My incredible 2018 wedding season began on a very important Royal wedding date. May 19th. Jade & David were none the less absolutely not overshadowed by a red headed Prince and his American girlfriend because they married at the very special Chateau de la Motte Husson aka home of Escape to the Chateau.

Tried as I might to play it utterly cool when Jade first emailed me about her amazing wedding, I failed miserably at hiding my pure excitement at the opportunity to shoot at the Chateau. She saw right through me and saw in me a fellow fan of the show. And now, I am as much a fan of Jade & David as I am of Dick & Angel.

I’m often referred to as the vintage wedding photographer, and if that’s true then I was in vintage heaven and in my element at this wedding.  Vintage curious and details are in abundance and the Chateau is truly a remarkable place, even more than you can imagine from seeing it on the TV box.  But one thing that was more impressive than the Chateau and it’s stunning interiors and grounds are it’s inhabitants and their heartfelt, warm and generous hospitality. I’m not saying this because I’m a fan, I have never met venue owners like this ever. I have never seen a wedding venue work so hard, so thoughtfully and so passionately to show their guests the time of their lives. I have never seen such genuine dedication and pleasure taken from hosting guests and this is not just a venue, it is their home that they welcome you into with open arms.

Jade & David invited us for the weekend and it kicked off with a roasted feast cooked to perfection by chef Dick Strawbridge and the piggy was served to all in enough baguettes to build a bridge across the lake! Wine flowed, singing ensued and a nameless guest broke Dick’s vintage Tandem Bicycle, but being the jolly fellow he is he wasn’t grumpy about it at all.

Nerves were tickling us all on the wedding morning and Angel was on hand to sooth and charm the bridal party, serving a never ending flow of bubbles and tending to every need. David spent the morning welcoming guests and laughing with his new best friend Dick, who acted as amongst things, celebrant, head chef, porter, paige boy minder, button hole mender and Mother of the Bride escort. What a gentleman he is. He did threaten to eat me at one stage but I assured him I wasn’t a vegetarian so he let me go.

The ceremony took place on the famous grand staircase at the front of the iconic Chateau and guests cried tears of joy and laughter as Dick led us all through a very lovely ceremony, then onto a gigantic French style 5 course wedding breakfast (more bubbles and baguettes) served in the Orangerie, then speeches, more food, singing, more food, Angel’s enchanted woodland treasure hunt, more food and then dancing and twirling at sunset and late into the night, all with the sound of a thousand happy crickets singing loudly and who might just be the luckiest crickets in all the world to live in the tall warm grasses at Chateau de la Motte Husson.

If you want to get married in the most special place on Earth, then there is only one place for you and that is Dick & Angela Strawbridge’s little Chateau. xoxo

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Bisous! Claire M xoxo