Skip to content

Rustic Elegance and Fairy Lights at Chateau Puissentut, Occitanie

Lumi and Michael's rustic wedding at Chateau Puissentut in Occitanie featured fairy-lit courtyards, a hog roast, and a first dance beneath the stars.

By Elena Moretti | Published 25 November 2016

Lumi and Michael, an Anglo-Romanian couple based in London, celebrated their union at Chateau Puissentut, a charming rustic wedding chateau near Toulouse. Surrounded by the gentle Gers countryside of Occitanie, their celebration paired rustic warmth with modern elegance across a weekend of music, laughter, and local flavour.

Getting Ready

Close-up portrait shot taken from behind of a woman, likely the bride or a bridesmaid, wearing a white lace dress with flutter sleeves and a tie-back detail. Her medium-length brown hair is styled in a half-up, half-down arrangement with a floral hair accessory featuring baby's breath and small ivory rose buds tucked into a twisted section at the back of her head. The styling reflects a boho aesthetic with natural, organic floral details. The background is softly blurred with hints of an outdoor ceremony setting and other guests visible.
A bride is shown getting ready indoors in what appears to be a rustic chateau or stone-walled room, standing on a terracotta and cream patterned rug. She wears a fitted, sleeveless, floor-length gown heavily embellished with silver beading and lace detailing throughout, paired with a sheer veil and white open-toe heels. Her hair is styled in an updo. Behind her, two women — one in a blush/nude dress and one in a silver-grey lace knee-length dress — look on admiringly, and a large ornate wooden mirror to the left reflects the bride's back. The composition is a full-length portrait shot taken indoors with warm natural light.
A close-up portrait of a bride sitting outdoors, leaning her head on her hand in a relaxed pose while holding a champagne flute. She is wearing a sleeveless, heavily sequined and beaded ivory wedding dress with a long white veil, her dark brown hair styled in an updo. The background is softly blurred and appears to be an outdoor field or garden setting, with what looks like a hay bale and a guest in the far background wearing a mauve/purple outfit. The image has a candid, unposed quality captured during what appears to be a cocktail hour or outdoor reception.

Inside a rustic stone room with terracotta tiles, Lumi stepped into her fitted, heavily beaded gown while loved ones looked on in admiration. A floral hair piece of baby's breath and ivory rosebuds completed her look, adding an organic softness to the embellished lace. With champagne in hand and her veil caught in the light, the bride's relaxed joy set the tone for everything that followed.


Cocktail Hour

Detail shots of an outdoor cocktail hour drinks station at a French wedding, shown in two panels. The top image features two large glass beverage dispensers on a white-clothed table — one containing cucumber-infused water labeled 'Gin Tonic' and one containing an orange juice or peach-colored drink labeled 'Harvey Wall Banger' — with small chalkboard tags and gold lids, surrounded by rows of empty glass tumblers. The bottom image shows a matching drinks table with multiple small personalized glass milk bottles labeled with what appears to be initials 'N + M' tied with black-and-white twine, alongside mason jar-style glasses and a bundle of yellow-and-white striped paper straws in a glass holder. The overall styling is rustic-casual with a yellow and white color palette.
A wedding cocktail hour taking place outdoors beneath a series of stone arches, likely part of a historic aqueduct or ruined arcade structure. Approximately 15 guests are mingling in small groups, with some seated on hay bales and others standing near white-clothed cocktail tables. A vintage-style yellow and white cart serves as a drinks or candy station, positioned next to a wooden wine barrel. On the right side, musicians are set up with instruments and a PA speaker, suggesting live music entertainment. The decor style is rustic and relaxed, incorporating natural materials like hay bales and barrels. The shot is a wide medium-distance image capturing the full scene.
Three male musicians perform live during what appears to be a wedding reception cocktail hour or outdoor entertainment set. They are positioned under a large stone arch, with two playing acoustic guitars and one standing playing an electric bass guitar at a microphone. The performers are dressed casually in jeans and light shirts. Black Yamaha speaker cabinets are placed on either side of the arch, and audio equipment including a mixing board is visible on a table behind the bassist. The setting is an outdoor stone structure, likely part of a French chateau or historic venue, with green trees visible through and behind the arch. Wide shot captures the full performance space and surrounding stonework.

Beneath the stone arches of the chateau, guests mingled over Gin Tonics and Harvey Wallbangers served from glass dispensers at a rustic drinks station. A jazz trio, Abarrejadis, performed live among the stonework while hay bales and a vintage yellow cart created a relaxed, festival-like atmosphere. Lisa Crossley's vintage ice-cream van added a playful surprise as laughter carried through the courtyards.


Reception

A long-exposure evening shot of five women in floor-length light-colored gowns standing outdoors and writing the word 'LOVE' (with an additional swirl) in the air using sparklers, creating glowing light trails against the dusk sky. The setting appears to be a rustic stone venue with warm string lights visible in the background. The women are likely bridesmaids or members of the bridal party, all dressed in matching or coordinating flowing dresses. The composition is a wide portrait shot with the sparkler light trails as the focal point.
Bride and groom cutting croquembouche at outdoor reception table with white candles and florals
A wide-angle detail shot of an outdoor wedding reception table set on a gravel surface, likely a courtyard or garden terrace. The long wooden farm-style table is dressed with a white linen runner and set with white plates, folded white napkins garnished with small sprigs of lavender, and clear crystal champagne flutes and wine glasses. Centerpieces include low glass vases with white roses and baby's breath, alongside tall white pillar candles and slender taper candles in brass and glass holders. The overall decor palette is white and green with rustic-classic styling. Black folding chairs are partially visible along the sides of the table.
Close-up detail shot of a rustic wooden reception table decorated in a vintage style. In the foreground, a straw boater hat with a navy ribbon band rests against a cut-crystal vase holding baby's breath, alongside a small glass votive candle holder. Further along the long table, additional arrangements of white flowers and baby's breath are flanked by pillar candles and brass candlesticks, creating a warm, candlelit atmosphere. The setting appears to be an indoor courtyard or stone-walled room, with a lit doorway visible in the blurred background, reinforcing a rustic, vintage-inspired decor palette of natural textures, warm amber candlelight, and white blooms.

Long wooden farm tables dressed with white linen runners, lavender-tied napkins, and low arrangements of white roses and baby's breath filled the stone courtyard. Candles flickered in brass holders as Auberge La Baquere served a local hog roast with fresh salads, followed by a traditional piece montee glowing with sparklers. The couple's first dance unfolded beneath fairy lights strung between the half-timbered buildings, and the night closed with bridesmaids spelling LOVE in sparklers against the dusk sky.


Flat Lays

An evening outdoor reception dinner table set up in what appears to be a rustic courtyard or covered terrace, with stone archways visible in the background. The long wooden farm-style table is styled with a linen runner, pillar candles and votive candles in glass holders, and small bud vases containing loosely arranged white and green wildflower-style blooms. Overhead string bistro lights add warm ambient lighting across the space, and folding chairs are visible along the sides of the table. The overall decor palette is warm and rustic, with an intimate, candlelit atmosphere.
An outdoor evening wedding reception set in a courtyard or garden area adjacent to a stone building, photographed as a wide shot. Multiple long wooden trestle tables with folding chairs are arranged on a gravel surface, dressed with white floral centerpieces, candles, and glassware in a relaxed, rustic style. Strings of warm Edison/fairy lights are strung overhead in a canopy pattern, providing the primary lighting along with candles on the tables. Lush potted plants and climbing greenery border the space. No guests are visible, suggesting the photo was taken before guest arrival. Potential venue feature image.
A portrait of a bride posing with four bridesmaids outdoors in front of a pale yellow stone building. The bride wears a white lace dress with a sheer veil and holds a bouquet of white roses and white baby's breath. The four bridesmaids are dressed in coordinating blush and ivory lace cap-sleeve dresses. The group is arranged in a close cluster facing the camera, with the bride at center. The shot is a mid-range portrait with a shallow depth of field, slightly blurring the building and garden greenery in the background.
An outdoor wedding reception dinner is taking place in a gravel courtyard of a rustic French stone farmhouse or mas, with timber-framed building elements and ivy-covered walls visible in the background. Approximately 30–40 guests are seated along several long wooden tables arranged in a loose U-shape, with white chairs and folding black chairs mixed throughout. The tables are set with white plates, glassware, and low centerpieces of greenery and white flowers, with string lights strung overhead between the buildings. The scene is captured in a wide-angle overhead shot, conveying the full scale of the outdoor dining setup in an informal, relaxed rustic style. Potential venue feature image.

Personalised glass milk bottles marked with L + M initials, yellow striped paper straws, and mason jar drinks gave the couple's styling a charming DIY edge. The courtyard reception, captured in wide overhead shots, revealed the full scale of the rustic setup: multiple trestle tables arranged on gravel beneath Edison light canopies, framed by ivy-covered walls and potted plants.


More from the Day

A couple shares a kiss during outdoor wedding portraits on a shaded path beneath overhanging tree branches. The groom wears a navy blue suit with brown leather shoes and a burgundy tie, while the bride wears a lace wedding gown with a long cathedral-length veil that trails behind her on the ground. The two are holding hands as they kiss, framed naturally by the tree canopy above. The shot is a full-length portrait taken in bright midday light with dappled shade.
A wide-angle nighttime exterior shot of a rustic stone farmhouse or barn venue illuminated by warm amber interior lighting and string lights draped across the facade and surrounding trees. The venue features multiple interconnected stone buildings with lit windows, a white picket fence, and what appears to be an outdoor terrace or covered area strung with festoon lights. Small ground-level lights line a pathway in the foreground, creating a warm glow against the deep blue twilight sky. No people are visible in the frame. Potential venue feature image.
Close-up detail shot of a drinks station at an outdoor wedding, set on a white linen-covered table in bright sunlight. Several upside-down clear glass tumblers are arranged in the foreground, alongside small vintage-style glass milk bottles tied with black-and-white baker's twine. In the background, a glass jar holds an assortment of yellow and white striped paper straws, and a small mason jar filled with an amber-orange drink is labeled with a handwritten tag reading 'L + M,' indicating the couple's initials. The styling is casual and rustic, consistent with a DIY or bohemian aesthetic.
A close-up detail shot of a single place setting on a natural wood dining table. A white ceramic plate holds a neatly folded white linen napkin tied with a small sprig of lavender and an olive leaf as a napkin accent. Silver flatware — a fork, knife, and spoon — is arranged around the plate, and two clear wine glasses are positioned to the right. A white hemstitch table runner is partially visible at the top of the frame. The overall decor palette is white and natural wood with a Provençal-inspired rustic styling.
Aesthetic
Rustic
Guest Count
-
Budget Range
-
Bride's Dress
-

Love this wedding? There are hundreds more.

Real weddings, venue guides, and planning inspiration, in your inbox every month.

The Venue

The couple chose Chateau Puissentut, a chateau in Occitanie.

Discover more weddings in Occitanie

More Real Weddings in Occitanie

Discover More

Browse our curated venue collections.

Share This Wedding
10 chapters

Planning a Destination Wedding in France?

Our complete guide covers everything from choosing a region to the morning-after breakfast.

Read the Complete Guide