Patrick & Rachel

Château d’Oche wedding, Dordogne

Patrick dipping Rachel as the bridesmaids and groomsmen cheer in the courtyard

Morning

Rachel got ready in a bright room with an old carved wardrobe and a crystal chandelier. Her bridesmaids raised their glasses on the sofa, she hid behind a lace fan for a moment, and then the lace dress was buttoned up the back. Her long veil followed her down the wooden staircase and out onto the stone steps.

The stone towers of Château d’Oche above a bed of red roses

Rachel’s white heels on a striped gilded chair under the trailing veil

Rachel’s bouquet of white hydrangeas, red roses and blue flowers on a gilded chair

A white lace fan and Rachel’s heels resting on the striped chair

Wedding rings on dark wood beside a small white rose and lace

Rachel’s dress hanging in the tall French window under a crystal chandelier

Blue bridesmaid dresses hanging on the old carved wooden wardrobe

Rachel’s braided low bun with a pearl and flower hairpiece

Rachel in her pyjamas chatting with her make-up artist by the window

Rachel putting on her earrings, framed by the white window bars

Rachel opening a bottle of champagne in front of the carved wardrobe

Close-up of a champagne glass held against Rachel’s pyjamas

Rachel and her bridesmaids in grey robes raising their glasses on the sofa

A woman relaxing on the bed beside the bouquet of hydrangeas and roses

Rachel in her pyjamas lifting the long veil in soft window light

A groomsman opening green beer bottles on the edge of the table football

Across the house

Patrick and his groomsmen opened the beers early, around a table football game. Navy waistcoats, red ties and a pocket watch on a chain. When they were ready, they lined up along the carved wooden gallery above the hall.

Patrick and his groomsmen in navy waistcoats clinking beer bottles

A small box resting on the table football pitch between the players

Patrick adjusting his collar and red tie by the window

Patrick holding his pocket watch on its chain

Patrick checking his pocket watch on the landing in his navy three-piece suit

Patrick alone at the carved wooden gallery under the hanging lantern

Patrick and his groomsmen leaning over the carved wooden gallery under a lantern

Four bridesmaids in blue dresses arm in arm, seen from behind by the window

Rachel in her Bride shirt looking out of the window with her back turned

Rachel stepping into her lace dress on the wooden floor, in black and white

Rachel’s lace dress being buttoned up the back

A woman in blue helping Rachel into her dress under the chandelier

Rachel in her lace dress smiling over her shoulder by the tall window

A woman in a blue fascinator unfolding Rachel’s veil

Rachel watching as a woman in a fascinator works on the veil, in black and white

Rachel’s long veil trailing down the wooden staircase, in black and white

Bridesmaids in blue smiling as Rachel turns to them in her dress and veil

Rachel hugging her bridesmaids in blue in the bright bedroom

Rachel in her veil on the stone steps outside the château

The carved stone staircase of the château façade with Rachel on the steps

The ceremony

Guests sat on white chairs on the lawn in front of the old stone chapel, with lanterns along the aisle. Patrick was in tears as Rachel walked towards him, and the reading and the rings brought more tears and laughter. They walked back up the aisle with their arms in the air.

White chairs on the lawn in front of the small stone chapel

Page boys in red bow ties walking down the aisle with a guest in blue

A woman in blue walking a little page boy down the grass aisle

Rachel walking down the grass aisle on the arm of a man in a blue suit

Patrick with his head down as Rachel reaches the front, his groomsmen beside him

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

Rachel walking towards the chapel door, her veil trailing on the grass

Patrick and Rachel seated in front of the chapel as a guest gives a reading

Little page boys in red bow ties sitting with guests during the ceremony

Rachel and Patrick standing at the chapel door during the ceremony

Rachel smiling at Patrick beside the small stone outbuilding

Patrick and Rachel holding hands and smiling at the start of the ceremony

Rachel laughing as she and Patrick hold hands by the chapel’s stone wall

Patrick smiling as he holds Rachel’s ring, ready to put it on

Rachel and Patrick exchanging rings as a guest reads from a white book

Patrick and Rachel at the chapel door, guests watching from the white chairs

Guests laughing in their seats as a bridesmaid lifts a blue hydrangea

Patrick and Rachel walking back up the aisle with their arms raised

Patrick and Rachel kissing in the aisle between lanterns and guests

Rachel’s veil blowing across the lawn as she kisses Patrick in front of the chapel

Patrick and Rachel kissing in front of the chapel, her veil around them

Patrick holding the bouquet as Rachel hugs him from behind, both smiling

Patrick and Rachel on the lawn below the tall stone tower, her veil spread out

Patrick and Rachel kissing, his hand on her cheek

Rachel holding her bouquet of white hydrangeas and red roses against her lace dress

Rachel on the wooden staircase with Patrick a few steps above, in black and white

Rachel under her veil with her hands together, smiling, in black and white

Cocktail hour

Back in the courtyard, two musicians with guitars played by the door, drinks went round and everyone wanted to hug Rachel. One guest came in a kilt, and the bridesmaids in blue had Rachel dancing on the gravel before the group photographs.

Guests cheering Patrick and Rachel as they come out of the château door

Two musicians with guitars playing by the château door

Guests laughing with drinks in the courtyard

Rachel in her veil greeted by guests in the courtyard after the ceremony

Rachel hugged by a guest in front of the stone façade

Guests laughing together in the courtyard around a guest in a floral dress

A guest’s tartan kilt and sporran on the gravel

Guests gathered in the gravel courtyard with the château roofs behind

Rachel with her bridesmaids in blue in the courtyard, her veil spread on the gravel

Rachel dancing with her bridesmaids in blue in front of the carved staircase

Patrick and his groomsmen lined up below the stone stairs as the bridesmaids look down

Patrick and his groomsmen in navy suits and red ties in the courtyard

Portraits

We kept the portraits close to the house: the carved stone façade, the old wooden doors and the gravel courtyard with its olive tree. The wind caught Rachel’s long veil, and the two of them sat for a minute among the roses.

Rachel’s long veil spread across the gravel below the château towers

Patrick leaning against the carved stone doorway with his hands in his pockets

Rachel’s veil lifting in the wind in front of the château

Rachel smiling over her shoulder beside a cypress in a pot

Patrick and Rachel on the gravel drive, the château behind them

Patrick and Rachel sitting together among the shrubs and the olive tree

Patrick kissing Rachel as she laughs among the red roses

Patrick and Rachel coming down the steps from the château door between pink hydrangeas

Dinner

Dinner was under white marquees on the lawn, with pink hydrangeas behind the top table. The speeches had Rachel in tears and the whole tent on its feet, and dessert was a croquembouche next to a tower of macarons.

A guest in a navy suit giving a speech as Rachel smiles at the top table

Rachel wiping away tears during the speeches as Patrick watches

Guests laughing at the round tables during the speeches

Guests cheering with their arms in the air in the marquee, in black and white

Patrick speaking into the microphone as Rachel throws her arms up

Patrick standing to speak as Rachel covers her face at the top table

Guests raising their glasses at the long table in the marquee

Patrick and Rachel kissing at the top table

The white marquees set up on the lawn in front of Château d’Oche

A tower of macarons with pink hydrangeas on the dessert table

Two guests hugging at the dinner table, in black and white

A guest in a waistcoat on his feet talking as the table laughs, in black and white

Guests clinking glasses of red wine across the table at night

Guests smiling for the camera along the long table in the marquee

Patrick and Rachel kissing behind the croquembouche and macaron tower

Guests gathered at the edge of the terrace at night under the lit marquees

The dance

After dark the marquees glowed with coloured light, and Patrick and Rachel took the stone terrace for their dance: rehearsed, precise and a complete surprise to their guests. Then the band started and everyone joined them.

Patrick and Rachel starting their dance on the stone terrace under coloured lights

Patrick lifting Rachel during their rehearsed dance, the château tower behind them

Rachel twirling away from Patrick across the stone terrace

Patrick dipping Rachel at the end of their dance in purple and blue light

Patrick and Rachel’s dance on the terrace with the lit marquees behind

A singer in a hat and a guitarist playing under the marquee, tables behind them

Guests dancing in blue and green light on the terrace

Guests dancing on the terrace, one lifted high above the crowd

A guest in a cream jacket dancing with the band behind him on the terrace

The band playing guitars as guests dance after dark

Photographing at Château d’Oche

The gravel courtyard and stone façade of Château d’Oche framed by trees

The estate.

A stone château with towers and carved façades, in the Dordogne. Quiet, enclosed corners sit right next to open lawns, so the day moves from one part to the next without anyone waiting.

The chapel.

A small old stone chapel stands on the lawn. Chairs on the grass and lanterns along the aisle in front of it make one of the simplest and loveliest ceremony settings here.

Portraits.

The courtyard, the carved doorways and the staircases inside are a few steps from the guests, so portraits stay short and discreet.

Dinner.

Marquees on the lawn in front of the house, and a stone terrace beside them for the first dance and the band after dark.

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Questions

Have you photographed at Château d’Oche before?

Yes: Patrick and Rachel’s wedding on this page, and Hannah and Guy’s. I know the quiet corners for a first touch, the chapel lawn for the ceremony and how the terrace looks once it lights up after dark.

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!