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France · Real Wedding

Claudine & James’s Persian Wedding at Château de Saint-Martin du Tertre

Near Paris · France · Summer 2026. This was the second day of Claudine and James’s three-day wedding, a traditional Persian garden ceremony followed by golden-hour portraits and a lively celebration inside the château. I had already photographed the weddings of two of Claudine’s sisters, so I knew this family well. These are my photographs and personal impressions of their day.

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A white bridal gown hanging in front of an open window with patterned curtains at chateau Saint Martin du Tertre.

01

From the heat of Paris to a château garden

Paris was baking in the summer heat. The streets were dusty, much of the grass had faded to the colour of straw, and many fountains I passed were switched off. Outside the city at Château de Saint-Martin du Tertre, it felt quite different. Although the lawns were sun-bleached, the garden where Claudine and James were to marry was beautifully green.

Claudine had studied in Paris, though she and James no longer live in France. The château wedding was the second day of three days of celebrations, with the first day taking place in Paris. That story will follow separately.

I had photographed the weddings of two of Claudine’s sisters several years earlier. Knowing the family so well made this day particularly personal. They are some of the nicest people I have met through my work.

Château de Saint-Martin du Tertre seen across the lawn through leafy trees.
The château façade with ornate roof towers beneath a blue sky.
Aerial view of the château, surrounding lawns and woodland.
A woman looking into a handheld mirror beside a window during wedding preparations.
A bride seated on a blue upholstered chair in Saint-Martin-du-Tertre, near Paris.
Wedding hair and makeup preparations in an ornate room at Château de Saint-Martin du Tertre.
Makeup being applied to a seated woman in a blue robe.
A pair of blue cufflinks in an open presentation box.
An indoor scene with a groom standing near a window in a room with yellow walls and blue carpeting.
A groom adjusting his tie beside an open ring box.
A groom in a black suit standing indoors near a large window with a view of the outside in Saint-Martin-du-Tertre, near Paris.
A man in a dark suit standing beside a tall window in the château.
A pale rose bouquet resting on an upholstered chair.
A bride in a white dress stands near a bed with a gold headboard.

02

A Persian wedding ceremony in the garden gazebo

Their ceremony took place in the garden gazebo and followed Persian traditions, with a sofreh aghd, the ceremonial wedding spread. Around 150 guests had gathered for the celebration.

The ceremony setting was particularly lovely despite the summer heat. I concentrated on the moments between people, watching for reactions and connections rather than interrupting what was happening.

A bride in a white dress looking through a window at a green landscape.
A woman in an off-the-shoulder wedding dress looking down beside a man in a dark suit outdoors.
Close-up of the bride’s ringed hand resting on the groom’s arm.
A table set for a Persian wedding reception with various pastries and flowers arranged on silver trays.
Flowers, fruit and candles arranged on a wedding table with the château behind it.
Overhead view of a circular garden pavilion, wedding chairs and paths.
Aerial view of a circular stone pavilion and rows of wedding guests on the lawn.
White wedding chairs and floral arrangements facing a stone garden pavilion.
An outdoor wedding setup with white chairs arranged in rows on a grassy lawn.
A group of men in formalwear walking across the lawn in front of the château.
Two men in formalwear standing together on the lawn in front of the château.
Wedding guests are seated on white chairs.
Wedding guests standing among rows of white chairs in a black-and-white photograph.
The wedding guests are seated on white chairs talking to each other

03

A wedding dress designed by the bride

Claudine is a wedding dress designer, and she wore a dress she had designed herself. It was one of the details that made this wedding unmistakably hers. Photographing it was about more than recording what she wore; it was a piece of her own creative work.

Rows of seated wedding guests with the château across the lawn behind them.
Guests seated on the lawn, with the château façade in the background.
Wedding guests holding white parasols in the château grounds.
Wedding guests holding white parasols in the sunshine.
Wide view of guests gathered around a flower-decorated stone pavilion for an outdoor wedding.
Guests watching a garden wedding beneath a stone pavilion with floral decorations.
A woman reading into a microphone beside a man during the outdoor wedding.
The bride and groom sit beneath a white cloth held above them, surrounded by flowers and candles.
Wedding guests looking towards a stone pavilion framed by tall floral arrangements.
The bride holds a glass dish and reaches towards the groom’s lips beneath a white cloth.
Two flower girls with their arms around each other, one holding a white folding fan.
A wedding scene with two flower girls in white dresses holding parasols walking on a grassy lawn towards a large stone
A couple in wedding attire standing on a garden path in front of the château.
Close-up of a smiling woman wearing an off-the-shoulder wedding dress and pearl necklace.

04

Golden-hour portraits and an unexpected atmosphere indoors

After the ceremony, we photographed Claudine and James in the gardens during golden hour. I am always looking for the right angle, the light and the passing moment, not simply the most obvious backdrop.

When we returned inside, the organisers had already introduced theatrical smoke ahead of the party. I noticed how it changed the light in the rooms and used it for portraits. The atmosphere made the photographs unusually artistic, almost like individual pieces of art. The effect was not something we had staged in advance; it was an opportunity I recognised on the day.

I also took drone photographs showing the château and grounds before the party began.

A bride tossing her bouquet towards guests gathered in the château garden.
Guests reaching towards a bouquet in the air in the château garden.
Bride and groom standing in front of an elegant building with classical architecture at chateau Saint Martin du Tertre.
A wedding couple standing in front of an elegant building with a grand entrance.
A man in a tuxedo seated on the grass using a phone, framed by stone balusters in black and white.
A wedding couple standing on the balcony of an ornate building with classical architecture at chateau Saint Martin du Tertre. Black and white photography
Bride and groom standing on the balcony of an elegant building with classical architecture at chateau Saint Martin du Tertre.
A bride in a white dress stands next to a groom in a black suit at an open window of a grand building with classical
A wedding couple standing in an open doorway of a grand building with classical architecture at chateau Saint Martin du Tertre.
A chandelier hanging above a dim château hallway lit through tall windows.
Sunlight streaming through tall windows across an interior balcony and stone balustrade.
Bride and groom on an indoor balcony, framed by columns and shafts of sunlight.
Wide view of the bride and groom on a sunlit balcony inside the château.
Bride and groom standing in an elegant hallway with large windows at chateau Saint Martin du Tertre.

05

Live music and an evening celebration inside the château

The evening party took place inside, with a live band playing familiar English-language wedding songs. Around 150 guests were celebrating together. It was the energetic end to a day that had begun in the quieter garden setting.

A bride in an elegant gown stands by a large window with sunlight streaming through it.
A bride in an elegant white dress stands by a window with sunlight casting shadows on the wall behind her.
Bride in an off-the-shoulder dress against a wall crossed by window shadows.
Close-up of a pearl necklace above an off-the-shoulder wedding dress in sunlight.
A bride standing on a balcony with sunlight streaming through the window behind them at chateau Saint Martin du Tertre.
A bride in an elegant dress standing by a railing with sunlight streaming through large windows behind her.
The bride leans over a stone balustrade beside a man in a black tuxedo.
A bride in an elegant white gown stands on a staircase, holding onto the railing at chateau Saint Martin du Tertre.
The bride stands beside a man in a tuxedo at a sunlit stone balustrade.
Bride and groom on a sunlit staircase, with the dress train spread across the landing.
An elegant indoor wedding reception setup with tables covered in white tablecloths, set for dining.
A wedding menu card is placed on the plate in front of each setting at chateau Saint Martin du Tertre.
The room features white tables set for a formal gathering, each table topped with floral centerpieces and neatly arranged
Two people seen from behind, facing wedding guests in the château grounds.

06

My experience of Château de Saint-Martin du Tertre

One of the biggest advantages of this château is its location close to Paris. The gardens offered a beautiful ceremony setting and excellent opportunities for late-afternoon portraits.

For me, the interiors lacked some of the personality I enjoy in other historic French châteaux. The rooms felt more like a large event venue than a home with centuries of history. That is my personal impression, and for a wedding focused on a lively celebration, these spaces can work very well.

The indoor dancing space also felt relatively small for a wedding of around 150 guests. For celebrations with more than 100 people, I would discuss the dance-floor plan with the venue and ask about the possibility of an outdoor arrangement. No guests stayed overnight at the château for this particular wedding, so I cannot comment on its accommodation facilities.

A woman in a sparkly dress stands behind a man in a suit.
Wedding guests holding hands and dancing between tables in a black-and-white photograph.
Wedding guests waving white napkins and clapping in a black-and-white photograph.
Wedding guests clapping and waving white napkins in the château reception room.
The bride kissing the groom beside a window while guests look on.
A collection of heart-shaped sunglasses arranged in rows on a white surface at chateau Saint Martin du Tertre for the wedding.
A man in a tuxedo and sunglasses dancing with guests under coloured lights.
A multi-tiered wedding cake adorned with colorful flowers and greenery, placed on a table surrounded by plates and two
An indoor stage setup with musical instruments including a keyboard, drums, and microphones.
An empty stage with instruments and patterned pink and blue lighting inside the château.
A couple dancing hand in hand beneath purple stage lighting at Château de Saint-Martin du Tertre.
A live band performing on stage with purple lighting at chateau Saint Martin du Tertre.
Silhouetted musicians seen from behind amid bright stage lights and haze.
A singer holding a microphone in silhouette against pink stage lights.

07

Planning photography for a wedding near Paris

At this château, I would make time for photographs in the gardens when the evening light is at its best, while keeping the couple away from their guests for as little time as possible. If the weather is very hot, the timing and ceremony shade deserve extra attention.

For a large celebration, I would also confirm how the evening will work inside, and whether the dancing space fits the number of guests. I photograph weddings throughout France and can cover multi-day celebrations as one continuous story. You can explore more of my work on the France Wedding Photographer and Paris wedding photography pages, or contact me to discuss your date.

Two musicians performing on a stage with spotlights and stage lights in the background.
A keyboard player performing beside another musician in bright stage lighting.
A keyboard player silhouetted against purple stage lighting.
Close-up of hands playing a red keyboard under coloured stage lights.
A singer holding a microphone and raising one arm against bright stage lights.
The bride in a white dress with lace details stands next to the groom in a white shirt and dark pants at chateau Saint
A man and woman holding hands on the dimly lit dance floor.
A woman in a black dress raising her hand.
The illuminated château façade against a dark night sky.

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