A Modern Wedding Bursting with Color at Château Martinay

Published 20 January 2025

At a Glance

Chateau Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur Winter (2025)

A Modern Wedding Bursting with Color at Château Martinay near Aix

This one-of-a-kind venue offering you 7 luxuruious rooms & suites became the luminous stage for Molly and Sasha’s boldly colorful wedding celebration. The English bride, a former model with a flair for fashion, envisioned a day alive with sunny yellows, peaches, pinks, and oranges, transforming the 18th century exclusive Provencal chateau’s timeless façade into a scene of joyful modernity. Sasha, whose Anglo-Russian background shaped his relaxed and magnetic spirit, matched her vision effortlessly. Together, they created a celebration that was unapologetically personal, uniting editorial sophistication with heartfelt intimacy. Beneath the Provençal sky, their day unfolded in a harmony of laughter, color, and contemporary design an ode to love with unmistakable style in the South of France.

➡️ See what made Château de Martinay unforgettable for other couples

Bold Color, Vintage Flair, and Provençal Warmth

The design story was rooted in contrast: bright tones and warm light against Château Martinay’s pale limestone and sculpted gardens. Each space offered a new expression of joy arches draped with vibrant florals, terraces filled with citrus tones, and tables set for an alfresco evening that felt like summer distilled. Despinoy Wedding, among the respected destination wedding planners in Aix-en-Provence, orchestrated the flow with precision and calm, ensuring that the day’s energy remained as polished as it was spontaneous. Florist Marion Gama Events built arrangements that embodied movement and emotion, with coral roses, apricot ranunculus, and golden marigolds breathing life into every corner of the château. Even the bridesmaids’ mismatched dresses contributed to the visual rhythm each one a note in the wedding’s vibrant composition.

Editorial Imagery, Energy, and the Beauty of Authentic Joy

Behind the lens, Stephan and Nakita, one of Provence’s most dynamic wedding photography duos, captured the event with cinematic flair. Their editorial eye framed Molly’s modelesque presence, Sasha’s easy charisma, and the play of sunlight across the château’s stone. Each image balanced elegance with energy, pairing the emotional depth of real moments with the aesthetics of high fashion. Under Despinoy’s direction, transitions from ceremony to dinner and dancing flowed seamlessly, every scene alive with personality and purpose. As candles flickered against pastel walls and the courtyard filled with laughter, the celebration felt like the perfect reflection of its couple: bold, joyful, and unmistakably modern a Provençal wedding where color met craft and love led the design.

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Getting Ready

The Ceremony

The Bride and Groom

The Bride

The Reception

The Venue

The Design

The Details

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Getting Ready

Bride's wedding gown hanging on black hanger in front of tall window with dark wooden doors, black and white
Bride's ivory tulle veil and crystal-embellished heels on a vintage rattan chair with sage green curtain backdrop
Black blazer hanging on metal hanger above arched window on whitewashed exterior wall, black-and-white photograph
Black-and-white portrait of groom in tuxedo beside vintage convertible in neoclassical estate courtyard

Ceremony

Wedding ceremony in stone Gothic chapel, officiant at lectern, bride in ivory ballgown, bridesmaids in rust dresses
Black and white recessional with bride and groom walking flanked by bridal party outside a classical European villa
Bride and father walk down the aisle in a stone church with arched columns as guests watch from pews
Wedding ceremony in a Gothic stone chapel with vaulted ceiling, stained glass windows, and candlelit altar

Cocktail Hour

Guests mingling during cocktail hour at the wedding
Bride in ivory ball gown with large back bow at outdoor cocktail hour under white umbrellas with guests behind
Bride and groom toasting with champagne glasses on gravel path lined with tall cypress trees, black and white photo
Aerial black-and-white view of wedding guests gathered in a classical chateau courtyard during cocktail hour

Reception

Evening outdoor reception in chateau courtyard with round tables under string lights and guests watching a speech
Black and white photo of croquembouche presentation with sparklers and two pastry chefs
First dance in classical ballroom, black and white, bride in A-line gown, groom in dark suit, live band and guests watching
Black-and-white guests in ballroom beneath crystal chandelier watching toast or first dance

Couple Portraits

Bride and groom kiss on gravel courtyard pathway at château estate, white tent and gold chairs visible in background
Bride and groom walking up exterior stone staircase of honey-colored 18th-century French chateau with white shutters
Bride and groom dancing on lawn in front of neoclassical chateau with cypress trees and lounge areas
Bride and groom walking together at a French chateau

Bridal Portraits

Black and white portrait of the bride at a French venue
Black and white portrait of bride by window in flowing gown and long veil during getting ready
Bride in ivory dress sits on stone staircase, her long veil cascading dramatically down the steps behind her
Black-and-white bridal portrait before ornate neoclassical mirror in classical interior

Design and Details

Vibrant bridal bouquet of fuchsia peonies, golden daisies, and cream roses on marble floor
Courtyard reception table with yellow orange and burgundy florals navy taper candles ring-back chairs before chateau facade
Black and white vintage car driving up cobblestone Provencal village street with stone wall onlookers
Black paper gift bags with white tissue paper arranged on ornate classical mantelpiece with carved molding and botanical wallpaper

Bridal Party

Bride with bridesmaids in colourful dresses at Chateau de Martinay photographed by Despinoy
Bride in puff-sleeve gown with four bridesmaids in mustard, pink, peach, and orange on chateau steps

Flat Lays

Loewe Agua fragrance bottle with gold cap on ivory tulle fabric, getting-ready detail shot
Black and white detail of bridal veil draped across floor with embellished shoes by grand piano
Crystal-embellished pointed-toe bridal heels on white marble with flowing tulle fabric

Venue

Black and white exterior of French chateau with symmetrical facade and two silhouetted figures on terrace
Aerial view of stone courtyard reception with white-linen round tables, terracotta tile roofs and manicured hedges
Symmetrical gravel allee lined with tall columnar cypress trees creating perspective toward distant figure
Black vintage convertible driving along a gravel allee lined with tall Italian cypress trees at a French estate

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The Venue

The couple chose Chateau Martinay, a chateau in Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur.

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