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Olive Groves and Candlelit Stone at Chateau Canet, Languedoc

Elinor and Carlin wed at Chateau Canet near Carcassonne with an olive grove ceremony and candlelit stone reception. 46 photos by Leah Marie.

By Elena Moretti | Published 26 February 2024

Family and friends from Wales and Australia gathered at Chateau Canet, a working wine estate and wedding venue near Carcassonne for Elinor and Carlin's celebration. Across 115 hectares of vines and olive groves, the day unfolded with the unhurried energy of a romantic destination wedding in the Occitanie region of southern France.

Photography
LEAH MARIE
Venue
Chateau Canet, Aude
Region
South of France, France
Couple
Wales & Australia

Ceremony

Bride with cathedral veil escorted by father followed by bridesmaids in champagne and dusty rose before manor
Couple touching foreheads on olive grove steps bride with amber and blush bouquet groomsmen and guests behind
Wedding ceremony under stretch tent in olive grove with bridesmaids in dusty rose dresses holding peach rose bouquets
Bride escorted by father with five dusty rose bridesmaids carrying cathedral train on cypress-lined path

Vows were exchanged beneath trimmed olive trees, where Elk Creations had woven white blooms through the silver-green canopy. Guests sat in neat rows on the gravel as a dry southern breeze moved through the branches. A brief rain crossed the ridge mid-afternoon, and the chateau's flexible indoor spaces absorbed the shift without pause.


Couple Portraits

Groom dips bride for a kiss on gravel path in front of peach-facade French villa with blue shutters
Bride and groom walking hand in hand through olive grove, bride holding terracotta and white bouquet with cathedral veil
Bride and groom walking hand in hand toward ochre manor house with blue shutters, lace train trailing behind
Bride and groom with sunglasses and two dogs before peach villa with blue shutters

Leah Marie took Elinor and Carlin along the vineyard paths in the golden window between ceremony and cocktail hour, bare vines creating a graphic pattern against the sky. Elinor's ivory crepe gown with its structured bodice and fluid skirt caught every shift in the light, while Carlin's charcoal suit held its own against pale stone and dark wood.


Bridal Party

Six groomsmen in dark tuxedos walk across chateau lawn laughing in black and white photo
Bride in white lace gown with five bridesmaids in terracotta and champagne satin dresses on a gravel path
Bride in white lace gown with five bridesmaids in dusty rose satin dresses walking before ochre manor

Bridesmaids wore warm champagne-toned separates and moved through the olive grove with the ease of people who had crossed hemispheres to be here. Groomsmen held a quieter line in charcoal linen. Second photographer Elle Rowe caught the before-the-ceremony looseness in the mix of Australian and Welsh voices.


Reception

Bride and groom kiss during outdoor sparkler send-off surrounded by guests holding lit sparklers
Rustic barn reception with long tables, blush roses in bud vases, twisted candles, and fairy-lit wooden beams
Sparkler send-off with bride and groom kissing as guests form a lit archway on a gravel courtyard beside a French farmhouse
Black and white photo of bride and groom laughing on the dance floor surrounded by heart-shaped confetti

Local Languedoc wines poured alongside light Provencal plates during cocktail hour, while Ruby Joy Weddings kept the pace deliberately unhurried. As night settled, the stone dining room came alive when the Four Kicks band opened with something unexpected and uptempo. Candles had burned low by that point, wax pooled in brass, and the room carried the accumulated warmth of long speeches and clinking glasses.


Design and Details

Reception table centerpiece with mismatched bud vases holding blush roses, twisted taper candles, and gold-framed table nu...
Bridal bouquet of white peonies dusty mauve roses caramel blooms and eucalyptus tied with lavender satin ribbon
Croquembouche with sparklers, purple ribbon, and star decorations beside cream and peach floral cluster
A close-up detail shot of a wooden welcome sign displayed on a natural wood easel at an outdoor wedding ceremony. The sign reads 'Welcome to our wedding, Elinor & Carlin, 20 May 2023' in white hand-lettered calligraphy script on a warm brown wood-grain board. The base of the easel is decorated with a floral arrangement of dusty rose and terracotta roses, ivory blooms, and eucalyptus greenery. The sign is positioned among olive trees, with ceremony seating faintly visible in the background, contributing to a rustic, garden-style aesthetic.

Elk Creations leaned into the Mediterranean palette without forcing it: ivory ranunculus, white anemones with near-black centres, trailing olive branches, and dried pampas for texture. Tables were dressed in ivory linen with taper candles in aged brass holders, low candlelight warming the stone room. Place cards in hand-lettered italic sat on rosemary sprigs, releasing their scent when guests picked them up.


Venue

Aerial view of bride and groom walking toward a yellow Provencal manor with formal garden and stone fountain
Iron gate in dry-stone wall opening to tree-lined path with festoon lights at dusk
A wide exterior shot of a three-story French manor house with a pale yellow facade, white trim, and blue shutters throughout. The entrance features a colorful geometric-patterned canopy in blue, yellow, and green above the central French doors, flanked by potted topiary trees in terracotta urns. The foreground includes a circular stone fountain with a sphere finial set within a gravel path, surrounded by neatly striped mowed lawn. A dark-colored dog runs across the gravel path in front of the entrance. Outdoor furniture including a metal dining table and chairs is visible to the left of the entrance, with covered furniture to the right. An adjacent lower building in matching yellow render extends to the right. Potential venue feature image.
An aerial wide shot of a French domaine or château-style wedding venue, showing a yellow-painted manor house with blue shutters and terracotta roof tiles as the central building, flanked by long stone outbuildings with matching blue shutters. The formal garden in front of the manor features a cross-shaped path layout with four lawn panels and a central stone fountain. Two small figures, appearing to be the couple — one in white — are visible at the base of the garden steps, giving scale to the property. A rectangular swimming pool is visible to the lower left of the frame. The estate is surrounded by extensive vineyards stretching across the upper portion of the image, with rows of vines clearly visible, along with cypress trees and mature deciduous trees framing the property. Potential venue feature image.

Chateau Canet's grounds carry a cooler, quieter quality with vines stripped back to dark wood and light running long and amber across the gravel. The property's working wine estate character comes through in every frame: iron gates, crumbling wall details, and the olive grove casting dappled shadow in a way no designed garden can replicate.


More from the Day

Bridesmaids in mismatched satin dresses react emotionally seeing the bride in her gown for the first time
A white wedding dress with what appears to be a fitted bodice and flowing skirt is hung on a deep navy blue door of a Provençal-style outbuilding, used as a getting-ready detail shot. The building features warm sand-colored rendered walls, terracotta roof tiles with navy scalloped trim, and a central tower topped with a gold weathervane rooster. A climbing plant with small pale lavender-white flowers cascades over the doorway and tower. The foreground features rows of purple lavender in bloom. This is a wide establishing shot that incorporates the dress as a styling detail within the architectural setting. Potential venue feature image.
Bride and groom laughing behind a champagne tower under a vine-covered pergola, groom drinking from a bottle
Couple kissing at champagne tower under vine-covered pergola with blush and peach rose arrangement
Aesthetic
Mediterranean, Natural
Guest Count
-
Budget Range
-
Bride's Dress
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