A Scorcher of a Wedding at Domaine Essendieras Dordogne.
Updated: Sep 15
Fiona and Ciaran got married at the gorgeous Domaine d'Essendieras in the South West of France. If you ever visit this venue you will be left speechless its like a Hollywood film set.
A Classic Car, Because Why Not
For the photos, we brought in a beautiful classic car, it did not disappoint. There's something about a vintage motor that instantly elevates a couple from "very happy newlyweds" to "characters in a film you'd actually want to watch." Fiona looked like she'd stepped out of a French New Wave movie. Ciaran looked like the kind of man who knows how to lean on a car bonnet without it looking try hard.
Personal Touches Everywhere You Looked
Every corner had a personal touch, the kind that makes guests stop, smile, and say "oh, that is so them." From little details that told the story of Fiona and Ciaran as a couple, to thoughtful nods to their guests travelling from far flung corners of the globe, the whole day felt less like an event and more like a love letter, just one with a seating plan and considerably more rosé.
A Day That Burned Bright
Domaine d'Essendieras provided the kind of backdrop you simply cannot fake, all golden stone, rolling Dordogne countryside, and that particular South West France light that makes everything look like it's been filtered through a glass of good wine. But honestly, the real heat source on the day wasn't the weather. It was two people who clearly adore each other, surrounded by their favourite humans from every corner of the planet, dancing badly and loving every second of it.
And Then, The Ceilidh
Just when you thought the day couldn't get any better, the evening rolled in with an absolute belter of a ceilidh barn dance. If you've never seen a group of international wedding guests, several glasses deep, attempting a Scottish reel with all the grace of a newborn giraffe, you have genuinely not lived. There was spinning. There was laughing. There was at least one collision that ended in hysterics rather than injury, which I'm told is the gold standard for ceilidh outcomes. The barn rattled, the band played on, and Fiona and Ciaran were right in the thick of it, glowing, grinning, completely unbothered that it was still roughly the temperature of a sauna.
If you're picturing your own wedding day in the Dordogne, take it from Fiona and Ciaran: book the venue, hire the car, plan the ceilidh, and don't worry about the heat.
Dreaming of your own South West France wedding? Let's chat about how we can capture every scorching, joyful, ceilidh-fuelled moment of it.
Lydia Taylor Jones is a destination wedding photographer based in the Dordogne, South West France, photographing relaxed, fun weddings for couples across the South of France, including château weddings for UK couples coming out for their big day. No stiff poses, just fun relaxed photos with stunners thrown in to capture what actually happened. If you're planning a wedding in the South of France, get in touch to check availability for your date.
Comments