Samantha & Loic Rustic Bohemian Wedding at Domaine Le Castelet South West France
One of the few summer weddings at Domaine Le Castelet South West France
Against all odds, and despite the current situation, Samantha and Loïc were able to go ahead with their wedding as planned. As you can imagine, their relief made this day even more special. Getting together with their family and friends in the beautiful setting of Domaine Le Castelet made it a very moving and truly unforgettable wedding.
How did you meet?
We were at school together. Then a year after we left school, we ran into each other again and started going out. And after eight years together, we got married!
What do you have in common? What words spring to mind?
Family, travelling, happiness.
What made you choose Domaine Le Castelet?
We fell in love with this beautiful place: an unspoilt rural setting just a few miles outside the town. The fact that there was accommodation for forty-odd guests in the house rentals and chambre d'hotes was what clinched it: perfect for a weekend-long wedding.
What sort of decoration did you choose and why?
We were going for something simple and authentic. Wood, flowers and lots of foliage because we love nature; candlesticks and string lights to create a festive yet mellow atmosphere. The decoration was a mixture of rustic and bohemian – which is just our style.
How did you go about planning your special day?
Loïc proposed on the other side of the world, when we were on holiday in New Zealand in March 2019. As soon as we got back, once we’d picked a date, we got planning – starting with looking for a venue and a caterer. We then found the other vendors pretty quickly: it all went quite smoothly.
The months leading up to the wedding were more difficult because of the Covid crisis: we weren’t sure we were going to be able to have the wedding at all this year. But we didn’t give up and in the end we were able to go ahead with it – thank goodness!
How did you go about planning the ceremony?
We really wanted an outdoor wedding, but unfortunately that wasn’t compatible with a traditional religious ceremony. So we looked for an alternative, something less conventional – something more like us, and we found an officiant who was able to strike the right balance between traditional and modern. We were really happy with our choice, and the guests loved it.
What did you choose for the lunch the day after the wedding and why?
Our caterers did the lunch on Sunday. We already trusted them so it seemed only natural for them to handle the rest of the wedding. They did a simple but delicious meal that went down very well with the guests.
Your fondest memory?
When we we first saw each other in our wedding outfits for the ceremony after a stressful morning rushing around getting everything ready. It was a very special, moving moment which really set the tone for the rest of the day.
The religious ceremony: the hymns, the speeches from our nearest and dearest, the laughter. We’ll never forget it.
Any advice for couples planning to get married?
Just enjoy it! Your wedding should reflect your personality, so don’t be afraid do something original and unorthodox. The main thing is to enjoy your day and have no regrets – because if you’re happy, your guests will be happy.
How and why did you choose the following vendors?
Caterer: La Cuisine des Anges: Laetitia and Nicolas are lovely, and we loved their concept: original flavours and quality produce. Perfect!
Cake: Les gâteaux de Mandy: Mandy made us a delicious semi-naked cake that was tasty but light. She also does amazing macaroons.
Decorations: La mariée etc. Marlène has a range of stylish decorations. She’s very helpful and responsive and will help you put together the perfect decoration.
Florist: Arum’anis: Audrey and her team are very friendly and professional. Thanks to them, our floral arrangement was perfect.
Morning suit: Father & Son
Groom’s accessories: Chaussures: Devred
Bride’s accessories: Jewellery: Les couronnes de Victoire – Shoes: Sézane
Dress: Audacieuse Adélaïde: We loved Marie, a bright and hugely talented designer. Her dresses are all stunning, and working with her to design a unique dress was one of the most memorable moments of our year of wedding planning.
Make-up: Flo S Maquillage: Florence is a very talented, professional make-up artist. She knows just how to put you at ease and bring out the best in you for your special day.
Hair: Lucie Plazolles: Lucie really listened to me and came up with exactly the hairstyle I wanted.
DJ: DJ SLX. We had a really good feeling about Nicolas the first time we met him. He was really helpful and gave us some great advice. We’re really pleased we chose him, everything was perfect.
Marquee: Jimmy Events: We called Jérémy three days before the wedding because we wanted a marquee for the reception dinner in case it rained. He was brilliant: the marquee was beautiful and blended in perfectly with the surroundings.
