A French-American Wedding in Beaujolais, Near Lyon

There is always something special about a wedding that brings two cultures together.

For this French-American wedding in Beaujolais, France, the couple chose an elegant château near Lyon, surrounded by vineyards and rolling hills. From the traditional French church ceremony to reading their vows among the vines, the day beautifully blended French traditions, refined details and relaxed moments with family and friends.

I loved how the landscapes and ever-changing light of Beaujolais beautifully told the story of a French bride marrying her husband for the third time, after two previous ceremonies in the US a month earlier. It was her opportunity to show her husband where she grew up and share the beauty of this delightful corner of France with him.

When couples think about getting married in France, Provence and the south of France may be the first places that come to mind.

But France has many different landscapes and atmospheres to offer. The Beaujolais region, just north of Lyon, is a particularly beautiful setting for couples looking for a French countryside wedding. Vineyards, rolling hills, old villages and historic estates create a more intimate atmosphere than the larger and more famous French wedding destinations. For international couples, it can also be a lovely way to combine a wedding in France with time spent discovering the region around Lyon.

Some of my favourite wedding photographs happen before the ceremony even begins.

The preparations offer many opportunities for both elegant and spontaneous images. Makeup, hairstyling, the dress and accessories — all the carefully chosen details — are particularly meaningful to capture as they gradually come together, while the excitement of the day grows.

I love capturing these precious moments discreetly, allowing you to get used to my presence before the rest of the day unfolds.

We also took time for some lively portraits of the bride with her bridesmaids. Their colorful dresses, spontaneous laughter and playful energy made these group photographs anything but formal. I wanted to capture the friendship between them rather than simply create a traditional line-up — images full of movement, personality and joy that bring back the atmosphere of the morning.

The day began with a traditional church ceremony. It was a particularly special moment, as the priest had travelled all the way from the US to officiate N & A’s wedding in this beautiful, typically French church of the Beaujolais.

The atmosphere was elegant and emotional, with family and friends gathered together to celebrate the couple. While the main focus is naturally on the bride and groom, weddings are also about everyone around them — parents, siblings, friends and all the people who have travelled to be there.

I love capturing those relationships that are such an important part of the story.

After the ceremony, N & A took a quieter moment together among the Beaujolais vineyards to read their vows to one another, a few steps away from the church where they had just been married.

Surrounded by the rows of vines, they had a few minutes to slow down, speak directly to each other and take in everything that had happened so far.

For me, moments like this are at the heart of documentary wedding photography. There was no need to create a pose or direct an interaction. The words, the emotions and the landscape already told the story.

The vineyards also gave the photographs a strong sense of place. Rather than simply providing a beautiful backdrop, they became part of the memory of their French wedding — a very personal moment for the bride.

If you’re wondering when to plan some time together during your wedding day, I’ve also shared my advice on the best time for your couple photos.

After the ceremony, the celebrations continued at Château du Souzy in Quincié-en-Beaujolais.

Set in the Beaujolais countryside, the château provided an elegant backdrop enhanced by a delicate and refined wedding design by Fleurs de Lion, a wedding designer working across the Beaujolais and French Alps region. The floral arrangements and table styling created a light, romantic and timeless atmosphere that complemented the elegance of the château.

As a photographer, I love this kind of coherent visual design because it gives the wedding its own visual language. The colours and flowers become part of the story, connecting the preparations, the ceremony and the reception rather than appearing as separate decorative details. I love to show through my images how these choices contributed to the atmosphere of the celebration.

One of the most unexpected moments of the day was the ribbon pull, an alternative to the traditional bouquet toss. Usually, the bride stands in the middle of a circle while each participant holds a ribbon attached to her bouquet. As the ribbons are pulled one by one, only one remains attached to the bouquet, revealing the person who “wins” it.

For this wedding, the bride decided to put her own playful twist on the tradition: instead of standing in the middle of the circle, she chose to sit in the beautiful vintage Triumph, surrounded by her guests.

These are exactly the kind of moments I love photographing at weddings. A last-minute change can turn into one of the most memorable moments of the day!

For couples planning a wedding in France, Beaujolais offers an appealing combination of countryside, vineyards and beautiful historic estates. It is also within easy reach of Lyon and its international airport, and convenient train connections to Paris.

It can be particularly appealing if you want the atmosphere of a French countryside or château wedding without necessarily choosing one of the country’s most obvious destination-wedding regions.

And Lyon adds another dimension to the experience. Guests can arrive in a lively French city, discover its food and architecture, and then escape into the vineyards and hills of the Beaujolais region for the wedding itself.

For an international wedding, that combination can make the location part of the experience rather than simply the place where the ceremony happens.

The Beaujolais vineyards are also a beautiful setting for an engagement session in Beaujolais, especially for couples who want to experience the region before their wedding day.

As an English-speaking wedding photographer based in the Beaujolais region, I photograph weddings for couples from France and abroad, including couples bringing together different cultures, families and languages.

Some couples live in France. Others are planning their wedding from another country. Sometimes the bride is French and the groom is from abroad, or the other way round! Others simply fell in love with France and decided to celebrate here.

Whatever the situation, my approach remains the same: natural, discreet and focused on the people rather than on perfect poses.

If you’re looking for an English-speaking wedding photographer in Lyon and the French Alps, I’d be happy to hear about your plans.