We don’t need an excuse to spend some time in France so when Lauren & Nils booked us for their South of France wedding we were literally counting down the days. Now this day shaped up a little different to anything we could have anticipated. It turned out to be the hottest day on record for France, peaking at a mere 48 degrees, but more importantly Lauren had severely broken her leg just two weeks before the day! Due to the need for urgent surgery just days before they were due to set off, their day very nearly didn’t happen at all. It did though for one reason…Lauren & Nils’ steely determination. Unable to fly due to her injuries, against all the odds Lauren & Nils set off by car with friends and family, eventually making it to their stunning French wedding venue La Leotardie in the Dordogne Valley. The domaine of La Leotardie is hidden away amongst a thousand acres of woodland. It’s a magical place!
Part of our work that we love is the variety of amazing experiences we have. The thing is that these experiences are never just because we’re lucky enough to find ourselves in a dream destination. The most amazing experiences have always been made by the people we meet. Weddings can be a heady mix of emotions on the day. Happiness, sadness, nervousness often all come together and in the lead-up to the day we’re sometimes asked if we have any advice. Lauren asked just this when she called shortly before their wedding to tell us that she had been in an accident and that she was understandably pretty upset about the consequences of this for their photos. The only wisdom that we could offer was that the most memorable days and moments always, without fail, come from being 100% yourself and being truly lost in your day. Forget everything else…for that day live in every moment together with your friends and family by your side. Do this and everything else will fall into place.
These were quite extreme circumstances for Lauren & Nils but somehow, from somewhere, they managed to do just that. Lauren was on top of the world from the first moment we saw her in the morning to the last moment of the party at night. We knew she was in lots of pain and barely able to stand on her good leg due to exhaustion but she nearly fooled us. There was virtually no sign of any of this. Her face tells the story, take a look at the photos, she’s so present and in the moment all day long. They both were. It was an incredible experience and a joy to capture!
Enjoy their story…
L&T x
It feels fitting to end this post with Lauren’s own incredibly kind words:
“We couldn’t have been luckier to have Lou & Tim with us on our wedding day (which by the way was the hottest day in history for France!). Somehow they blended into the craziest day of our lives, managing to capture such special and beautiful moments which in the madness of the day most certainly passed us by! On the day itself, Lou was with me and Tim was with my husband in the morning which was amazing as they documented that part of the day which we didn’t share together – so it was a total surprise going through these together. When I first saw our photos they made me cry with happiness because honestly, it felt like I was reliving every moment. Our wedding photos are the best I have ever seen (if I do say so myself) – so much joy, love and colour. Just magic. I should also add that as people, Lou & Tim are wonderful – so kind, relaxed and natural. Our guests loved them and Lou even made it into the groom’s speech. Thank you so much Lou & Tim – a precious gift you gave us! xx”
Thank you so much Lauren & Nils!
