My dear dear friends, so much has happened around here over the past month or so. I feel really bad because I wanted to share it all with you as it was happening and never got around to it (obviously). You know me: analysis paralysis… But never mind all that. I am back with a vengeance and I have many stories and hundreds of pictures to share. Let’s play catch-up shall we?
One of the coolest things that’s happened over the past month is that my dear friends Laurent and Jennifer finally got married after being together for over 20 years. Better late than never I guess. The wedding was very low key. Just 9 guests including the kids. We had it on the beach by their lake house (the Atlantic coast near Bordeaux is covered with lakes of all shapes and sizes). And I was the best man too! (so proud of that). You know how I HATE having lunch on the beach though. I guess I love my friends more… I was standing the whole afternoon. That gave me an opportunity to shoot pictures at my heart’s content. The weather was a little grey, but it gave a certain glow to the whole affair.
I didn’t have much time to go through the photos again, but I really wanted to post something today and wouldn’t have had the time had I spent hours making myself nuts on selection… I may be able to cure this obsessive behavior of mine after all :0)
Here are a few I like:
MY FRENCH HEAVEN 
Such beautiful pictures. Looks like a dream
Magical photography- and what a beautiful dress the bride was wearing!
Thank you so much Lauren! Yes, I found her dress quite pretty and photogenic 🙂
Amazing photos to accompany a beautiful occasion. xo
Stunning. Beautiful photos. They really tell a story. I love low key, non-traditional weddings. This is perfect.
What a lovely relaxed wedding day. Perfect. 🙂
Wow! Congratulations to your friends! The photos are stunning!!! I loved the ones with the champagne bottle in the water, perfect! 😀 welcome back!
Oh my gosh, what fabulous pictures, what a wonderful wedding! I particularly love the one of the young woman laughing, cigarette and wine in hand, so carefree and joyous. Lovely. Thanks for sharing.
Thank you for sharing this lovely gathering. I’d like to have a precious little vow-renewal party for mine an dmy husband’s 10th anniversary. I think I may have just found my inspiration!
Absolutely beautiful photos and I loveeee Veuve !!! You captured all the magic of the day I certainly feel as though I was there !!
Also, I love picnics on the beach !!
India
Incredibly gorgeous photos, Stephane! (I’m especially fond of the barefoot-in-the-sand-with-wine photo). Such a lovely celebration – you are truly blessed with friends and also talent.
These pictures are lovely! What a great evening and wedding this must have been!
Cheers!
http://preppyandfunny.wordpress.com
It really was. Thanks! 😉
How very charming! If you ask me, this wedding was the perfect size.
The smaller the better in my opinion 🙂
Ooooooooh! What a perfect wedding! Makes me envious. So much joy! Thanks for sharing the beautiful photos.
Now that’s a wedding to remember. Too many people want a big plastic affair that costs thousands for very little. Whereas you can have a few friends, a backdrop of sand and sea, some bottles of champagne and platters of good food. Fabulous atmosphere. Fabulous day.
It was a day to remember indeed Dorothy. Thanks for your lovely comment 😉
Like watching a French movie, very touching and beautiful! 🙂
Thanks Meggie! I’m not really a fan of French movies, but I see what you mean and I appreciate the compliment very much indeed!
“Magnificent Photos”!!!!!!!
Thanks Katerina! It means a lot!
Hearty congratulations to the wedded couple.Beautiful location and very well captured. Friends like those are a houseful. So much fun and merry making. Awesome. And welcome back 🙂
Thanks a lot! I will pass your congratulations on to them. They are such a lovely couple…
They must be for sure 🙂 Good wishes to them and all the cheering friends
You wonderfully captured the atmoshphere…absolutely enjoyed your photographs! We got married at twenty and I do think that now fifteen years later if I was to organize a wedding it would much more relaxed in manner…but we were kids back the…maybe we could throw an anniversary party for some close friends full of candlelight in the dark of winter.
What a great idea Laila!! 😉
your photos are always truly beautiful. it looks like a really beautiful wedding!
It really was a lovely day indeed. Thanks for the compliment. It makes my day 🙂
What marvelous pictures, Stephane. Thank you for the refreshment!
You are most welcome my dear. So glad you liked it 😉
What a beautiful, relaxing and happy Wedding! You’ve captured the feeling so well of the day Stephane – some truly stunning photos!
Thank you so much Margot! We had such a lovely time. It was a cloudy/rainy day, but I think it gave a nice glow to the pictures… Thanks again for your lovely comment 😉
Congratulations to all, and to you as well for taking such beautiful photos. The joy comes through in every shot. I can’t pick a favorite. But I’m sure the happy bride and groom will treasure forever the one of the two of them laughing together in the lake.
Thanks Sharon. That picture is one of my favorites too. It really reflects their personality 🙂
I visited your blog yesterday and found no update and you logged in overnight. ^^ Welcome back!
The wedding looks like a movie clip. The bride is so beautiful and I love her dress and bouquet. Your pictures are always fantastic.
Thanks Jessie! I loved her dress too. I thought it was very inventive 🙂
Beautiful! And it is good to have you back 🙂
The photos of the champagne bottle in the lake were wonderful and the bride (and everyone, really) – beautiful!!! I love the single white hydrangea flower for her bouquet. And, the young man holding his shoes with the shallow depth of field and the sail boat in the background: marvelous. You’ve captured the happiness of the day, Stephane!
Thanks. The boy holding the shoes is my favorite. So glad you liked it!
Such a beautiful photo essay of your friends’ special day. You have a great talent Stefan. I agree, the marriage is more important than the wedding. Big $$$$$ are spent here weddings, many end up divorce.
pardon, Stephane!
No problem 😉
I am glad you liked the post. You are so right! And let’s not forget the divorces are even more expensive than the wedding 😉
What a glorious day captured by you…all those exquisite candid shots tell us the story about the wedding event perfectly. Love the idea of making the women catch the bouquet in the water! Can imagine someone going swimming easily!
One of them falling in the water would have made for a great shot 😉 thank you for your lovely comment. It means a lot to me 🙂
I’m so glad you are back Stephane and what a beautiful post this is, the photo’s are gorgeous as are your friends and must say you look very happy and handsome in the photo. I just love a laid back wedding, this was done so nicely and you can tell from the photo’s just how happy everyone is, Wonderful!
Thank you my dear friend. It was a great wedding indeed. It made me want to focus even more on portrait photography…. How are things on your side of the pond? I must say I have to catch up on my reading 😉
So beautiful. Thanks for posting and not obsessing. I found a while ago that I was spending more time on finding the best picture than writing the posts. It was just taking up too much time. I just do it quick now.
Your pictures do exactly what they should do – what pictures are for – documenting the joy, the love, and good time. It was a beautiful event.
Thanks a lot dear Terre! Yes, I need to learn to be less of a perfectionist 😉 Have a lovely week!
I so agree, Terre.
I love the joyful, candid moments you captured, and the graininess of some of the photos. Beautiful!!
Thank you so much Heather. It means a lot! The weather wasn’t perfect, but we certainly made the most out of the situation. Lots of champagne helped! 😉
Absolutely beautiful pics! Thank you for sharing them with us! Hugz Lisa and Bear
Thanks a lot Lisa! It certainly was a lot of fun 😉
What a lovely post Stéphane! All your photos are spontaneous and full of life, it is clear it must have been a splendid occasion! Good to see you back again! J’espère que vous avez passé de très bonnes vacances!
Pas de vacances, just really busy 🙂 I am going to Angoulème next weekend for a car rally with my nephew. I hope we’ll be driving through plenty of pretty villages so I can take pictures 😉 Have a lovely week!
Aha! Le Circuit des Remparts! Excellent event, have a great time – if you like vintage cars you may like my posts ‘Classic Chassis’ with photos taken at this very event – well the Saturday morning ballade…. 🙂
I’ll go check it out right now!!!!
you have the prettiest friends!
I know! I have you and Emma!!! 😉 How are you my dear friend? I haven’t been blogging for a while. I’m back to it and have loads to share. Elizabeth Thomas was just here for a few days and I sent her to the Abbey. She LOVED it as well as Clos Mirande…
We’re all good. Emma moves back on Thursday, and my grandbaby is due on the 22nd. September is a fabulous month this year. Plus, it’s not 100 degrees anymore. You look very happy in the photo!
Simply glorious, Stephane, both the occasion and the photos. You could completely take up a part time job as a portrait photographer. Your photos are so intimate and lovely.
Guess what? Headed back to Melisey at the end of the month for another couple weeks with my s-i-l. I’ll wave in your direction. 🙂
janet
You’ll have to come here at some point. It really feels weird knowing you’re so close and I don’t get to finally meet you 😉 Thanks for the compliment. It goes right to my heart!! 😀
I know. I feel the same. I won’t have a rental car this time. But one of these days…or if you get to Chicago!
So absolutely picturesque! It seems to have been the perfect day!
It really was. How is Sarlat??
Later-in-life weddings tend to be more relaxed, methinks. We oldsters have learned how to have fun on any/every occasion. ;->
Virtual hugs,
Judie
I think you are right dear Judie! 😉
We got married on skis in Lake Tahoe in 1988 at age 44! ;->
Lake Tohoe is one of my absolute favorite places on earth! It must have been a wonderful wedding!
It was! And still going strong!!! ;->
Good for you! My parents are much older than you, but they have been married almost 65 years 🙂
You’ve captured such a joyous day in your photos; I’m glad you didn’t deliberate too long. Congratulations to the newly weds, and may their friendship continue forever.
Thanks Angeline! I think they’re well on their way to a wonderful life… 🙂
Low key is the key to the most beautiful things… 🙂
I agree! 🙂
Your friends are lucky to have a friend like you, capturing their jour de fête in such dreamy, joyful pictures! Glad you are back—!
Thanks Sabine! I’m lucky to have friends like them who care more about life, love and family than appearances 🙂 Thank you so much for dropping by. Glad to be back 😉
SWOOOOOOOON! Oh – it is so good to have you back! How I have missed your photos – and how nice to see you even in one of them! GORGEOUS photos of GORGEOUS people! WELCOME back! It’s like seeing an old friend! xo
Such a sweet comment my dear friend! You make my day 😉 🙂
What a wonderful post and what a magical picture tale! Thanks for sharing.* Sora
Thank you so much Sora! So glad you liked it! 😉
congratulations on always “capturing the moment” – and best wishes to the newly wed 🙂
Thanks a lot! I will forward the message 😉 🙂
I’d been thinking only the other day that’s it’s a while since you wrote on your blog … I’m glad all is well and what a wonderful wedding and beautiful photos – as always! Thank you for sharing.
Thanks Kay! Good to be back 😉
Now that’s a wedding I would love to have. I got married at 22 and thought it had to be this super traditional thing. Now that I’m nearing 40, still married, I wish I could tell my 22 year old self to just relax and have a great time! Not that it wasn’t a nice wedding, it was, just not really what I wanted at all. Ah well, I’m grateful that I’m still married to the guy – so even if the wedding wasn’t what I wanted, the marriage has been.
I love how your photographs do capture the joie de vivre that you state in your blog’s title.
Thanks for your lovely comment! Maybe you should renew your vows and make it the kind of celebration you’ve always dreamed of + I think a successful and happy mariage beats a nice wedding. Hands down! 😉
Yeah, I get sad sometimes because my pictures are not as pretty as others (or even as good as they could be), but I choose to spend my time on something else. It’s a trade off. Cheers to you!!!!!
Oops! I was using my iPad to comment and I put my reply to your reply on my original comment in the wrong place. So sorry. See . . . .there it is . . . another “lesson” for ME, in not being perfect. 🙂 ha, ha, ha! (hanging my head and tucking my tail, like a silly puppy!)