Informal, stylish, and so romantic...

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Whether you love flowers and romantic style, are looking for ideas for a destination wedding or ways to create an intimate atmosphere for your big day - today's real wedding is laden with inspiration. Alice & Rory got married in France with a chic, informal, and super gorgeous barn wedding at Chateau Soulac. From their outdoor ceremony to their delicious menu, this pair took full advantage of their surroundings - as you'll see from the beautiful images by Marion Heurteboust Photography.

Alice & Rory met ten year’s ago at university, “At a 90s student bar called 'the Zoo' in Manchester.” Alice tells us, “We met through mutual friends, swapped numbers and rest is history as they say.”

Rory popped the question while the couple were backpacking through South, Central and North America over nine months. “In the last month of our trip, we went to Bryce Canyon in Utah which is an incredible National Park in the US,” explains Alice. “We stayed in a private lodge cabin completely removed from the outside world and as we watched the sunset over the orange hued canyon, Rory proposed and I said yes! It was the perfect way to finish an adventure of a lifetime that we shared together.” What an epic setting for a proposal.

Alice's wedding day up-style is all about understated elegance!

How sweet are these keepsake wedding shoes?

The couple say they were eager to have a wedding day they’d remember forever, “We value experiences above anything else and it was a chance to celebrate our lives together with our close friends and family. Create memories. It was important for us that it was relaxed day, not too formal but still very stylish and romantic. Good food and wine was essential! The aim was to dance in to the early hours and to make the most of every moment.”

Alice wore a gown by US designer Hayley Paige, “Her dresses have a sense of fun and frivolity that is quite unique. The dress was actually one of my first pins on my Pinterest boards whilst looking at pictures of New York Bridal Fashion Week. I was struck by how beautiful the bodice and back detail was. I must have tried on over 50 dresses but I came back to this one and I was lucky there was a trunk show in the UK to finally get to try it on.”

And it wasn’t only the bride who rocked a gorgeous look on the big day, “Rory wore a navy suit with a tailored white shirt from Reiss paired with a silk tie and white silk pocket square. The bridesmaid dresses were from Wtoo in the softest pink. I bought the bridesmaids pretty drop earrings from BHLDN whilst in New York.”

After deciding to get married in France, the couple started to visit venues, “As soon as we got to Chateau Soulac we knew it was the right one,” says Alice. “It was the perfect juxtaposition of rustic charm paired with an element of modernity throughout the Chateau. We were able to get married outside in the courtyard under a black Indian tree then move through to the balcony for the canapés, here there was the most breathtaking view of the Dordogne river and nearby vineyards. We then finished the evening with dinner, drinks and dancing in the candle lit barn.”

With parasols and fans, the couple made sure their ceremony is the sun was enjoyable for all of their guests.

The music had an extra personal touch from friends of the bride and groom, “We asked a friend of ours Billy Keane, who is a musician to sing and play acoustic guitar at our wedding. We met Billy during our backpacking trip in South America whilst in Columbia so again it was extremely personal to have him there,” Alice tells us. “My best friend and maid of honour Natasha is also a natural performer and she sang 'Can't Help Falling in Love' and a James Bay song in the evening. It was a very special moment to watch. Our first dance was a version of 'Stand By Me' by Florence and the Machine.”

Alice tells us she wanted the florals to look romantic, pretty and very natural, “The bouquet featured roses, eucalyptus, jasmine and the bridesmaids had a variation of this. They were all tied with silver and soft pink silk ribbons which I found at Silk and Willow. For the decor, the flowers were once again very natural with foliage decorating the long wedding table.”

The couple booked their venue 18 months in advance, but did most of the organisation in the ten months before their big day. Alice gives us her advice on how she stayed on top of planning a destination wedding with 70 guests, “I was able to set our key tasks month by month which made it enjoyable and fun to work through. Create a budget, keep it personal, love the details and it’s all worth it!”

I just love the back detailing on Alice's wedding dress!

Alice says it’s really hard to pick a standout moment, “A few of our favourites are moments when we laughed and smiled, from attempting to pose romantically for the camera together (we are not naturals but I think we just about pulled it off) to the revelry in the evening where we danced all evening with all our friends and family.”

The couple were about to get the perfect golden hour photos with Marion Heurtoboust in the gorgeous French countryside.

Lots of friends and family contributed to the decoration, giving the day that personal touch. “One of my best friends created the table plan, my sister wrote up the menus and welcome messages on chalk boards, my step-mum painted watercolour flowers for table numbers, my dad brought rosemary and lavender from his garden for place names and Rory's mum made our wonderful cake.” Alice reels off her talented roster of guests.

The couple showcased the best of French food with their reception dinner, “We selected regional food including the main menu of confit duck, green beans and dauphinoise potatoes. This was of course followed by cheeses and a trilogy of mini French deserts.” Anyone else feeling hungry?

For favours the couple kept it local, “We picked multiple flavoured macarons, when in France! On the morning of the wedding, the groomsmen created an assembly line preparing each individual favour whilst watching rugby!”

Setting the right vibe for their big day was essential to Alice & Rory, “We wanted to ensure both us and our guests relaxed, enjoyed the sunshine and embraced everything that is wonderful about France. From selecting wine from the local vineyards, picking a regional dish for dinner of confit duck and having an accordion player for the canapés, everyone absorbed the atmosphere. The evening was a chance for everyone to unwind and enjoy good food and wine. The barn setting was very intimate and charming.”

The dance floor antics were a real highlight for the couple and their guests. “Everyone let their hair down and the pictures certainly proved that. Our parents and their friends were rocking it out on the dance floor from the start to the end. Everyone loved the live music and so this kept most guests on the dance floor all evening and us too! We went to bed about 3.30am.”

What a beautiful wedding - thanks so much to Marion Heurteboust for sending it our way, and thank you to Alice & Rory for sharing their special day with us!

The Wedding Details