01
A winter elopement at Château d’Artigny
Lucy and Deny travelled from China to the Loire Valley for a small January celebration at Château d’Artigny near Tours. The château gave them elegant interiors, quiet grounds and enough variety to photograph the whole story without turning the day into a location tour.
Winter changes the atmosphere completely. The softer sky, bare trees and muted landscape made the château feel more intimate, and the quieter season gave us freedom to work around the estate without the pace of a large summer wedding.
02
Preparations, ceremony and two wedding looks
The day began inside Château d’Artigny with preparations and details before their intimate ceremony. Lucy wore a traditional light wedding dress first, then later changed into a bluish-grey dress that worked beautifully with the cool January landscape.
With only a small celebration to photograph, there was time for genuine moments as well as a short series of portraits without forcing the day into a rigid schedule.
03
Portraits around the château and forest
After the ceremony we used the château interiors, hallways and grounds for portraits, then went into the nearby forest for a completely different setting.
The strongest photographs came from working with what January naturally gave us: subdued colour, soft winter light, quiet architecture and the contrast between the château and surrounding countryside.
04
Planning a Château d’Artigny elopement
For a small wedding or elopement here, I would keep the photography plan simple. Château interiors provide a useful option if the weather turns, while the grounds and nearby countryside give enough variety for portraits without spending the day travelling between locations.
Château d’Artigny sits near Tours in the Loire Valley, so couples considering similar château celebrations can also explore my wider Loire Valley wedding photography page.
