Planning a Château Taillefer Lafon Wedding: A Photographer's Guide

I have photographed many weddings at Château Taillefer Lafon, in spring, in high summer and into the evening, and the venue keeps rewarding couples who plan around it. This guide collects what I tell couples when they ask how a day here works, so that the photographs look like the place feels.

A wine estate across the river from Montreal

Château Taillefer Lafon is a winery and cidery in Sainte-Dorothée, in Laval, and the first vineyard in Quebec authorised to use the "Château" appellation traditionally reserved for European estates. The house is built of pale stone under a slate mansard roof, with arched wooden doors, a covered terrace, formal gardens and rows of vines a short walk from the front steps.

That closeness is what makes it work. Your guests get a countryside wine estate without a long drive out of the city, and you get vines, gardens, stone and a grand interior all within a few minutes of each other, so the portraits never take you far from the party.

How a wedding day moves through the property

Arrival and the front steps. The stone façade and its wide steps are the first photograph almost every couple gets here, and many arrive by vintage car for exactly that reason. The steps also hold a wedding party well, which makes them my usual place for group portraits.

The spiral staircase. Inside, a curved staircase with a wrought-iron railing is one of my favourite frames on the property. It works for a first look, for a quiet portrait before the ceremony, and as a rain plan when the garden is not an option.

The ceremony. Ceremonies are held on the lawns, either under the tall trees or in the open beside the vineyard. Under the trees the light is soft and even; beside the vines it is brighter and more open, with the rows stretching out behind you.

Cocktails and the terrace. Guests usually move from the ceremony to the lawn and the covered terrace. Some couples hold the whole reception out there on a warm evening, under the awning, with the garden all around.

The reception room. Indoors, the reception room has white walls, tall windows, a fireplace with a gilded mirror and crystal chandeliers. It is a calm, light room that suits flowers and candles, and it photographs beautifully as the evening darkens.

Portraits among the vines

The vineyard changes character through the day: green and open in the afternoon, then low and golden between the rows in the last hour before sunset. That second version is the one I build the portrait window around. Twenty minutes during dinner, or just after, is usually enough, because the vines are only a short walk from the terrace.

Sainte-Dorothée is a residential part of Laval, and a few angles on the property show neighbouring houses. I compose the vineyard portraits to keep the frame on the vines, the stone and the trees.

Choosing your season

Spring: In May the vines are still bare and the trees are just coming into leaf. It is a delicate, airy look, and floral arches stand out strongly against it. Bring a layer for the evening.

Summer: The gardens are full, the vines are green and the evenings are long. This is the season for terrace receptions and golden hour in the rows.

Autumn: Ask the venue about the harvest calendar when you book, since a working vineyard has its own rhythm in the fall. The low autumn light suits the stone façade very well.

Questions to ask the venue

• Where can the ceremony be held, and what is the rain plan for it?
• Will the reception be on the terrace, in the reception room, or a mix of both?
• Is there a space on site for getting ready, and from what time?
• Are there any rules on sparklers, confetti or a late exit?
• Which vendors do they require or recommend?

I have left guest numbers out of this guide on purpose. The reception spaces suit intimate and mid-sized weddings, and the venue is the right source for current capacity in each room.

Real weddings at Château Taillefer Lafon

You can see two full weddings here: Simone and Jordan's vineyard wedding, with a first look and a ceremony read by a relative, and Claudia and Youssef's romantic château wedding, with its reception on the terrace. The gallery below also includes photographs from three more weddings I have covered here.

If you are still comparing venues, my guide to vineyard and orchard venues near Montreal, the historic and château venues and the full Montreal venue guide are good next stops.

Planning a wedding at Château Taillefer Lafon?

I photograph weddings across Montreal and the surrounding region, and I am always glad to talk through a timeline for this venue before you have decided on anything. Tell me about your plans.