Jas & Chantelle

Château de Robernier Indian ceremony, Provence

Jas and Chantelle in garlands among their guests at Château de Robernier

Setting the scene

The house was dressed in colour for the second day: lounges with cushions and beanbags under the vines, a drinks sign wound with flowers, and round tables with purple, red and orange arrangements. Upstairs, Chantelle’s handmade dress lay across the four-poster bed, next to her jewellery.

The tree-lined drive leading up to Château de Robernier between clipped hedges

Lounge corner with cushions, beanbags and hanging glass globes under the vines

Drinks sign on an easel wrapped in purple, red and green flowers

Bright beanbags and floor cushions under strings of glass globes on a pergola

A gilt mirror reflecting the château’s ivy-covered tower among potted plants

The ivy-covered tower above lounge seating and strings of lights in the courtyard

Round dinner tables with tall flower arrangements seen through open French doors

A small gilt-framed sign tucked among olive branches and purple flowers

Reception hall set with round tables and tall arrangements of bright flowers

Gold-rimmed place setting under a centrepiece of red, purple and orange flowers

A round table laid with green-rimmed plates and coloured glasses under a vivid centrepiece

Chantelle’s earrings, necklace and ring in a small gold dish

Chantelle’s handmade embroidered dress spread across the four-poster bed

In the hall

Guests gathered on the lawns in Indian dress, in every colour. Inside, Jas waited at the foot of the red staircase in a pale blue suit, and Chantelle came down to meet him across the marble floor of the hall.

Guests in colourful Indian dress lined up on the lawn of Château de Robernier

A guest in a pale embroidered outfit and gold jewellery on the garden path

An older guest in a turban and yellow waistcoat greeting guests by a stone urn

Guests in pastel Indian outfits chatting by the stone balustrade among palms

Guests in Indian dress gathering on the gravel drive beneath the plane trees

Jas in a blue suit at the foot of the red staircase as Chantelle comes down

Jas and Chantelle facing each other across the black and white marble hall

Chantelle in her embroidered dress walking towards Jas under the gallery

Jas and Chantelle embracing at the foot of the staircase

The drummers

Two Dhol drummers in purple and gold led Jas and Chantelle out of the château and across the gravel. Guests clapped and danced around them, and the drums kept going all the way to the terrace.

Two Dhol drummers leading Jas and Chantelle out of the château’s front door

Guests in colourful dress clapping on the terrace as the drums arrive

Jas and Chantelle walking behind the drummers in front of the château’s round tower

A drummer in purple and gold leading Chantelle and Jas through the guests

A Dhol drummer playing beside the stone balustrade, guests smiling around him

Guests in embroidered outfits laughing together in the garden

A guest in sage green touching a laughing guest’s forehead as others take photos

A guest in a green floral outfit laughing among the crowd during the ransom

A guest in sage green holding out a red bowl among smiling guests

Chantelle smiling among the guests, framed between two blurred figures

The ransom

Then came the ransom: plenty of bargaining, a lot of laughing on both sides and trays passed through the crowd. By the end Jas and Chantelle were wearing garlands of flowers and half the guests were dancing on the gravel.

A guest in a green and turquoise outfit carrying a tray among laughing guests

In the gardens

Afterwards we took a few minutes on our own: the lawn in front of the château, a stone urn, and the balustrade with the palms and the hills behind it. Chantelle showed off her henna and her jewellery.

Guests in bright shirts laughing and bargaining during the ransom

Jas laughing with his hand on his head in front of a group of guests

Chantelle laughing as friends gather round her on the lawn

A guest in white dancing with one arm raised as guests in pastels watch

An older guest in a turban and yellow waistcoat walking through the guests

A drummer in a purple waistcoat playing among guests in pastel dress

Guests in colourful outfits lined up on the gravel as the ransom begins

Guests facing each other across the gravel below the plane trees

An older guest in a turban wearing a marigold garland beside a smiling guest

Guests in bright dresses cheering and filming on the gravel

The two Dhol drummers in purple playing in front of a row of guests by the château

Guests laughing as flower garlands are placed around necks in the crowd

Jas dancing with a guest in a flower garland as others clap

Women in pastel Indian outfits laughing together on the gravel

Chantelle dancing towards Jas across the gravel as guests watch

Jas and Chantelle exchanging flower garlands as guests watch

Jas and Chantelle in their flower garlands, smiling among their guests

Jas kissing Chantelle’s cheek on the lawn in front of the château

Jas and Chantelle walking hand in hand across the lawn in front of Château de Robernier

Jas and Chantelle kissing behind a stone urn in the garden

Chantelle in her embroidered dress on the lawn by the stone balustrade

Jas and Chantelle laughing a few steps apart on the garden path under a palm

Jas and Chantelle at the balustrade, framed by blurred palm leaves

Jas kissing Chantelle under a tall palm with the green hills behind

Guests in Indian dress strolling back across the gravel towards the château

In the courtyard

Back in the courtyard, under the ivy and the glass globes, friends lined up in bright dresses for photographs with Chantelle, and the dancing started long before dinner. The colours alone made it a different wedding from the day before.

Chantelle walking into the ivy-covered courtyard past cushions and lanterns

Guests chatting beside a gilt mirror under the ivy in the courtyard

Chantelle in her embroidered dress beside a gilt mirror in the courtyard

The two Dhol drummers standing in the courtyard among the guests

Chantelle with friends in pink, orange and purple dresses by the château wall

Chantelle spinning in her dress as friends dance around her in the courtyard

A guest dancing in a lilac outfit under the strings of glass globes

Three guests laughing on a white sofa under pink lights in the courtyard

Guests in bright dresses gathered in the courtyard below the château’s tower

Dinner and dancing

Before dinner, Jas and Chantelle surprised everyone with an Indian dance under pink lights, and the whole room was on its feet. Then came plates of Indian food, and fiery dancing that did not let up until the end of the night.

Guests clapping in the reception hall as Jas and Chantelle dance between the tables

Guests at their tables cheering and clapping in the reception hall

Jas and Chantelle performing their Indian dance under pink lights

A plate of Indian dishes on a table set with patterned glasses

The reception hall glowing with coloured light behind tall open white doors

A guest in mustard at a table beneath a tall flower arrangement, seen from behind

The reception hall full of guests at dinner under a crystal chandelier

Guests laughing at their table during dinner under purple light

Jas and Chantelle seated at the edge of the dance floor as guests look on

Guests laughing at a table behind a centrepiece of bright flowers

Chantelle dancing with guests in front of the arched doors as Jas watches from his chair

Guests clapping along at their tables behind a vivid flower arrangement

A guest spinning in a yellow skirt on the dance floor

Guests in pastel outfits dancing on the wooden dance floor

Guests dancing with their arms up under coloured lights

Guests dancing with raised arms in the packed hall under pink lights

Two guests in embroidered outfits dancing together in the crowd

Guests dancing in a blur of purple and pink light

Guests dancing close together in the crowd under pink spotlights

Guests dancing with their hands up beside the DJ booth under green lights

Photographing at Château de Robernier

Jas and Chantelle at the balustrade with palms and the Provençal hills behind

The estate.

Big enough for two very different days. The gardens, courtyards and interiors let us change the setting completely from one day to the next without leaving the grounds.

The courtyard.

Ivy on the walls, glass globes overhead and room for lounges, a drinks bar and dancing. It held the colour of the second day as easily as the long tables of the first.

The terrace and gardens.

A stone balustrade with palms and the hills beyond, and wide lawns in front of the house. Space for drummers and a crowd, and for quiet portraits afterwards.

Inside.

A marble hall with a red staircase, good for a first meeting, and a bright reception hall that works for dinner and then for the dance floor.

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Questions

Have you photographed at Château de Robernier before?

Yes: Jas and Chantelle’s wedding on this page, and Jas and Chantelle’s and Lauren and Phil’s. Yes, several times: I know how the courtyard, the terrace and the halls work for a classic day and for a much more colourful one.

How far ahead should we book?

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

Do you charge for travel to Provence?

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!