Château Ste-Agnès Wedding: A Maroon and Black Celebration

Château Ste-Agnès dates from 1846, and passing through its gate genuinely does feel like changing centuries. Melanie Aubin of Foudamour built this editorial outward from one specific detail: the château's raspberry-coloured room.

A darker palette than weddings usually attempt

Most wedding design retreats to neutrals. This one went the other way — maroon, black and gold, a summer sky and ripe fruit, staged with the stillness of a Dutch painting. The estate could take it. Its Neo-Renaissance architecture, stone terraces and underground cellars give the eye enough weight to balance strong colour, where a white-walled venue would simply have looked overloaded.

Two brides, and what femininity is allowed to look like

The concept centred on a same-sex couple, and on the idea that every bride defines femininity for herself. The Huntleigh gown by Jane Hill, from Dream It Yourself, carried that with a fitted corset bodice, a high slit and a detachable train; gloves added a modern, almost regal note. The tuxedo, by Suitablee, was finished with an oversized boutonniere that became one of the strongest details of the shoot.

The craft behind the frames

Florals by Atelier Carmel worked in deep, saturated shades that most florists would hesitate over. Décor from Locations Chic mixed decorative and minimalist pieces into something closer to a modern Renaissance. Stationery from White Willow Paper Co. borrowed from eighteenth-century painting, and the four-tier cake by Sonia at Émotions Gâteaux was detailed enough to hold its own in close-up.

Jewellery came from Loft Bijoux, the bridal robe from By Catalfo, hair by Jordan Noelle Evans and makeup by Samara, with Alexanne Lachaine and Elizabeth Girard modelling.

Working with a strong colour palette

If you want deep colour at your own wedding, choose the venue for it first. Dark palettes need architecture with texture and shadow to sit against; in a bright, neutral room they read as heavy rather than rich.

The editorial was featured on Wedding Chicks.

If you are planning a wedding in the Eastern Townships, I would love to hear about it.