Feather Wedding Dress and Bridal Boots for a Stylish Black Tie Wedding in France

We were completely and utterly tickled pink when Emma of Epic Love Story Photography popped this immense French wedding in our inbox. Real bride and groom, Hannah and Benjamin have bags of style looking absolutely fierce in a feather wedding dress and black tie tailormade suit. Their sense of style and attention to detail doesn't end at the fashion though, they also shipped amazing wedding decor they DIYed themselves from the UK to France, as well as a full Welsh choir to entertain their wedding guests. What a treat! Once you've poured over the pictures, make sure you take a moment to swoon over the film too.

Stephanie Allin Ostrich Feather Wedding Dress

White Rose and Feather Buttonholes on a Gold Platter

White Bridal Boots and Shoes with White and Cream Wedding Bouquet

White Bridal Boots with Front Zip Detail

Contemporary Wedding Stationery with Lets Do This Typography

Wedding Morning Bridal Party Preparations with Bridesmaid in Black Slip Having Her Makeup Done

Wedding Morning Bridal Preparations with Bride in White Getting Ready Robe and Wedding Garter

Wedding Morning Love Note From the Groom to His Bride

Bride Getting into Her Wedding Dress on the Wedding Morning

Bride in Stephanie Allin Ostrich Feather Wedding Dress

Stylish Bride in Stephanie Allin Ostrich Feather Wedding Dress

Bride in Stephanie Allin Ostrich Feather Wedding Dress Putting On Her Wedding Boots

Groom in Tailor Made Tuxedo with Bow Tie

What Made Our Day Unique
God I’m not sure, I (Han) can’t really pinpoint one exact thing, my fella surprised me with a Welsh choir which was absolutely incredible, they blew everyone away! However, I think it was probably more so the venue, Chateau Grimaldi, we wanted something different and we wanted a garden party vibe so everything outside, so our whole day was set amongst the ruins of a French chateau. The venue was incredible. We dined outside next to a chateau and the remaining ruins by fairy lights and candles and then partied through the night inside an old chapel.
Hannah & Benjamin

Feather Wedding Dress

Real bride Hannah struggled to find a dress that was right for her. She wanted that Carrie Bradshaw couture bridal shoot moment, trying on lots of designer gowns, but none of them were giving her that 'the one' feeling. That’s when she knew she wanted to design her own wedding dress and enlisted the help of Welsh bridal designer Stephanie Allin. It was the perfect complement to her Welsh husband-to-be and it meant it would be one of a kind. And boy is it! The skirt is covered in ostrich feathers and the bodice is very reminiscent of Miss Bradshaw's Vivienne Westwood number. She looks Stella! And to finish off her amazing look, she added the cutest pair of bridal boots.

Planning & Diy
We chose all our suppliers, it was more difficult with it being an overseas wedding, as the style of the French is slightly different to that of what I was trying to achieve. So certain things such as neon lights, metallic gold geometric table numbers and place cards were all driven over. My old man is really good at making things, so he made our 3m2 hexagonal photo backdrop in wood and sprayed it gold for me and added to the load travelling from the UK to France. I purchased the hard copy of Rock My Wedding, Your Day Your Way, as soon as I got engaged. I used it for inspiration when deciding the direction I wanted to take our big day alongside good old Pinterest of course, and I have now passed it on to a friend.
Hannah & Benjamin

Outdoor French Wedding Ceremony with Stylish Monochrome Wedding Signs

Natural Wedding Altar Decor with Pampas Grass, Dried Palm Leaves and Clear Screens

Tropical Aisle Wedding Flowers with Palm Leaves and Orchids

Pampas Grass and Orchid Floral Arrangement for the Altar

Natural Wedding Venue Flower Arrangements in Gold Pots

Cream and Beige Wedding Flower Arrangement with Pampas Grass and Orchids

Father of the Bride and Bride Before the Wedding Ceremony

Bridesmaids and Maid of Honour in Black Satin Dresses and Lace Dress

Groom and Best Man Walking Down the Aisle with the Flower Girl

Bridesmaid in Fitted Black Dress Walking Down the Aisle

Groom and Best Man in Tuxedos Standing at the Altar

Father of the Bride Walking His Daughter Down the Aisle in a Feather Wedding Dress

Bride in a Wedding Dress with Feathers Kissing Her Dad at the Altar

Guests Sitting on Benches at an Outdoor Wedding Ceremony

Bride in Feather Wedding Dress and Groom in a Tuxedo Exchanging Vows at the Altar

Bride and Groom Celebrating After Being Just Married

Bride in Stephanie Allin Wedding Dress and Groom in Tuxedo Holding Hands

Confetti Moment with Bride in Off the Shoulder Wedding Dress and Groom in Moss Bros. Suit

Colourful Confetti Moment with Bride and Groom Celebrating

Surprised Bride in Feather Wedding Dress

Inspiration & Styling
For us, it was all about the celebrations alongside the formalities as we had to do our legal paperwork back in the UK. So from start to finish, we wanted music, music, music and entertainment. We wanted everyone to have a great time celebrating with us. From the beginning we thought f*** it, it’s our wedding let’s go all out for this! So we went somewhere between glam, pretty, fun, French, black and gold! My bouquet had metallic leaves, black tulips and lilies! Think that sums up the styling of the day really.
Hannah & Benjamin

Bride and Groom and Wedding Guests Listening to the Choir

Bride and Groom Applauding the Wedding Choir

Gold Rimmed Glass Platter and Cutlery Place Setting

Gold Hexagon Backdrop with Neon Sign, Glitter Balls and Pampas Grass

Gold Glitter Balls and Pampas Grass Wedding Decor

Stylish Bride in Feather Skirt Wedding Dress and Groom in Black tie Suit Standing Next to a Hexagon Backdrop

Stylish Bride in Stephanie Allin Feather Wedding Dress and Groom in Black Tie Suit with Bow Tie

Bride and Groom Laughing During the Wedding Reception

Bride and Groom Laughing During Stretch Tent Wedding Reception

Stylish Bridal Party with Bridesmaids in Black Dresses and Bride in Feather Skirt Wedding Dress

Stunning Bride Walking with Her Bridal Party Through The French Chateau

Stylish Bride and Groom in Black Tie Attire Embracing

Bride in Feather Wedding Dress by Stephanie Allin

Stylish Bride in Stephanie Allin Wedding Dress with Feather Skirt and Sweetheart Neckline Bodice and Bridal Boots

French Chateau Wedding Reception with Festoon Lights

Stretch Tent Outdoor Reception with Festoon Lights

Bride and Groom Kissing at the Wedding Breakfast

White Iced Wedding Cake with Black Ribbon and Glitter Cake Topper Resting in a Wooden Crate

Happy Bride in Off the Shoulder Bodice and Feather Skirt About to Toss Her Wedding Bouquet

Bride and Groom Kissing After they Cut The Wedding Cake

Bride in Embellished Fitted Wedding Dress Dancing with Her Father

{Watch The Film}

Capturing The Day
It’s crazy... enjoy it if you can, don’t let it stress you out or create arguments with your partner! I wanted every finer detail to be just right but on the day all that really matters are the fundamentals. Get an amazing photographer and get an equally amazing videographer! These guys matter! .It flies by and you will relive your day through them. So make sure they are everything and more! Our photos are incredible, we can’t stop looking at them.
Hannah & Benjamin

If you're searching for the perfect photographer or videographer to capture your special day, search our handpicked supplier directory, The List, for the very best near you and beyond now. And, if you're thinking of having your own destination wedding, we can highly recommend giving our Destination Weddings and Where to Start Podcast a listen for lots of help and advice on planning a wedding abroad.