Photography: Cedric Klein, Paris, France; Location: Chateau de Villette – The Heritage Collection
“It all started when I read Dan Brown's famous book, ‘The Da Vinci Code,’ says photographer Cedric Klein. “A few years later, the famous director Ron Howard drew inspiration from the book to shoot the film, including a famous scene shot at the Chateau de Villette. It is from this famous scene that I have always dreamed of being able to make a photoshoot in this castle so mythical and cult in my eyes.”
In June 2020, a spectacular styled inspiration shoot took place in France at Chateau de Villette from the Heritage collection. Drawing inspiration from the chateau and region, the ambiance of the photo session was elegant and refined, à la francaise.
A talented team of vendors worked together to bring this vision to life, including planner Aurélie from J’ai 2 amours with the help of Césarem and Diletta from Diletta Ruta Weddings. The coordination was provided by Alex Bae and Detail Parisien, and the immaculate floral designs were created by Kahina Events.
For the wedding décor details, bespoke stationery and paper goods were handcrafted by Atelier Preszburger, while Bastien Blanc Tailleur – one of the top wedding cake designers in France – created a magnificent work of art in the form of a 1.5-meter-tall wedding cake. To complete the wedding décor, table accessories, linen, and furniture were provided by Maison Options along with candles from Bougies Granulées.
The Chateau de Villette glam squad was led by Widnie Alexis, who styled the hair and makeup for model Elisa Meliani. Metal Flaque, a fabulous store in Paris, assisted in provided the gorgeous wedding gowns from Berta, which perfectly captured the sensual yet romantic vibe of the inspiration shoot.
Her bridal accessories also included Jimmy Choo shoes, headpieces from Maria Elena, and jewelry from 404 place Vendome. Complementing the stunning bride was model Benoit Gonzalez, who was dressed to the nines in a DeFursac Suit with an elegant Charvet bow tie.
Throughout the inspiration shoot and cinematic masterpiece, captured by The Guerin Films, a charming bartender from Gaetan Monsieur Cocktail was mixing up craft French Riviera-style cocktails for the happy couple. As if these décor elements and luxury details weren’t enough, there were two particular aspects of this Chateau de Villette styled shoot that truly set it apart: A helicopter from Mont Blanc Helicopter in Paris, which served as the bride and groom’s getaway vehicle, and Ranni – an exquisite black panther from Cinema Evenement Animalier, who was an epic and unexpected co-star for the day.
