Wedding day at Château Le Rosey, Switzerland
Victoria & Jonathan's wedding
Victoria & Jonathan’s wedding was an elegant full-day celebration in a unique villa setting surrounded by vineyards. Their ceremony took place among the vines, giving the day a beautiful, timeless atmosphere and a natural backdrop. This gallery follows the story from getting ready through to the evening party with a documentary feel and light, natural guidance.
"We absolutely loved Zivile’s work and are so happy with the results! She was so kind and professional too. Definitely recommend!"
Victoria
Planning a Vineyard Wedding in Switzerland
Vineyard weddings in Switzerland are a strong choice if you want scenery, good food and a relaxed atmosphere in one place. The best part is that many wine estates already have a natural flow for events. You can often do the ceremony, aperitivo and dinner in the same area, which cuts down on transport, timing issues and guest confusion. This is especially true in Vaud, where regions like La Côte stretch along Lake Geneva between Morges and Nyon and are known for rolling vineyards with lake and Alpine views.
A great example of this style of venue is Château Le Rosey in Bursins, in the heart of the La Côte vineyards. It is set up for private events and weddings, with several indoor and outdoor spaces on the property and a capacity suited to intimate and medium sized celebrations. The château can host up to 60 guests for a seated meal and around 110 in cocktail format. This makes it a realistic option for couples who want a chateau setting without the scale and complexity of a very large venue.
Start with the guest count and the style of day
Vineyard and chateau properties tend to work best when your guest count matches the scale of the location. Before you fall in love with a specific estate, check the real seated capacity for dinner, not just the maximum standing number. Many beautiful places can handle a lively aperitivo outside but become tight if you want a long indoor dinner with a dance floor.
Weather planning is non negotiable
Vineyard weddings are often designed around outdoor moments, so a clear backup plan matters even more than usual. Make sure the venue has a covered or indoor option that you genuinely like and that fits your guest count comfortably. Avoid vague promises. Ask exactly where the ceremony would move, where the aperitivo would happen, and how dinner would be set up in bad weather.
Check ceremony rules early
Some estates can host civil ceremonies on site only under certain conditions. Even when a venue is used regularly for weddings, the legal or administrative details may vary by canton and by property. It is worth confirming this early with the venue so your schedule does not need a last minute restructuring. A vineyard in Lavaux, for example, outlines specific conditions for civil ceremonies connected to authorisation agreements with the registry office. The main point is not the exact rules of one place but the reminder to verify what applies to your chosen venue.
Use local strengths instead of importing a conceptThe simplest way to make a vineyard wedding feel high quality is to build your day around what the property already does well. Wine estates naturally support a longer aperitivo, good local pairing menus and a slower, social rhythm. This is one reason vineyard weddings often feel relaxed without losing elegance. If you want to cut costs without lowering quality, consider focusing your budget on catering and hospitality flow and keeping decor more minimal. The setting already provides structure and atmosphere.
Timing that works well for vineyards
Light and temperature are usually better later in the day, especially in summer. A late afternoon ceremony followed by aperitivo among the vines is often the easiest schedule for guest comfort and for photography. It also reduces the pressure to squeeze portraits into the middle of the day.
Practical questions to ask any vineyard or chateau venue
When you tour a place such as Château Le Rosey or any similar estate, these topics tend to save you stress later. Ask what is included in the rental and what is extra, including staffing, furniture, sound, and cleaning. Confirm where the dance floor would realistically fit. Check noise rules and the latest time music can play outdoors. Ask about access for vendors and where deliveries can be staged. Confirm parking capacity and whether a shuttle is recommended.
Château Le Rosey specifically mentions that it can support events with the caterer of your choice and that the property offers multiple reception spaces, including courtyards and gardens. This kind of flexibility is valuable, but it still helps to clarify what is standard versus custom in the final proposal.
Why this style of venue photographs well
From a photography perspective, vineyard and chateau weddings work because they offer consistency. You usually get a clean backdrop, open space for natural movement, and a strong sense of place without needing to travel. That makes the story of the day feel coherent. It is also easier to build a timeline with fewer interruptions.
A simple way to plan this type of wedding
If you want a straightforward structure, aim for one strong venue, a realistic guest count, a solid weather plan, and an unhurried aperitivo and dinner timeline. That combination is usually what turns a beautiful vineyard setting into a wedding day that feels easy to be in.
If you want, I can adapt this into a shorter version that sits above a Château Le Rosey gallery, with wording that matches your documentary photography tone.
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