A Turquoise Corset, an Italian Menu, and a Poolside Ceremony: Jenni & Federico at Château St Victor Lacoste

Morning light filled the château's vintage-furnished bedrooms as the couple prepared separately. Jenni's bridal look centred on a custom corset dress from One of a Kind Archive, its structured bodice and vintage detailing setting the tone for the day. Smahane and Co handled hair and make-up, working in the soft natural light while Jenni read through her handwritten vows in a quiet moment between sessions. A long lace veil by Teliano Couture was the final piece, its trailing length adding a dramatic silhouette against the château's aged stone. Meanwhile, Federico dressed in a tuxedo in a separate room, the ornate fireplace and antique furnishings providing a fitting backdrop. The morning had the quality of a home rather than a venue, the château's residential scale keeping everything relaxed and unhurried.

The ceremony was arranged poolside by Empreinte Ephémère, with seating configured in an inclusive circle rather than traditional rows. There was no conventional aisle, no formal processional. Instead, Jenni descended the château's stone staircase in her corset dress and trailing lace veil, a first-look moment that replaced the usual entrance. Guests gathered naturally around the pool, the warm late-afternoon light casting long shadows across the garden as the couple exchanged vows with an officiant. The deliberate absence of structure, no arch, no heavy florals, let the venue's stone, water, and mature planting do the work. The wide view of the ceremony, pool reflecting sky, guests close, the château gardens beyond, became the day's defining image.

As the light shifted to golden hour, Maelys Izzo moved the couple through the château gardens for their portrait session. The sequence covered ground: close-up kisses, walking hand in hand through flowering beds, Jenni's long lace veil catching the breeze against the greenery. Federico gently adjusted Jenni's dress between frames, a tender, unposed moment that Izzo's reportage instinct caught in stride. The garden's existing planting, green and white, provided a natural palette that complemented both Jenni's white orchid bouquet and the day's overall restraint. A portrait against the château tower gave architectural scale, while an interior shot beside a decorative statue shifted the register to something more editorial. From behind, the couple walking into the evening light with the veil trailing became one of the day's most striking compositions.

The reception occupied the same poolside space as the ceremony, the transition seamless. Cocktails et Confidences handled the beverage service while guests moved freely between the long communal table and the garden. The fully vegetarian menu by Italie-là-bas was built around regional Italian specialities, served family-style in a shared, unhurried format that suited the intimate guest list. Dishes were passed between people rather than plated and placed.

Empreinte Ephémère's table design ran a single long formation beside the pool, white linen and green centrepieces by Les Herbes Sauvages in close conversation with the landscape. Mismatched vintage furniture from Be Lounge and Pink Rabbit added character without formality. After dark, candlelight replaced golden hour, the pool reflecting the warm glow as guests continued sharing dishes and conversation late into the evening. The couple's after-party outfits brought a different energy entirely, with flash photography from Maelys Izzo shifting the night's final frames to a sharper, more editorial register.

The décor was largely the bride's own work, anchored by red and white stationery by Wish Cards carrying the phrase Tempi Alti, Italian for "high times," a direct reference to Federico's heritage. Les Herbes Sauvages kept the florals deliberately green and minimal, arrangements that sat in conversation with the landscape rather than competing with it. Jenni's white orchid bouquet followed the same logic: sculptural, unconventional, chosen to complement the dress rather than anchor a colour palette.

The table setting mixed eclectic vintage pieces, pearl-stemmed champagne glasses alongside simple white linen, the tableware adding personality without losing cohesion. The vegetarian buffet by Italie-là-bas was presented as part of the design, regional dishes arranged for sharing in a format that felt as considered as the flowers. Inside, the château's own character, vintage photo walls, a well-worn kitchen, antique furnishings, contributed as much to the day's visual language as anything brought in.