A Dordogne Château Wedding: Lucia & Gareth at Château d’Oche
Lucia and Gareth married at Château d’Oche on a Saturday in August, nine months after booking it from England, with a coordinator on the ground and most of the planning done by email. That is how most Dordogne weddings come together now. As a wedding photographer working across the Dordogne and the wider South West, I spend much of the year with couples choosing a venue from another country, and what they tend to need is not reassurance but a plan. This is theirs, and what the day did with it.
Booking a Château You Have Not Seen
Château d’Oche sits in the Dordogne, where the countryside opens out and the light holds late into the evening.
Lucia and Gareth booked it from England, and the planning that would otherwise have happened on site happened three other ways instead: a Pinterest board Lucia kept adding to until the week of the wedding, one video call in early August, going through the day hour by hour, and a written running order that reached every supplier at once.
By the time I arrived at half past one, nobody needed to ask what came next. That is the part worth copying, whatever venue you end up choosing.
A Ceremony Without an Officiant
Their friend Felicity led the ceremony. That changes the sound of it: the words come from someone who knows both of you, and the guests listen differently because they know her too. If you are planning something similar, two practical notes. In France the legal marriage happens at the mairie, so a château ceremony like theirs is symbolic and you can shape it however you like.
And settle in advance where your celebrant will stand, because a friend will instinctively stay right between you at the exact moment everyone wants photographed, which is the one thing I asked Felicity to change.
The Dogs Were on the Schedule
Lucia and Gareth wanted their dogs in the photographs, so it went onto the list at the video call two weeks before rather than being left to the day. That is most of the trick. Dogs at a wedding go wrong when they are a nice idea nobody owns, and they go right when one person is responsible for them for the twenty minutes you are being photographed.
Fifteen Minutes Alone, and the Last of the Light
I asked for fifteen to twenty minutes with Lucia and Gareth on their own, away from the guests. It is a small hole to cut in a wedding schedule and it produces the pictures that end up printed and hung on a wall. Later, when the sun dropped behind the trees, I took them back out. In the Dordogne in August the last hour arrives slowly and gives you more room than you expect, which is why I never fix its exact time in advance and decide on the day instead.
Then Everyone Put On Masks
When the light finally went, the evening turned into a masked disco. Masks do something to a dance floor. Faces are half hidden, self-consciousness drops away, and people who spent all afternoon minding their outfits stop minding anything at all. It is also why my coverage ran to half past ten rather than ending after dinner. Evening hours are the first thing couples cut when they are comparing quotes, and the one thing that cannot be added back once the day is over. If you have planned something for after dinner, say so when you enquire and I will tell you where your hours are best spent.
Where do I start? Jenny was an absolute delight to work with from start to finish and captured so many memories from our big day. From the consultation, to brainstorming ideas, to the actual day itself, Jenny remained professional, was extremely helpful and generally just so kind. We loved our whole journey with Jenny and the photos look fantastic. She did such an amazing job keeping with timelines, capturing every moment and always had a smile on her face which goes to show she truly loves what she does. Jenny — just wanted to say one final time, thank you so much for your hard efforts and for making our day so magical.
Lucia Carne
Planning a Wedding in the Dordogne?
I photograph weddings across the Dordogne, Occitanie and the Bordeaux region, and a good share of my couples are planning from the UK, Ireland or the United States. If Château d’Oche is on your shortlist, or you are still weighing up venues, send me your date and I will tell you straight away whether I am free. If it is easier to talk than to write, you can book a discovery call and I will walk you through how a day like this one is usually built.
Book a discovery call →
FAQ
Where is Château d’Oche?
Château d’Oche sits at Saint-Priest-les-Fougères, in the north of the Dordogne, the part known as the Périgord Vert. Thiviers is the nearest town and Périgueux the nearest city. For guests flying in, Limoges is the closest airport, with Bergerac, Brive and Bordeaux all within driving distance, which is worth checking early if your party is travelling from the UK.
Do you photograph weddings across the Dordogne and the wider South West?
Yes. I am based near Toulouse and photograph weddings across the Dordogne, Occitanie, the Bordeaux region and the wider South West. The Dordogne is a regular run rather than an exception, and travel from Toulouse is quoted separately and openly, so you always see exactly what it adds.
We are planning from the UK and cannot visit often. How do we start?
The same way Lucia and Gareth did. Send me your date and venue, or the two or three venues you are choosing between, and I will tell you whether I am free. After that it is one video call to go through the shape of the day, and a written running order closer to the time that reaches all your suppliers at once. Most couples reach me between three and twelve months before the date.
WEDDING JOURNAL
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Wedding photo session of Anna & Daniil
