Settled in the Cognac vines, Chateau de Brives is a place brimming with style and love. This wedding chateau strikes a perfect harmony between French traditional character and contemporary chic.
♥ FULL IN 2023 AND 2024 ♥
We drove there at the end of the summer and were immediately taken under the spell of the venue. We enjoyed weaving through the peaceful park, then past the colourful outbuilding, to finally arrive in front of this neo-classical chateau.
Each room there is replete with the most stunning French antiques and curated pieces of art. We love the floating spiral staircase at the entrance, the mellowness of the Little Greene colours throughout the building and the large windows that let the light in. There is everywhere this feeling that the owners have put their heart and soul (and design flair!) into the renovation and decoration of the chateau.
Plus you would have at Chateau de Brives a wealth of options when it comes to organising your wedding.
For the ceremony, the church of the village, just opposite, will open its doors for you. You could also decide to have the ceremony in the park of the estate.
The pre-dinner cocktails can take place on the sunny terrace with the chateau in the background.
Now for the wedding dinner… you could choose between the superb stone barn or keep it outdoors, with fairy lights hanging between the trees.
Finally on the day after, have a brunch by the large pool. The pool is partly enclosed by lovely stone buildings that were previously used to store Cognac.
The chateau can sleep up to 18 people on site and there is a gite complex only 300m away that can sleep up to 35 people.
The owners Sarah and George are an absolute delight and will go that extra mile for you. Plus they have partnered with a fantastic wedding planner to make things easier for you.
To sum up, we think this venue will be perfect for couples who are after not just a wedding venue, but also a homely chateau full of charm and personal touches.
As featured in Channel 4’s Escape to the Chateau DIY!
Follow the Sarah and George’s journey to hosting weddings at their chateau. View on All4 here.
Things to do nearby: Chateau de Brives is located between the towns of Cognac and Saintes, in an area famed for its hectares of rolling vineyards. Don’t miss a tour of a distillery (followed by a tasting of course!) in Cognac before enjoying the many restaurants and bars of the town. The Charente River will offer plenty of opportunities for outdoor activities such as kayaking, water skiing or fishing. The domaine is 50 minutes from Royan and its lovely beaches. L’Ile de Ré and the Ile d’Oléron are close enough for a day trip.
Photos kindly provided by Emma Billsborough and Katy Lunsford and Jonathan Photographe