Bordeaux, France
Fran & Guy
Château Lacanaud wedding, Dordogne
Château Lacanaud sits five minutes from Eymet, in the south of the Dordogne: an 18th-century house of pale stone and blue shutters, with a lake, vineyards and its own woods around it. Fran and Guy brought their families and friends here for a hot summer day that never once felt rushed.
The morning was champagne and gifts on one side of the house, whiskey and jokes on the other. They married in the shade of the woods, spent cocktail hour on the lawns, and sat down to dinner under white marquees by the lake. When the sun dropped we slipped away for portraits among the roses and the vines, and later Fran changed into a short tulle dress and the dancing started.
- Venue
- Château Lacanaud
- Region
- Dordogne, near Eymet
- Season
- Summer
- Guests
- 70
- Ceremony
- In the woods
- Dinner
- Marquee by the lake
Morning
Fran got ready with her bridesmaids in matching gingham shirts, with champagne, gifts and a lot of laughing. Across the house, Guy and his groomsmen poured whiskey and traded jokes. The bridesmaids seeing Fran in her dress for the first time is still one of my favourite sequences of the day.
The ceremony
They married in the woods on the estate, under an arch of dried flowers and pampas, with a string duo playing. In that heat the shade was the best decision of the day, and the light came through the trees in soft patches. A close friend of the family led the ceremony, which made it personal from the first word.
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!!”
Cocktail hour
Afterwards everyone drifted onto the lawns in front of the château with cold drinks and wide hats. Nobody had to be herded; the grounds did that on their own. We made the group photos against the façade, then took a few quiet minutes for the two of them by the old walls.
Dinner and speeches
Dinner was set under white marquees beside the lake: long tables, pink glassware, candles and fresh flowers. The speeches went the way the best ones do. We laughed, then we cried, then we laughed again.
Golden hour
Once the sun dropped a little, we went out for portraits: through the rose-covered courtyard, into the vineyard and back across the lawn. Lacanaud’s pale stone and blue shutters make the evening light even softer.
Into the night
Later Fran changed into a short tulle dress with a blue bow, the cheese tower was cut, and the dancing moved inside under pink lights.
Photographing at Château Lacanaud
The house.
An 18th-century château with ivy on the walls, restored rooms inside, and on-site accommodation for the couple and guests. Getting ready happens in calm, bright rooms, and if it rains everything can move inside without spoiling the day.
Where ceremonies happen.
In the woods (like Fran and Guy's), on the garden lawns, by the pool or in the courtyard. In high summer I'd pick the woods or a late ceremony, because the lawns get full sun until early evening.
The light.
The lawns are wide and open, so the evening light lasts a long time. The lake throws a little extra glow back onto faces in the last hour. For portraits, I plan around 40 minutes before sunset; the session itself usually takes 20 to 30 minutes.
Best season.
Late spring to early autumn, when the lawns, terraces and lake are all usable.
Questions
Have you photographed at Château Lacanaud before?
Yes: Fran and Guy’s wedding on this page, and Shane and Billie’s. I know where the light falls at each hour, and where everyone can go if it rains.
How far ahead should we book?
Most couples book six to eighteen months ahead. Summer Saturdays go first.
When do we get our photographs?
A preview within 10 days and the full gallery within three months at most.
I’m excited to go wherever your love story is taking me and looking forward to hearing from you!