Château de St Paul Wedding Photographer

When Aurélie first saw my work, it wasn’t at her own wedding.

It was back in 2016, when she was a guest at a wedding I photographed. We didn’t know then that, seven years later, she’d get in touch to ask if I’d travel to France to photograph her own wedding day (and yes, it’s taken me far too long to blog their wedding!).

As a wedding photographer, that’s one of the nicest enquiries you can receive. Not because someone has remembered your name, but because they’ve remembered how your photographs made them feel years later.

And so, on a scorching summer day in the south of France, I found myself photographing Aurélie and Joe’s wedding at Château de St Paul.

“Alan, WOW!!!

Aurélie has just been in floods of tears again, I got a lump in my throat, we’ve laughed in hysterics….I cannot believe how many incredible and natural moments you captured.

We couldn’t be happier with how the photos came out. I never thought I’d feel that much emotion from the day through the shots but somehow you’ve captured every part of it.

You’re a magician and I can’t thank you enough.” – Joe

“Alan! Just WOW!

I’ve known since 2016 that I love your work but WOW, I am speechless. This has more than exceeded my expectations. The slideshow made me cry several times (we watched it at least 3 times to be fair!) and the photos are absolutely incredible. Joe put it really well, it was so lovely to relive the Saturday through all of these gorgeous, funny, beautiful, emotional moments you captured.

I forgot how much we laughed and cried and just had such an amazing time with our closest friends and we will remember them forever thanks to your photos.

Thank you SO SO MUCH!” – Aurelie

If you’re looking for a Château de St Paul wedding photographer, this was exactly the kind of wedding I love to photograph: relaxed, emotional, full of personality, and focused entirely on enjoying time with the people who matter most.

The day began with temperatures already climbing towards the mid-thirties. Thankfully, the château’s beautiful stone buildings provided a welcome escape from the heat, creating cool spaces for preparations and, later, for the meal and speeches.

One of the things I remember most from the day was Joe’s emotion during the ceremony. There’s often an assumption that grooms are the calm ones, but that certainly wasn’t the case here. Seeing him in tears as they exchanged vows was one of those moments that reminds you what weddings are really about. Beneath all the planning, travel, food and celebration, they’re ultimately about two people and the people they love.

The ceremony itself took place in the charming chapel within the grounds of Château de St Paul. Having everything in one location always creates a wonderfully relaxed atmosphere, and guests were able to move effortlessly between the different parts of the day without ever feeling rushed.

Afterwards, everyone spilled out into the French sunshine for drinks, conversations and plenty of laughter. Aurélie and Joe have a brilliant sense of humour together, and that came through again and again throughout the day. One of my favourite moments came during the speeches, when the two of them completely lost themselves in laughter together.

Those are often the moments I find myself drawn to most as a documentary wedding photographer. Not the big planned moments, but the tiny reactions in between them: a glance, a tear, a burst of laughter that nobody could have predicted.

As the afternoon continued, guests took advantage of the beautiful château grounds, while the celebrations carried on inside the cool stone reception spaces. It was one of those wedding days that felt completely unforced; people simply enjoying themselves in an extraordinary setting.

Later in the evening, the celebrations moved outdoors once again as the temperature finally began to ease. The first dance took place outside beneath the evening sky, followed by a packed dance floor and the kind of atmosphere that makes it very difficult for a photographer to put their camera down.

There were so many lovely moments throughout the evening: Aurélie dancing with her father, Joe and Aurélie sharing lovely, close moments on the dance floor, and Aurélie’s sister sharing a dance with their dad. The sort of moments that might seem small at the time but often become some of the most treasured memories years later.

Château de St Paul is a fantastic venue for couples looking to bring family and friends together for a destination wedding in France. The combination of beautiful grounds, on-site accommodation, historic buildings and the intimate church creates a setting that feels both elegant and wonderfully relaxed.

Most importantly, though, it allowed Aurélie and Joe to create a day that felt completely like them.

A wedding filled with emotion, laughter, family, friendship, sunshine, dancing, and a couple who clearly adored every second of being together.

It was a real privilege to be there.

If you’re planning your own wedding in France, and are looking for a documentary Château de St Paul wedding photographer, I’d love to hear from you.