So excited to share Marianne & Ralph’s Swiss Alps wedding with you today! The couple live in Chesieres near Villar-Sur-Ollons in the canton of Vaud region of Switzerland and it seemed like a perfect backdrop to fly all their family and friends over to celebrate their marriage.
This was my first and hopefully not my last visit to the country, I flew into Geneva an hour before sunset and after dashing to get my rental car, had the most incredible drive around Lake Geneva as the sun turned from orange to a deep red as it’s fading light skipped across the lake, by the time I got to the western side I had to stop and take it all in, it was simply breathtaking! And all this was even before I ventured up into the alps…
After an eventful night driving higher and trying to find my accomodation… I woke to an almighty view, I love where I live but you can’t just look out your window to the view of mountains, there is something special about being in the presence of them, you get the scale of the world and its longevity.
The couple had a few exciting ideas set for the day, firstly they got all their friends and family to arrive at Villar-Sur-Ollons train station for a pre-drink of champagne before setting off on a hired train to take them higher up the alps to the wedding reception, such an incredible idea which got everyone very excited for what lay ahead, the train slowly pushed higher clearing through a forest and then unveiling yet even more inspiring views of the Chaux Ronde mountain in the distance.
As we arrived at Golf-Club Villars, Marianne started to get ready, as the rest of the guests took in the views, one thing I had noticed is how fast the weather changes in the Alps, it only took minutes before the clouds rolled in and hid the mountains from view! I had chatted with Marianne a few times before the wedding and every time she was positively confident that the weather would be good and they would be able to do an outdoor ceremony! remember this was is in October. I was getting a little anxious as the clouds looked like ruining the incredible views but as the time edged closer all her belief turned to fact, the sun broke through and the giants reemerged as she joined Ralph to get married.
I love photographing ceremonies, you have all the people you have ever loved and shared your life with up to that point, all facing in your direction as you look to one another, there is something intrinsically beautiful about everyone sharing a moment like this together, Ralph’s mum Dallas did a reading which summed up all this quite eloquently, I’ve added it to the last image, have a read if you get a chance!
After the ceremony we moved to log-fired chalet to keep everyone warm, as the food and speeches unravelled and laughter escaped out into the cold alps air it was finally party time! the couple hired a band duo called Truly Medley Deeply to get all the guests dancing, they did a great job as there wasn’t a quiet moment the rest of the night.
It would have been a lot harder to photograph a wedding on my own but I was lucky enough to be joined by Harry Michael who decided to fly in last minute to help me out, you should definitely go check out his work, a fantastic photographer with an inquisitive eye and beautiful composition!
The night ended as it began as everyone walked merrily in the dark back on to the train to descend back to the town below! Perfect.
I hope you enjoy Marianne & Ralph’s Swiss Alps wedding as much as me! If you want to see more destination wedding photography then click on on this link.
Love and Science – The combined words of Carl
Sagan, Neil De Grasse Tyson and Albert Einstein.
Lost somewhere between immensity and eternity is a
tiny blue dot that we humans call home. And yet our
species is young and curious and brave and shows
much promise.
In the last few millennia we have made the most
astonishing and unexpected discoveries. We are
constantly reminded that humans have evolved to
wonder, that understanding is a joy, that knowledge is
a prerequisite to survival.
Our little planet floats like a mote of dust in the
morning sky. All that you see, all that we can see,
exploded out of a star billions of years ago. The
particles slowly arranged themselves into living
things, including all of us. As such we are made of star
dust..... and with our ability to observe and reason, we
have become the mechanism by which the universe
can comprehend itself.
The sum of all our evolution, our thinking and our
accomplishments is love.
How on earth can you explain in terms of chemistry
and physics so important a biological phenomenon?
Put your hand on a stove for a minute and it seems
like an hour. Sit with the person you love for an hour
and it seems like a minute. That's relativity.
A marriage therefore, makes two fractional lives a
whole. It gives to two questioning natures a renewed
reason for living. It brings a new gladness to the
sunshine, a new fragrance to the flowers, a new
beauty to the earth, and a new mystery to life.
Read by Ralph's mum Dallas during the ceremony.
DISCOVER SUPPLIERS FOR THIS SWISS ALPS WEDDING
Venue: Villars Golf
Flowers: Silk Blooms
Dress: Ti Adora
Suit: A suit that fits
Bands: Truly Medley Deeply
Second Photographer: Harry Michael
INSTAGRAM @RICHARDSKINSPHOTOGRAPHY
