Davin & Amy

Château Allure du Lac wedding, Loire Valley

Amy and Davin on the lawn in front of the turrets of Château Allure du Lac

Morning

Amy got ready in a sunny bedroom with yellow curtains, in a floral robe and with a lot of laughing. There was champagne straight from the bottle, a moment with her arms in the air on the window seat, and then the lace dress with its open back and a loose bouquet of greenery.

The tall carved stone façade of Château Allure du Lac with climbing plants by the door

Amy’s engagement ring and pearl hair pins on a cream cloth

Amy laughing in her floral robe as her make-up is done, in black and white

Amy and her friends getting ready in the salon under a chandelier, in black and white

Amy with her eyes closed as a make-up artist in leopard print sets her make-up

Amy’s face reflected in a small mirror as her make-up is finished

Amy in her floral robe opening a bottle of champagne in the yellow bedroom

Amy in a floral robe drinking champagne from the bottle in the yellow bedroom

Amy throwing her arms in the air on the window seat

Friends lifting Amy’s dress off the sofa as she waits in her robe by the window

Close view of the lace straps and open back of Amy’s dress

Two women helping Amy into her shoes on a floral sofa in the salon

Amy in her wedding dress on a sofa by the tall window, holding her bouquet

Amy from behind at the window, her lace back and bouquet of greenery

Across the house

Davin dressed in the dark wood library with his friends and family: a blue suit, brown shoes and a glass of wine on the table. They raised a toast on the white sofa, and outside on the gravel his friends lifted him off his feet.

Davin’s blue jacket and brown shoes on a red leather chair in the library

Davin and his friends getting ready in the dark wood library under a chandelier

Davin’s friends chatting round a small table in the library, in black and white

Davin and a friend getting dressed by the draped window, in black and white

Davin buttoning his trousers in the dark wood library

The library seen through a dark wooden doorway as the men get ready

Hands lifting brown leather shoes from a polished table beside a glass of wine

Davin and a friend in blue suits walking out of the library

Davin and his friends toasting on a white sofa by the window

Davin stretched out on a white sofa in his blue suit

Davin sitting on a white sofa under the draped window, looking down

Davin in his blue suit standing by tall curtains at the window

Davin and his friends in blue suits walking across the gravel courtyard

Davin’s friends lifting him off his feet in the courtyard

First look

Amy walked down the garden path to Davin, who waited with his back to her until she touched his shoulder. Then we took a slow walk through the grounds and found a few quiet minutes together in the salon.

Amy walking down the garden path towards Davin, who waits with his back to her

Amy’s hand on Davin’s shoulder at their first look

Davin turning round to see Amy in her dress on the gravel path

Davin and Amy hugging on the lawn, seen through long green leaves

Davin kissing Amy’s cheek on the lawn by the château

Amy and Davin laughing on a low wall, the château behind them, in black and white

Davin kneeling to fasten Amy’s shoe on the lawn, in black and white

Amy shading her face with her bouquet beside Davin by the château steps

Amy holding her bouquet in the shade beside Davin

Davin and Amy laughing on two chairs across the salon from each other

Amy lounging on a sofa in the salon as Davin sits on its back

Guests gathering on the gravel below the château towers, pink flowers in a stone urn

Guests at the drinks bar under white parasols in front of the château

A tray of mini burgers held out at cocktail hour

Guests sitting at white tables on the lawn under a parasol

Guests sharing plates of food around a high table at cocktail hour

A guest in a pink dress walking past long tables laid with greenery on the gravel

Greenery and white roses on a dinner place setting

Long tables set with white flowers and greenery in front of the château

The ceremony

They married by the lake, under a wrought-iron gazebo dressed in greenery and white roses. Amy walked down an aisle on the lawn between the trees, there was a lot of laughter under the gazebo, and when they came back down the steps their guests were waiting with bubbles instead of petals.

Davin waiting under the wrought-iron gazebo on a deck by the lake

Amy walking down the aisle on the lawn between the trees by the lake

Davin hugging a guest by the lake before the ceremony

Guests standing as Amy arrives at the ceremony with her bouquet

Amy smiling at Davin beside the flower-covered gazebo during the ceremony

What couples say

“Dina is the only person I would trust to capture one of the most important days of my life.”

Amy and Davin, wedding at Château Allure du Lac, Loire ValleySee wedding

Davin smiling at Amy as they stand face to face at the ceremony

Amy and Davin face to face on the wooden deck by the gazebo, seen from the side

Guests seated in white chairs on the lawn watching the ceremony

Davin bending over with laughter under the gazebo as Amy smiles

The officiant holding out the rings to Amy and Davin under the gazebo

Davin and Amy kissing under the gazebo with the lake behind

Guests blowing soap bubbles as Amy and Davin walk away from the ceremony

Bubbles and portraits

Drinks moved to the stone terrace above the lake and the bubbles kept coming, now from bubble guns. Later we walked the lawns in the low sun, with the château towers behind Amy’s long train, and the two of them wandering across the grass.

Amy laughing through the bubbles on the lawn by the lake

Dinner in the courtyard

Dinner was outside in the courtyard in front of the château, at long tables with white flowers and greenery, and the menu was fully vegetarian. Amy and Davin had their first dance on the terrace, and the speeches kept every table laughing.

Guests in bright summer outfits greeting Amy and Davin on the terrace above the lake

A guest in a patterned suit firing a bubble gun on the terrace by the lake

Davin hugging a guest by the lake as others embrace nearby, in black and white

Guests laughing together in a group after the ceremony, in black and white

A guest pulling a face with a drink as friends laugh on the terrace above the lake

A guest in pink photographing Amy and Davin on her phone on the lawn

Davin and Amy firing bubble guns on the terrace in front of the château

Amy twirling as bubbles fly around her on the terrace

Amy from behind on the lawn, her long train spread out, the château towers in the sun

Amy and Davin smiling side by side with the château behind them

Amy and Davin walking across the lawn under the trees

Amy swishing the skirt of her dress on the lawn in the evening light

Amy and Davin’s first dance on the stone terrace under white parasols

Davin holding Amy close with his eyes closed on the terrace above the lake

Amy and Davin arriving at dinner with their arms raised beside a white tent

A guest giving a speech at dinner beside the château steps

Guests clapping and cheering at the long tables in the courtyard

Davin hugging Amy at the dinner table as a friend laughs

A man in a red hat standing to speak by the château doorway as guests listen

Amy and Davin standing at their table to speak as guests watch at dusk

Into the night

After dark the courtyard was lit with strings of lights. Amy and Davin poured champagne over a tower of glasses, the bubble guns came back out, and the dancing on the terrace went on under the old lamps.

The courtyard lit with strings of lights after dark

Amy covering her face with laughter at the table during the speeches

Guests laughing at the dinner table at night, in black and white

Amy and Davin pouring champagne over a tower of glasses

Two men pouring champagne into a tower of glasses at night

Amy dancing with a friend in a cloud of bubbles under the lamps

Guests firing bubble guns on the dance floor at night

Amy dancing with a friend in a green dress on the dark terrace

Amy dancing with her friends on the terrace by a lamp post

Amy and Davin dancing close together on the terrace at night

Photographing at Château Allure du Lac

Dinner at long tables in the courtyard of Château Allure du Lac, seen from above

The estate.

A recently renovated 19th-century château 20 minutes from Angers, with open grounds, old trees and a private lake. Guests can stay on site, so the whole celebration happens in one place.

Ceremonies.

By the lake, under the wrought-iron gazebo on its wooden deck, as Amy and Davin chose, with water and trees behind the aisle. There is also a small island on the lake.

The terrace.

A stone terrace above the lake for drinks and dancing. Its old lamps light the dance floor once it gets dark.

Dinner.

Long tables can go outside in the courtyard in front of the château, with strings of lights for the evening, or inside in the antique ballroom.

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Questions

Have you photographed at Château Allure du Lac before?

Yes: Davin and Amy’s wedding on this page, and Annie and Derek’s. I know the lake, the gazebo deck and how the courtyard looks once the lights come on.

How far ahead should we book?

Most couples book six to eighteen months ahead. Summer Saturdays go first.

Do you charge for travel to the Loire Valley?

No. Travel within France is included in every package.

I’m excited to go wherever your love story is taking me and looking forward to hearing from you!