A Stylish Same-Sex Celebration at Chateau de Montgobert, Hauts-de-France

Thomas and Emmanuel's same-sex wedding at Chateau de Montgobert near Paris combined city hall vows with a chateau weekend in Hauts-de-France, captured by Antoine Monfajon.

By Elena Moretti | Published 21 February 2015

A Stylish Same-Sex Celebration at Chateau de Montgobert, Hauts-de-France

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Thomas and Emmanuel celebrated their love at Chateau de Montgobert, a neoclassical estate set within the rolling countryside of Hauts-de-France. Their day began with a civil ceremony at the Mairie du 10e arrondissement in Paris before unfolding into a weekend of warmth, laughter, and connection at the chateau.

Photography

Antoine Monfajon

Venue

Château de Montgobert

Region

North of France, France

Couple

Thomas & Emmanuel

Ceremony

Black-and-white portrait of two grooms kissing on the steps outside an ornate wrought-iron arched doorway, likely at a mairie or historic civic building. Rice or confetti is being thrown over them, caught mid-air in the image. One groom wears a dark three-piece suit with a light tie and a watch visible on his wrist, while the other wears a textured light-grey suit. The composition is a mid-range portrait shot with strong contrast between the dark ironwork scrollwork of the door and the lighter stone architecture framing the couple.

A black-and-white candid shot taken inside a grand civic or municipal building, likely a French mairie (town hall), featuring tall columns, large arched windows, and ornate parquet flooring. Four people are visible: a man in a plaid suit jacket stands with his back to the camera in the foreground, a woman in a floral dress faces away from camera beside him, while a groom in a dark suit and tie and an older woman in a short striped dress approach them from the background. The scene appears to capture a pre- or post-civil ceremony moment, with guests or family members greeting one another. The image is a wide candid shot with medium contrast, emphasizing the architectural grandeur of the interior space.

Two grooms celebrate their civil ceremony inside a French mairie (town hall), both raising their arms in a joyful gesture. The groom on the left wears a light grey textured tweed suit, while the groom on the right wears a navy three-piece suit with a pink tie and a pink pocket square. The interior setting features ornate classical architecture with white sculpted relief panels, decorative moldings, and the 'RF' (République Française) insignia visible on the walls. Several guests and an official are visible in the background, clapping. The shot is a mid-range portrait taken at a slight low angle, emphasizing the celebratory mood of the moment.

Wide-angle upward-facing shot of a grand French Beaux-Arts or Second Empire-style civic building, likely a mairie (town hall), featuring ornate stone facade with carved detailing, tall arched windows, a mansard roof with dormer windows, a central clock, and a French tricolor flag displayed on the balcony. No people or wedding party are visible in the frame. The image appears to be taken at the exterior of a civil ceremony venue. Potential venue feature image.

The civil ceremony at the Mairie du 10e arrondissement carried a powerful symbolism, with a marble statue depicting two men exchanging the ancient kiss of peace standing quietly behind the mayor. Vows were exchanged in an atmosphere charged with both personal and broader significance. The formality of the Parisian setting gave way to visible emotion from both the couple and their guests.

Couple Portraits

A couple portrait of two grooms standing close together in a doorway or large French window opening, their foreheads nearly touching as one adjusts the other's tie or lapel. Both men wear dark suits — one in charcoal grey with a pink pocket square, the other in navy — and are shown largely in silhouette against a bright blue sky. The highly polished reflective floor creates a near-perfect mirror image of the couple below them, adding strong visual symmetry to the composition. The setting appears to be a chateau or grand estate with a stone balustrade terrace and a ornamental pool or lake visible in the background through the open doors, with deep red curtains framing the interior sides of the frame. The shot is a full-length portrait taken from inside the venue looking outward, using backlighting to create a dramatic silhouette effect.

Black-and-white portrait of two grooms holding hands and standing together in front of a grand neoclassical building with large columns and wide stone steps visible in the soft-focus background. One groom wears a light-toned checked suit with a tie, while the other wears a dark three-piece suit with a light tie and a white pocket square, and glasses. Both have their free hands in their pockets and face the camera with composed expressions. The image is a mid-length portrait shot with shallow depth of field, giving the architectural background a blurred, high-contrast appearance against the sharper foreground figures.

Portrait of two grooms standing outdoors in a garden setting, both with hands in pockets and gazing in the same direction. The groom on the left wears a charcoal grey three-piece suit with a light blue patterned tie, while the groom on the right wears a navy blue two-piece suit with a lavender tie and a pink pocket square. The styling is classic and coordinated, with complementary cool-toned accessories. The shot is a medium close-up portrait with a softly blurred green hedge background.

Portrait of two men, likely the groom and a groomsman or a same-sex couple, posing in front of a weathered red vintage piece of farm or industrial equipment inside a rustic barn or outbuilding. The man on the left wears a grey three-piece suit with a light blue patterned tie and white pocket square, while the man on the right wears a navy two-piece suit with a pink tie and pink pocket square and glasses. The man on the right has his hand resting on the other's shoulder, and both are smiling. The setting has a rustic, vintage aesthetic with aged wooden beams and distressed surfaces visible in the background. Medium portrait shot with a shallow depth of field.

Antoine Monfajon captured the couple across the chateau's sweeping lawns and classical facades, drawing out the quiet confidence and joy that defined the day. The neoclassical lines of the estate provided strong compositional frames, while the soft countryside light added warmth to every image. Each portrait held a sense of celebration and unity.

Reception

A black-and-white image capturing two grooms sharing a first kiss on the steps of what appears to be a French mairie (town hall), surrounded by a large crowd of approximately 40–50 guests who are throwing confetti and cheering. Both grooms wear dark suits with ties, and they are holding hands during the kiss. The confetti is visible mid-air, creating strong contrast against the dark suits in the high-contrast B&W tones. The composition is a wide shot taken from a slightly elevated angle, placing the couple at the center foreground with the crowd fanning out behind them and a street scene visible in the background.

Black-and-white image captured during wedding reception speeches, showing two grooms seated at the head table laughing and leaning into each other with visible joy. One groom wears a checked suit jacket with a boutonniere, while the other wears a dark suit also with a boutonniere. In the foreground, glassware and what appear to be large-headed flowers such as dahlias are partially visible on the table. A crowd of approximately 15 or more guests is visible in the background, many also laughing and smiling. The image has strong contrast with bright highlights on faces and a soft, draped fabric backdrop. Medium close-up portrait composition.

A heavily motion-blurred, wide-angle action shot of the wedding reception dance floor, taken with a slow shutter speed or zoom burst technique to create sweeping light trails in blue and green from the DJ or stage lighting. A man in a white dress shirt with his arms outstretched is laughing at the center of the frame, surrounded by other guests including one wearing a green bow tie and dark suit jacket. Multiple people are visible dancing energetically in the background. The intentional camera movement creates a chaotic, high-energy composition that emphasizes the lively atmosphere of the late-night reception party indoors.

Dinner at Chateau de Montgobert gathered guests for an evening of speeches, music, and dancing that built steadily through the night. Tables dressed with seasonal accents reflected the countryside setting, while the chateau's grand rooms provided an elegant frame for the celebration. The atmosphere was open and joyful, with energy that carried from the first toast to the final dance.