Molly & Scott

Château de Rigoulières wedding, Dordogne

Molly and Scott with their bridesmaids and groomsmen under the old trees at Château de Rigoulières

Morning

It was still raining when the day began, so the morning stayed indoors, among stone walls, a brick fireplace and the carved wardrobe that held the dress. Molly had her hair and make-up done by the window while the bridesmaids, in pink robes, kept the champagne going.

The stone walls of Château de Rigoulières beside a green lawn and tall trees

Molly’s silk wedding dress and veil hanging on a carved wooden wardrobe

Molly’s pale pink heels on a green velvet armchair

Molly’s rings and pearl earrings laid out on a mint green damask cushion

A woman in black hugging Molly in her robe as she holds a glass of champagne

Molly having her hair and make-up done in a room of stone walls and bookshelves

Bridesmaids in robes chatting on the garden lawn, seen from above past an open shutter

Two bridesmaids in pink robes looking out of a tall open window at the hills

Bridesmaids’ silver and white sandals scattered across the pine floorboards

The back of Molly’s white robe embroidered with Bride, her dark curls falling over it

Bridesmaids in pink robes getting ready by the tall windows, shoes lined up on the floor

Molly’s make-up being finished, seen in a hand mirror held up by the open shutter

Molly in a white robe smiling up towards the window, her hair half done

Molly having her lipstick put on while bridesmaids in pink move around the room behind

Molly in her robe and fluffy slippers sitting on a gilded armchair on a patterned rug

Molly slipping her foot out of a fluffy slipper and into a pale pink heel

Bridesmaids in pink robes sitting around Molly on the rug by the brick fireplace

Bridesmaids in pink robes raising champagne around Molly in front of the brick fireplace

Molly laughing with a glass of champagne between two bridesmaids in pink robes

Molly lounging on a green velvet armchair with one arm raised beside the fireplace

Molly resting her face in her hands on a green velvet armchair

Into the dress

The bridesmaids helped Molly into a simple silk dress in front of the wardrobe, and then the veil went on. She stood for a moment in the light of the tall windows with her small bouquet, and the room went quiet.

Molly in her robe reaching for the dress on the carved wardrobe

Molly’s silk slip dress on a white hanger against the carved wardrobe door

Bridesmaids lifting the dress over Molly’s head in front of the wardrobe

Molly stepping into her silk dress in front of the carved wooden wardrobe

Molly laughing as she puts in an earring, wearing her silk dress

Molly in her dress and long veil in the middle of the stone-walled room

Molly in her dress and veil standing at a tall window with her bouquet

Molly in her veil holding a small bouquet in front of the brick fireplace

Molly in her veil reflected in a tall gilded mirror

Molly in her dress among her bridesmaids in green dresses by the brick fireplace

Across the house

Scott and his groomsmen dressed in a room with a leather sofa and bookcases: white shirts, cufflinks, navy ties and a lot of joking. When the buttonholes were on, he went out in his pale suit to wait under the trees by the castle.

White shirts hanging by the window above a leather sofa and buttonholes

Three pairs of brown leather shoes with navy socks on terracotta floor tiles

Close view of fingers fastening a dark cufflink on a white shirt cuff

Scott smiling down as he fastens his shirt cuff

Scott and his groomsmen in white shirts putting on their shoes on leather sofas

Scott in his waistcoat holding up his navy tie as a groomsman laughs

A groomsman pinning a buttonhole on Scott’s pale jacket

A hand picking up a buttonhole of eucalyptus and white flowers from a cane chair

Scott in his pale suit sitting in a leather armchair between striped curtains

Scott and his groomsmen in pale suits posing on and behind a leather sofa

Scott in his pale double-breasted suit standing under a tree by the castle

The ceremony

The rain stopped two minutes before the ceremony. Guests sat under the big trees in the garden, a bridesmaid in green spread out Molly’s long veil at the end of the aisle, and Scott read his vows with the castle behind him. They walked out together into cheers and hugs.

Molly arriving at the ceremony beside a man in a grey jacket as Scott waits with his groomsmen

Molly walking down the grass aisle, her veil and train spread behind her

Guests seated under the big trees on the lawn for the ceremony

What couples say

“Dina was our Photographer in June '25 in the Dordogne, and she was amazing. So easy to meet her online, organise all of the details easily, and then send her photos we wanted in preparation. She also worked really well with our videographer, and made sure we got every photo we needed. Highly recommend!!”

Hannah and Guy, wedding at Château d’Oche, DordogneSee wedding

A bridesmaid in green crouching to spread out Molly’s long veil at the ceremony

Molly smiling at Scott during the ceremony under the leaves

Scott putting the ring on Molly’s finger

Molly and Scott smiling hand in hand at the front of the ceremony under the trees

Scott reading his vows to Molly as guests watch from their wooden chairs

Molly laughing as Scott leans in close at the end of the ceremony

Molly hugging a guest in a sun hat after the ceremony

Molly and Scott walking back up the lawn among their guests

Scott and his groomsmen laughing as they walk back up the lawn after the ceremony

Cocktail hour

Drinks were on the lawn and around the old stone gateposts, with a guitarist playing by the hedge. At one point Molly borrowed his guitar for a song while Scott laughed beside her. Then we gathered the bridal party under the trees.

Molly hugged by her bridesmaids on the lawn after the ceremony

Guests gathered between the old stone gateposts on the gravel drive

A guitarist playing in front of a clipped hedge during cocktail hour

Guests in summer dresses gathering along the lawn under the trees after the ceremony

Trays of canapés and tomato bruschetta carried across the lawn at cocktail hour

Molly playing a guitar as Scott laughs beside her under the trees

Molly and Scott raising their drinks in front of the castle

Molly cheering with guests in colourful dresses on the lawn at cocktail hour

Groomsmen laughing together in sunglasses at cocktail hour, in black and white

Molly drinking from a cup among guests chatting on the lawn

Molly and Scott with the groomsmen and bridesmaids in green under a big tree

Portraits

We found the quiet corners of the estate: the gravel drive under the castle walls, a path between cypresses and dark red bushes, roses against an old stone wall. The sky stayed grey and soft after the rain, which suited the stone.

Molly in her veil on the gravel drive under the castle walls

Molly and Scott walking across the gravel courtyard below the castle tower

Molly and Scott forehead to forehead on the lawn beside the stone house

Molly and Scott walking through the garden, seen through dark red leaves

Molly and Scott on a path between cypresses and dark red bushes

Molly and Scott laughing on a gravel path between cypresses and red-leaved shrubs

Molly leaning back against Scott beside an old stone wall with roses

Scott laughing with his arm around Molly by a stone gatepost

Dinner and dancing

Dinner was outside, as Molly had wanted, at long wooden tables under the trees, set with eucalyptus, white candles and printed menus. The speeches had the whole table laughing, the first dance was on the lawn, and the dancing went on under the festoon lights after dark.

A long wooden dinner table under the trees on the lawn

Wine glasses and eucalyptus on a wooden table with white napkins

The long dinner table on the lawn with wine buckets, beside an old stone gatepost

Glasses and a eucalyptus runner along the table, the stone house blurred behind

Place settings and candles along the lawn tables beneath the big trees

Printed menu and white candles along the dinner table

Molly and Scott walking in to dinner across the lawn as guests cheer by the tables

Guests seated at the long tables under a big tree during dinner

A plate of quiche with a basil leaf beside glasses of red wine on the wooden table

Guests laughing together at the long tables during dinner

Molly’s flat white sandals on the grass beside her kicked-off glittery heels

Guests at dinner throwing their arms in the air as a man in a grey suit cheers

Molly laughing with the guests at the top table as a speech is read

A guest reading a speech from a pink folder as Molly laughs at the top table

Molly covering her mouth with laughter during the speeches

Molly and Scott’s first dance on the lawn as guests watch

The long dinner tables on the lawn in the evening, guests gathered at the far end

A guest in braces leaning back mid-dance as women in long dresses laugh around him

Molly dancing with her arms in the air among her guests on the lawn

Guests dancing on the lawn in front of the long stone building at dusk

Guests dancing under festoon lights by the tables after dark

Guests dancing indoors under purple and blue disco lights late at night

Photographing at Château de Rigoulières

The square stone tower of Château de Rigoulières above the lawn and rose bushes

The estate.

A castle rather than a château: tall stone walls, a square tower and old gateposts, with a garden of big trees, cypresses and dark red shrubs. It feels old inside and out, and nothing about it needs dressing up.

Inside.

Stone and brick walls, a big fireplace, carved wardrobes and velvet chairs. The rooms are large and the windows tall, so getting ready works well even on a rainy morning, as it was for Molly and Scott.

Ceremonies.

Under the big trees on the lawn, where the leaves give shade and soft, even light over the whole aisle.

Dinner.

Long tables on the lawn beside the castle, with festoon lights strung overhead for the evening and the dancing right next to them on the grass.

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Questions

Have you photographed at Château de Rigoulières before?

Yes: Molly and Scott’s wedding on this page. I know the shaded lawn for the ceremony, the cypress path and the old gateposts, and the big rooms indoors for a rainy morning.

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 Dordogne?

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!