A Riviera Celebration at Chateau Castellaras above the Cote d'Azur

E and K's destination wedding at Chateau Castellaras on the French Riviera featured chapel vows and terrace dining with coastal views, captured by Adam Alex.

By Elena Moretti | Published 21 February 2018

A Riviera Celebration at Chateau Castellaras above the Cote d'Azur

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E and K travelled from the USA to marry at Chateau Castellaras, a 1927 estate designed by architect Jacques Couëlle high above the Cote d'Azur. With Rock My Love guiding every step, the day unfolded from morning champagne to a golden-hour dinner overlooking the coast, blending medieval-inspired architecture with Riviera sunshine.

Photography

Adam Alex

Venue

Chateau Castellaras

Region

French Riviera, France

Couple

E & K

Getting Ready

A bridal portrait of a single bride shot from approximately the waist up, set against a backdrop of aged wooden architectural columns or doors, likely at a chateau or historic venue. The bride wears a strapless white ball gown with a heavily beaded and embroidered sweetheart bodice, paired with long crystal drop earrings and a delicate bracelet. Her dark hair is styled in a high, sleek updo, and she is gazing off to one side. The composition is a close-up portrait with soft natural light, and the overall styling is classic and polished.

This black-and-white couple portrait shows a bride and groom walking hand-in-hand across a lawn in front of a large historic stone building with Romanesque-style arched colonnades, a tower, and tiered terraces. The bride wears a strapless ballgown with a layered skirt and carries a bouquet, while the groom is dressed in a dark tuxedo with a bow tie and boutonniere. The image is shot in a wide-angle, full-length style with high contrast tones, placing the couple in the lower foreground against the dramatic scale of the venue architecture. Guests and what appears to be a reception setup are faintly visible on one of the terraces in the background. Potential venue feature image.

An indoor getting-ready moment captures a group of four women reacting emotionally — two are visibly wiping tears from their eyes — likely upon seeing the bride for the first time. The setting appears to be a room with aged plaster walls, a framed artwork, and a patterned upholstered chair, suggesting a chateau or historic venue interior. The women wear varied outfits including a white lace top, a floral printed dress, and a muted blue-grey floral midi dress, with their hair styled in upswept arrangements. In the foreground, a partial view of a white and green bouquet featuring what appear to be white ranunculus or garden roses with lush greenery is visible. The composition is a candid medium shot with natural window light, capturing a genuine emotional reaction during the pre-ceremony preparations.

The morning began with the relaxed spirit of a French summer, as friends staying on-site opened champagne and shared laughter through the chateau's sunlit rooms. E prepared surrounded by her closest people, the energy bright and unhurried. Final touches came together with ease as the estate's stone walls and shaded terraces set the backdrop for the day ahead.

Ceremony

A black-and-white photograph of a wedding ceremony ring exchange, captured indoors against an exposed stone wall backdrop typical of a historic French chapel or château. The bride, wearing a strapless lace bodice gown with a long veil, smiles broadly at the groom, who is dressed in a dark suit with a bow tie and boutonnière, as they hold hands at the altar. An officiant in a suit is visible in soft focus in the background. Floral arrangements featuring roses and dark foliage are placed at the altar base, and candles are faintly visible. The image is a medium portrait shot with soft contrast, emphasizing the couple's interaction during the vow exchange.

Detail shot of a chapel altar decorated for a wedding ceremony. The altar is a simple stone table adorned with a trailing greenery garland, likely eucalyptus or ivy, running along its top edge. A wooden crucifix with a gold-toned corpus stands prominently behind the altar against a curved apse wall of exposed pale limestone. Dozens of white pillar and votive candles are arranged in clusters across the stone floor surrounding the altar, providing warm ambient lighting. A wrought-iron music or lectern stand is visible to the right. The overall decor palette is minimal — white candles and green foliage against the warm stone — suggesting a classic, understated religious ceremony style. Potential venue feature image.

Vows were exchanged in the chateau's private chapel, transformed with flowers, candlelight, and the sound of live violin and guitar. The ceremony felt intimate and deeply personal, marked by laughter, tears, and heartfelt words that drew visible emotion from the gathering. Sunlight filtered through the chapel windows as the couple sealed their commitment before friends and family.

Reception

A bridal party portrait featuring the bride and three bridesmaids posing indoors in front of gothic arch windows with wooden shutters. The bride wears a strapless white ball gown with a lace bodice and carries a cascading bouquet of white blooms and greenery. The bridesmaids wear mismatched floor-length dresses in a coordinated mix-and-match style: one in a blush floral print, one in a blush two-piece with a beaded top and tulle skirt, and one in a pale grey-blue floral print, and one in a champagne floral embroidered gown. The setting appears to be a Mediterranean or Spanish Colonial-style interior with terracotta tile flooring and ornate arched window frames, giving the image a classic romantic feel. This is a medium-distance portrait shot with natural light filtering through the windows behind the group.

A close-up detail shot of a long reception dining table set for a wedding meal, photographed from one end with a shallow depth of field. The table is dressed with a white linen and set with white plates, silver flatware, and folded grey linen napkins, accompanied by crystal glassware in varied heights. Centerpieces along the table runner include low arrangements of blush pink hydrangeas and coral garden roses, with smaller clusters of deep burgundy roses and additional coral blooms in metallic vessels near the foreground, alongside white pillar candles and small latticed votive holders. The overall decor palette is white, blush, coral, and burgundy with a classic, romantic styling; natural wood crossback chairs are visible on either side, and the setting appears to be under an open-sided covered terrace with greenery visible in the background.

Cocktails on the terrace gave way to a seated dinner overlooking the coastline as the sun dipped below the horizon. Long tables dressed with organic florals and flickering candles caught the last golden light, creating a warm, Mediterranean atmosphere. Dancing and celebration continued late into the Riviera evening, with Thomas Dusseune keeping the energy alive through the night.

Flat Lays

A close-up detail shot of wedding accessories laid flat on a dark wood surface. A minimalist watch with a black dial, gold-tone case, and black leather strap — consistent with a Movado Museum-style design — is placed alongside a delicate gold chain necklace with a four-leaf clover pendant charm. The image is shot with dramatic, low-key lighting that emphasizes the contrast between the gold hardware and the dark background, creating deep shadows across the wooden surface. This appears to be a groom or groomsman accessory flat-lay detail shot.

Close-up detail shot of a reception tablescape featuring low floral centerpieces arranged along a white linen-covered table in what appears to be an ornate indoor venue. The centerpieces are composed of pink roses in varying shades from blush to coral, white hydrangeas, small spray roses, green berries, and eucalyptus foliage, displayed in small silver and gold mercury glass vessels. Gold votive candle holders and crystal glassware are scattered along the table, alongside tall white pillar candles in the background. The overall decor palette is blush pink, white, and gold with a classic, romantic styling. The image is shot with a shallow depth of field, keeping the foreground and background softly blurred while the central arrangement is in focus.

A close-up portrait of a bride and groom sharing an intimate moment outdoors, with the groom gently cradling the bride's face as they lean in close together. The groom wears a dark navy or charcoal suit with a white dress shirt and an olive or sage green bow tie, while the bride wears a strapless white gown and a plain cathedral-length veil with her dark hair styled up, accessorized with drop earrings and a delicate bracelet. The bride's engagement and wedding rings are visible on her hand resting on the groom's lapel. The image is shot with a very shallow depth of field, creating a soft, backlit, high-key effect with lens flare softening the edges of the frame.

Detail shots captured the bridal accessories, stationery, and floral accents that shaped the visual story. Ribboned programmes, calligraphed place cards, and ring compositions sat alongside delicate blooms and vintage glassware. Each flat lay reflected the couple's refined yet relaxed approach to design.

Venue

Wide exterior shot of a historic French stone chateau or manor complex, featuring a multi-story main building with arched loggia colonnades, a round tower, terracotta-tiled rooflines, and warm honey-toned limestone construction. A secondary outbuilding with matching architectural style is visible to the left. No people are present in the frame. The shot is taken from ground level on the surrounding lawn, capturing the full facade of the property in bright midday light. Potential venue feature image.

A bride is being helped into her layered ivory tulle ball gown by two women inside a historic chateau room. The bride stands in the center while one attendant on each side assists with fastening or adjusting the dress. One attendant wears a blush pink floral-embroidered gown and the other wears a short-sleeved floral printed midi dress. The room features distinctive Gothic-arched windows with dark wooden shutters, terracotta tile flooring, a large stone fireplace on the right, and a green glazed ceramic vessel in the corner, suggesting a medieval or Renaissance-era French chateau interior. The image is a medium wide shot with natural window light illuminating the scene. Potential venue feature image.

Wide exterior shot of a small Romanesque chapel with warm ochre-toned rendered walls and exposed stone detailing, featuring a distinctive round bell tower and arched doorway with stone steps leading up to the entrance. The architecture is characteristic of a historic Provençal chapel, with red flowering climbing plants trailing along the upper terrace and iron railings visible alongside an adjacent stone-walled structure. No people are present in the frame — this is a venue architectural shot taken in bright daylight. Potential venue feature image.

Chateau Castellaras revealed its character through stone terraces, shaded gardens, and a private chapel filled with natural light. Designed in 1927 with medieval inspiration and artistic detail, the estate offered sweeping views across the Cote d'Azur that shifted in colour from afternoon blue to evening gold. Every outdoor space felt connected to the landscape below.