A Destination Wedding in Chamonix for an American Couple

A morning in the mountains — Tré-le-Champ & Planpraz

Before anything else, before the preparations, we headed into the mountains. First stop: Tré-le-Champ, at the far end of the valley, facing the Aiguilles Rouges. The light there is soft and open in the morning, and the trails are empty. Ten minutes of walking is enough to be completely alone on a ridge, in silence, with the whole range in the frame.

We then took the Brévent cable car up to Planpraz, at 2,000 m. This is the heart of the day for me: a wedding dress on an alpine ridge, the glaciers of the Mont Blanc massif in the background, and a couple who simply walked, laughed and danced while I worked around them.

If you are planning a wedding in Chamonix, this is the one thing I would protect in the timeline: a full morning, before the ceremony, for the mountain. The light is cleaner, the lifts are quiet, and you are not stealing time from your guests later in the day.

Getting ready at Le Castel, Chamonix

Back at Le Castel, the chalet privatised for the whole wedding week, the day took its rhythm. With the Mont Blanc massif filling every window, Lauren and Alan got ready surrounded by their families and bridal party, in the calm that follows a morning spent in the mountains.

Family portraits at the chalet

Back at Le Castel after lunch, we ran the family and bridal party portraits in short, structured blocks — groom and groomsmen, bride and bridesmaids, then both families — so nobody spends their afternoon waiting in line.

The ceremony

The ceremony was held outdoors at the chalet, led by Alan's sister, with the peaks as the only decor and sheepskin throws on every chair.

Cocktail hour at La Cabane des Praz

Guests walked down from Le Castel to La Cabane des Praz, a mountain restaurant on the edge of the golf course, for a cocktail hour on the terrace with the Mont Blanc in full view.

Dinner

Dinner ran inside La Cabane, between speeches, Burgundy wine and the long alpine dusk.

First dance, party & wedding cake

The band took over for the rest of the night: a first dance, four sets and a dance floor that never really emptied. The evening closed with the newlyweds cutting their sunflower wedding cake in the middle of their guests.