Jared & Molly

Château Rigaud wedding, Bordeaux

Molly with her bridesmaids in black holding white paper parasols on the lawn

Morning

It was already hot. Guests cooled off in the pool beside the lavender, and Jared dressed in the stone-walled rooms of the house, leaving his bow tie untied for as long as he could, before lining up with his groomsmen in the shade of the trees.

Ivy-covered round stone tower of Château Rigaud

View through a stone archway to the château tower and a row of cypress trees

Stone cherub statue among lavender and orange lilies in the château garden

Curving gravel drive across the green lawn towards the château

Framed black and white photographs and red lamps on a dark wall inside the house

Two religious paintings above a wooden bar stocked with bottles

Guests relaxing by the pool under white parasols beside the lavender

Guests cooling off in the pool beside the lavender

Black bow tie on a silver tray beside empty champagne flutes

Jared lacing his patterned black shoes on a woven rug

Jared and two groomsmen lounging on a black sofa, in black and white

A hand fastening a cufflink on Jared’s white shirt cuff

Jared in a white shirt with his bow tie untied, leaning in a stone doorway

Jared leaning against a corridor wall with his arms crossed, in black and white

Jared laughing on a dark sofa against a stone wall

Jared adjusting his bow tie and looking up towards the window light

Jared and his groomsmen in dinner jackets under a large tree

Jared and his groomsmen in a row on the lawn beneath the spreading tree

Jared in his waistcoat reading in an armchair beside tall bookshelves

Jared laughing in a chair by the window next to a bookcase

Blue and white patterned bridal heels beside a ring box on a wooden floor

Getting ready

Molly got ready in a high-ceilinged room with dark curtains and a four-poster bed. There was a phone call from the bath, satin robes for the bridesmaids and a crown of gypsophila for her hair. Then her dress was fastened and she went out to meet Jared by the ivy.

Rings beside a croissant on a blue and white plate

Molly at the window in her robe beside her hanging wedding dress

Close-up of lipstick being applied to Molly’s lips

Molly smiling in the mirror among her bridesmaids, one holding a fan

Molly’s long wavy blonde hair styled half up, seen from behind

Molly’s legs over the edge of the clawfoot bath in her blue and white heels

Molly laughing on the phone as she sits in a clawfoot bath

Molly in a lace-trimmed robe standing in the tall window between dark curtains

Molly glancing back over her shoulder in her robe by the sunlit window

Molly and her bridesmaids in satin robes laughing together

Molly and her bridesmaids from behind in pink, copper and lilac satin robes, arms linked

A woman placing the gypsophila crown in Molly’s hair as she sits by the window

Crown of gypsophila in Molly’s half-up hair

Molly in her flower crown and robe looking into a tall white mirror

Molly’s lace wedding dress hanging from the four-poster bed, its train across the covers

Molly in her robe lifting the lace dress down from the four-poster bed

Molly’s foot stepping into the layers of lace on a patterned rug

Two women helping Molly into her lace dress beside the window

A woman fastening the back of Molly’s dress by the four-poster bed

Molly sitting on a white sofa in her dress with the lace train across the rug

Molly holding her bouquet of white roses and looking back from the bright window

Molly from behind in her lace dress facing the tall window

Jared smiling with his back to Molly just before the first look by the ivy

Jared smiling down at Molly at their first look by the ivy

Jared twirling Molly on the gravel in dappled sunlight beside the ivy-covered wall

Jared and Molly kissing under a woven willow archway on a garden path

Molly’s bouquet of white roses and greenery resting on a dark velvet chair

The ceremony

They married in the shade of a big tree on the lawn, with rows of wooden chairs and white flowers along the aisle. Molly read her vows from a card, Jared smiled all the way through, and they walked back up the aisle to their guests cheering.

Rows of wooden chairs set out under the big tree on the lawn

Wooden chairs and white flower arrangements lining the ceremony aisle under the tree

A white paper fan left on a wooden chair before the ceremony

Ceremony chairs set in a curve around tall white delphiniums on the lawn

Chalkboard welcome sign for Molly and Jared above a tray of glasses

Champagne bottles, potted herbs and a wooden cards box on a white table

Bottles of rosé chilling in a metal ice bucket

Jared and his groomsmen waiting in a line under the tree before the ceremony

Molly walking down the aisle on the lawn between the ivy-covered buildings

Guests seated on both sides of the aisle under the big tree as the ceremony begins

Molly and Jared facing each other under the tree at the carved wooden lectern

Molly smiling in her flower crown during the ceremony

Jared grinning at Molly from beside the lectern

The groomsmen smiling in the front row in front of the ivy-covered house

Molly reading her vows from a card in the shade

Molly and Jared at the lectern under the tree, her lace train on the grass

Jared sliding the ring onto Molly’s finger

Molly placing the ring on Jared’s finger beside the carved lectern

Wide view of the ceremony under the big tree with guests seated either side

Two guests waving from an open window in the ivy-covered wall

Jared and Molly walking back up the aisle as guests cheer

Guests chatting on the lawn after the ceremony, a woman in black in the foreground

Glasses of champagne on ice in front of the big tree with guests behind

Guests leaving the rows of wooden chairs after the ceremony

Guests embracing in front of the ivy-covered house after the ceremony

Cocktail hour

Cocktail hour stayed in the shade, with spritz and orange slices, champagne on ice and oysters at the bar. Jared and Molly moved between their guests, and her bridesmaids in black opened white paper parasols against the sun.

Guests gathering on the lawn under the trees after the ceremony

Stacks of blue and pink patterned plates beside a dish of scallop shells

Bar table with flowers, chalkboard signs and stacks of plates

Bottles of champagne buried in crushed ice at the cocktail bar

Spritz bottle, oranges and lemons beside a chalkboard sign at the bar

Wine glasses with orange slices lined up on a silver tray

Glasses of spritz with orange slices among flowers on the bar

Jared and Molly chatting with guests in the shade at the cocktail hour

Oysters on ice in a silver dish at the cocktail hour

Two guests laughing over a camera on the sunny lawn

Guests gathered under the sail awnings during the cocktail hour

Meat grilling on a green ceramic barbecue in the courtyard

A singer and a guitarist performing under the awning at the cocktail hour

A guest scooping an oyster from its shell over a blue patterned plate

Guests in summer suits and a yellow dress talking by the bar under the awning

Guests by the clipped box hedges in front of the cocktail awning

Molly walking across the lawn ahead of her bridesmaids in black

Molly and her bridesmaids laughing and waving their bouquets under the tree

Jared kissing Molly among the bridesmaids holding white bouquets

The whole wedding party in black lined up under the tree with Jared and Molly

Jared and Molly standing still as the wedding party blurs past them on the lawn

Dinner on the terrace

Dinner was served outside on the stone terrace, at long wooden tables with blue and white runners, small white flowers and candles. Jared and Molly walked in down the gravel path, and the speeches had people laughing and in tears in turn.

Long wooden table on the terrace with a blue and white runner

Long dinner tables and wooden chairs set on the stone terrace by the barn

Candles, glasses and white flowers on the dinner table

Wooden cross-back chairs along the laid dinner table on the terrace

Small posy of white and yellow flowers in a glass on the blue and white runner

Guests at long tables on the stone terrace under strings of lights

Jared and Molly walking down the gravel path to dinner

Jared and Molly arriving on the terrace as guests turn from the tables

Guests standing along the long table to welcome Jared and Molly to dinner

Jared and Molly from behind facing their seated guests on the terrace

Guests laughing at the table during dinner

Guests clapping at the long tables on the terrace during dinner

A bridesmaid giving a speech beside Jared and Molly

A guest in glasses laughing in his chair at dinner

A guest wiping away tears during the speeches

Jared standing to speak at the end of the terrace beside Molly

A guest with her mouth open in delight at the dinner table

Sunset

We waited for the light. At sunset it softened and the stone began to cool, and we made the portraits quickly: long shadows on the lawn, the round tower, the cypress drive from the old gateway, and Molly alone for a few frames in the last of the sun.

Jared kissing the top of Molly’s head as she smiles on the lawn

Jared and Molly forehead to forehead in the evening light

Jared and Molly laughing as they walk past the round tower and cypresses

Jared and Molly walking up the cypress-lined drive from the stone gateway

Molly standing on the gravel among cypresses with the open valley behind her

Molly smiling under a tree in the low sun

Molly from behind on the lawn with her train spread out in the sunlight

Close-up of the plunging lace bodice of Molly’s dress, her hands on her hips

Molly in her flower crown against an ivy-covered wall

Jared and Molly in the distance on the curving cypress-lined drive

Jared leaning in to Molly at the dinner table as guests laugh around them

Plates of steak and potatoes served along the dinner table

A guest in black waving a white napkin in the air at the table

The groomsmen sitting on a stone wall against a pink sunset sky

Guests at the tables under festoon lights at dusk, one standing with arms raised

Into the night

After the croquembouche, lit with sparklers, Jared and Molly surprised everyone with fireworks over the lawn. Then the party moved indoors under the disco balls, and the dancing and cocktails carried on late into the night.

A guest throwing his arms in the air as Molly laughs at dinner

Candlelit dinner table with glasses and flowers late in the evening

A croquembouche on a wine barrel under strings of lights

Jared and Molly lighting the croquembouche with sparklers

Fireworks rising behind the croquembouche as Molly watches

Jared and Molly kissing on the lawn under exploding fireworks

Jared and Molly holding each other in front of fireworks

Guests watching from the lawn as fireworks burst above the trees

A singer performing with the band under coloured lights and disco balls

Guests dancing in front of the band under red lights

A tattooed hand resting on the buttoned back of Molly’s lace dress

Jared and Molly dancing close under the coloured stage lights

A guest dancing in a blur of green light

Bridesmaids dancing with their arms raised late at night

Crowded dance floor under a chandelier and pink lights in the barn

Photographing at Château Rigaud

Jared and Molly in front of the round ivy-covered tower

The estate.

A vineyard estate just outside Saint-Émilion, with open views across the Dordogne valley, round stone towers and walls covered in ivy.

Ceremonies.

Under the big tree on the lawn, as Jared and Molly chose, with wooden chairs and white flowers along the aisle. On a hot day its shade matters.

The light.

In a summer heatwave the middle of the day is hard and bright, so I wait for sunset. The towers, the cypress drive and the old stone gateway all take the last light well.

Dinner.

Long tables outside on the stone terrace under strings of lights, with an indoor room for dancing later in the night.

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Questions

Have you photographed at Château Rigaud before?

Yes: Jared and Molly’s wedding on this page. I know where the shade falls on a hot day and which corners of the estate catch the sunset.

How far ahead should we book?

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

Do you charge for travel to Bordeaux?

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!