A Quiet Country Wedding at Chateau de Lacoste, Dordogne

Katie and Joe's intimate wedding at Chateau de Lacoste in Dordogne, with a hillside chapel ceremony and portraits across the estate's manicured gardens.

By Elena Moretti | Published 18 April 2024

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Chateau

Chateau de Lacoste

Nouvelle-Aquitaine · Dordogne

Up to 130 guests

From €9,500 4.7 (88)

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Chateau

Chateau de Lacoste

Nouvelle-Aquitaine · Dordogne

Up to 130 guests

From €9,500 4.7 (88)

Katie and Joe celebrated at Chateau de Lacoste, an 18th-century estate with luxury accommodation in Dordogne. From a hillside chapel ceremony to couple portraits across manicured parterres, the day captured the warmth of a family celebration rooted in deep personal ties, all set against the gentle landscape of Nouvelle-Aquitaine.

Photography

Venue

Chateau de Lacoste, Dordogne

Region

Nouvelle-Aquitaine, France

Couple

Katie & Joe

Getting Ready

A getting-ready scene captured indoors in a white-walled room with classic French interior details including panelled doors, a white fireplace mantel, and wide-plank hardwood floors. The bride, wearing a white satin robe embroidered with 'Bride' on the sleeve and her blonde hair pinned up with a decorative hair piece, stands barefoot examining her ivory lace wedding gown, which hangs from a black hanger on the door. In the foreground, a long cathedral-length veil with wide lace appliqué trim is draped over an antique sage velvet armchair. A gold-framed oval portrait painting hangs on the wall to the left, adding to the classic French chateau aesthetic of the room. The shot is a full-length wide portrait taken from a low, slightly distanced angle, incorporating both the dress and the veil as separate focal elements.

The groom and his groomsmen are getting ready indoors in what appears to be a historic venue room with dark exposed wooden beam ceilings and wrought-iron candle-style chandeliers. Five men are visible, all wearing grey waistcoats over white dress shirts with grey trousers; the groom in the center is having his ivory tie adjusted by one groomsman while others playfully help straighten his collar, all laughing. The groom's cufflinks are visible — gold-toned with a crest detail. The setting has warm ambient lighting from the chandeliers and features a stone fireplace in the background, giving the room a classic, rustic interior feel. This is a candid mid-shot capturing a lighthearted getting-ready moment.

Morning mist hung over the Dordogne hills as Katie prepared inside the 18th-century estate. The clouds lifted by midday, flooding the chateau's rooms with warm light and revealing the manicured gardens beyond the old gate. The atmosphere was calm and familial, shaped by the deep ties between the couple's families, their mothers longtime friends.

Ceremony

The bride and groom exit a stone chapel following their outdoor ceremony, walking along a gravel path with approximately 20-30 guests, bridal party members, and groomsmen gathered behind and around them. The chapel is a small, historic-looking limestone building with pointed Gothic-style arched windows featuring stained glass, a steep slate roof, and decorative finials. The bride wears a fitted lace wedding dress with a V-neckline and carries a loose bouquet of white and dusty purple blooms, while the groom is dressed in a charcoal grey three-piece suit with a white tie and a white buttonhole flower. Bridesmaids wear floor-length pale silver-grey dresses with embellished tops, and groomsmen are in matching charcoal grey suits. The wide-angle shot captures the full scene in bright natural daylight, with the chapel as a backdrop. Potential venue feature image.

The bride and groom share a kiss during an outdoor croquembouche cutting ceremony at night, in front of a warmly uplighted chateau facade with arched windows and white shutters. Two croquembouche towers decorated with small pastel macarons and personalized calligraphy toppers sit on a white-clothed table in the foreground, each fitted with lit sparklers, alongside small votive candles. Approximately 30–40 guests form a semicircle around the couple, the majority holding lit sparklers aloft, creating a bright, celebratory atmosphere. The bride wears a lace V-neck fitted gown with a delicate hairpiece, while the groom is dressed in a white shirt and grey waistcoat; guests are dressed in a mix of formal attire including mustard yellow, teal, orange, and cobalt blue outfits. The wide-angle shot captures both the couple and the full crowd, with the illuminated chateau building prominently framing the scene in the background.

In the hillside chapel of the estate, Katie and Joe exchanged vows surrounded by warm stone and soft afternoon light. The intimate setting suited the couple's understated approach, with the chapel's vaulted architecture adding quiet ceremony to the moment. Guests gathered in the formal parterres afterwards, and the transition from sacred to celebratory felt entirely natural.

Couple Portraits

A bride and groom walk hand-in-hand across a manicured lawn in front of a large French chateau with pale stone facades, white shutters, and pointed slate-roofed corner towers. The groom wears a grey three-piece suit with a light grey tie and a white boutonniere, while the bride wears a fitted ivory lace gown with a V-neckline and carries a loose bouquet of white blooms and greenery. The composition is a wide portrait shot that places the couple centrally in the foreground, with the full chateau facade visible behind them and a figure of a guest walking near the entrance in the background. Potential venue feature image.

A couple portrait taken outdoors at dusk on the manicured lawn of what appears to be a French chateau or country estate. The bride wears a fitted ivory lace gown with a deep V-neckline and thin straps, while the groom is dressed in a charcoal grey suit with a matching waistcoat, white shirt, and light pink tie; the two walk hand-in-hand looking at each other. A low stone balustrade runs behind them, decorated with dark urn planters holding red floral arrangements, and a gravel pathway is visible beyond it with rolling countryside and wooded hills in the background. The shot is a wide full-length portrait taken at golden hour, with warm ambient light and a wide, dramatic sky providing a natural backdrop.

A couple portrait taken from an elevated wide-angle perspective, showing a bride and groom standing at the center of a formal French parterre garden, holding hands and sharing a kiss. The bride wears a white floor-length gown with a veil, and the groom is dressed in a grey suit. The garden features precisely clipped low box hedges arranged in geometric patterns with rounded topiary balls at intervals, and rose bushes with pink blooms planted within the parterre beds. Beyond a low stone boundary wall, open parkland with mature trees showing autumn yellow and orange foliage extends into the distance. The elevated composition emphasizes the scale and symmetry of the formal garden grounds. Potential venue feature image.

A couple portrait taken outdoors in front of a French chateau with stone facade and steeply pitched slate rooftops. The bride and groom face each other closely, with the bride placing her hand gently against the groom's cheek, her diamond engagement ring and wedding band clearly visible. The groom wears a charcoal grey waistcoat over a white dress shirt with a dark tie, while the bride wears a lace wedding gown with illusion back detailing and thin straps. Her blonde hair is styled in a low updo accessorized with a crystal floral hair comb, and she wears teardrop crystal earrings. The composition is a close-up portrait with the chateau softly blurred in the background.

Katie and Joe moved through the chateau's grounds for couple portraits that captured their relaxed, connected energy. The formal parterres and wide terraces provided elegant backdrops, while the surrounding Dordogne countryside softened each composition. Every frame balanced the grandeur of the estate with the couple's quiet, understated joy.

Bridal Party

A groomsmen portrait shot outdoors in the courtyard of a rustic French stone-building property, with the group of seven men walking toward the camera in a loose formation. The groom leads at the center, with six groomsmen fanned out behind him. All seven are dressed in matching grey waistcoats, grey trousers, white shirts, and light grey ties, wearing dark leather shoes. The styling is classic and coordinated with a grey palette throughout. The wide-angle shot captures the full-length figures against the backdrop of aged limestone and rendered stone buildings with terracotta tile roofs, wooden shutters, and climbing vines in autumn yellow and green tones.

A bridal party group portrait taken outdoors on a lawn with a panoramic countryside view in the background. The bride, in a white sleeveless A-line gown with a veil, kisses the groom at the center of the group; the groom and five groomsmen are dressed in charcoal grey suits with blush/mauve ties and boutonnieres. Five bridesmaids wear floor-length silver-grey dresses with sequined or beaded bodices, and several raise their bouquets of white flowers and greenery into the air in celebration. The overall styling palette is silver-grey, charcoal, and white with greenery accents, giving a modern classic feel. The wide shot captures all 12 members of the bridal party laughing and cheering, set against a gravel pathway and low stone wall to the right.

The bridal party gathered on the wide terraces with the Dordogne hills stretching behind them, their coordinated styling complementing the estate's warm stone and green hedgerows. The group's genuine closeness came through in every frame, laughter and easy poses reflecting the familial warmth that shaped the entire day.

Reception

Wedding reception speeches captured inside a classic chateau or manor house dining room, with approximately 20 guests seated at white linen-covered tables listening and laughing. The bride, wearing a lace fitted gown with a floral hairpiece, is seated mid-table and smiling broadly, while the groom in the foreground wears a pale blue waistcoat. The room features white panelled walls with ornate gold-framed oil portrait paintings, a large gilt mirror, and wall sconce lighting, giving the setting a classic French château aesthetic. Table centrepieces consist of white roses and purple-toned flowers in glass vases on wooden slice bases, with wine bottles, glassware, and small candles completing the table styling. The image is a wide environmental shot taken from a low angle at the head table end, capturing the full depth of the room.

The reception carried the day's intimate character indoors, where warm stone walls and candlelight set the tone for an evening of toasts and shared stories. Seasonal florals dressed the tables without competing with the chateau's own interior charm. The celebration moved with the same unhurried rhythm that had defined the day from its misty start.

The Venue

The couple chose Chateau de Lacoste, a chateau in Nouvelle-Aquitaine.

Premium

Chateau

Chateau de Lacoste

Nouvelle-Aquitaine · Dordogne

An XVIII century family chateau in the heart of Périgord Noir, overlooking the Dordogne valley. A classified cultural heritage site set in 3 hectares of parkland with an infinity pool, French garden, Lourdes Grotto and small chapel, sleeping 55 guests and hosting up to 130 for weddings.

Up to 130 guests

From €9,500 4.7 (88)

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