Julie and Stan's Destination Wedding at Château de Garde, near Bordeaux

Real Weddings
The bride and groom laughing in an embrace in the vines of Château de Garde, Moulon

Before telling you about Julie and Stan’s wedding at Château de Garde, let me first explain why a Bordeaux château is such a wonderful choice for your wedding.

Planning Your Wedding at Château de Garde, in Moulon near Bordeaux

The romance and beauty of Bordeaux châteaux

Getting married in a Bordeaux château is a unique, unforgettable experience that can add a touch of romance and beauty to your special day. These châteaux are often set in magnificent surroundings, with well-kept gardens, lush vineyards and panoramic views over the surrounding countryside.

By choosing a château typical of our beautiful region, you can offer your guests an incomparable wedding experience. You can hold your ceremony in the garden or in one of the château’s majestic rooms, for an elegant, romantic atmosphere. Bordeaux châteaux also often offer a wide range of accommodation, from gîte-style rooms to luxury suites, so that your guests can extend their stay and enjoy the beauty of the region.

The drive of Château de Garde with Julie and Stan's welcome chalkboard
Round mirror, crystal sconce and tropical wallpaper at Château de Garde
Bedroom under exposed wooden beams with white pendant lamps at Château de Garde

The food and wines of Bordeaux

The Bordeaux region is famous for its food and its wines, and marrying in one of these châteaux is a unique chance to savour the region’s culinary delights. Local caterers know how to create refined wedding menus, using fresh, local ingredients for delicious, elegant dishes. And Bordeaux châteaux produce exceptional wines, which means you can serve your guests renowned wines, often famous worldwide, with their meal.

Beyond the food and wine, Bordeaux châteaux offer a variety of culinary experiences, such as wine tastings, cooking classes and vineyard tours. Your guests can enjoy the region’s food and drink while discovering the winemaking traditions and history of Bordeaux.

The bride in a floral kimono getting ready by the window
The bride with eyes closed during her makeup session, in a floral kimono
The bride smiling and looking up during her makeup
The bride with a braided updo smiling as she gets ready
Pink and white bridal bouquet resting on a wooden floor

Easy planning

Getting married at Château de Garde in Moulon, for example, can seem daunting to organise if you live far away, but the château can put you in touch with a wedding coordination service to help you plan and run your wedding. Experienced wedding planners can help you choose the best options for catering, wine, flowers, decoration and music, and coordinate the different suppliers so that everything runs smoothly on the day.

Some other Bordeaux châteaux also offer all-inclusive wedding packages, which means you don’t have to worry about coordinating the different services: everything is included in the package, which makes planning and running your wedding easier.

In short, getting married in a château like Château de Garde has many advantages: the romance and beauty of the château, local food and wines, and easy planning. If you are looking for a unique, unforgettable wedding, a Bordeaux château could be the ideal choice.

You will find everything about the venue on my Château de Garde wedding photographer page, and another love story there in my autumn wedding at Château de Garde.

The groom and a friend getting ready by the salon fireplace
The smiling groom in a bow tie looking up in the garden

Julie and Stan’s Unforgettable Wedding Day at Château de Garde

Now you will understand why Julie and Stan had such an unforgettable day.

Choosing the venue and getting ready

This is a wedding at Château de Garde that left a deep impression on me: the wedding of gentle Julie and kind-hearted Stanley, known as "Stan". Both live in Switzerland, and Julie is Swiss! Stanley’s roots are in the Gironde.

For their wedding, Julie and Stan chose the magnificent Château de Garde, near Libourne in the Bordeaux region, on a hill surrounded by vines. Dating from the 18th century, the château had been entirely renovated in 2017 and 2018, with great taste, by Céline and Dimitri.

Julie got ready with the help of a family friend and of her mum, who did her make-up beautifully. She was also surrounded by her cheerful sister and her bridesmaids, each one lovelier than the last. Finally, Julie put on a stunning wedding gown to join her Stan in the château garden. The secular ceremony was full of emotion.

The bride, moved, on her father's arm before the ceremony
The couple's first kiss beneath the floral ceremony arch
Bridesmaids in pink dresses raising their bouquets with the bride and groom

The celebration

After a photo session in the château courtyard and then in the vines, the couple were able to enjoy time with their families and friends, thanks to the expertise of Capdevielle Traiteur. With the weather on their side, everyone enjoyed a memorable cocktail hour. The reception hall for the evening had been decorated with such good taste by the couple themselves that it left everyone speechless. After moving speeches, a very funny game and a flawless dinner, the party was in full swing thanks to the talent of DJ Sir Tango, carefully chosen by Stan.

As an aside, for anyone passionate about film photography: I have the professional equipment needed to cover weddings and engagement sessions on film, always in my Fine Art style. It is available as an option, on request. If you are interested, we can talk it through and plan your future photo session together.

Reception hall under wooden beams with crystal chandeliers at Château de Garde
Table set with a menu card, stemmed glasses and a eucalyptus garland
Table detail with a pale blue card, bread rolls and white flowers
Tray of colourful canapés served to guests during cocktail hour
Round tables and cross-back wooden chairs in the Château de Garde hall

An unforgettable day

Julie and Stan had an unforgettable wedding day, largely thanks to their choice of venue and the care that went into the preparations. The wedding was celebrated in a moving, festive atmosphere, surrounded by their loved ones. Everything went perfectly, from the photo session in the château gardens and in the vines to our two lovebirds’ first dance. The party was brilliantly led, and everyone danced and had fun until the middle of the night.

The bride and groom gazing into the distance among the vines at sunset
The groom holding the bride close in the estate's vine rows
Julie and Stan laughing, cheek to cheek, in the vines of Château de Garde

An Extraordinary Photographer

Sadly, there are no words to describe Tristan’s work...

On our wedding day, thanks to him, we had an attentive ear, a precious adviser, a photographer of the highest quality and a funny, pleasant person.

Every single one of our guests was charmed.

The final surprise was discovering the photos of our big day.

Thanks to Tristan, we keep these precious moments and emotions in our memory through beautiful, priceless pictures.

Julie & Stan

Bordeaux, France

READ MORE TESTIMONIALS

TELL ME EVERYTHING! TELL ME YOUR STORY: HOW YOU MET, HOW YOU LIKE TO SPEND YOUR TIME TOGETHER, YOUR FAVOURITE ACTIVITIES AND TRAVELS. TELL ME ABOUT YOUR WEDDING PLANS! I AM HERE TO LISTEN TO EVERYTHING YOU WOULD LIKE FROM YOUR PHOTOGRAPHS, AND I WILL TAKE THE TIME NEEDED TO ADVISE YOU AS BEST I CAN.
The bride and groom entering the reception hall to applause
The bride and groom laughing at their table during the evening
The groom giving his speech into the microphone in golden light
The bride and groom forehead to forehead during their first dance

Later, I met up with Julie and Stan again for a family photoshoot at the Parc Bordelais with their little Cassandre.

Dear Julie and dear Stan, thank you again for your great kindness and your gentleness. I often think of you, and send you my warmest wishes.

The couple embracing in the vines at dusk at Château de Garde

Frequently Asked Questions

Why choose a Bordeaux château for your wedding?

For the setting (gardens, vineyards, views over the countryside), the food and wines of the region, the possibility of accommodating guests on site, and easier planning, with wedding planners who coordinate the suppliers.

What is the difference between Château de Garde and Château de la Garde?

Château de Garde, in Moulon, is a wine estate in the Bordeaux region; Château de la Garde, in Le Puy-Sainte-Réparade, is a château in the Bouches-du-Rhône.

Planning your wedding in France?

I photograph weddings at Château de Garde and at other Bordeaux châteaux, around Libourne, Saint-Émilion and Bordeaux, and across France, for couples from France and abroad. Discover my wedding collections, or tell me about your day.

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