Idyllic Chateau Wedding in the South of France
You’ll want to kick up your feet and lounge unfettered to enjoy today’s idyllic chateau wedding in the South of France. Provence is known for its sun-saturated lavender fields, cobblestoned medieval villages, painted shutters in duck-egg-blue and markets spilling with bric-a-brac. But Tiffany and Victor’s destination wedding in Gordes celebrates the charming luxury this region has to offer as well. Ready to escape with us?
Fine art wedding photographer Taylor & Porter is no stranger to beautiful scenes. Louise has a background in grace, radiance and all things romance, so it’s no surprise that Tiffany and Victor chose her to capture their day.
Loli Events was somehow able to bring even more magic to these cypress tree covered hills, threading such enchanting details as amber apothecary jars, vintage botanical prints, floating candles and an ethereal canopy of drippy blooms above the seats for the guests of honor along the tablescape.
Big Day Design did wonders with Tiffany’s garden bouquet, and the nearly bare ceremony arch finds its triumph in a perfect tangle of twisty thin branches.
So much softness in Tiffany’s bridal look from Ylva Langenskiold and Agnes Caneri – the perfect low updo if you ask us!
Vintage wine crates mingle with deep-tinted vessels in this textured welcome station using pieces from Options and Vaiselle Vintage.
We’re being seduced by the vision that is Bastide de Gordes, overlooking a cascade of faded terracotta homes trickling down the hillside.
Tiffany and Victor spill all the details below…
If I had to choose one word to describe how I wanted my wedding day to feel, the word would be surreal. It was surreal to me, to have this day to celebrate my commitment to the love of my life while surrounded by my family and friends, and I wanted the venue to feel as magical as that. I knew I wanted the wedding to be somewhere I’d never been, somewhere outdoors, and somewhere that felt whimsical and a bit hidden away. Victor and I share a love for travel, food, and wine, so we initially searched for a vineyard in France. Eventually, we came across La Bastide de Gordes in the dreamy town of Gordes, and it was perfect, perched atop jarring hillsides with romantic views. I always joked that I wanted to get married in a castle on a cliff, floating in the clouds, and this was pretty close!
We are eternally grateful to Coralie of Loli Events for making our wedding dreams come true. There is no way we could have planned this wedding without her. She had endless patience for us and went above and beyond, from finding vendors who matched our style, to finding creative solutions when we wanted to add bespoke details, to coordinating every little detail on the wedding day.
Since our guests were traveling so far, we wanted to host a welcome reception the night before the wedding. We scoured the area for potential venues, and Coralie saved the day by finding Domaine de Palerme, a gorgeous 18th century mansion with a large lawn that was restored by its current owner, Eric Gusman. We planned a relaxed, picnic-style event with an olive oil tasting and a wine tasting, but unfortunately, the weather didn’t cooperate and we had to move indoors (we still had a blast!).
As for the wedding, we envisioned a rustic but sophisticated style that combined simple elegance with a bit of “wow” here and there. We wanted to honor the natural beauty of Gordes with simple, airy decor for the ceremony, and create a more dreamy feel in the evening with draping flowers and candlelight. I love muted and soft but still vibrant tones, and Big Day Design created the stunning floral canopy of my dreams for the reception. While my obsession was the floral design, Victor’s was the wine. He meticulously selected all of the wines to serve at our welcome reception and post-wedding celebration, and then spent weeks coordinating with wineries and wine shops all over France to have the bottles delivered.
We’re loving these menus with handtorn edges and calligraphy from Nice Plume .
As the day got closer, it dawned on us more and more that all of our guests were traveling very far to celebrate with us, so we wanted to add little touches that would make the guest experience more fun – my favorite was the flower crown bar for the ladies, while Victor still gets a laugh out of his struggles to open the 15-liter bottle of champagne that we served during the cocktail reception and then later had our guests sign.
Some people say a wedding day is such a flurry that it becomes a blur, but I remember every single second of mine. I remember all the moments I paused and thought to myself, this is the most perfect day. I remember saying my vows and meaning every word of it, and listening to Victor’s and knowing he meant every word too. I remember sitting under the twinkling lights hanging from our gorgeous flower canopy, listening to the speeches and feeling so much love and warmth. It’s rare that reality is ever as perfect as your imagination, but for me, it was. It is hard to describe the euphoria of having everyone you care about come together in a single moment, but our wedding was truly my fairy tale come true.
More loveliness ahead in this sweet film from AirSnap :
The European enchantment doesn’t stop here! Enjoy more garden blooms and European architecture in this Irish countryside wedding inspiration.
Wedding Vendors:
Photography: Taylor & Porter
Videography: AirSnap
Planning : Loli Events
Floral Design: Big Day Design
Venue + Catering: Bastide de Gordes
Welcome Dinner Venue: Domaine de Palerme
Welcome Dinner Catering/Private Chef: Delphine Jullien
Welcome Dinner Olive Oil Tasting: Les Callis
Hair and Makeup Artists: Ylva Langenskiold and Agnes Caneri
Rentals: Options and Vaiselle Vintage
Ceremony Musicians: Cécile Bonhomme
DJ, Sound and Lighting: Thomas Dusseune
Calligraphy: Nice Plume