White and Gold Glamour at Chateau de Varennes in Burgundy

Charlotte and Michael's destination wedding at Chateau de Varennes in Burgundy, with a chapel ceremony, gold sequin bridesmaids, and outdoor reception. Gown by Anny Lin.

By Elena Moretti | Published 4 January 2017

Featured FWS Members

Chateau

Chateau de Varennes

Bourgogne-Franche-Comté · Saône-et-Loire

Up to 200 guests

From €19,500 4.8 (76)

Latest Weddings

Chateau de Villette

Classic-Modern Romance Editorial at Château de Villette

Bourgogne-Franche-Comte

Château d'Arcelot

Modern Elegance & Calla Lilies Wedding at Château d’Arcelot

Bourgogne-Franche-Comté

Chateau

Chateau de Varennes

Bourgogne-Franche-Comté · Saône-et-Loire

Up to 200 guests

From €19,500 4.8 (76)

Charlotte and Michael's destination wedding at Chateau de Varennes, a luxury wedding estate in Burgundy paired rustic France with modern glamour in a palette of white, gold, and leafy greens. They booked the Burgundy chateau sight unseen after falling in love with its tranquil countryside setting, and the result was a romantic celebration that felt fresh, elegant, and filled with joy.

Photography

Venue

Chateau de Varennes, Saône-et-Loire

Region

Bourgogne-Franche-Comté, France

Couple

Charlotte & Michael

Getting Ready

The couple shares a kiss on an outdoor dance floor surrounded by approximately 10-15 guests who are dancing and celebrating around them during an evening reception. The setting is an outdoor courtyard in front of a brick building with arched windows, decorated with string globe lights strung overhead and bathed in warm purple and pink uplighting. The bride wears a low-back lace wedding gown with her blonde hair loosely styled, while the groom is dressed in a dark suit. Guests around them are visibly animated, raising their arms and dancing, with one woman nearby wearing a floral hair accessory. The image is a mid-range portrait shot with a slightly shallow depth of field, giving the surrounding guests a soft blur while keeping the couple in focus.

A close-up portrait of a bride and groom during an indoor chapel ceremony, captured at the moment of ring exchange. The groom, wearing a black tuxedo with a bow tie and a white boutonniere, looks down at their joined hands, while the bride smiles softly with her eyes downcast. The bride wears a beaded spaghetti-strap gown with a sweetheart neckline and a sheer veil, with her blonde hair styled in an updo. Several guests are visible in soft focus in the background, seated in the chapel pews. The warm, golden interior lighting and a small cross visible on the back wall confirm a traditional church setting with a classic ceremony style.

A bride is having her makeup applied during the getting-ready portion of the wedding day. A makeup artist with short white hair is applying eyeliner or eye shadow to the bride's eye using a brush, holding a compact palette in her other hand. The bride has her hair styled up, wears a white lace bridal robe with a scalloped neckline, and has her eyes closed. The setting appears to be an indoor room with a wooden chair and neutral-toned furnishings visible in the background. The shot is a close-up portrait taken from a slight angle, with the makeup artist partially out of frame in the foreground.

A bridal portrait taken outdoors beneath the hanging branches of a weeping willow tree. The bride wears a fitted white lace gown with spaghetti straps and floral three-dimensional lace appliqué detailing, paired with a mid-length veil trimmed with lace edging. Her blonde hair is styled in a low updo and she looks downward with a relaxed expression. She holds a loosely arranged bouquet of white garden roses, baby's breath, and large green leaves. The composition is a three-quarter portrait shot with the willow branches framing the scene and a red brick building partially visible in the background.

Preparations unfolded inside a chateau room with white walls, crown molding, and tall windows streaming natural light. Charlotte's gown by Anny Lin hung nearby as the bridal party gathered in excitement. The groom leaned against an ornate white marble fireplace in an elaborately decorated salon, his classic black tuxedo a sharp contrast to the pale French interior.

Ceremony

Bride and groom exit through stone doorway as guests throw white and pink confetti petals

Close-up detail shot of a church ceremony aisle decorated with glass hurricane vases containing pale blush-pink pillar candles set in white pebbles, placed directly on the stone-tiled floor. Scattered pale pink rose petals line the aisle alongside the candles. Wooden rush-seat chairs are visible to the right, and the aisle recedes into the background where rows of matching hurricane candle arrangements and additional candlelight create a warm, glowing ambiance throughout the chapel interior. The overall decor palette is blush pink and warm amber, with a classic, candle-lit ceremony styling.

The bride and groom stand together at the altar during a church ceremony, gazing at each other. The groom wears a classic black tuxedo with a bow tie and a small white boutonniere, while the bride wears a fitted spaghetti-strap lace gown with a crystal belt and a sheer veil. The setting is a small historic stone chapel with arched ceilings, a chandelier, wooden pews, and a decorative stained glass rose window above the entrance. Approximately 20-30 guests are visible in the pews behind the couple, including women in formal hats and a man in a dark suit to the right, with warm ambient lighting throughout. Medium-wide shot taken from the aisle looking toward the altar.

The ceremony took place in Chateau de Varennes's private chapel, its aisle lined with tall white pillar candles and scattered rose petals. Charlotte walked in as her sister-in-law and niece performed The Flower Duet, filling the Romanesque stone interior with soaring vocals. Bridesmaids wore shimmering gold sequin dresses from Coast, while flower girls in light white gowns from Monsoon added an ethereal quality.

Bridal Portraits

Close-up portrait of a bride holding a rounded bridal bouquet composed of white peonies, white roses, white hydrangea, baby's breath, and dark green foliage. The bride is wearing a white lace spaghetti-strap fitted gown with a sweetheart neckline, visible from the torso up. The background shows an indoor staircase with an ornate dark wood banister, suggesting a chateau or manor house interior. The bouquet is in sharp focus while the bride and background are softly blurred, drawing full attention to the all-white and green floral arrangement.

A bride and groom are seated separately on small ornate chairs in an interior room of what appears to be a French chateau, posed apart with a small antique side table between them holding a white floral arrangement of hydrangeas and roses. The groom wears a black tuxedo with a white bow tie and a boutonnière, while the bride wears a fitted, spaghetti-strap lace mermaid gown with a feathered hem. The room features cream boiserie wall paneling with gilded rococo molding details, a gold-framed mirror, a wall-mounted candelabra with red candles, an oil painting hung on the wall, and a parquet wood floor. The portrait is a medium-wide shot with a classic, formal styling aesthetic. Potential venue feature image.

A bridal portrait taken indoors in a French chateau-style room featuring cream-painted boiserie paneling with gold detailing, ornate oil paintings above the doorframes, a gilt wall sconce with red candles, a Louis XV-style caned chair, and a marquetry commode. The bride stands in the doorway, glancing back over her shoulder toward the camera, wearing a fitted ivory lace gown with a low open back, spaghetti straps, and a floor-length train with feathered hem detail. A small white floral arrangement is visible on a side table to the left. The shot is a full-length portrait with a warm, slightly muted color palette, captured from a slight distance to include the full gown and the architectural details of the room. Potential venue feature image.

A groom stands leaning against an ornate white marble fireplace inside what appears to be a French chateau, posing for a portrait in an elaborately decorated room with cream-paneled walls, herringbone parquet floors, and gilt-framed artwork. He is dressed in a dark navy or black tuxedo with a black bow tie, white dress shirt, and a white floral boutonniere, completed with black patent leather shoes and a watch. The mantelpiece is decorated with a large white marble urn and an ornate gold clock, with a large gilt-framed mirror above reflecting the bride in a white dress in the background. The composition is a full-length portrait with warm, slightly moody lighting that highlights the classic French interior decor alongside a Louis XVI-style armchair visible at the left edge of the frame.

Charlotte stood radiant in her Anny Lin gown while Michael posed in his black tuxedo against the chateau's lavender borders, with the French brick manor softly blurred in the background. The portraits captured the couple's white-and-gold aesthetic, from the bridal gown's delicate lines to the groom's crisp formal wear, all set within the natural light of the Burgundy countryside.

Reception

Close-up detail shot of wedding sparklers displayed in a clear glass vase, each tied with a kraft paper tag reading 'Let Love Sparkle' along with a date (20.06.15) and 'Mr. & Mrs. Sandbach' in black calligraphy-style script. The tags have a decorative scalloped edge and are tied to the sparkler wires with grey ribbon. The image has a shallow depth of field with the foreground tags in sharp focus and the background softly blurred, suggesting an indoor reception setting. The styling is classic and personal, using kraft paper and calligraphy as part of a coordinated wedding stationery theme.

A six-image collage from a French chateau wedding featuring a classic, formal style with a white and gold palette. Top left: an outdoor reception setup showing a long banquet table with a white linen runner, tall gold candelabras with greenery arrangements, white Chiavari chairs, and string lights, set against the chateau facade in the background — wide shot. Top right: the groom in a dark navy suit with a floral boutonniere leaning casually against an ornate white marble fireplace inside a gilded chateau interior — portrait shot. Middle left: a detail close-up of gold strappy bridal heels resting on a cream velvet cushion. Middle center: an exterior wide shot of wrought-iron estate gates with manicured grounds and the chateau visible in the distance. Middle right: the bride in a fitted white lace gown with a cathedral-length veil standing in a doorway of the chateau's ornate interior — full-length portrait. Bottom left: the couple seated together in the chateau's paneled salon with cream boiserie walls and parquet floors, the bride holding an ivory and greenery bouquet, both in a candid resting pose — wide portrait. Bottom right: a close-up portrait of the bride outdoors beneath a weeping willow, wearing a spaghetti-strap lace gown and veil, holding a small bouquet of white flowers and eucalyptus. Potential venue feature image.

A speech is taking place during an outdoor wedding reception, with the groom standing and holding a microphone and papers while wearing a navy tuxedo with a black bow tie and a white boutonniere. The bride, seated beside him in a white spaghetti-strap dress with an updo hairstyle, is laughing with both arms raised in an animated, joyful reaction. Guests seated around the long reception table are also laughing and raising their hands, visible in the foreground and background. The table is decorated with white and green floral centerpieces and tall gold taper candles, set against a lush green garden backdrop in what appears to be a classic French estate setting. Wide candid portrait shot capturing a lively, celebratory moment.

The outdoor reception beneath the Burgundy sky featured long tables dressed with white linens, gold accents, and cascading green foliage. Dinner, laughter, and music flowed naturally before guests joined the open-air dance floor, led by The Brightlights. A six-image collage revealed the full scope of the evening: outdoor table settings, candle-lined pathways, and dancing that carried late into the night.

Design and Details

A close-up detail shot of a bridal bouquet resting on a stone threshold against a weathered wooden door frame. The compact, rounded bouquet is composed of white roses, white peonies, white hydrangea, white calla lilies, baby's breath, lily of the valley, and deep green foliage. The stems are wrapped in ivory or cream ribbon. The overall color palette is all-white blooms with lush green accents, giving a classic, understated look.

A close-up detail shot of a memorial display set on a wooden table at an outdoor wedding. The display includes a black-and-white photograph of a smiling middle-aged man in a dark suit and tie in a white frame, placed beside a white-framed sign reading 'Forever in our thoughts, you have never gone away, we just wish you could be here to share our special day.' A small gold and glass tealight candle holder sits in front of the sign, and a wire basket is visible on the right edge of the frame. A gold-lettered card is partially visible on the left side of the arrangement.

A close-up outdoor detail shot of four gold foil letter balloons spelling 'LOVE,' photographed against an overcast sky. The balloons are rose-gold in tone and are positioned in front of tall leafy branches or small trees used as decorative elements. A stone building is partially visible in the background. The styling suggests a garden or courtyard wedding with a relaxed, modern-rustic aesthetic.

A detail/close-up shot of purple lavender in bloom in the foreground, with a French brick manor house softly blurred in the background. The building features arched windows, white shutters, and a gravel courtyard entrance flanked by topiary ball trees. No people or wedding-specific decor are visible in the frame. Potential venue feature image.

Purple lavender in bloom framed the French brick manor house in the background, connecting the chateau's natural setting to the interior design palette. Gold chargers, crystal glassware, and fragrant green foliage adorned the reception tables, reflecting the couple's vision of glitz meets rustic France. Every gilded accent caught the warm evening candlelight.

Flat Lays

A split close-up detail shot of an outdoor wedding reception table setting with a white and gold color palette. The left panel shows a low centerpiece of white roses, white ranunculus, and green foliage in a gold mercury glass vase, placed on a gold and ivory striped satin table runner over white linen. The right panel features a five-arm gold candelabra with tall gold taper candles, also set on a matching gold striped runner, with crystal wine glasses visible alongside. In the soft-focus background, guests are gathered on a lawn beneath string lights and a white tent structure, suggesting a garden or chateau grounds setting.

Close-up detail shot of a couple's feet and lower legs standing on stone steps, showing the bride's crystal-embellished ivory T-strap heeled sandals alongside the groom's polished black Oxford lace-up dress shoes. The bottom hem of the bride's white dress is visible, featuring layered tulle with feather trim detailing. The composition is a cropped low-angle detail shot focusing entirely on the footwear and dress hem as a styling detail.

A getting-ready detail shot of an ivory lace wedding dress hanging from a wall-mounted candelabra in an ornate chateau room. The dress features a fitted silhouette with lace overlay and delicate straps. The room is furnished with gilded Louis XVI-style furniture including a marquetry side table with a gold-framed mirror, a matching nightstand with a cream lamp, and an upholstered armchair with footstool in aged ivory fabric, all set on a herringbone parquet floor. The wide interior shot captures warm, dim ambient lighting from table lamps and natural light filtering through a draped window, giving the room a classic French interior aesthetic. Potential venue feature image.

A close-up of the couple's feet on stone steps revealed the bride's crystal-embellished ivory T-strap sandals alongside the groom's polished oxford shoes. The stationery and accessory details reflected the white-and-gold palette running through the celebration. Each element, from invitation design to table accessories, carried the cohesive vision Charlotte and Michael had planned from afar.

The Venue

The couple chose Chateau de Varennes, a chateau in Bourgogne-Franche-Comté.

Premium

Chateau

Chateau de Varennes

Bourgogne-Franche-Comté · Saône-et-Loire

A luxury 18th-century chateau in South Burgundy with family ownership for 400+ years, offering exclusive use for weddings of up to 200 guests with 60 sleeping on-site, featuring an Orangery, on-site chapel, heated pool, and Michelin-star catering.

Up to 200 guests

From €19,500 4.8 (76)