One of the greatest and most enjoyable aspects of doing what I do is being asked to photograph destination weddings. Traveling to new places and new countries is always exciting so when Lucy and Rob asked me if I would photograph their wedding at Chateau Soulac in France, I couldn’t have been happier.

Chateau Soulac is a stunning wedding venue, located in the Bordeaux region of France, just by the Dordogne river. I first went to look around the Chateau a couple of days before the wedding, when I met Lucy and Rob to talk through their plans. The whole area is stunningly beautiful and as soon as I started driving down the lane towards the main Chateau I couldn’t wait to get my camera out. This is one of the best and photogenic venues I have ever had the pleasure of working at, both the inside and grounds are breathtaking. It was instantly easy to see why Lucy and Rob had chosen to get married here.

Lucy and Rob are such an incredible couple too. They made me feel welcome and at home as soon as we met up in France and I felt more like a wedding guest with a camera than a wedding photographer. Their happy and fun personalities shone through the whole day and I couldn’t have been happier for them that everything was so perfect. The weather forecast had not been good in the days leading up to the wedding and we even had a short spell of rain in the morning. But, when it mattered, the sun made an appearance and then didn’t leave. It was always meant to be.

Everything I like best about destination weddings was here; beautiful weather, an incredible wedding venue and a sense of calm and relaxation which you rarely find at weddings nearer to home. I think destination weddings often feel a little calmer because the whole wedding experience is spread over a few days, as opposed to the focus all being on one day. The majority of Lucy and Rob’s guests had made a little holiday of the wedding (as did I!) and that made everything feel so chilled out and peaceful. Nothing was rushed and everything was perfect. It was an absolute pleasure and a privilege to be a part of these celebrations.

For me, wedding photography is about two things; capturing beautiful natural moments in a documentary fashion and also providing my bride and grooms with stunning portraits which they will treasure. It is on these two things that I always judge myself. Details are nice but ultimately it is the real moments that will last and be loved the most. Lucy and Rob’s wedding was one where I feel I really hit these targets and I am extremely proud of the photographs I captured. This was mainly down to Lucy and Rob not asking a thing of me except to capture their day exactly as it happened, so a massive thank you to them both for putting so much trust and faith in me.

I would also like to make a special mention to all the staff at Chateau Soulac who could not have been more helpful and kind to me on the day. If you are looking to get married in France then I could not recommend this wedding venue highly enough. It really is a stunning venue where you are almost guaranteed to have the perfect wedding day.