A Tadashi Shoji Gown for a Charming Wedding in the French Countryside

How does a professional photographer chose her own wedding photographer? Well, in this case, bride Sejin chose her best friend Sylwia of Cro and Kow Love and I simply cannot imagine a better outcome.  I absolutely adore these photographs- they’re just so wonderfully vivid- you can almost taste the strawberries, feel the breeze and the warmth of the sunshine and smell the ripe cheeses and fresh seafood.  Let me whisk you away to the beautiful Chateau Mossardiere in Pornic, France, where Sejin (a professional photographer studying for a Masters in Art Psychotherapy) and Jon (a computer engineer) married in a beautifully small and select ceremony on the 10th May 2016.

“Jon used to travel to Pornic frequently with his family as a child and we decided to return to the place where he had so many fond memories.  I was always curious about the stories Jon told about his family holidays and we both love French architecture so thought a vintage theme would be ideal for the wedding.”

Photography by Cro and Kow Love

Sejin wore the most beautiful gown by Japanese designer Tadashi Shoji, paired with a very elegant pair of shoes from Salvatore Ferragamo.  I just adore the bodice detailing.
“I wanted something simple and light for the warm French weather. I loved the fact it wasn’t a conventional wedding dress and I also loved the colour of the dress as I think it suits my darker skin tone.”

All stationery was the work of The Illustrious Illustrator.

The two bridesmaids looked fresh and lovely in elegant pale grey dresses from Closet London.

Jon looked very dashing in a kilt in St Andrews Tartan from John Morrison Kiltmaker and a jacket and waistcoat from Geoffrey Tailor Kiltmakers, Edinburgh, worn with Timberland shoes.

Flowers were DIY and purchased from Nantes local flower market- a rustic style mixture of wildflowers, branches and roses which work so well with the colours of the day.

Sejin walked across the garden to her waiting love accompanied by her two bridesmaids and the couple said their own vows to one another under the open sky.

“We met about twelve years ago through a mutual friend, we were friends for the first few years then became a couple.”

“We both knew that we would be together for the rest of our lives after about five years into our relationship and we were engaged two years before our wedding day.”

For venue decor the couple used vintage lace from Laura Ashley, DIY doily buntings, vintage dollies and napkins, old bottles for wildflowers, candle holders made from empty cat food tins. string lights, paper pompoms, and vintage tableware from the chateau- a perfectly beautiful and eclectic mix.

Catering was undertaken by the couple themselves (assisted by family and friends), with a mix of Scottish, French and Korean cuisines, eaten al-fresco under the trees- utterly perfect.

For cake, the couple chose a French classic- a croque-en-bouche from Vincent Guerlais Chocolatier, Nantes.

I just adore the styling of this day- the bright colours, the vivid food, the breeze in the trees and the sharp sunlight- just utterly gorgeous and so romantic.

Sejin is a photographer herself and running her own wedding photography business mean she has had lots of first-hand experience of weddings.  This was obviously a great advantage in terms of planning but at the same time created a lot of pressure for her as she had to coordinate everything abroad without a wedding planner. Instead she turned to best friend Sylwia of Cro and Kow Love for help.

“Sylwia is my best friend and we never had any doubts about the quality and service she and her husband Simon provide, we have been enjoying their projects for many years now.  Their artistic vision was perfectly reflected in our wedding.  We are delighted with our photos and the whole experience was good fun and stress free.”

“We were so lucky that Sylwia is not only a great photographer but also a fantastic designer and illustrator. She helped out with most of the design and decorations to help bring our dream wedding into reality.”

“Our favourite part of the day was the speeches.  Jon is a very shy person but he completely surprised me.  It was choreographed so well; he used a hand puppet ‘Lenny the Lion’ from his childhood to commence the speech, then he pretended to drink a whole bottle of a whisky to calm his nerves (it transpired he emptied the bottle and refilled it with cold tea) before dispensing with Lenny and concluded the speech.

The best man’s speech was so sweet and emotional; Jon and his best man are lifelong friends and have been since they were young boys.”

Words of Wedded Wisdom

“Just try to relax and enjoy the day! If we were to change anything at all, it would be to consider using a catering service as there was much more work than we envisaged.”

Such a completely lovely wedding- once again showing how you can make your wedding day exactly what you want.  Just your immediate family and close friends in a stunning French Chateau?  No problem.  Three hundred guests and a bouncy castle on the beach?  Do it.

What makes up your dream day?  Follow your heart dear readers- its your choice!

Inspired by Sejin’s gorgeous gown?  Take a look here for more Tadashi Shoji inspiration.

Much love,

Shona x