No matter how much we adore the cooler, hipper, more modern wedding scenes, a castle wedding will always stop us in our tracks.
And just like the flashy nature of a classic French Chateau, this fairytale Jewish wedding inspiration is above and beyond what we usually get from styled shoots.
As if the famous & opulent wedding venue wasn’t jaw-dropping enough, this wedding vendor team led by La Fete overlooked no detail for this editorial – including fun ideas like unique glass smashing pouches for a Jewish wedding, colorful confetti, drapery for each guest ceremony chair & over-the-top-gorgeous fashion.
Photographed by Divine Day Photography in the dreamy French Countryside, this gorgeous Jewish wedding inspiration will have us all admitting we’re princess brides on the inside.
From La Fete
The starting point for planning this shoot was the color. We knew we wanted to incorporate shades of purple, from dark to light, without being a monochromatic shoot. As time went on, we chose to focus on white as a dominant shade, with lilac for the bridesmaids’ outfits, gold accents, and green through our use of foliage.
Once the color palette was set, we began to think of the style of shoot we wanted to create. Because of our French heritage, we have always been immensely inspired by our country’s history; after seeing a piece of lilac Toile de Jouy fabric, we were set on a regal theme with Louis XVI and Napoleonic inspirations.
The Venue
We began researching chateaus in France and came across Chateau Challain. Immediately, we knew this fairy tale castle needed to be the backdrop to our project. As well as the chateau itself, we had access to the grounds, perfect for our ceremony. Chateau Challain’s team was instrumental in making our vision come to life.
The Dress & Attire
Regarding outfits, we wanted our bride and groom to be conservative yet unique, with the detail of our bride’s Katya Katya gown heavily inspired by the Victorian period for a regal yet understated elegance. We chose our groom to wear a traditional white jacket and a black embellished kippah with silver thread. The bridesmaids brought the lilac touches we originally wanted in their embellished Motee Maid dresses, while the groomsmen contrasted in navy blue and bright blue suits.
Accessories & Beauty
In keeping with tradition, we chose not to adorn our bride with jewelry for the ceremony. The bridesmaids’ only jewelry was simple hoop earrings and embellished hair accessories. After the ceremony, we added a pair of simple diamond disc earrings to our bride, which was discreet enough not to compete with her high lace collar.
For a natural yet coiffed feel, we opted for a half updo for our bride, with soft, glamorous waves falling onto her shoulders. For her makeup, we wanted to mark her beautiful eyes with a copper-toned smoky and plenty of mascara. Eva from Eva Beauty Art gave our bride a flawless matte complexion, finishing it with neutral pinky brown lipstick. The bridesmaids’ makeup was naturally elegant and fresh, complemented by a softly waved bob with a headband and a sleek updo with an embellished comb.
The Flowers
The flowers supplied by Mister Brett Events at Chateau Challain were integral to this shoot. We opted to stick with a palette of white and green, including peonies, hydrangeas, and roses.
The Tablescape
To not have an entirely white table, which could look relatively stark in such regal surroundings, we opted to accent it with gold and greenery from the flower displays. The setting also includes snow-white ostrich feathers hanging from the chandeliers as a unique touch.
The Cake
Per our theme, Delicious Gateaux created a stunning three-tiered dove grey and white cake with piped lace detailing and cascading sugar flowers. We especially love the floral and elegant shape of the two bottom tiers.
The Stationery
Our stationery by the fantastic De Winton Paper Co. combined nature in the delicate floral border and the majesty of the venue with a bespoke watercolor illustration of Chateau Challain. It was also crucial for us to include a ketubah in our photo shoot, which followed the floral and romantic theme of the day.
