An Intimate Spring Celebration at Chateau de Pontarme near Paris

Zimeng and Bolun's intimate wedding at Chateau de Pontarme near Paris featured garden portraits and refined florals by Maison Vertumne, captured by Olya Kobruseva.

By Elena Moretti | Published 15 February 2023

An Intimate Spring Celebration at Chateau de Pontarme near Paris

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Zimeng and Bolun chose Chateau de Pontarme, just north of Paris, for an intimate celebration that embraced the beauty of the French countryside with refined Parisian sensibility. Planned by Lavie Wedding with florals by Maison Vertumne, their day unfolded in soft light across manicured gardens and quiet courtyards.

Photography

Olya Kobruseva

Venue

Château de Pontarmé

Region

Ile-de-France, France

Couple

Zimeng & Bolun

Getting Ready

A getting-ready portrait of a bride standing with four bridesmaids inside what appears to be a French chateau, posed in front of a large classical oil painting depicting a hunting scene with dogs and deer. The bride wears a white long-sleeve V-neck wrap-style dress with an upswept hairstyle and pearl drop earrings, holding a loose garden-style bouquet of white peonies, ranunculus, and mixed greenery. The four bridesmaids wear matching blush pink long-sleeve midi dresses with ruffle neckline details, each holding a smaller version of the same bouquet, and all five women wear matching fluffy pompom flat slippers in pale lavender-gray. The group is laughing and looking at one another in a relaxed, candid moment, captured in a medium full-length portrait shot with film grain visible, giving the image a soft, warm tone.

Zimeng prepared in the chateau's serene suites, where JingJane Makeup created an ethereal bridal look accented with delicate blooms from Maison Vertumne. The atmosphere was calm and intentional, with every detail attended to in quiet succession. Her gown, light and flowing, moved naturally as she stepped through the chateau's pale interiors.

Bridal Portraits

A bride portrait taken indoors, with the bride seated on a wicker chair beside tall French doors that open onto a stone balustrade. She wears an ivory long-sleeve fitted gown with a thigh-high slit and a cathedral-length tulle veil that pools extensively across the herringbone parquet floor. Her hair is styled in a low updo and she wears silver pointed-toe heels. She holds a loose, garden-style bouquet of white ranunculus, small white blooms, and trailing green foliage. The room features sage-green paneled walls and a deep navy curtain, and soft natural window light illuminates the scene from the left. The shot is a full-length portrait with a classic, refined editorial feel.

This black-and-white image shows a bride seated at a small round draped table beside a large window, writing in what appears to be a wedding card or vow booklet with illustrated floral detailing on the cover. She is wearing a long-sleeved, floor-length bridal gown with lace cuff detail and flat bridal slippers, with her dark hair styled in a loose updo. A bouquet of flowers rests on the table beside her, and she is seated in a wicker chair with a cushion; classic wood paneling and herringbone parquet flooring are visible in the background, suggesting an interior room of a French chateau or manor house. The image is a full-length portrait shot with soft, high-contrast natural window light, giving it bright highlights and deep mid-tones.

A bride steps out of a vintage mint-green Citroën 2CV on a gravel courtyard, holding the open car door with one hand and a large bouquet in the other. She wears an off-the-shoulder long-sleeve ivory gown with a front slit and a draped bodice, paired with champagne-colored heeled pumps and a delicate pendant necklace, with her dark hair styled in a loose updo. The bouquet is a lush, garden-style arrangement of white dahlias, white cosmos, and greenery. The shot is a medium full-length portrait taken outdoors, with a stone building and ivy visible in the background.

Olya Kobruseva captured Zimeng against the chateau's soft stone facades and garden hedgerows, each portrait balancing the classical architecture with the bride's quiet grace. The gown's flowing lines caught the gentle light as she paused along pathways lined with sculptured greenery. A second gown for the evening added a fresh layer of visual storytelling.

Couple Portraits

A close-up portrait of a bride and groom touching foreheads with eyes closed in an intimate moment. The bride wears a ruffled white dress with a subtle floral print, a delicate gold chain necklace, and an ornate drop earring featuring a pearl, gold detailing, and a pale green heart-shaped pendant. Her dark hair is styled in a loose updo. The groom wears a navy blue suit jacket with a patterned lapel pin or boutonniere partially visible. The background is softly blurred with warm, diffused natural light, giving the image a film-photography aesthetic with a bright, airy tone.

This black-and-white image captures a couple kissing during a sparkler send-off, shot in portrait format with the couple centered in the foreground. The bride wears a ruffled, tiered dress with floral detailing and long sleeves, her dark hair styled in an updo, and she holds a lit sparkler in one hand. The groom is dressed in a dark suit with a bow tie and has his arm wrapped around the bride. Several guests visible in the soft-focus background are holding lit sparklers and smiling, including a woman in a midi dress to the left. The setting appears to be an outdoor courtyard in front of a stone building, photographed at night with the sparklers providing bright, glowing light sources against the dark tones of the image.

A couple portrait shot outdoors on a gravel courtyard, with the bride seated in the open door of a vintage pale sage green Citroën 2CV as the groom leans in to kiss her. The groom wears a navy suit with brown leather oxford shoes, while the bride wears an off-the-shoulder ivory draped gown with a front slit and champagne heeled mules. She holds a large loosely arranged bouquet of white ranunculus, white cosmos, white garden roses, and trailing greenery. The background features a stone building facade with ivy, consistent with a French chateau or manor property. The image has a film photography quality with soft, warm tones and a mid-range portrait composition.

A couple portrait shot outdoors, with the pair seated on a low stone wall. The groom wears a navy three-piece suit with a grey bow tie and brown leather oxford shoes, and leans in to kiss the bride on the cheek. The bride is laughing and wears a floor-length tiered ruffle gown in blush with a soft floral print, flutter sleeves, and embellished flat shoes; her dark hair is styled in an updo. The setting appears to be the grounds of a historic stone building, with greenery and a structure visible in the soft-focus background. The image has a film photography quality with warm, slightly faded tones consistent with analog shooting.

The couple moved through the chateau's gardens, courtyards, and tree-lined pathways for a portrait session that captured their quiet chemistry. Olya Kobruseva used the estate's architectural lines and soft afternoon light to frame intimate moments between Zimeng and Bolun. Each image held a sense of calm connection, from gentle embraces to spontaneous laughter.

Bridal Party

A groom and four groomsmen walk down the stone steps of a French chateau toward the camera in a wide portrait shot. The groom stands at the center front, dressed in a navy blue three-piece suit with a light grey bow tie and brown leather Oxford shoes, while the four groomsmen wear black suits with black bow ties and black dress shoes. All five men wear small white floral boutonnieres. Two of the groomsmen wear sunglasses, and one has bleached blonde hair and wears a black waistcoat. The group is positioned in front of the chateau's limestone facade, which features a Gothic-style arched wooden door and leaded windows, with a gravel courtyard in the foreground. The overall styling is classic and formal. Potential venue feature image.

A groom and four groomsmen pose casually inside a chateau, standing in front of a large stone fireplace with exposed brick interior and a gilt-framed portrait hanging above the mantel. The room features a crystal chandelier, parquet flooring, and stone walls, conveying a classic French chateau interior. The groom, positioned at center, wears a navy three-piece suit with a patterned bow tie and white boutonniere, while the groomsmen wear navy and black tuxedo suits with black bow ties and matching white boutonnieres with greenery. This is a wide group portrait shot with the five men arranged in a relaxed, candid-style stance.

The bridal party gathered on the chateau's lawns and stone steps, their coordinated styling adding a layer of visual harmony to the portraits. Laughter and relaxed energy defined the group shots, with Olya Kobruseva capturing the genuine warmth between friends. The manicured gardens provided a structured yet natural backdrop.

Reception

Close-up detail shot of a two-tier wedding cake with a smooth ivory buttercream finish, decorated with an abundant cascade of fresh flowers including blush peonies, white scabiosa, white daisies, nigella (love-in-a-mist) with its feathery green foliage, small purple forget-me-nots or veronica, eucalyptus leaves, and delicate green astilbe or astrantia sprigs. The floral decoration runs from the base of the top tier down across the lower tier, creating an asymmetrical garden-style arrangement. The overall color palette is white, blush, soft purple, and green, consistent with a romantic garden or boho wedding aesthetic. The image is shot from a slightly elevated angle in bright natural light with a softly blurred background.

Close-up detail shot of a wedding reception place setting on a white linen tablecloth. The place setting features white china plates layered on a charger, silver cutlery with decorative handles, and a small pale blue velvet drawstring pouch serving as a guest favor, placed on top of a printed menu card. In the background, a lush centerpiece arrangement includes ivory peonies, yellow blooms, dried rust-colored foliage, and greenery, along with crystal glassware and a small patterned votive candle holder. The overall decor palette is white, soft blue, and yellow with gold accents, suggesting a classic, airy reception style.

A black-and-white image of a sparkler send-off moment at an outdoor evening reception, set in a gravel courtyard in front of a stone building with steps and a doorway visible in the background. The groom, wearing a dark suit, is lifting and spinning the bride, who wears a tiered ruffled lace dress with a flowing skirt and her hair in an updo; both are laughing openly. Approximately eight to ten guests line both sides of the couple, holding lit sparklers that produce bright, high-contrast bursts of light against the dark background, while small votive candles are scattered on the gravel ground. The composition is a mid-distance portrait shot capturing the movement and energy of the moment with strong tonal contrast between the bright sparkler light and the dark surroundings.

Dinner gathered the intimate group in the chateau's candlelit dining room, where elegant place settings and floral centrepieces by Maison Vertumne created a refined atmosphere. The evening carried the same gentle energy as the rest of the day, with heartfelt toasts and shared laughter building a sense of warmth. Dancing followed as the celebration extended into the evening.