Christina & Adam's Gascony Wedding at Chateau de Lisse
[vimeo]https://vimeo.com/171201151[/vimeo]
CHRISTINA & ADAM'S GASCONY WEDDING AT CHATEAU DE LISSE
It's fair to say that this South West corner of France (if not all of France actually) has not had quite the gorgeous weather that early Summer normally brings and so it was for the Gascony wedding of Christina & Adam. It wasn't terrible, stayed dry and was sunny even as their wedding day progressed, but it was not hot...which for a wedding day is maybe a good thing.
I think this was either my 6th or 7th wedding at this stunning venue, Chateau de Lisse, expertly run by Jo and her team.
For Christina & Adam's wedding, I met up with them the day prior for a pre-wedding type shoot around the grounds and chateau in order for them to get a sense of what we could achieve on the actual wedding day and this was followed by a meal at a restaurant in nearby Nerac.
THE WEDDING DAY
On the wedding day itself, Christina wore an especially fabulous to photograph Madeline Gardner wedding dress with hair & makeup by friend and bridesmaid Jade.
After a ceremony conducted in the chapel by Father William, the guests were provided with sunglasses for the drinks reception. Sunglasses? Surely they brought their own? Ahh...see pictures! (Just for a bit of fun, Christina & Adam provided a table of colourful sunglasses. I had my eye on some gold one's, but somebody nabbed them before I could get my hands on them).
Flowers were by Faith from La Couer Savage, catering by Jean-Marc @ Chateau de Lisse and the excellent band, Bright Lights, possibly the best wedding band I have come across to date in France (yes, that good!)
And the first dance? Well I witnessed and photographed it the day prior when they had a practise and then on the evening of their wedding, it went down a storm. Possibly even rivalling it, then friend and bridesmaid Simone sang 'Valerie' by Amy Winehouse live with the band.
All in all, a great wedding, a joy to photograph & film and the results...well the results can show that far better than I can describe the day in words, so without further ado...
(Full gallery including international print ordering facility available by clicking here)
"Where to start?!..... I can't recommend Simon highly enough. He photographed and videoed our wedding in June in France. He immediately made us feel at ease and afterwards many of our guests commented that they felt the same. He fitted in as though he was one of the guests which resulted in fantastic natural photos of everyone. During the getting ready shots my bridesmaids forgot he was even in the room. Lovely manner with the kids too.Oh and the photos and video are brilliant!"
Christina
SUPPLIERS AT THIS WEDDING
Venue & Catering: Chateau de Lisse
Dress: Madeline Gardner
Flowers: La Couer Savage
Band: Brightlights
Wedding Films in France
WEDDING FILMS IN FRANCE
In addition to photographing weddings, we also make and produce wedding films in France.
We offer 4 levels of production in this regard including; the Slideshow, the Photo-Film, the Fusion-Film (previously called 'Macro') and the Pure-Film (previously called 'Micro').
The first of these, The Slideshow is technically not a film at all as there is no video element at all, so we call this a 'media production' rather than a 'wedding film' and is a slideshow of photography set to a specially selected soundtrack. Most posts in the Wedding Stories area contain a slideshow production.
The second is the Photo-Film which again is technically not a wedding film at all but a production that bridges the difference between a slideshow and a Fusion-Film ie, is a slideshow as above, but also with audio highlights captured from the day that brings even more life to what otherwise is a slideshow.
The third option by Simon is a first person viewpoint capture adding video to the coverage producing a fusion production of; photography, video, timelapse, audio capture and soundtrack and we call this one a Fusion-Film.
The fourth and ultimate option that we offer is the combined approach of both Simon & Julie and is the Pure-Film that captures almost double the raw material from which to work with and therefore produces the most detailed and extensive production.
Please note that our wedding filming service is only available to our wedding photography clients for the very simple reason, if you watch one, you'll see why!
Final note, these are full length productions so do require a good broadband connection and time to load!
Penny & Paul's Photo-Film from their Chateau Les Merles wedding near Bergerac, Dordogne.
[vimeo]https://vimeo.com/148475167[/vimeo]
Jenny & James's Fusion-Film from their Chateau de Lisse wedding in the Lot-et-Garonne region of SW France shot over 2 days.
[vimeo]https://vimeo.com/135334013[/vimeo]
[vimeo]https://vimeo.com/135308300[/vimeo]
Emily & Bernard's Pure-Film from their Castelnau des Fieumarcon wedding in the Gers region of SW France shot over 3 days.
[vimeo]https://vimeo.com/140404911[/vimeo]
[vimeo]https://vimeo.com/140423974[/vimeo]
[vimeo]https://vimeo.com/140446641[/vimeo]
Jenny & James Lot et Garonne Wedding Photography @ Chateau de Lisse Part I
JENNY & JAMES LOT ET GARONNE WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHY @ CHATEAU DE LISSE PART I
Simon!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! These are amazing. We are completely floored! Just back from our honeymoon in Croatia and can't wait to show them off to our people.
Jenny & James
Jenny & James Lot et Garonne Wedding Photography @ Chateau de Lisse is split into 2 posts in order to reflect the 2 days over which their wedding took place and starts here with Part I. Bonsoir Monsieur Cochon, but I'm getting ahead of myself...
There is something I say to all my clients and it goes like this; I turn up at each and every wedding with the same set of tools and same skills and it's my experience and the former that adds 'something' to the results produced, but it's you my clients who can make it 'everything'.
A great location helps. The more generous the timescale the better. Favourable weather is usually preferred, but it's the overall circumstances provided by the client that makes the biggest difference to results, ie, choosing the right photographer for you in the first place, working with them prior to and on the day, but mostly trusting them (me) to get on with my craft.
I couldn't have asked for more from New York couple Jenny & James. Right from their first point of contact I knew these two welcoming and creative people wanted exactly what I could provide and we just clicked yet having never met or even talked on the phone as all our communications were by email right up the the start of the results you see below.
So this was Day 01 for me. Relaxed evening coverage of the majority of guests arriving for drinks and the consumption of the aforementioned Mr Pig.
The B&G and I went for a photo-shoot around the grounds at exactly the same time as we would be doing the following day in full wedding dress and as I always stress to my clients getting married in France, this 1/2 day prior coverage is a very valuable investment (though it costs very little) as it not only adds approx 40% more results to the whole 'wedding photography package', but allows a rapport & trust to be furthered which only leads to better wedding day results.
So below, those results and then when you reach the end, you will find a link to Part II, Jenny & James actual wedding day.
[vimeo]https://vimeo.com/135334013[/vimeo]
Part II Jenny & James wedding day.
Jenny & James Lot et Garonne Wedding Photography @ Chateau de Lisse Part II
JENNY & JAMES LOT ET GARONNE WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHY @ CHATEAU DE LISSE PART II
So on to Part II of Jenny & James Lot et Garonne wedding photography @ Ch. de Lisse, - their actual wedding day. Just in case you missed it, Part I was here.
Maybe we should call it wedding evening actually as with the outdoor lakeside ceremony scheduled for 6pm, there was less 'day' and more 'evening' at this one!
The ceremony itself was conducted by Jenny's brother Jeff and she was attended by her bridesmaid Jessica and James by his best man Jesse. There were 4 J's making up the bridal party and this is actually the second of five (to date) weddings where the B&G have been called Jenny & James.
Post ceremony, the drinks reception began or rather as this was an Americans in France wedding, 'cocktail hour' began followed by wedding meal on the terrace outside the chateau in the gorgeous fading evening sunlight which could not have been much more perfect.
Dancing then took place until the early hours in La Salle de Dance. The whole thing was just fabulous and highlighted below with a selection of some of my favourite images.
Full gallery including international print order facility available by clicking here and wedding film can be viewed below:
[vimeo]https://vimeo.com/135308300[/vimeo]
Chateau de Lisse, Lot et Garonne, Carolyn & Dustin
CHATEAU DE LISSE, LOT ET GARONNE, CAROLYN & DUSTIN
The first weather forecast said rain. All day.The second forecast predicted a mix of sun, cloud and showers.The third reckoned it would be sunny all day.The third was deeply unlikely and so it proved to be...
Carolyn is from the USA and Dustin from Australia and they currently live in Perth, Western Australia, but they chose one of my favourite venues for a wedding in South West France, Chateau de Lisse.
The ceremony had been planned to be outdoors on the terrace below the chateau and even on a dull and slightly misty day, would have been perfect...but alas it was not meant to be as a steady light rain fell most of the early afternoon.
Moving it indoors however worked very well with the ceremony conducted by best friend Didi with a reading by one of Dustin's sisters and another playing flute.
Carolyn wore Melissa Sweet with Vera Wang veil and the groom an Anthony Squires suit.
I love these 'smaller' more intimate weddings and though the chateau does cater for weddings of up to 100, the three I have covered there to date, have all been under 30 in total.
Full gallery with international print ordering facility is now available by clicking here.
Finally, 'commenting' is switched on in this post so if you'd like to wish the couple all the best, feel free to do so!
[vimeo width="1024" height="576"]https://vimeo.com/108229703[/vimeo]
Part 02 of this post can be viewed by clicking this link.
Carolyn & Dustin, Wedding Photography France, Part 2
CAROLYN & DUSTIN, WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHY FRANCE, PART 2
The second set of highlight images from Carolyn & Dustin's Chateau de Lisse wedding can be viewed below.
Part 01 (if you missed it) is here.
Full gallery with international print ordering facility available by clicking here.
[vimeo width="1024" height="576"]https://vimeo.com/108229703[/vimeo]
Victoria & Craig's Wedding in France (Chateau de Lisse)
VICTORIA & CRAIG'S WEDDING IN FRANCE (CHATEAU DE LISSE)
It didn't rain all day for Vicki & Craig's wedding in France. Just most. Especially later on when the thunder rolled, the lightning struck and the rain was relentless. Spectacular looking out of a window, but not what you were imagining your Summer wedding in this SW corner of France would be like. However, the weather is the one thing you can plan for, but otherwise have zero control over so it's a case of simply getting on with it and enjoying what you do have.
And enjoy it Vicki & Craig did and how could you not at this most beautiful French chateaux, Chateau de Lisse, even if 95% of the day had to be spent indoors.
Vicki wore Tara Keeley sourced from Bride2B Prestwich and hair was by Emma Louise and makeup by VataBeauty.
Full gallery including international print ordering facility coming soon... now available by clicking here.
Chateau de Lisse, Lot et Garonne, Joanne & Ivan
CHATEAU DE LISSE, LOT ET GARONNE, JOANNE & IVAN
Joanne & Ivan though originally from Ireland, have lived in Calgary Canada for the last 4 or so years.
I first met them several minutes before starting the days coverage of their wedding.
I'm always slightly 'nervous' for want of a better term when it comes to not having met clients prior to photographing them and their day as I never quite know what I am going to get and wedding photography is very much about getting all your planets in align, - location/settings, weather, light, subject, composition, cropping/framing and moment.
Fortunately every single planet aligned for their wedding at the delightful Chateau de Lisse and I am becoming quite a regular there having shot a wedding there last year and having another at the end of this month, plus bookings for 2015.
So the location is great, the venue a delight, the people that run it very welcoming (Jo and her husband, chef, Jean-Marc plus Father William & Sister Catherine), the weather was perfect, the light just about as good as it gets and the rest was very much about 'them' and 'me'.
Me, - I always turn up with the same skills, tools and passion for my craft, but what makes the fundamental difference between a decent set of images and the most comprehensive set of results, is the clients and to an extent, the guests.
They couldn't have been better. Both Joanne and Ivan, though a few inevitable nerves, took it all in their stride and their families were both as equally welcoming and laid back.
I also love these small(er) weddings because 'everything' still happens (in this case no speeches or dancing) as at a large(r) wedding, but on a more intimate level and their is something special about that. Just 14 of them at this one.
Full gallery with international print ordering facility available here and Joanne & Ivan, I hope you love the pictures as much as you do each other.
[vimeo]https://vimeo.com/105868682[/vimeo]
Chateau de Lisse Wedding Photography, Jenny & James
CHATEAU DE LISSE WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHY, JENNY & JAMES
The Chateau de Lisse wedding photography of Jenny & James
4.30am, Friday 13th September, - woke up in Manchester airport long stay car park, Terminal 1.Parked tight up to a boundary hedge, blanket over head having tried to get at least some sleep since arriving at around midnight.
Such is the typically glamorous start to photographing a wedding in France!
The 6.30am Toulouse Jet2.com flight is too early to warrant a hotel the night before and you just know if you had to get up at home at 2am and leave for a 2 hour airport drive, you'd never get to sleep in the first place...so 'car-tel' it is!
1 hour later, I realised I hadn't checked in my suitcase and was nearly through security, but as it was small enough and despite Jet2.com's 'one piece of hand luggage only!' policy, I decided to wing it and plead ignorance if challenged.
No issues, so repeated on the return journey.
Although I'd spoken to the bride Jenny by email prior to their wedding, we hadn't had the opportunity to meet prior to the day before their wedding day as they live in Australia. And I don't.
So after witnessing the tail-end of their rehearsal with their priest, Father William, we met and had a recce around the grounds of the beautiful Chateau de Lisse (in the Lot et Garonne region) and took the opportunity for a relaxed pre-wedding photo-shoot.
The day itself dawned sunny...but soon clouded up...only to clear up again just in time (almost on cue) for the drinks reception.
A finely cooked meal followed drinks on the terrace and the evening ended with an 'open mic' set of speeches.I think maybe 10+ spoke and considering there was only 23 guests, that must be some kind of record.
Special thanks then to Jenny & James for choosing me to provide their Chateau de Lisse wedding photography.Also to Jo at Chateau de Lisse for her hospitality and kind recommendation in the first place.And to chef Soren, - excellent meal and very much appreciated.
Looking forward to my next visit to the chateau in September 2014!
Below, slideshow. Enjoy.
http://vimeo.com/75299322 
Here are a few links to a couple of posts in regard to the area that may also interest you:La Romieu, one of the most beautiful Gascon villages.Town's, villages and the landscape of Gascony.
Chateau de Lisse Wedding Photography
CHATEAU DE LISSE WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHY
Chateau de Lisse is an absolutely stunning wedding venue in the Lot-et-Garonne region of Gascony in the SW corner of France, approximately 1.5 hours from both Bordeaux and Toulouse.
Set in 550 hectares the chateau is one of the most historical and impressive castles in Gascony and available to hire for up to just 10 weddings per annum and offering a magical & fairytale setting to relax, unwind and getaway for your own private Castle wedding in France.
It was a real pleasure to take the opportunity to visit in early June to take a look around the building & grounds and have a chat with the enthusiastic Jo Braham who has the almost dream job of managing the weddings that take place there, ahead of my first wedding, that of Australian couple Jenny & James (now available to view by clicking this link).
Simon Mark Whitten of Firehorse Photography is available for weddings throughout France and especially interested in hearing from couples getting married in the region and at Chateau de Lisse itself. To date, we have photographed and filmed weddings in the following regions; Gascony, Dordogne, Loire, Provence and Côte d'Azur.
To find out more about getting married at Chateau de Lisse, click this link to go direct to their website.
In order to discuss your Chateau de Lisse Wedding Photography or wedding plans anywhere in France, either give is a call on 01439 788150 or use the contact form.