Lake Montriond Wedding

Kathy & James

Kathy is German and is the second of three sisters to get married with us! Her sister Claire said I do in Megeve in the Winter a few years before. Kathy, however, wanted to put her own spin on her destination wedding in France. She knew she wanted a mountain wedding as well because she and her British hubby are both outdoorsy. James loves biking and they both love hiking – they even have a joint hiking account on Instagram called Two Happy Hikers to show their adventures. They joke and say, “we bought a pair of hiking boots in lockdown and the rest was history!” They are inspired by exploring the mountains in the Summer so a wedding in the sun with a view really called to them.

Kathy loved the idea of marrying by water so we just needed to decide on which Alpine lake would fit best. We quickly decided on Lake Montriond for a few reasons. She loved the quiet and intimacy that the Lake offers. Not to mention the views are incredible! James loved the farmhouse venue located just a short drive away in Morzine for the reception. After those first details were confirmed the planning was kicking off!

Kathy and James were both neuroscientists, who live in the UK. They had been together for so long that they loved the idea of slow planning for the wedding – they didn’t rush any decision and thoughtfully picked every detail. They wanted the entire trip to feel like a fun haven for their family and friends. To start the wedding weekend, the couple hosted a welcome BBQ with rose, Pimms, and specialty beer for their guests in the garden of the farmhouse wedding venue in Morzine.

The morning of the wedding was intimate and cozy. All of the girls and moms had their make-up and hair done in the master bedroom of the farmhouse. The guys all got ready in the old kitchen in a very moody gentleman-style room. We really loved the bride’s ideas and color scheme for this wedding. The bridesmaids all wore dresses in shades of teal, blue, and orange. All of them were different colors but most of the dresses had similar necklines so it really brought together the look. There were only a few groomsmen, all of who wore orange neckties which popped against their tailored navy suits.

The bride did first looks with her dad just in front of the farmhouse, it was a very emotional moment and we loved how the photos turned out.  After the first looks and a few wedding party photos, everyone headed down to the lakeside wedding ceremony. The strings played as the bride walked slowly down the aisle to meet her groom. They exchanged their vows while the sun shimmered on the lake and the smiles on these two were magnetic.

After the ceremony, everyone enjoyed champagne in the sunshine to celebrate the big moment with the couple. Two violinists played as everyone mingled and took photos with the mountain backdrop. The couple was able to enjoy the cocktail hour fully because they decided to book a post-wedding photoshoot instead of a couples shoot during their wedding day. We always love this idea so you can really enjoy the day that really passes way too fast. Another idea is having a pre-wedding shoot! This way you are really comfortable with your photographer and have great photos to send in a thank you letter.

For the getaway car from the lake to the farmhouse wedding reception venue in Morzine, the couple took a sporty BMW and drove it through the mountainside roads.

The reception venue was located in a charismatic beautiful 18th-century manor house transformed into a boutique hotel nestled inside Morzine’s oldest building. The venue is spacious but homey with a crackling open fireplace, cozy lounge area, atmospheric flame-lit dining, and luxurious rooms that remind us of the artisan world of decades gone by.

We always have a personal favorite moment from each wedding – and for this one, it was absolutely the brass band! Monica even said it was the best wedding band she had ever seen! Kathy and James brought them over from the UK and they brought so much energy to every part of the day. Included in the band were a trombone, trumpet, sax, drums, and a tambourine. From the couple’s entrance to the garden cocktail hour, the dancing with drinks in the sun, and the late night after party – they were nonstop fun!

Congrats K&J – what an honor it was to work with you two! See you on the trails soon.