CAMILLE & PAUL — A WINTER WEDDING
Camille and Paul married in winter in Sainte-Cécile-les-Vignes, in the Vaucluse. After getting ready, their civil ceremony and time with their guests in Provence, they continued their wedding celebrations in Samoëns, Haute-Savoie. They asked me to join them at Chalet Zermatt for something they had long wanted: portraits in the snow, wearing their wedding clothes. This story follows both parts of their wedding, in the order we photographed them.
GETTING READY
Paul’s burgundy suit hangs from the gate. Inside, someone helps him into his jacket and shoes. Camille gets ready with a little girl beside her, before the finishing touches to her dress and earrings. In Sainte-Cécile-les-Vignes, I begin with these small actions and the people involved. They tell us about the day before the ceremony has even begun.
THE CIVIL CEREMONY
Guests gather at Sainte-Cécile-les-Vignes town hall. In the yellow-walled ceremony room, Camille and Paul listen as a child brings the rings. The ring exchange, a kiss, the signatures and applause follow. I also photograph the room and the couple leaving the town hall, so the close-up moments remain connected to the setting and the people around them.
PORTRAITS IN PROVENCE
Before heading to the mountains, we take time for portraits in Provence. Stone walls and the garden provide the setting, with Camille’s white wrap around her shoulders. Some portraits are taken standing, others seated, with joined hands and faces close together. We work around what is comfortable for them. I vary the framing and give simple guidance without asking them to keep moving between locations.
GUESTS & THE WEDDING MEAL
Group photographs bring their guests back into the story. Foliage, candles and small mountain-themed decorations fill the tables, already hinting at the next part of the wedding. A few conversations around the outdoor fire complete this part of the day, before we meet Camille and Paul in a very different landscape.
SNOWY PORTRAITS IN SAMOËNS
Three days after their wedding in Provence, I joined Camille and Paul at Chalet Zermatt in Samoëns, Haute-Savoie. They had planned this session as part of their celebrations: their dream was to have portraits taken in the snow, wearing their wedding clothes. The weather was on their side. We photographed them among the snow-covered trees, then on the balcony and in the chalet doorways. This separate session gave us a different setting while continuing their wedding story. If you have a particular place or season in mind for your portraits, tell me in advance. We can discuss the travel, timing and weather conditions to consider when planning it.
YOUR WEDDING, YOUR PORTRAIT IDEAS
Planning a winter wedding or portraits in a special location? Tell me your date and ideas so we can plan the photography. You can also explore a wedding at Château Bois d’Arlène in the Vaucluse and a wedding at Domaine de la Grangette in the Hérault.