Amber & Sian: A Fairytale Château Wedding in the Dordogne

We wanted to find a venue that matched both our styles, but nothing in the UK seemed to tick all the boxes. We began looking at French venues, as a chateau wedding felt like the perfect blend for us. We connected with Marry Me In France, who prepared a perfect shortlist of venues and arranged visits over a lovely long weekend in the Dordogne. As soon as we saw The Fairytale Château, we knew it was where we wanted to celebrate our day. It was everything we were looking for in a venue and more – it truly is a magical place.

My dress came from Peggy Bridal. I went with my mum just to look, but I fell in love with my dress the second I saw it. It wasn’t the style I initially thought I would go for, but it was perfect, and I wish I could wear it again! The veil was my ‘something borrowed’ with a friend lending it to me.

Amber’s outfit was from King & Allen – a bespoke, tailor-made outfit reflecting her style and personality. It was completely unique and authentic to her, keeping her comfortable and looking amazing!

Two of our close friends did our hair and makeup, making it extra special when getting ready in the morning and sharing those moments with our friends!

For decor, we knew we didn’t need to do much, as the venue speaks so much for itself. We knew we wanted to keep colours classic and French countryside-inspired. All the colours complemented each other so nicely, alongside the backdrop of the Dordogne valley and the Chateau. On the day Mollie from Marry Me In France executed perfectly, she understood the vision and made it a reality!

We decided to do the florals ourselves, collecting artificial flowers in the run-up to the wedding. We created all the bouquets and pocket boutonnieres, the floral archway at the end of the aisle, some floral displays to go with our signage, and bud vases dotted along our long tables for the wedding breakfast. Lots of lavender, lilac, wisteria, delphiniums and gypsophila. Now we have beautiful floral arrangements that we can keep forever!

For our catering, we were recommended a fantastic company, Lovage & Pumpernickel, who work closely with Marry Me In France. They provided all the food throughout the day, and for our pool party the next day. Every single bite was delicious, and there was no shortage of guests talking about the quality and flavours. I can’t tell you how much we wish we could eat it all over again!

Embracing some French wedding customs, we decided to go with a classic croquembouche, vanilla- and chocolate-flavoured, decorated with gypsophila and sparklers. It just about made it to the evening when we ‘cut the cake’; it was so hot that it started tilting! But it kept everyone amused and tasted fantastic, made by a lovely local patisserie!

Our photographer, Frances, was easily the best decision we made when it came to anything we booked for our wedding. The night before the wedding, she came to the venue to meet us and take a few shots, so we could get comfortable in front of the camera and be prepared for the wedding day. Frances captured all the authenticity and joy of the wedding we wanted to look back on – you can immediately feel the emotions in the photos, and we couldn’t have asked for any better.

She managed to be everywhere all the time without people even realising, ensuring every aspect of the day was photographed. Frances is a brilliant photographer and a wonderful person!

Picking one favourite moment is almost impossible; every single second of the entire weekend was just magical. But if we had to pick, it would be the entrance to our wedding breakfast, coming round the corner, onto the terrace of the chateau, seeing everyone we love and care about there to celebrate with us was pure joy, an absolutely perfect moment.

It’s so easy when you’re on the other side of it to say ‘don’t sweat the small stuff’ to anyone planning a wedding. We heard it so many times, but it never really sank in. Although planning a wedding can be stressful, every detail you put into it is special, and your guests will feel it, so don’t wish the time away.

Equally, having a coordinator that you’ve had time to get to know, you feel aligned with, and who knows what you want from your day, will help you feel a lot less apprehensive. We were so lucky to have Mollie with us in the weeks leading up to the wedding and through every step of the wedding day. She was like superwoman; she handled everything so we could make the most of every second, and she really made the dream a reality.