Sophie and Jack's idyllic French wedding is making us long for hazy summer days spent outdoors with friends and family - we can almost taste the cool refreshing cocktails and hear the sounds of celebration and laughter under the sun!
The entire event took place at the stunning Château de St Paul in Boudy de Beauregard, France, which even has it's own beautiful little chapel for the ceremony. Sophie's dress choice was the iconic Miss Bush brides favourite, the lace topped 8004 by Jesus Peiro, with a delicate bodice that sits above a full romantic skirt.
Read on to find out all about Sophie's dress choice, and what went into planning her dreamy chateau wedding, with images by Antony Merat.
Jesus Peiro 8004 wedding dress
The dress I chose was the Jesus Peiro 8004, with a hooped underskirt. I had always loved the idea of sleeves but thought it wouldn't be suitable for my July wedding in southern France. The lace was so delicate and light it felt as if I was hardly wearing it. I fell in love with the full skirt and train, and the fit of the dress was incredible. I don't think that I would have had the confidence to buy a dress with such full coverage with my concerns about the weather, but the teams expertise and reassurance helped me to find the perfect dress for me.
I bought along my sister, mum and nana to choose my dress. Miss Bush was the first shop I visited and the first three dresses (all Jesus Peiro) I tried on were the top contenders from the start! I knew that the 8004 was the dress that I wanted to get married in and they all thought it was perfect. We went to one other store after our appointment just to be sure, but nothing lived up to the feeling of that dress and we booked to go straight back and reserve it. I never looked back.
Dress Shopping
My favourite part of the dress shopping experience was trying on all of the beautiful dresses in the chapel! We didn't have to worry about sharing the space with other people, and had plenty of time to spend on each dress. I felt really well looked after. The team couldn't do enough, from styling my hair up, to showing us a variety of veils and underskirts they made sure that all options were explored and I felt I was making an informed decision.
Styling
Despite choosing quite a dramatic dress, the style of the wedding was fairly laid back and relaxed so I opted for a loosed updo with real flowers and succulents for my hairstyles and a simple 2 tier cathedral veil. I wore minimal accessories and natural make-up. My nana made my garter and sewed in a sixpence from the year she married my grandad for luck. My Shoes were gold peep toes from Sézane and as well as them looking gorgeous I was able to party the night away in them.
A relaxed chateau wedding
We got married just as France was having a heatwave. The day before our wedding it was over 40 degrees, but thankfully on the day itself it was a much cooler 34! We took advantage of the breeze from the balcony and set up hair and make-up overlooking the fields behind our venue. Despite having been a frantic bride until this day with my planner claiming that I was more organised than even she was, I truly relaxed and enjoyed every minute knowing that even the weather was out of my hands! We really did have not just the best day of our lives but I think its fair to say the best weekend of our lives.
We wanted to work with the charm of the Chateau and not over embellish. We kept with lots of greenery, eucalyptus and succulents with very pale flowers. The bridesmaids bouquets were all slightly different, and their dresses were a sage green with flower crowns to tie into the natural botanical theme.
In the courtyard we set up a gin bar decorated with bunting made by my auntie and laid out various ingredients for the guests to help themselves and design their own drinks. We set out lawn games and blankets for guests to use as well as umbrellas and fans to keep them cool. We opted for Macarons in the wedding colours as favours and rather than a cake we ordered a croquembouche- a traditional alternative in France. It didn't end up being particularly pretty but it was incredibly delicious. The dance floor was in a courtyard under the stars and so to decorate we used just lanterns and candles.
The best bits
It's hard to pick just one moment, but I think my favourite part was the party, dancing the night away under the stars with all of our favourite people. I didn't want it to ever end.
Sophie's Advice
When looking for your dream dress, the advice I give to every bride I meet is make sure you visit Miss Bush! I loved every dress in the Jesus Peiro collection, and I don't think you will find a bridal boutique that offers a better experience.
I am a self confessed control freak and I planned and fretted about every single detail of my wedding day for every minute from the moment we were engaged right up until the second our plane to France took off. At that point I knew I had done everything I possibly could, and fully trusted my planner Robbie to ensure that our vision for the day was executed. I would just say that no matter how much you worry, just make sure you have people you trust to do your worrying on the day for you, and enjoy every second- it goes by far too quickly. And if you are getting married outside of the UK, planners are worth every penny!
Suppliers
Venue: Château de St Paul - Dream venue, can't wait to have an excuse to go back.
Photographer: Antony Merat - We couldn't recommend Antony enough.
Caterer: Lovage and Pumpernickel - The food was incredible and the tasting venue was very special.
Planner: Marry Me In France - Robbie was incredible from start to finish, we were lucky to have her.
Hair & Make-up: Claire Jones Make Up Artist - So pleased with how everyone looked.
Bridesmaid dresses: Victoria Lou