bride and groom toast each other at picnic in olive grove

Touching and Emotional Elopement in the Olive Groves of Gordes, Provence

An elopement in the gorgeous hilltop village of Gordes in Provence is a pure delight. As one of France’s most beautiful villages, it’s a sight to behold, whether seeing it for the first time or the tenth. Surrounding this gorgeous village is some of the most pristine countryside in the south of France, vineyards and olive groves surround the village. I was so excited when I was contacted to photograph an elopement in Gordes, with a request to have the ceremony in one of the beautiful olive groves. As an elopement photographer in Provence, it’s a joy to plan wedding photoshoots in this beautiful region, and I knew this one would be one for the record books.

bride and groom laugh at the lavoir in gordes france

Meeting the Couple

I first met the bride and groom over a WhatsApp video call, and their energy was infectious, we were a great fit. Daniela and Chris live outside of Washington, DC, and they dreamed of an intimate wedding, just the two of them, somewhere beautiful. They’d planned to visit Paris during the 2024 Olympic Games, and after the Games, they’d be headed south to continue their tour of France, and wished to be married in a beautiful place. They decided Gordes, in Provence, was very appealing for its beauty and laid back vibe. What they loved best though, was the nature surrounding the village, and requested that their ceremony be in an olive grove. Olive trees grow in abundance in Provence, its one of the major olive oil production regions of France, and the trees have a beautiful green color and just say “Provence”, so I thought the idea was perfect!

bride and groom laugh ast sunrise in gordes france

Finding the Perfect Olive Grove

You’d think a place surrounded by olive groves, it would be easy to find the perfect spot, but it wasn’t that easy, actually. I spent a lot of time scouting the perfect location, and found it, around 4km outside the village of Gordes. There, there was a large, beautiful tree, and surrounding it, olive trees. Across the road, rows and rows of vines, creating a rustic, gorgeous atmosphere.

The plan would be to have the ceremony in the olive grove, followed by a wedding photoshoot in the village of Gordes, and then a short drink and snack break, followed by a little picnic in the olive grove.

sunrise wedding ceremony in olive grove in gordes france

The Most Amazing Wedding Vendors

As a Provence wedding and elopement photographer, I’m fortunate to know and work with some of the best vendors you can find anywhere. We all work together as a team. Not every couple desires the same thing for their wedding. For example, some couples prefer to say their vows to each other, without an officiant or celebrant present. Some brides prefer to apply their own makeup, rather than have a professional makeup artist. This is what makes each elopement so special, and personal, it’s designed exactly to the bride and groom’s wishes.

I put Daniela and Chris in touch with my favorite vendors, and then we started to plan. The timeline came together quickly, and I was feeling so confident that this day would be amazing!

The Elopement Day Has Arrived

The elopement day arrived sunny and warm, with temperatures forecast to be around 90F during the afternoon. This is typical for August, and is why we start early, before the heat gets too intense. I arrived to the couple’s hotel, which was right outside of Gordes, and photographed Daniela getting her makeup done by the fabulous Alwine Nogier, a makeup artist I met a couple of years ago in Provence. Chris was getting ready in his tuxedo. There was a sense of excitement in the air.

hair stylist curls hair of bride in gordes france
makeup artist applies eyeshadow on bride in gordes france
groom ties shoes on his wedding day in gordes france

The plan was for Chris to go to the main overlook in Gordes for sunrise, he’d wait for Daniela there for the First Look. As I was photographing Daniela, I took a look around the room and spotted her beautiful floral bouquet. I started to photograph it and was in awe of the colors, until I moved closer and realized this wasn’t a fresh flower bouquet, it was a wooden flower bouquet! Another bride of mine had wooden flowers, which sounds strange in principle, but they look so real! They’re also a wonderful keepsake of an elopement, as they never die, and the bouquet can be a beautiful souvenir. You can also design your wooden bouquet as you wish, and they look so real!

bridal gown display in gordes france

After Daniela’s makeup was done, and the final touches of flowers put in her hair, it was time for her to put on her gown. That wonderful moment all brides wait for, the moment they can finally wear their gown. I helped Daniela with the buttons on her gown, and before we knew it, it was time to go meet Chris for the First Look. Our private driver was waiting, and took us to the viewpoint, which is the most famous in Gordes, because it has a view of the entire village, and the countryside beyond.

bride looks in mirror on her wedding day in gordes france
bride looks out window on her wedding day in gordes france
bride in gordes france ready for her wedding day

Due to it being the most famous viewpoint in Gordes, there are usually people stopped here to watch the sunrise, or to take pictures, so we just work around those people. Daniela stepped out of the van, and walked to Chris, who was waiting on the rock, he couldn’t wait to see her, and turned around and was captivated by the moment. The sun had just come up and the whole countryside was bathed in warm, orange light. I photographed the bride and groom here, and they’re some of the loveliest photos!

groom waits for bride at sunrise in gordes france
bride walks to groom on wedding day in gordes france
bride walks to groom for first look in gordes france
first look for bride and groom in gordes france
bride and groom embrace at first look in gordes france
groom whispers in ear of bride in gordes france
bride and groom laugh ast sunrise in gordes france
bride looks at sunrise in gordes france
bride and groom have romantic moment at sunrise in gordes france
wedding bouquet by sola wood flowers
bride poses on wedding day in gordes france
bride and groom embrace in gordes france
bride poses with bouquet with gordes village in background
bride and groom embrace in gordes france
bride at sunrise in gordes france

Ceremony in the Olive Groves

After the sunrise First Look and pre-ceremony photos, we arrived to a beautiful olive grove outside of Gordes. There was a large tree here too, which made a beautiful backdrop. It was on this beautiful spot that Daniela and Chris were married, with the services of a wonderful officiant, who crafted a personal and heart-felt ceremony, complete with music that the couple chose played on a small speaker.

wedding ceremony in olive grove near gordes france

Then, the time came for the couple to say their personal vows to each other, and these get to me each and every time. I’m an emotional person by nature, but when I hear the vows between two people, they’re so incredibly touching, it’s difficult not to shed a tear. This is what I love about elopements. When it’s just the couple, there is the freedom to be exactly who you want to be, and say what you want to say. There is no protocol one must follow, no family or guests to influence the ceremony, it’s exactly as the bride and groom design it.

bride walks to groom to start wedding ceremony in gordes france
bride arrives to ceremony in olive grove
bride and groom say vows to each other in olive grove
sunrise wedding ceremony in olive grove in gordes france
bride reads vows to groom in olive grove in provence
wedding ceremony in olive groves in gordes france
bride reads vows to groom in gordes france
bride and groom exchange rings on their wedding day in olive grove in provence
bride and groom first kiss in gordes france

Most couples handwrite their vows into vow booklets, some very nice ones can be purchased by artisans on Etsy, and can be completely customized with the names and date of the wedding.

After the ceremony, the couple did something quite special. In three separate boxes were three bottles of wine. One to celebrate the first year anniversary, one to celebrate the five year anniversary, and one to celebrate the ten year anniversary. In these wooden boxes, which were personalized with the couples names and wedding date, the couple placed handwritten sentiments in the boxes, that will serve as sort of a time capsule, and bring a lot of joy as the couple celebrates their upcoming wedding anniversaries.

bride and groom place notes in boxes on their wedding day
bride and groom touch engraved boxes on wedding day
bottles of wedding wine in provence
bride and groom kiss after their ceremony in olive grove in gordes france

Wedding Photoshoot in Gordes

After the ceremony in the olive groves, it was time to return to Gordes for a gorgeous wedding photoshoot around the old village. I love to stop along the way at the fern wall at the bottom of Gordes, where it’s nice and cool, and then we climb up through the village to some of the most scenic spots, including my absolute favorite place for portraits.

bride and groom walk hand in hand in vineyards near gordes france

The walk has stairs, but the rocks can be slick, so I always advise my couples to bring flat, comfortable shoes for walking, and can be slipped in and out of for photos. This is the best part of any wedding day in Gordes, in my opinion, capturing love stories in this grand setting is incredble.

bride and groom relax on bench in gordes france
bride and groom walk hand in hand in gordes france
newlyweds kiss near lavoir in gordes france
bride and groom laugh at the lavoir in gordes france
bride and groom walk by fern wall in gordes france
bride and groom embrace in old gordes france near fern wall
bride and groom walk down medieval staircase in gordes france
bride and groom embrace in gordes france on their wedding day
newlyweds hug in front of brown door in gordes france
bride and groom embrace in charming gordes france
bride poses in gordes france on her wedding day
bride and groom embrace in gordes france against orange wall
groom poses in gordes france on his wedding day
groom spins bride in dance in gordes next to fountain
bride and groom pose at old fountain in gordes france
newlyweds walk through the streets of gordes france
bride and groom look at each other in gordes france
groom spins bride in dance in gordes next to fountain
bride and groom dance in gordes provence france

Time for a Break

As it was a warm day, a break was in order after the Gordes wedding photoshoot was completed. We stopped for drinks and croissants at Cercle Republicain, right in town. After some time relaxing and cooling down, we made a quick stop to the La Duree shop for some cute macaroon, which would serve as edible props for the olive grove picnic. Daniela and Chris selected their favorite flavors and then we returned to the olive grove where we’d had their ceremony.

bride and groom walking to restaurant in gordes france
bride and groom in la duree macaroon shop

A Picnic in the Olive Groves

A cute picnic basket, some pillows, some colorful macarons and a bottle of white wine. This set the stage for the grand finale of Daniela and Chris’s wedding day in Gordes. They enjoyed their wine, purchased from Châteauneuf-du-Pape, and fed each other macarons. It was so cute for a wedding photoshoot! After the picnic, the couple returned to their hotel to enjoy some air conditioning and rest before their wonderful lunch in Gordes.

bride and groom show off wine bottle in provence france
macaroons with wedding rings
bride and groom have picnic in olive grove in provence
bride and groom kiss at picnic in olive groves in gordes france
bride and groom hold white wine in olive grove in gordes
bride and groom toast each other at picnic in olive grove
bride feeds macaron to groom in olive grove in gordes
bride and groom have picnic in olive grove in gordes

Karina Leigh Photography

I was so thrilled to meet this couple, who are so kind, funny and easygoing. I loved hearing about their love story and participating in this special day in their lives. I hope that Gordes will always hold a special place in their hearts, and that they will return to Provence one day. I love working with couples from all over the world who are looking for a personal, intimate, and very special elopement day. Feel free to contact me to start imagining your own special day!

VENDORS

Photographer: Karina Leigh Photography

Celebrant: Lucy Till, Celebrant

Makeup/Hair: Alwine Nogier, Makeup Artist

Tranportation: Voyages Provence Transportation

Hotel: Les Bories

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I adore capturing love stories in France! From the grandeur of the most romantic city on earth, Paris, to the colorful and lively seaside city of Nice, to the lavender fields and olive groves of charming Provence, France is filled with stunning beauty. To better understand my approach and my style, have a look at my work, by selecting a category below. Here, you'll get a better idea of how I can tell your love story, too!

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