Skip to content
French Wedding Style

A Spring Elopement in the Gardens of the Palace of Versailles

Karen and David's spring elopement in the Palace of Versailles gardens, with a custom Handmade With Love gown, garden rose bouquet, and a boat ride.…

By Elena Moretti | Published 23 October 2019
A Spring Elopement in the Gardens of the Palace of Versailles

Karen and David chose the Palace of Versailles gardens for a spring elopement that balanced French grandeur with natural softness. Beneath overcast skies and gentle light, surrounded by magnolia trees, cherry blossoms, and wisteria, the couple exchanged vows at the former royal residence. Daria Lorman captured every moment of their Parisian escape.

Photography
-
Venue
Palace of Versailles Gardens
Region
Ile-de-France, France
Couple
Karen & David

Getting Ready

A couple portrait taken outdoors along a formal tree-lined sandy avenue of tall poplar trees. The bride and groom are kissing at the center of the frame, positioned mid-distance from the camera in a wide portrait shot. The groom wears a dark navy suit, while the bride wears an off-the-shoulder white ballgown with a full tulle skirt and a long train. Her hair is styled in a loose low updo with a delicate gold hair accessory. She holds a bouquet of pink and coral peonies or garden roses. The composition uses the symmetrical avenue of trees as a natural leading line framing the couple.
A bridal portrait of a single bride leaning against a stone column within a classical open rotunda or temple structure featuring Corinthian columns, a domed ceiling, and a white marble statue on a pedestal in the background. The bride wears an off-the-shoulder white gown with long sheer puff sleeves and a lace-bodice corset, accessorized with gold drop earrings and her dark brown hair styled in a loose updo. She holds a large rounded bouquet composed of blush garden roses, hot pink sweet peas, and coral ranunculus. The black-and-white checkered marble floor adds to the neoclassical aesthetic of the setting, suggesting a formal French garden or palace grounds such as Versailles. The shot is a close-to-medium portrait with the rotunda architecture softly blurred in the background.
A couple shares a kiss outdoors on the grounds of a French country estate or manor house, visible in the background. The groom wears a dark navy suit, while the bride wears an off-the-shoulder blush-toned tulle ballgown with a flowing train; her auburn hair is styled in a low ponytail adorned with a small floral hair accessory. They are standing beneath a blooming magnolia tree with large pale pink blossoms, and fallen petals are scattered across the lawn around them. The portrait is shot at a medium distance, framing the couple centrally with the magnolia branches arching overhead and the manor's facade softly out of focus in the background.
A close-up portrait of a bride standing outdoors against a wall covered in blooming wisteria with soft purple clusters. She wears an off-the-shoulder ivory wedding gown with a lace-embroidered sweetheart bodice and flowing, billowing tulle sleeves and skirt. Her accessories include statement gold chandelier earrings with pearl or crystal drops. Her auburn hair is loosely styled and slightly windswept. The composition is a medium portrait shot with the bride as the sole subject, styled in a romantic, soft aesthetic with a light, airy color palette of ivory and muted lavender.

The couple posed together in the chateau's garden setting, surrounded by magnolia and wisteria in full bloom. Karen wore a custom off-the-shoulder gown by Handmade With Love featuring a transparent corset and full skirt with hand embroidery. Statement earrings and a golden hairpiece by Della Bella Gioielli, crafted exclusively for her in Switzerland, completed the bridal look.

Bridal Portraits

A couple portrait taken on a lake, with the bride and groom seated in a small white and tan wooden rowboat on calm water. The groom, wearing a navy suit, holds the oars and faces the camera with a relaxed expression, while the bride sits with her back to the camera, wearing a sheer long-sleeve dress and an updo hairstyle adorned with a delicate gold floral hair accessory. A second rowboat with two passengers is visible in the background. The setting appears to be a formal park or château grounds, with rows of early-spring trees lining the far bank. The shot is a medium portrait taken from slightly above water level, with an overcast, diffused light.
A couple portrait taken outdoors against the stone facade of a French chateau or historic building, with blooming wisteria cascading overhead and a latticed wooden door in the background. The bride wears an off-the-shoulder white tulle ballgown with voluminous sheer puff sleeves and holds a bouquet of coral and pink peonies; the groom wears a navy suit with a blush boutonniere. The two are close together, the groom nuzzling the bride's cheek as she smiles with her eyes closed. The image is a medium full-length portrait with soft, even natural light.
A couple portrait session taking place on the Grand Canal at the Palace of Versailles, with the groom rowing a white wooden rowboat while the bride leans in close to him. The groom is dressed in a navy suit and the bride appears to be wearing a light-colored, likely blush or ivory, wedding dress. The wide shot is taken from water level, capturing the full length of the boat on the canal, with the formal gardens, classical statues, and the Versailles palace building visible in the distant background under an overcast sky. Potential venue feature image.
A couple portrait taken outdoors in a formal French garden, with the bride and groom seated together on a stone bench between two bare-branched trees. The groom wears a navy suit and the bride wears a full-skirted white gown with a flowing tulle skirt; she holds a bouquet of blush and coral pink flowers. They are leaning toward each other in an intimate pose, framed by a neatly trimmed green hedge behind them, with a classic French chateau building visible in the background. The shot is a wide portrait composition taken in natural, overcast light.

Karen stood beneath flowering branches in the palace grounds, her custom gown's transparent corset and hand-embroidered skirt catching the soft spring light. Two-panel portraits showed the couple framed by the chateau's ivy-covered facade, his dark suit a quiet counterpoint to her full white skirt. The overcast Versailles sky lent a painterly quality to every frame.

Flat Lays

A flat lay detail shot of two matching white wedding ceremony booklets printed with 'Karen and David' in black serif typography, featuring a vintage-style illustrated vignette and ornate corner borders. The booklets are arranged on a white fabric surface surrounded by scattered ivory petals, a peach garden rose, blush sweet peas, a mauve sweet pea stem, and a small boutonniere made of a blush peony bud paired with a pale pink sweet pea. The stationery design follows a classic French-inspired aesthetic with navy ink illustration and references 'Château de Varède' as the venue. The overall color palette is soft blush, peach, and ivory.
A collage of seven wedding editorial images shot at a French chateau, identified in the stationery as Château de Vauchelles. The flat-lay detail shot shows white wedding invitation suites with navy blue calligraphy script, sealed with navy blue wax seals, styled alongside peach garden roses, white flower petals, and blue and white chinoiserie-patterned envelope liners. The bride wears a white ballgown with a full tulle skirt throughout all couple portraits, and the groom wears a dark navy suit. Couple portrait shots include: the two standing facing each other on the chateau lawn with the ivy-covered stone facade behind them; walking hand-in-hand along a formal garden allée with the chateau visible in the background; an embrace and near-kiss in front of the ivy-covered chateau facade; sitting together in a small white and tan motorboat on a calm lake or pond; and reclining together on the grass beneath a flowering cherry blossom tree. The decor palette is navy blue and white with peach floral accents. Images range from wide establishing shots to close-up detail and portrait compositions. Potential venue feature image.
A flat lay detail shot of a wedding invitation suite for Karen and David, set against a white background scattered with cream and pale lavender flower petals and a peach garden rose. The main invitation card features calligraphy script lettering with ornate black corner flourishes, listing the venue as Château de Versailles, France, on Wednesday the eighth of April MMXIX. The suite includes two small place cards — one reading 'David' and one reading 'Karen' — each sealed with a blue wax seal, alongside a blue and white toile-patterned card and a deep navy blue silk ribbon. The overall stationery palette is white, black, and navy blue, with a classic French-inspired design aesthetic.
Close-up detail shot of a ring exchange moment during an outdoor ceremony, with the groom in a navy suit placing a ring on the bride's finger. The bride wears a white dress with long lace sleeves featuring delicate floral detailing, and a peach or pale coral flower boutonniere is visible on the groom's lapel. The background is softly blurred, showing a lawn and what appears to be a French chateau or manor house facade with ivy-covered walls. The composition is tightly framed on the couple's hands, keeping the focus entirely on the ring exchange.

A collage of seven editorial images revealed the stationery suite by Ivy Cousin Graphic Designer, set against the chateau's stone architecture. The bridal flat lay featured the custom gown, golden hairpiece by Della Bella Gioielli, and statement accessories arranged across a vintage surface. Mathieu of L'Atelier Artisan Bouquetier designed a bouquet of garden roses and sweet peas that echoed the surrounding spring blossoms.

More from the Day

A close-up portrait shot of a bride holding a two-tier ivory wedding cake on a white plate, accompanied by a gold-handled cake server and knife. The cake features delicate lace-textured fondant detailing and is topped with a large oversized white sugar or wafer paper flower. The bride is wearing an off-shoulder ivory gown with sheer sleeves and floral lace appliqué detailing, paired with gold drop earrings. The composition is cropped from the chin down, centering the cake as the focal point against a softly blurred outdoor background.
A bride and groom sit facing each other in a small white rowboat on a calm lake, appearing to share a conversation. The bride wears a white gown and the groom is dressed in a dark navy suit. Several additional white and wood-trimmed boats are docked along the shore in the background, flanked by a formal row of neatly trimmed trees typical of French formal garden design. The image is a wide shot with soft, overcast light giving the scene a muted, cool palette. The setting appears to be the Grand Canal at the Palace of Versailles.
A bride and groom stand facing each other on the lawn in front of a large ivy-covered French manor house, each holding papers and appearing to exchange private vows. The bride wears a long-sleeved white gown with a flowing train, and the groom is dressed in a dark navy suit. The shot is a wide portrait capturing both figures in full length with the manor's stone facade and symmetrical architecture prominently visible in the background. Potential venue feature image.
Aesthetic
Elegant
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.

More Weddings at Palace of Versailles Gardens

4 months ago Photo: Aude Lucas Sequin Light and Seine Reflections at Hotel de Bouillon, Chateau de Versailles

 

Sequin Light and Seine Reflections at Hotel de Bouillon, Chateau de Versailles

 

10 months ago Photo: Iryana Mandryka Photography Ivory Silk and Garden Roses at Hotel de Bouillon (Chateau de Versailles)

 

Ivory Silk and Garden Roses at Hotel de Bouillon (Chateau de Versailles)

 

More Real Weddings in Ile-de-France

3 days ago Photo: Still Miracle Classic-Modern Romance Editorial at Château de Villette

Chateau de Villette

Classic-Modern Romance Editorial at Château de Villette

Bourgogne-Franche-Comte

4 days ago Photo: Kelly Dujardin Modern Elegance & Calla Lilies Wedding at Château d’Arcelot

Château d'Arcelot

Modern Elegance & Calla Lilies Wedding at Château d’Arcelot

Bourgogne-Franche-Comté

11 days ago Photo: Pattie Fellowes Photography Spiral Ceremony, Pink Blooms and Crystal Chandeliers at Château Martinay

Chateau Martinay

Spiral Ceremony, Pink Blooms and Crystal Chandeliers at Château Martinay

Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur

13 days ago Photo: Cleya Asulon Lavender Fields and Linen Suits: A Provencal Editorial at Bastide des Barattes

Bastide des Barattes

Lavender Fields and Linen Suits: A Provencal Editorial at Bastide des Barattes

Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur

See all real weddings →

Discover More

Browse our curated venue collections.

Wedding Venues with Chapel in France Wedding Venues Allowing External Caterers
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