All-White Woodland Vows and Barn Dancing at Chateau de Brives, Cognac

Lois and JJ's all-white wedding at Chateau de Brives near Cognac featured woodland vows, barn candlelight, and photography by Matthias Toth.

By Elena Moretti | Published 9 November 2023 | Photos by Matthias Toth

All-White Woodland Vows and Barn Dancing at Chateau de Brives, Cognac

Matthias Toth

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Photographer

Matthias Toth

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Photographer

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Lois and JJ gathered one hundred guests for an all-white weekend celebration at Chateau de Brives in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine countryside near Cognac. Coordinated by Last First Date Weddings and captured by Matthias Toth, the weekend moved from woodland vows to candlelit barn dancing with understated warmth.

Photography

Matthias Toth

Venue

Chateau de Brives

Region

Nouvelle-Aquitaine, France

Couple

Loïs & JJ

Getting Ready

A getting-ready detail shot of a white strapless wedding dress hanging from a pale pink hanger in front of a tall French window, backlit by natural light. The dress features an all-over floral lace pattern across the bodice and skirt, with a fitted silhouette and what appears to be a tulle or lace hem at the bottom. The room walls are covered in yellow-gold botanical-patterned wallpaper with white floral motifs, and sheer white lace curtains frame the window on either side. A white cast-iron radiator is visible beneath the window, adding to the classic French interior feel of the bridal preparation space.

Photo: Matthias Toth

Lois prepared in the chateau's sunlit rooms, her Pronovias gown with sculpted sleeves and flowing cape laid out alongside white accessories. Bridesmaids in white moved through the space as final touches were made, the morning carrying a quiet energy that matched the all-white palette. Every detail of the preparation signalled the refined, tonal celebration ahead.

Ceremony

The bride and groom walk hand-in-hand through a confetti exit on an outdoor lawn, surrounded by two lines of guests tossing orange, peach, and ivory dried petal confetti. The groom wears a light grey double-breasted suit with a blue polka-dot tie and dark navy loafers, finished with a small boutonniere. The bride wears a fitted strapless lace gown with allover beaded embellishment and a chapel-length veil, carrying a bouquet of white roses and baby's breath. The shot is a medium portrait taken at eye level, with guests blurred in the background and confetti caught mid-air around the couple, both laughing openly.

A close-up detail shot of a freestanding floral column arrangement placed on a lawn at an outdoor wedding ceremony. The arrangement is composed of white garden roses, white carnations, baby's breath, and abundant dusty blue-grey foliage — likely dried or dyed asparagus fern and similar soft, feathery greenery — creating an airy, tonal palette of white and muted blue-grey. The column rises from the grass and curves slightly at the top, with flowers and foliage spilling onto the ground at the base. The overall floral styling is organic and loosely structured, consistent with a romantic, soft classical aesthetic. The background is softly blurred, revealing an open parkland setting with trees and a fence line in the distance.

Photo: Matthias Toth

The ceremony unfolded along a woodland path through the estate's pine-scented grounds, a setting that guests discovered as a surprise on the day. White gypsophila and pale foliage lined the route as acoustic music guided everyone deeper into the trees. Lois and JJ exchanged vows in a natural clearing, the surrounding canopy lending an intimate, almost ceremonial hush to the moment.

Bridal Portraits

A close-up portrait of a bride standing outdoors in an open field, cropped from the neck to below the hips. She wears a fitted white lace gown with a floral embroidered pattern, a sheer plunging neckline panel, and a sweetheart silhouette. She holds a bridal bouquet composed of white roses and abundant baby's breath, tied with a white ribbon streamer. A diamond engagement ring and a delicate gold bracelet are visible on her hands. Her long wavy hair falls over her shoulders. The background is softly blurred with a neutral, muted green tone, keeping full focus on the dress and bouquet.

This black-and-white portrait shows a bride photographed from behind, standing at the top of a curved staircase with a wrought iron railing inside what appears to be a chateau or manor house. She is wearing a lace wedding gown with floral appliqué detailing and a long cathedral-length veil with a delicate beaded or pearl edge that cascades down her back. The interior setting features ornate gilt-framed paintings on the walls and antique furniture visible in the soft background. The image has soft contrast with bright highlights on the veil fabric, and is composed as a close-to-medium portrait focused on the veil and gown detail.

A bride poses leaning against the hood of a vintage blue Porsche 911 on a gravel driveway in front of a French chateau with white shuttered windows. She is wearing a fitted lace wedding gown with a long train, a white denim jacket, and white slide sandals, with a veil worn loosely over her shoulders. Her arm is raised holding a bouquet of white gypsophila tied with long white silk ribbons, and she is smiling broadly at the camera. The composition is a full-length portrait shot with a candid, celebratory feel and a casual-meets-formal styling aesthetic.

This is a black-and-white bridal portrait taken outdoors on an open lawn, with trees and what appears to be a low building visible in the background. The bride stands alone in the center of the frame wearing a fitted lace gown with a sweetheart neckline and a long cathedral-length veil that is caught in the wind, extending dramatically to the right of the frame. She holds a round bouquet of light-toned flowers and is smiling broadly. The image is a full-length wide shot with high contrast between the bright veil and the mid-tone tones of the lawn and trees.

Photo: Matthias Toth

Lois posed among the pine-scented woodland paths and gravel courtyards of the estate, her Pronovias cape catching in the breeze. The white gown against the green of the countryside created a striking contrast that Matthias Toth captured with clean precision. Each portrait balanced movement with stillness, the bride's confidence amplified by the natural setting.

Couple Portraits

A couple portrait taken outdoors in an open grassy field, with the bride and groom facing each other closely, foreheads nearly touching and smiling. The groom wears a light grey suit with a navy tie and a small white boutonniere, while the bride wears a white lace gown with a long cathedral-length veil that billows and trails across the ground. The soft, slightly overexposed natural light gives the image a pale, airy tone consistent with a film-style edit. The composition is a full-length wide portrait with the couple centered in the frame against a blurred background of trees and what appears to be open countryside or estate grounds.

This is a black-and-white portrait of a bride and groom sharing a kiss beneath the bride's long, sheer veil, which drapes over both of them and fills much of the frame. The image is shot outdoors with a softly blurred background and strong contrast between the bright, light tones of the veil and the darker foliage behind. The groom wears a suit with a tie, and the bride's lace dress is partially visible at the lower right. The composition is a close-up portrait emphasizing the layered, translucent texture of the veil as it envelops the couple.

A close-up portrait of a bride and groom posing together outdoors in front of a French chateau facade with white-framed windows visible in the background. The bride wears a fitted ivory lace gown with floral appliqué detailing and a long cathedral veil trimmed with pearl-like edge detailing, and holds a bouquet of white baby's breath and white roses with long green stems wrapped in white ribbon. The groom wears a light grey suit with a white dress shirt and a navy blue polka-dot tie. The bride is laughing openly while leaning her head toward the groom, who smiles directly at the camera. The shot is a mid-length portrait with a shallow depth of field that keeps the couple sharp against the softly blurred chateau exterior.

A couple portrait taken outdoors on an open lawn, with the bride and groom walking together toward the camera. The groom wears a light beige double-breasted suit with a navy blue polka-dot tie and dark brown loafers, with a small white boutonniere on his lapel. The bride wears a fitted strapless mermaid-silhouette gown in white with an allover floral lace or appliqué texture, paired with a long cathedral-length veil that is caught by the wind and flowing to the right. The bride looks up at the groom while he smiles toward the camera, and she rests one hand on his chest. The composition is a full-length portrait shot with a softly blurred background of trees and what appears to be a building in the far distance.

Photo: Matthias Toth

Matthias Toth followed Lois and JJ through the estate's grounds as golden hour light filtered through the trees. A vintage Porsche and sixties VW camper van added personal character to the portraits, one for arrival, one for photographs against the stone outbuildings. The couple's ease together translated into warm, natural frames that carried the spirit of the whole weekend.

Cocktail Hour

Guests clink crystal champagne flutes with gold rims during a toast at an indoor wedding reception, with multiple hands reaching in from around the table. The setting appears to be a bright, light-filled reception room with blurred guests visible in the background, including someone in a cream suit jacket on the left. The table is decorated with lit pillar candles in glass holders, small white baby's breath floral arrangements, gold-rimmed glassware, and white tableware, suggesting a classic and refined decor palette. The shot is a close-up, shallow depth-of-field composition focused on the clinking glasses with the reception scene softly blurred behind.

The couple shares a kiss on the dance floor during the evening reception in what appears to be a rustic indoor venue with exposed stone walls and dark-painted ceiling beams. A mirrored disco ball overhead casts scattered light reflections across the scene, contributing to the party atmosphere. The bride wears a fitted embellished strapless gown and the groom is in a light-colored suit, while a guest nearby in a white deep-V dress holds a champagne glass and smiles. The shot is a close-up portrait taken at mid-distance with soft bokeh on the surrounding crowd of guests visible in the background.

A cocktail hour is taking place outdoors at a French property, with approximately 20–25 guests mingling on a terrace alongside a swimming pool. The guests are dressed in a range of formal and semi-formal attire, including a rust-brown maxi dress, an orange ruffle gown, a mustard floral midi dress, a slate-grey slip dress, a black-and-white houndstooth outfit, and suits in navy and beige tones; one guest wears a pale blue fascinator hat. The setting features a classic ochre-rendered French outbuilding with arched stone-framed windows, louvred shutters, and terracotta roof tiles, with a dark grey patio umbrella and string lights visible. The shot is a wide, slightly distant perspective capturing the full scene of guests grouped in conversation in front of the venue building.

A black-and-white candid shot taken during what appears to be a cocktail hour or outdoor reception, with four guests gathered in front of a rustic wooden backdrop bearing a cursive script sign reading 'The Goldbergs' (or similar surname). In the foreground, a woman in a puff-sleeved midi dress with a textured floral pattern raises a DSLR camera toward the photographer, while two men in suits — one in a checked or herringbone suit with a floral tie and pocket square, holding a bottle — smile at the camera. To the right, a woman in a floral-print midi dress holds a wine glass and converses with a man in a light-colored blazer. The image has soft, slightly hazy tones consistent with film photography, with good contrast between the light clothing and the darker wooden backdrop behind them.

Photo: Matthias Toth

Cocktails flowed on a sunlit terrace as an acoustic singer and piano set the tone for the evening ahead. Guests mingled among the estate's stone outbuildings and garden spaces, reconnecting after the morning's woodland ceremony. The relaxed atmosphere bridged the gap between afternoon emotion and the candlelit dinner to come.

Reception

A detail shot of an indoor wedding reception table setup with no guests present. The long wooden farm table is dressed with a runner of white dried baby's breath interspersed with fairy lights, clear glassware, white plates, and white linen napkins on dark metal chairs. Behind the table sits a distressed antique sideboard topped with a cluster of white pillar candles in glass hurricane holders. To the right, a large crescent-shaped floral installation rises from floor level, composed of dusty blue-green foliage — including what appears to be eucalyptus and dried fern — accented with white garden roses and white pompom blooms. A strand of fairy lights runs along the top of the plastered wall, adding warm ambient light to the overall cool, muted color palette. The styling theme is romantic and organic with a cool blue-grey and white color scheme.

An indoor wedding reception setup photographed in a wide shot, showing long wooden farm-style trestle tables lined with black metal folding chairs with white linen seat pads and white napkins. The table runners consist of dense arrangements of baby's breath and soft grey-green foliage, interspersed with candles and clear glassware. The venue features bare plaster walls in warm taupe tones, with fairy lights strung across the ceiling alongside black wrought-iron candelabra-style chandeliers. A recessed arched niche in the background is lit with warm candlelight and filled with lush greenery, creating a focal point at the end of the room. The overall decor palette is neutral and natural — warm whites, greens, and raw wood — with a minimalist, organic styling approach. Potential venue feature image.

Photo: Matthias Toth

Candlelight filled the stone barns as dinner was served beneath long tapers and timber beams. Tables shimmered with an all-white palette while Mrs Whiterose's gypsophila arrangements continued the tonal thread from ceremony to reception. Mixology's DJ, accompanied by saxophone and bongo, transformed the barn into a dance floor that carried guests well past midnight.

Design and Details

A close-up detail shot of a bride and groom's hands, with the bride's hand resting on the groom's arm as he holds her wrist. The bride wears a diamond eternity band with French-manicured nails, a delicate gold chain bracelet, and a fine gold necklace with small diamond accents visible at her décolletage. She is wearing a strapless white lace wedding dress. The groom is dressed in a light grey double-breasted suit with a navy blue polka-dot tie and a white baby's breath boutonnière. The composition is a tight detail/close-up crop showing only the torsos and hands of the couple.

A floral detail shot taken indoors on a green and cream checkered marble floor, showing three small white wooden stools or crates lined up against a wall, each topped with arrangements of white baby's breath and white garden roses, with cream silk or chiffon ribbon draped loosely over each one and trailing onto the floor. Behind the stools sits a white painted stone pedestal holding a bowl of matching white baby's breath, topped with a classical terracotta figurine sculpture. A weathered stone decorative fragment is visible on the right side. The overall decor palette is all-white and cream with a classic French interior aesthetic. Close-up detail composition.

A close-up floral detail shot featuring an all-white arrangement composed of white chrysanthemums and white lisianthus blooms surrounded by dense clouds of baby's breath (gypsophila). The palette is entirely white and soft green, creating a monochromatic, airy look. The shallow depth of field keeps the central chrysanthemum in sharp focus while the surrounding blooms and background dissolve into a soft blur. The styling is classic and minimal, with no visible ribbon, vessel, or additional decor elements in frame.

Photo: Matthias Toth

Mrs Whiterose's gypsophila and pale foliage created a consistent white thread from the woodland ceremony through to the candlelit barn reception. Long tapers, glass vessels, and linen runners dressed the tables with quiet sophistication, each surface reflecting the flickering glow. The all-white palette extended to stationery, favour wrappings, and the vintage vehicles parked in the courtyard.