All you need to know about a lavender elopement by the lavender elopement expert. Where to go, when is the best time and how much does it cost for an elopement, couple photoshoot, proposal or engagement photoshoot in French lavender fields - Pros, Cons and 5 tops tips!
Dreaming of a picturesque elopement in the enchanting lavender fields of France? You came to the right place. We are the lavender elopement expert and in this blog post, we will get into the nitty gritty details behind the allure of eloping amidst the fragrant blooms of French lavender fields starting with the top five tips you should consider when planning a elopement, photoshoot or proposal in a French lavender field.
Top 5 Tips
for elopement in lavender field
Pros
Imagine exchanging vows surrounded by vibrant purple hues, breathing in the intoxicating scent of lavender, and basking in warmth of the idyllic French countryside. French lavender fields offer a truly magical setting for an intimate elopement and the pictures will be ah-ma-zing.
Cons
It can be complicated and more expensive than you think unless you have done your research and have a good plan. Luckily Travellur has done ALL the research and has the BEST plan.
Photos by Julie Paisley
You may know that Travellur is a European destination wedding specialist advising couples about which destination is best for what they want, which planners and vendors match their vision or providing venue search to find the perfect backdrop for their celebration. You may not know that we have an obsession for lavender and that’s no hyperbole. This rare combination of obsession and specialization has resulted in super niche knowledge useful to only a handful of interested parties which includes you.
So happy you are here.
When
is the best time to elope in a lavender field?
Lavender blooms from late June to August and bloom times depend on the microclimate and altitude of the field and the weather and can vary widely from year to year. The lower the altitude, the earlier the bloom and the hotter the field. Conversely, the higher the altitude, the later the bloom and it’s not as hot. Check our fun lavenderland map below to see where the fields are blooming when.
I would say last week of June, first week of July is prime lavender time in the areas you are most likely to go. Before then, the flowers are not fully open and after that farmers could start harvesting and the fields are heartbreakingly bald. We have a lavender hotline direct to farmers in various regions giving us real-time reportage on the situation on the ground, so we can adjust the location in case the weather changes the bloom time. In terms of time of day, I would recommend late afternoon, which in June is 6pm-8pm or early morning, 6am-8am for the prettiest light. But, of course, you have to consider which way the sun is rising or setting in relation to the rows of lavender and what landscape feature is edging the field in the direction you are shooting. Lovely far away mountains with some, but not too much, sky is the ideal background. Horrid nuclear power plant background, less ideal. Best to re-con all that before the big day. Afternoons in Valensole can be incredibly hot and heat stroke is a real danger. If heat sensitivity is an issue, go for a higher field or do it in the morning before life gets too hot.
Photo by Claire Macintyre
Where
to do an elopement in a lavender field?
The best known fields are in Valensole and they are gorgeous. However, they are hours away from hotels, towns and facilities and they are crowded with busloads of tourists in the late afternoon when the light is good and it's cool enough for a pleasant event. Midday temperatures can be as high as 115F. The isolated location means that all vendors like celebrant, make-up artist, photographer, videographer, etc… must be brought in from far away and stay at a hotel nearby at your expense. The bus loads of tourists in the late afternoon mean you have to do the business at dawn. Sunrise in the summer is as early as 5:45am which means hair and makeup starts at 3am which in addition to being cringe for the bride, means that the make-up artist will probably have a surcharge, usually about one and a half her usual rate, because of the early start. This gets expensive and complicated and is the kind of stuff you don’t think of when you are being swept away by the romance of a beautiful photo of a couple frolicking in a lavender field. But we know because we’ve done it before.
Which is why Travellur does our lavender elopements and couples photoshoots in the ideal lavender field we found on a high plateau where it's much cooler, with the perfect mountain/sky backdrop, next to a stunning castle with gastronomic restaurant and it’s all 30 minutes drive from the train station so it's all half the price and logistically sensible.
Provence Lavender Fields
elopements, couples photoshoots and proposals
My lavender mania started back in 2012 and every summer since then I invested time in driving madly all across lavenderland finding the best fields, with the perfect backgrounds, where the rows going in the right direction and are well groomed by their owners, checking nearby amenities, staying at all the hotels, eating at the restaurants (in this case I really took a few for the team), checking the quality of the croquembouche (traditional French wedding cake) at the local bakeries, timing actual driving distances between hotels, fields and airports, rechecking each field each year to verify it’s still good and gathering a network of vendors who are close to the action. The result: I know what I’m talking about.
We got this:
Compiling a more than a decade of lavender field research, Travellur has determined the best fields for elopements, couples photoshoot and proposals. Fields of lovely lavender that are not so hot, have zero bus loads of tourists, that you have entirely to yourself all day and night, where the make-up artist can drive there in an hour so doesn’t need to spend the night at your expense, where you’ll sleep in a plush bed with a view of the fields in a newly renovated castle hotel with gastronomy chef and peaceful infinity pool. 2024 prices for the castle tower room, a duplex with a private terrace with views of the fields from the crenulated tower is around 1450€ for three nights. The cost of vendors like celebrant, make-up artist, photographer, videographer would depend on which one you choose. We provide a shortlist of trusted local vendors that are familiar with the location with our planning service package.
We are not the photographer who did a beautiful shoot in a lavender field or the wedding planner who agrees it would be a great idea. We are the experts who those guys call when they get a request for something in a lavender field. All the photos in this blog are elopements and photoshoots we’ve done recently. What’s more, we can plan your entire trip from the moment you touch down in France including visits to Paris, other parts of france and epic European honeymoons.
Travellur understands that every couple is unique, and we go above and beyond to create personalized elopements that reflect your individual style and preferences. From selecting the perfect ceremony spot to arranging romantic accommodations, and suggesting vendors who match your vibe, Travellur will curate an experience that is truly yours. Planning an elopement can be overwhelming, especially in a foreign country. Travellur takes the stress out of the process by handling all the logistics, including transportation, and vendor coordination. Our meticulous attention to detail ensures a seamless and stress-free experience for you and your beloved.
Contact us today for your lavender field elopement, couples photoshoot or proposal.
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All photos copyrighted.
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