Cameras
Canon 5D Mark IV
Canon R6 mark II

Lens
RF 15-35mm f2.8
RF 28–70mm f2.8
Sigma Art 24mm 1.4
RF 85mm f1.2
EF 50mm f1.2

Flash
Godox V1

Coverage
5 Shooters over 12 Hours

Photographer: Ale Bigliazzi

“The ceremony took place at the Madeleine Church, a neoclassical landmark dating back to 1764, followed by the reception at the iconic Château de Ferrières, built for Baron James de Rothschild.

So the architecture played a major role in how we framed and planned the shots. The day before, we did avenue walkthrough at both the church and the chateau, and we noticed that both venues possessed a striking identity.”

“The concept for the getting ready was to capture things raw, as they happened, like an observer, focusing on the behind-the-scenes exactly as they were, without staging scenes. The only exception was when Elisa was fully dressed; we guided her to stand near the window for her portraits. We had two photographers covering Elisa—myself and my assistant—while another photographer covered Alexandre, the groom.”

“My assistant was in charge of shooting the haute couture Dior dress, accessories and focused on the people working as well. They weren't just there for any reason; they are trusted professionals who, just like her mother, we knew were of utmost importance during those high-anticipation moments of Elisa before the ceremony.”

“La Madeleine, with its towering columns reflects classical architecture, warm color tones, and a sun shining just for Elisa and Alexandre.

We had a total of four photographers at the church! Before it all began, I accompanied Elisa as she stepped out of the car and captured her entrance from behind as she walked into the church.

One photographer was positioned at the front of the altar for the entrance shots; another was stationed a bit further down, close to the entrance, for tighter, closer-up frames. Meanwhile, a third photographer was positioned on the church's fourth floor to capture the entrance from above—an expansive, wide shot that allowed us to capture the sheer scale of the church and truly show the grand setting of the wedding.”

“The portraits came together very naturally, moving away from formal editorial posing. During the reception, we took the couple out for their photo session with the chateau as the backdrop, keeping our focus entirely on composition and genuine emotion. It included some playful moments with the videographers' Super 8 camera, resulting in raw shots full of movement and timeless.”

“The reception was full of color and movement! The scenic lighting felt like something straight out of a movie, and the radiant couple and guests gave us so many stories. Meanwhile the reception, Elisa and Alexandre planned a beautiful fireworks, which we captured from two different angles: one with the chateau as the backdrop and another with the fireworks in the background, making the most of both moments.

We used a mix of ambient-light photography to truly explore composition and the sense of space, along with direct flash for high-energy moments and expressions.”

“From the very beginning, our mission was to move away from the obvious and capture the poetic, the real, and the spontaneous. Instead of creating staged scenes, we chose to be silent observers and create timeless images.”

Vendors

The Couple: elisazarzur and alexandresnegrao
Photography: alebigliazzi
Planning: todadebranco, alejandrapoupelevents
Venue: chateaudeferrieres

Fashion: 
@jeanpaulgaultier 
@ludovicdesaintsernin
@dior
@jonathan.anderson