A Wedding at Le Chateau
Everything we have learned photographing weddings at Le Chateau — where the light goes, how to time your day, and what the rooms are actually like.
Le Chateau sits on a hill in South Salem, about an hour north of New York City, and it is one of those places that does a lot of the work for you. Stone and brick, old trees, long views, and rooms that already look like photographs before anyone walks into them.
What we tell couples first is that this venue has corners — so many of them, each with its own mood. A dark brick wall in one place, soft green shade in another, wide stone steps out front, terraces that open to the sky. That matters more than it sounds, because it means the weather does not decide your photos. Sun, clouds, rain: there is always somewhere here that looks beautiful.
Where to do your first look
This is one of our favorite things about Le Chateau: you actually get to choose. There are enough beautiful spots here that the first look can be whatever you want it to be — quiet and hidden, or wide and dramatic.
Our favorite is the ceremony steps. The bride comes down them slowly, and her future husband is waiting below in front of the brick wall. You get the walk, the turn, and the first moment of seeing each other all in one place — with old brick and stone doing everything a background should do.
Getting ready
There is real space to breathe in the morning, which is rarer than it should be. The bridal side has two rooms, and here is our one piece of advice: keep the bags, the dresses, the coffee cups, and everyone's things in one room, and leave the second one clean. That clean room is where the photographs happen — putting the dress on, the moment with your mom, the first look with your bridesmaids — and an empty room with good light is worth more than any decoration. If you have a bigger group, there is a separate room for hair and makeup too. The groom and groomsmen have their own suite, so nobody is rushing anybody.
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The light, hour by hour
In summer, plan your ceremony after 4pm. That keeps the ceremony space in shade — no squinting, no harsh shadows across your faces, and photographs that look calm instead of bright and busy.
Then there is the terrace at sunset. In August we watched it turn a deep golden orange, the kind of light you cannot plan and cannot fake. If you take one thing from this guide: leave us ten minutes out there near the end of cocktail hour. That is where the photographs you frame usually come from.
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If it rains
The ballroom is genuinely beautiful, and a ceremony in it does not feel like a compromise. Between that and all the covered corners of the property, we have never had rain cost a couple their photographs. Cocktail hour here is a favorite of ours in any weather — it is when the day loosens up and everyone starts laughing.
Nicole & Elliott, August
We photographed Nicole and Elliott here in August. They chose the ceremony steps for their first look — Nicole walking down to meet Elliott in front of the brick wall, just the two of them before anyone else arrived. Later there was a champagne spray, an outfit change, and that orange terrace light at the end of the night. Their full gallery is below if you would like to see how a day here actually looks.
Questions We Get About Le Chateau
Where do you get ready at Le Chateau?
There is plenty of room. The bridal side has two rooms — our advice is to keep bags, dresses, and everything else in one, and leave the second one clean for photographs. If you have a bigger group, there is a separate room for hair and makeup as well. The groom and groomsmen have their own suite, so both sides can spread out and take their time.
What time should we have the ceremony in summer?
After 4pm. In the summer months that keeps the ceremony space in shade, so nobody is squinting into the sun and the light on your faces stays soft and even.
What happens if it rains?
The ballroom is beautiful, and a ceremony there does not feel like a backup plan. There are also so many corners of this venue with different moods that we can make portraits work in any weather — rain has never cost us the photographs.
Where is the best light for portraits?
The terrace at sunset. In August we watched it turn a deep golden orange, and it is the reason we ask couples to leave us a few minutes there at the end of cocktail hour. The ceremony steps and the brick wall are our other two favorites — that is where we like to photograph first looks, with the bride coming down the steps to meet her future husband.
How much time do you need at Le Chateau?
Eight hours covers a full day here comfortably. Ten hours gives you room for an outfit change, a longer cocktail hour, and more time on the terrace without watching the clock — which is what we would suggest if your day includes extras like a champagne spray or a second look.
See a Full Wedding Here
Nicole and Elliott's day at Le Chateau, from the first look on the steps to the last dance.