Apolline & Florian

Château de la Canière in Auvergne

Château de la Canière: the bride's preparations

Before the wedding at Château de la Canière, our festive weekend began on Friday at Chamalières town hall in the Puy-de-Dôme region for Apolline and Florian's civil ceremony. Mayor Louis Giscard d'Estaing, son of former French President Valérie Giscard d'Estaing, officiated at their Auvergne wedding.

The following day, we met up again for a long but wonderful day at the Chateau de La Canière with their friends and families.

The bride's preparations began in the morning in the company of her nearest and dearest in a beautiful suite in the château, the bride and groom's bedroom.

I began by photographing Apolline's accessories, such as dresses, shoes and rings, in the quiet of the château library. Then I returned to the bedroom, where the girls' make-up and hair were in full swing.

Château de la Canière: the groom's preparations

No stress for the boys, who went off to have some fun before the groom's preparations. They played tennis! Yes, they did! Tennis in the morning while the bride was getting ready. It was fun to watch, and gave some of them a chance to finish distilling the gin from the night before.

Groom Florian's preparations took place in a room on the other side of the château with his brother, friends and father-in-law. They took the opportunity to celebrate their wedding day with a glass (or more) of champagne. In the early afternoon, Apolline, accompanied by her nearest and dearest, slipped into her wedding dress, which featured a very pretty cape.

Off to church for the religious ceremony

Once the bride and groom were ready, they all headed for the church in Royat, a town renowned in the Auvergne for its history as a spa town. All the haute bourgeoisie descended from Paris for its volcanic waters.

We left the church to the cheers of the audience, who applauded and threw rose petals in a joyfully smoky atmosphere.

It was hard to photograph the bride and groom in all that smoke, and you had to elbow your way through in good spirits to make room, as the crowd was so happy to see them come out and celebrate their union with delight.

Château de la Canière: the cocktail

The bride and groom took their seats in a magnificent red Alfa Romeo convertible, heading for the wedding reception venue: Château La Canière in Thuret, north of Clermont-Ferrand.

While the guests were listening to the band, we slipped away to do the couple session at the foot of the château.

Château de la Canière: the evening

After the traditional group photos and cocktail reception, the party got underway with a wild entrance by the bride and groom. Their nearest and dearest joined in, and the dance floor was on fire!

A superb fireworks display lit up the Auvergne sky above the château, to the cheers of our neighbors, who love these festive weekends!

After cutting the cake, Apolline and Florian took to the dance floor in front of their guests for the first dance. Their friends then joined in the choreography to kick off the evening on the dancefloor and mark the start of a wild night!

Beautifully organized by Hera-Mariage wedding planner Emmanuelle, coordinated on this day by Maryline, with top-quality suppliers.

A busy day

Long live the bride and groom!

Château de La Canière is a truly exceptional place to celebrate a wedding.

It was a magnificent wedding in the Auvergne. Everyone made me feel so welcome that I felt like I was with old friends. It was a real pleasure to be their wedding photographer.

To find out more: how to choose the perfect photographer for your wedding in Clermont-Ferrand?

Check out their wedding photos now.