Sara & Freddie · Le Grand Banc
Sara and Freddie chose Le Grand Banc, a private stone farmhouse tucked into the hills of the Luberon, for a wedding that felt unmistakably personal from the first toast to the last dance. Lavender fields rolled out beneath the terrace, and the property's pool and mountain views gave the day room to move between intimate getting-ready moments and wide, open-air celebration.
The couple worked with Josh Tully Management on the full creative direction, with florals by Agnès Laye Fleurs woven through bamboo ceremony chairs and a candlelit dinner table. Sara wore Laure de Sagazan, and the cocktail hour opened with an oyster bar and a champagne tower built by chef Pascal Reynaud, a detail guests still talk about.
We photograph a maximum of ten weddings each year, and the Luberon remains one of our favorite corners of Provence to spend one of them. Sara and Freddie's wedding was built around creative, unscripted moments, from the hand-painted welcome sign to the champagne tower at golden hour, and it shows in every frame.
Read what Sara said about her day with us
“Rui and Savannah were the photographers for our Sept 2023 wedding in the South of France. My husband and I were immediately taken by their website. There is nothing cookie cutter about their vision and you could tell the distinct style of each couple. We were so lucky they were available for our wedding. Rui and Savannah spent the time getting to know us from the moment the process started. They made sure to know exactly what we wanted, what we didn’t want, and even gave us what we didn’t know we wanted in the end. They made our wedding day come alive by capturing not just the wedding itself, but the mood. My favorite shots were the film ones, where things were a little bit grainy and gave real depth to the memories we now keep. In the end, all you have is the photos, and The Lopes made sure the romanticism of the night was captured in a way that felt uniquely us.. My husband and I are not the types to have photos of ourselves, and so The Lopes gave us an opportunity to see the world we have created for ourselves in a way I will always cherish.
The Lopes were detailed oriented and kept us on track more than anyone else for the entire wedding. They were patient when I changed my mind 3 times, but also gave me invaluable opinions when i was in need of styling help. I have worked with many photographers throughout my career in magazines, and have been to quite a few weddings. When things got chaotic, they were a calming presence. They never made me feel rushed and were able to capture everything even when the plans changed throughout the day. The Lopes love what they do and they pass that on through the photography they give their clients.”
— Sara & Freddie
The Super 8 Film — Le Grand Banc, Provence
Le Grand Banc is a wedding that asked for texture: sun-bleached stone, lavender fields, an oyster bar at dusk, a reception that stretched from golden hour into candlelight under the stars. Super 8 carries that texture in a way digital cannot, turning the grain of the film into part of the memory itself. For a wedding this creative and unscripted, the format felt like the only way to keep the spontaneity of the day intact.
Vendor Credits
Photography ⎜ The Lopes Photography — thelopesphotography.com
Wedding Planner + Styling ⎜ Josh Tully Management — joshtullymanagement.co.uk
Venue ⎜ Le Grand Banc — legrandbanc.eu
Florals ⎜ Agnès Laye Fleurs — agneslaye.com
Decor + Rentals ⎜ Chez Pluie (chezpluie.com) + Options Aix-en-Provence (options.fr)
Bartender + Mixologist ⎜ Bar Events — barevents.fr
Invitations + Stationery ⎜ Illustrated by Racheal Smithson — rachsmithson.com
Live Band ⎜ Funky Fresh France — funkyfreshband.com
Chef + Champagne Tower ⎜ Pascal Reynaud — saveur-provence.fr
Bride’s Look
Two-Piece Dress ⎜ Laure de Sagazan — lauredesagazan.fr
Shoes ⎜ Lauren Brinkers — laurenbrinkers.com
Second Look Top ⎜ Designed + made by the bride — saraellisclark.com
Second Look Hat ⎜ Lola Hats — lolahats.com
Bracelet + Second Outfit Necklaces ⎜ Handmade by Yallbibi Jewelry — instagram.com/yallbibijewelry
Engagement Ring ⎜ Steed's Jewelers — steedsjewelers.com
Bridesmaids' Necklaces ⎜ Helen Ficalora — helenficalora.com
Groom's Suit ⎜ Shaias 1922 — shaias.com
Planning a Wedding at Le Grand Banc? Questions We're Often Asked
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Yes. Le Grand Banc is a private estate in the Luberon that hosts full wedding weekends, with the property available for exclusive rental for ceremonies, cocktail hours, and receptions. Most international couples coordinate planning through a destination wedding planner familiar with the region.
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Venue hire for a wedding weekend at Le Grand Banc typically starts in the region of €15,000 to €25,000 for exclusive use of the property, depending on guest count, season, and length of stay. As photographers who have worked there, we are happy to share planning insights during a call.
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Late spring through early autumn offers the most reliable weather, with September bringing the lavender harvest's afterglow and softer golden light across the Luberon hills. Sara and Freddie married in early September, when the valley was still warm but the summer crowds had thinned.
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Yes. The region's stone farmhouses, lavender fields, and layered mountain light give a lot of range, from intimate getting-ready portraits to wide landscape shots during golden hour. The Lopes Photography has photographed creative destination weddings across Provence and the south of France.
If you are planning a destination wedding at Le Grand Banc or elsewhere in Provence, we would love to hear from you.