Astrid & Richard at Domaine de Combelongue, France

La belle jeune mariée Astrid & Rich à Domaine de Combelongue. From Welsh to French, this truly was the year of bilingual weddings. In late August I was very lucky to be asked to travel to La Sône to photograph this beautiful wedding at the edge of the Rhone Alps. Astrid & Rich booked an amazing château overlooking the Isère valley and throughout the week beforehand guests arrived from all over the world for slow, peaceful days dining on the terrace and helping to decorate. The house was grand & mysterious, with sprawling cellars and a kitchen drawer filled with hundreds of ornate keys & luggage tags. Astrid & Rich were married at the end of a long, tree lined pathway in the grounds. They wrote their own marriage vows, friends gave readings and chief witness Alex performed Foo Fighters’ Everlong, bringing in other guests to accompany him, which was a lovely surprise. Towards the end of the ceremony the sky dramatically darkened, thunder rumbled in the distance and the wind picked up, rattling leaves from the trees around us. Just as the bride & groom exited the marquee, as the first handful of confetti was about to be thrown, the rain fell with a sudden CLAP… I’ve never seen rain like it before! Everyone ran in the direction of the house, led by the bride who didn’t waste any time! The storm soon passed though and guests were able to venture out and enjoy the gardens and the incredible views. I am so grateful to have been part of such a special & personal day for the bride and groom, and what a treat to enjoy all those delicious pastries! Félicitations!