside at all times, and am so happy to see the sun shining on this gorgeous couple and their guests.

Inspiration Behind The Styling

If you're going to venture abroad and do a DIY-style wedding, sourcing from different suppliers and making your own decorations, then get a planner! RMW handpicked planner Helaina Storey was invaluable at keeping my stress levels to a minimum. We were really lucky as the chateau also had a wealth of experience and provided us with lots of ideas and recommendations, even though we weren’t paying them to do so. Finally, and most importantly, enjoy every moment of the day; it really does fly by.

Jenny & Martin

Jenny & Martin shared with us a lovely story about their photographer - one of RMW's recommended suppliers - Naomi from Lush Imaging. Initially, they had intended to choose a French photographer in order to avoid flying someone out from the UK. However, when Naomi emailed back saying, "Shut. the. door. How awesome is your venue! So let me just check my diary… I’M FREE I’M FREE I'M FREE!" they knew straight away she was the supplier for them. There is a lot to be said for having a vendor who is as excited about your venue as you are, and for a list of photographers who love what they do (and whose work you will love, too) head on over to our handpicked directory.

Victoria Honan

Written by Victoria Honan

Venue: Chateau La Durantie | Dress Designer: Pronovias | Bridal Boutique: Karen Forte | Bridesmaids: ASOS | Groom: Suit Supply | Wedding Planner: Helaina Storey | Florist: Flowers in the Vines | Celebrant: Lisa Lister | Entertainment: Brightlights

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