July last year saw me pop down to photograph a stunning Côte d’Azur wedding in the south of France. The day belonged to the lovely Alfie and Anna who had chosen the wedding venue of Bastide St Mathieu near the town of Grasse.
When Anna first described Bastide St Mathieu to me it sounded simply idillic, and it certainly didn’t disappoint once I arrived there the day before the wedding.
Château Wedding in the South of France
An 18th Century manor house is going to be quite the setting for a wedding, but add it into a location such as we have here in the Côte d’Azur then you know it’s going to be pretty special.
A short flight from London and an hour’s drive from Nice found me in the peaceful courtyard of Bastide St Mathieu, where I received a warm welcome from Alfie, Anna and a few friends who were all taking it easy by the lovely pool.
For all my destination weddings I always travel out the day before the big day, and not only does this rule out any worry about flight delays, it’s also a great opportunity to recce and photograph the local area. I think that with destination wedding photography it’s so important to tell the story of where in the world the special day is being held, and so by having spare time the day before is a perfect time to do this.
Sunshine, smiles and sunglasses
Come the wedding day saw Anna and Alfie getting ready at this lovely manor house. For a Côte d’Azur wedding in the South of France in July you’re pretty much guaranteed blue skies and warm sunshine which we were blessed with in abundance. Guests arrived and were seated for the ceremony in a leafy, shaded terrace ready for the Anna to make her entrance.
A beautiful wedding ceremony followed along with some heartfelt and moving speeches, before everyone congregating around the pool for afternoon drinks. England also happened to be playing Sweden in the World Cup quarter final at that very time, so small huddles were formed peering at phone screens with live feeds. England won as we all know now and so even more smiles all round.
Anna and Alfie donned shades for the confetti and then it was time for an al fresco wedding breakfast and a first dance under a setting sun.
A Côte d’Azur wedding is always going to be incredibly beautiful and France is adorned with the most stunning medieval villages and countryside, so it really is a country worth considering for a destination wedding. Anna and Alfie had the most perfect wedding day at Bastide St Mathieu and it was a pleasure for me to able to share and photograph it for them.
Venue: Bastide St Mathieu
Wedding Planners: Rock My Love
If you liked this wedding why don’t you check out this dramatic castle wedding on the north coast of Scotland.
