Chateau de Nandy

Posted by Olivier Lalin -

Now if I were to get married again sometimes soon - simply because my wedding is one of the most cherished memory i have -
And I often feel i should get married to my wife Yanique once a week ! This is where I might do it next time - Everything is Perfect ! The Chateau de Nandy was built in the 17th century.
It is grade 1 listed stately home situated at only 40 kms from Paris (under one hour drive). Beautiful garden and a large parkland of 97 acres surround the building.
Built in 1660 by the Marechal de Vitry, the chateau was designed for receptions and events, it does offer four big reception rooms all on the ground floor decorated with beautiful French paneling.
It would fit easily 220 people seated or 500 standing up for cocktail party.



You can contact Madame Bernard de Meurin

Château de Nandy
Rue Robert Cousin
77176 Nandy
Tel : +33 1 60 63 55 83
Fax : +33 1 64 10 90 33



view site at weddinglight.com

Château de Breteuil

Posted by Olivier Lalin-

The Château de Breteuil (previously called the Château de Bevilliers) was built in the early 1600s and decorated principally in the 18th century. It is located in the Île-de-France and the département of Yvelines, France, 35 km (22 miles) to the south-west of Paris in the heart of the renowned Valley of Chevreuse. The château is set in a listed park of some 90 hectares.
The family of the Marquis de Breteuil who still lives there gave three ministers to the Kings of France.
The building compares with the Château of Dampierre-en-Yvelines by Jules Hardouin-Mansart. Like Chateau des Conde, Breteuil is a well favoured destination for a French Style wedding around Paris.





view site at weddinglight.com

Chateau des Condé

Posted by Olivier Lalin -
Welcome to the kingdom of the Princes and Princesses of Condé; le Chateau des Condé . Imagine these historic walls to the south of Paris, as the setting for your Wedding Reception room: for one night, perhaps two, time stands still beneath a star-studded Renaissance sky in celebration of your marriage.
Those words are taken directly from the website- Simply because it is so French! It is a great Location for a lavish wedding " A la Francaise "though - And a beautiful little village named Vallery, only 45 mn away from Paris- I photographed a few weddings there and i DO love going back.



Château des Condé
89150 Vallery - France
+33 (0)3 86 97 77 00 / +33 (0)1 44 07 37 70



view site at weddinglight.com

Wedding Destination: Glamis Castle

Posted by Olivier Lalin -

Five miles from Forfar, in the fertile valley of Strathmore, is the quaint village of Glamis.

Glamis is set in the rolling hills of Angus, approximately 20km from the North Sea, in an area of considerable ancient history. Whilst the village is home to a curious old stone, said to be a monument to King Malcolm II, and some attractive eighteenth-century cottages, its most notable attribute is the grandeur of Glamis Castle. The castle was the childhood home of her Majesty Queen Elizabeth, the queen mother.



The modern visitor approaching the Highland Castle for the first time cannot but draw breath in admiration as he journeys down the mile-long avenue rich in colour, flanked in spring by swathes of yellow and cream daffodils, or the colours in the rows of autumn trees.

Trying to keep warm in Jamaica right now and thinking about warmer days in Scotland to come.
Meanwhile here is a group Portrait with Bridesmaids of King George the 5th and Queen Mary's Wedding.

and a few Years later, a Mug shot of Prince Charles and Diana's Wedding -
What went wrong - Do love the british though!

ON THE SUNNY SIDE

Taken at the Golden Unicorn in N.Y.C for a Gourmet traveller story on Chinatown.

Posted by Olivier Lalin -

This post is for all my brides, present and future who appreciate some good old English sense of humor: I have just received this link to www.derekpyephotography.com from my dear friend Ben Rice in London who is also a photographer (my old boss back in my assisting days as a young man in London, a long time ago). He has this incredible dry yet witty sense of humor that I miss and so many people adore.

Anyways as the link alludes to; Derek is supposedly a wedding photographer based from London, who for the lack of a better explanation "really dislikes" weddings and has no love for this Art form. Derek Pye basically represents every bride's nightmare, when it comes to wedding photography. But if the stress from planning for one of the most important days in your life tries to overwhelm you, his website is a place to go to for laughs.

When I started shooting from NYC some 7 years ago, we were probably only 15 wedding " wedding photographers " very dedicated to our brides! Today you will find some 350 photographers to chose from with prices going from $1,500 to $25,000. But if you have a visual culture and understand a craftsman's work; in the long run it is well worth it, to hire someone with the professionalism and passion that I have.

Some people might consider me to be a high-end wedding photographer, but I can assure you that I have been performing my craft for the past 18 years, and you can count on delivery of the highest magnitude.

A good wedding photographer first has to understand the personality of not just the bride but also of family and friends, so as to know how to get them trusting and relaxing in his presence from the very beginning. Again, it is all about trust, there has to be a certain, “professional chemistry” involved.

Having said that I will give a 10% discount to any bride who’s the first to bring me back to London! Really, it is time I have a drink with my old pal Ben!
you can view Ben Rice's work at www.benrice.com

www.weddinglight.com



photographe © Olivier Lalin © photographer
view site at weddinglight.com

Toros, my Black and White printer in Paris

Posted by Olivier Lalin -

I was back in Paris a few weeks ago and met up with Toros at Toros Lab who has been my close collaborator as well as a dear Friend since the beginning 90’s. Toros has printed all of my fine art work as well as many of my weddings through out the years.


Black and White printing might be a dying art form but when you enter the doors of the " sanctuary " at 20 rue marie-stuart in the 2nd arrondissement of Paris, you cannot help being quiet for an instant and simply contemplate 40 years of photography on the walls. Toros's collection of some of the best Photographer’s work on the planet would make curators from the M.O.M.A simply very jealous.

I will only mention Henri Cartier Bresson, Andre Kertez, Joseph Kudelka ( One of my all time favorite ) as well as jean Marquis who photographed Alberto Giacometti in the 50’s, Marie Daurigny who Toros says she is a very courageous woman photographer, Mark Arbeit who moved back to Hawai and is having a baby very soon - Great Mark!

I found Toros retouching a serie of large Black and white exhibition prints taken by Marie Laure De Decker taken in the late 70’s in Tchad. I was asking him about one of his memories of a special moment he recalled with one of our piers, I wanted some names and he said: “ Olivier lalin of course – I loved his Moulin rouge serie ! A couple of the Moulin Rouge prints are hanged on the wall actually right behind the portrait that Gerard took of Toros and I – He is simply wonderful, I love him, he is such a warm human being and a wonderful talent. So if you are looking for one of the last tycoon of Black and White photography while a visit in Paris or simply have a keen interest of photography in general, just stop by and say hello. I guarantee a memorable experience.

Toros And I In Paris over Christmas

As i was talking to my friend, i heard a young photographer saying at the counter to Gerard his assistant of 20 years:
" C'est tres agreable chez vous "
Translation: " I find your place very pleasant "

TOROSLAB
20 rue Marie-Stuart, 75002 Paris
Tel: + 1 40 26 00 50
www.toroslab.com

www.weddinglight.com



photographe © Olivier Lalin © photographer
view site at weddinglight.com