Wedding at the Issoire Abbey and the Canière Castle
Anaïs & Lenaïc
A summer wedding at the Issoire Abbey and the Château de la Canière
Anaïs and Lenaïc have chosen two settings for their wedding: the’Abbey Church of Issoire For the religious part, and the Château de la Canière for the preparations, The cocktail and the evening. Together for several years and parents of two children, They share a strong history. Their story began at Lénaïc's bakery, Their 20-year age gap sometimes drew stares and preconceived notions at first. This wedding in Auvergne celebrated on a Saturday before summer, under a heavy heat of 30 degrees, is the most beautiful answer to those past judgments.
From the start of the preparations in the morning to the creative photo shoot in the middle of the night, return on documentary-style wedding photography intense and fast-paced in the Puy-de-Dôme.
From Château la Canière to the Abbey Church of Issoire
Morning preparations at the Château de la Canière
I began the photo shoot around 9:30 a.m. in the newlyweds' suite at the Château de la Canière with the bride’s mother getting ready, surrounded by her loved ones and the groom’s older sister. As for the beauty prep, I was delighted to see Marie Beaubrun, whom I had already met during a previous report in this same castle. With the already significant outdoor heat, the coolness preserved inside the building offered an ideal working environment. Around 1 p.m., I joined Lenaïc in the library for his dressing, accompanied by his loved ones and Anaïs's father.
The religious ceremony at the Abbey Church of Saint-Austremoine in Issoire
In the early afternoon, we hit the road to reach the’Abbey Church of Issoire. On site, as the previous wedding was 30 minutes behind schedule, the plan had to be adjusted without disrupting the day's proceedings. The ceremony in this masterpiece of Romanesque art captivated the many tourists passing by, who were enthralled by the atmosphere of the place. Upon exiting the church, the newlyweds took their place aboard the bride's father's 4-horsepower car, heading to the castle via the small country roads.
Cocktails and couples sessions
Honor guard welcome and ribbon dance at the cocktail party
While the procession was on its way, I was able to arrive at the castle early to organize the group photos in coordination with the DJ, Fabrice Crochet from Prestige Animation Concept. Upon arrival, the newlyweds crossed a guard of honor formed by guests in the courtyard, in the shade of the large trees. After the group photos On the castle steps, everyone gathered on the other side of the estate for the cocktail reception, accompanied by a saxophonist and the magician’s close-up tricks Maverick, along with the items from the caterer Delight at Home.
It was also during the cocktail reception that The Ribbon Game, where the bride blindfolds herself, an excellent alternative to the traditional bouquet toss.
Playing with the harsh afternoon light and the golden hour for the couple's photo shoot
Almost all wedding photographers prefer to wait until the end of the day, but I chose to do a first couple's photo shoot in the middle of the afternoon under very harsh light. It’s a great way to create striking, original images by playing with strong contrasts, lines, and black-and-white. Later, as the guests were returning to the reception hall, we held a second photo session. This approach allows us to offer the bride and groom a wide selection of complementary images—some graphic and others softer in tone.
An evening full of emotion and a creative nighttime couple's photo shoot
Moving speeches during the evening
The evening under the castle's chandeliers started off with a bang. Right from the start of the meal, the bride's speech was a pivotal moment in the reportage: her words about their journey, facing the initial judgments, brought a large portion of the guests to tears. Later, the intervention of Anaïs' cousin, whom she considers her own sister, once again led to poignant scenes of tears of joy. Capturing these genuine expressions without anyone noticing the lens is the very heart of my work. professional photographer.
Creative night session in front of the castle
To conclude this report, we slipped away one last time at nightfall. We had a session Couple photo at night in front of the illuminated facade of the Château de la Canière, using champagne and smoke bombs. It's a graphic and impactful way to end the album, using the darkness to create visuals that can't be done during the day.
Organizing your wedding at Château de la Canière: Frequently Asked Questions
Why choose Château de la Canière for your wedding in Auvergne? Visit Château de la Canière located in Thuret, in the Puy-de-Dôme) is a Château in Auvergne for wedding which offers an ideal all-in-one solution. Indeed, its spacious suites allow for preparations to be made on-site, protected from the summer heat, its tree-lined park is perfect for an outdoor cocktail reception, and its prestigious lounges bring a unique historic charm to the evening.
How to manage wedding photos in the height of summer with high heat (30°C and above)? Searing heat requires adaptation. During the hottest hours, take advantage of the cool interiors of the castle or monuments like’Abbey Church of Issoire. For photos, the harsh afternoon light allows for very original graphic and contrasted shots, while a session at the end of the day offers softer images. Bring water bottles to hand out upon arrival at the castle, just before starting the group photos.
Is it easy to travel between Issoire Abbey and Château de la Canière? The trip takes about 1 hour via the road axes of Puy-de-Dôme. For the report, this trip allows for the combination of a religious ceremony in a major historical monument with Issoire and a high-end reception in a private estate in Thuret.
Which local vendors to choose for a wedding at Château de la Canière? For this wedding, the team was made up of professionals from the region of Clermont-Ferrand regulars Marie Beaubrun for makeup, the caterer Delight at Home, Maverick for magic, and Prestige Animation Concept (Fabrice Crochet) for the DJ entertainment. Indeed, working with vendors who know the field guarantees excellent coordination on the big day.
Why offer a couple's photoshoot at nightfall? In addition to having even more photos, a night session offers a completely different aesthetic from the rest of the day. Using the castle's lighting in the background, champagne, and smoke bombs, we get creative, contrasted, and festive images that close out the reportage in an original way.
Photo gallery
