Peonies and Vintage – a dreamy DIY wedding in the South of France

I've been reminiscing about some of the magical weddings I've shot this year and as summer is frankly a distant memory I feel that now is a perfect time to revisit and share the sunshine and love with you all!

So picture this: a fairytale château, Cymbeline dress, coral pink peonies...check check and check! Caroline and Simon realised their dreams of tying the knot in a romantic French setting at Château du Bourbet, Cherval in the South of France earlier this year, having fallen in love with this picturesque corner of the world whilst visiting Simon's mum who lives nearby.

Having met and worked with the wonderfully talented Caroline at 91 Magazine I was over the moon to be asked to photograph her wedding. Caroline is a consummate crafter and lover of all things vintage, and favours a modern twist which was evident in her wedding aesthetic. Through her work at Patchwork Harmony and 91 Magazine I knew that Caroline would not miss the opportunity to embrace the attention to detail that can make a wedding day extra special. Indeed, her clear vision shone through a colour scheme based around coral pink peonies, offset with pastel colours and quirky vintage flea market finds, such as mismatched lace on the tables and petit four tins as candle holders. The cake table was also decorated with whimsical vintage books, kitchen scales and cute tins and I loved the Guest Book which was an old copy of the beautifully illustrated The Lovers Pocketbook – what a perfect find!

Caroline spent hours making the eye-poppingly gorgeous pink pompoms which decorated the marquee (provided by La Bonne Fête, who also provided them with the vintage bicycles from which ice-cream was served, as well as the mis-matched vintage teacups) and used floral fabrics and vintage lace to make the table plan. The napkins were vintage or made by her mum – the creative crafty streak clearly runs in the family!

It was such a fun and relaxed wedding to be a part of, in a perfect setting. The bride and groom achieved the ideal balance of style, romance, colour and vintage charm for their big day, looking both suitably glamorous and more importantly, completely in love!

Bride and groom kissing outside the doors of the château