INDIA & PAUL - CHATEAU RIGAUD
CHAPTER 01 - KAYAK
Where do you begin with a 3 FULL day wedding event such as this one? With kayaking on the Dordogne river of course!
India & Paul’s wedding goes something like this;
Day 01 = kayak + picnic + evening bistro + dogs
Day 02 = wedding day + dogs
Day 03 = Sunday lunch + pool party + evening wood-fired pizza + dogs
Live music at various points by The Mollys.
Below, you will discover this wedding in 13.5 unique chapters spread over 3 full days in photo and video format…
CHAPTER 02 - PICNIC
This one doesn’t need many more words than what it is, - a relaxed Dordogne riverside picnic opposite the village of Pessac.
CHAPTER 03 - BISTRO
Not many venues can claim their very own exclusive riverside bistro, but Chateau Rigaud has this on the banks of the Dordogne and is just perfect for any day prior evening Wedding Welcome Event.
CHAPTER 04 - RIGAUD
Chateau Rigaud is one of my personal Top 3 wedding venues in France.
I get asked all the time, “which is your favourite venue?” or “which is your favourite wedding?” and the reality is there are some venues I prefer over others and some weddings that produce ‘better’ results than others and the latter actually has very little to do with the former. But it helps.
Chateau Rigaud is just special. It is not the most grand chateau in France, but it makes up for that with having a a certain ambience and the best service of any venue I have ever been to. And I have been to a lot of weddings and venue, - 850+ to be precise!
I don’t wish to be the ‘in house photographer’ at any single venue because I’d get bored, but with an average 2-4 visits to this place (out of their typical 30+ weddings per annum), this is one place I never get tired of.
CHAPTER 05 - INDIA
Bride prep…or should this be Bride + Father Of The Bride, Michael, Prep…?
Hair & makeup by the ever fabulous Laura Cawte.
CHAPTER 06 - PAUL
Groom prep.
CHAPTER 07 - CEREMONY
The ceremony itself was conducted by family friend Ruby with live singing (entrance, during and exit) by Summer de Vries.
Ringbearers - Rhubarb & Ziggy (what could possibly go wrong there…)
CHAPTER 08 - FIRST GLASS
The first of two parts of the drinks reception immediately following the ceremony.
CHAPTER 09 - COCKTAILS & CANAPES
The ‘Drinks Reception’ or ‘Cocktail Hour’ or even ‘Vin D’Honneur’ at Rigaud for one thing, is never an hour. An hour is just too short and two hours should be an absolute minimum for this part of the day.
Weddings at Rigaud tend to be split into 2 parts: a slightly shorter ‘First Glass’ on the quad post-ceremony and then a longer ‘Cocktails & Canapes’ session on the rear terrace complete with live food stations and cocktail bar.
CHAPTER 10 - EAT
The food at Chateau Rigaud is the best at any venue. I say that with 100% conviction. With a team of full-time Michelin trained chefs, you wouldn’t expect anything less and this is the one place I look forward to eating at more than any other.
Just prior to and after mains, some more talking bits, AKA, ‘Speeches’.
CHAPTER 11 - DANCE
Lively dancing ensued with live Irish band, The Molly’s…
CHAPTER 12 - SUNDAY LUNCH
I say it at and after every wedding at Rigaud, but their buffet Sunday lunch is the best around, no question.
Followed up with cheese and an ice cream machine? Heaven in culinary form!
CHAPTER 12 (continued) - POOL
After lunch, pool party! Pool party doesn’t need any additional words… Sometimes it’s fun & games and sometimes it’s more a relaxed time such as here complete with poolside DJ.
CHAPTER 13 - PIZZA FINALE
Coverage for so (too) many weddings has already ended before the day/event, but on this occasion, I had the opportunity to still be on site in order to have captured 3 FULL days, ie, the entire wedding ‘weekend’ event from start to finish.
Despite having captured to date I think 6 or 7 weddings at Chateau Rigaud, I’ve never had the opportunity to work in this space before because no event I have been at, has used it…and it’s a great space!
It is a kitchen garden, but has a wooed-fired pizza oven and bench & table seating for outdoor dining and consumption of, obviously pizza.
So this bit of coverage is the conclusion of India & Paul’s jam-packed 3 days in South West France and the memories of this one will last a lifetime.
