A Contemporary Wedding at Palais du Gouvernement, Nancy

Julie and Maxime's contemporary wedding at the Palais du Gouvernement in Nancy with a Rime Arodaky gown, plexiglass styling, and 200 guests by Elle Photographie.

By Elena Moretti | Published 9 January 2019

A Contemporary Wedding at Palais du Gouvernement, Nancy

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Julie and Maxime celebrated with 200 guests at the Palais du Gouvernement on Place Stanislas in Nancy. Planned by Marie Chicchirichi and captured by Elle Photographie, their celebration paired a Rime Arodaky gown with contemporary plexiglass accents set against the palace's 18th-century grandeur.

Photography

Venue

Palais du Gouvernement, Nancy

Region

Alsace, France

Couple

Julie & Maxime

Bridal Portraits

Close-up portrait of a bride holding a loose, cascading bridal bouquet composed of blush garden roses, cream David Austin roses, white ranunculus, white astilbe, scabiosa, green cymbidium orchids, veronicastrum, eucalyptus, and trailing willow-like greenery. The bride wears a white gown with a sheer lace cap-sleeve bodice featuring floral appliqué over a flowing skirt. The bouquet style is organic and unstructured, with a soft blush, cream, and green palette. The image is a detail-focused portrait shot with a soft, bright background and shallow depth of field.

A bride stands alone in a portrait shot inside a classic French interior room, looking toward a tall window with natural light falling across her. She wears a floor-length ivory gown with a sheer illusion neckline and delicate 3D floral appliqué detailing on the bodice and cap sleeves, with a flowing skirt. She holds a loose, garden-style bouquet of blush garden roses, cream peonies, ivory ranunculus, and trailing eucalyptus foliage tied with a dark ribbon. The room features white panelled walls with ornate moulding, a gold-framed oil painting, a dark wood antique side table, a cast iron radiator, and a herringbone parquet wood floor with a geometric dark inlay border. The overall styling is classic and refined with a soft, romantic palette.

Close-up portrait of a bride and groom holding hands, cropped from shoulders to mid-thigh. The bride wears an ivory gown with a sheer illusion bodice featuring floral lace appliqué and a flowing chiffon skirt, accessorized with a delicate crystal tennis bracelet. The groom wears a navy blue suit with a white dress shirt, burgundy patterned bow tie, silver cufflinks, and a boutonnière of small ivory roses with greenery. The image focuses on their joined hands as a detail shot, with soft natural lighting and a clean, classic styling aesthetic.

Julie held a cascading bouquet of blush garden roses, cream David Austin blooms, and trailing greenery that complemented her Rime Arodaky gown. Elle Photographie captured the bride in front of the palace's grand French windows, the warm evening light filtering through glass panes and illuminating the delicate lace and pleated tulle.

Reception

Close-up detail shot of a wedding reception table centerpiece arranged in a clear glass pedestal compote vase. The floral arrangement features large blush and cream dahlias, garden roses, soft yellow button blooms, blush carnations or dianthus, small white berry clusters, and mixed greenery including eucalyptus and palm-like foliage. Two ivory pillar candles are placed in front of the arrangement on a cream or ivory linen tablecloth, along with a small white table number card. The overall decor palette is blush, cream, and soft yellow with a classic, romantic styling. The background shows a softly blurred indoor reception space with warm ambient lighting and white chair covers visible.

Inside the Palais du Gouvernement's ballroom, ornate gold boiserie and crystal chandeliers set the stage for a seated dinner of 105 guests. Marie Chicchirichi's contemporary scenography contrasted the classical architecture with modern plexiglass elements. The evening built toward an energetic dance floor that kept 200 cocktail guests engaged.

Design and Details

Wide exterior shot of a large neoclassical French government or civic building featuring a colonnade of tall stone columns along the ground floor, ornate stone facade, and multiple balconies decorated with French tricolor flags. The building appears to be the Hôtel de Ville or a préfecture, likely in Bordeaux. No people, wedding party, or decor are visible in the frame. Potential venue feature image.

A two-image detail composite showcasing the interior architecture of a classical French venue. The left image shows a dark marble fireplace mantel topped with ornate gilded bronze candelabras and a gilt clock, reflected in a large gold-framed mirror with decorative molding; a crystal and brass chandelier is visible in the reflection against white and gold paneled walls. The right image is a top-down aerial shot of a curved stone staircase with an ornate wrought-iron handrail featuring scroll detailing, showing the spiral descent to a diamond-pattern stone floor below. Both shots are close-up architectural detail compositions highlighting the venue's classical French interior design with gold, cream, and stone tones. Potential venue feature image.

A diptych of architectural detail shots showcasing a grand French classical building. The left image is a low-angle close-up of a stone facade featuring ornate carved balustrades, decorative sculptural figures, and tall multi-paned windows with classical cornicing. The right image shows a long colonnaded gallery or portico with repeating stone columns receding into the distance, large windows along the wall, and a stone-paved floor. No people, decor, or wedding elements are visible — both frames focus entirely on the building's classical French architecture. Potential venue feature image.

The venue's classical interior featured dark wood panelling alongside wrought-iron detailing and gilded mouldings. Marie Chicchirichi introduced plexiglass accents and contemporary lines to contrast the 18th-century grandeur, creating a scenography that felt both polished and unexpected within the historic Place Stanislas setting.

Flat Lays

A six-panel flat lay and portrait collage from a French wedding for Julie et Maxime. Top row features stationery details: a small clear tube favor labeled with the couple's names, a white cream-toned wedding invitation with script and serif typography in black and gold, and a boutonnière made of a single white garden rose with small yellow accent blooms and a soft pink ribbon wrap. Middle row shows the groom in a navy suit with a lavender bow tie and white rose boutonnière standing with his back partially turned in a classical stone arcade, the bride in a flowing white A-line gown with cap sleeves holding a loose garden bouquet, posed under stone columns of what appears to be a French civic building or palais, and a close-up detail of the bride fastening a silver glitter strappy heel on a wooden floor. Bottom row shows a small brass-framed glass ring box holding two gold wedding bands on a pale yellow fabric insert, and a close-up portrait-style shot of the bridal bouquet composed of ivory and blush garden roses, white anemones, eucalyptus, and small greenery sprigs held against the bride's white gown.

A diptych image showing two scenes from a wedding cocktail hour. On the left, a male bartender in a white shirt and dark vest is flair bartending, tossing a bottle in the air behind a bar setup with multiple glasses, cocktail shakers, and prepared drinks arranged on the counter, with large ornate wooden doors in the background. On the right, approximately 20-30 wedding guests mingle outdoors on a gravel terrace in front of a grand neoclassical building featuring tall white columns and formal manicured topiary hedges, dressed in smart-casual to formal attire. Both images are medium-wide shots taken in natural daylight. Potential venue feature image.

A close-up detail shot of a wedding reception table setting featuring a printed French menu card for Julie and Maxime, displayed in a small gold brass holder on a white linen tablecloth. The menu lists several courses including braised veal, cheese selection, and a Breton sablé dessert. Behind the menu card sits a low floral centerpiece in a clear glass footed vase containing blush dahlias, cream garden roses, soft pink pom-style blooms, and eucalyptus greenery. A white pillar candle in a glass holder is partially visible to the left. The overall decor palette is blush, ivory, and gold with a classic, refined French reception aesthetic.

A bartender in a white shirt and dark vest served cocktails alongside an artisanal drinks display. The stationery suite, table numbering, and menu cards carried the contemporary aesthetic through every printed detail, each piece reflecting the celebration's blend of modern design and classical French architecture.