Amélie & Kevin and their guests, dressed formally for their wedding at the Ferme Saint-Anne in Langres, are happily blowing soap bubbles indoors, with the focus on the sparkling bubbles and everyone’s delighted expressions.

Kevin and Amélie, Secular Ceremony at the Ferme Sainte-Anne in Langres


HAUTE-MARNE · 2025

KEVIN AND AMÉLIE, A SECULAR CEREMONY AT THE SAINTE-ANNE FARM IN LANGRES



Kevin and Amélie finally got married in 2025. “Finally,” because Kevin had already been a best man four times, and this time it was finally his turn (see below). As for me, I’d already had him as my best man twice, so this is the third wedding I’ve photographed within their circle of friends. I know the faces, some of the inside jokes, and how the parties will unfold. There’s something special about working with a group where everyone already knows each other: a sense of trust that lets you be exactly where you need to be, without having to go out of your way to blend in.

I also knew before I arrived that the day would end at Ferme Sainte-Anne. I got married there, under those very same trees. I can see them from my window. It’s a place that means a great deal to me.

In August, the Haute-Marne is beautiful. About a hundred guests, including some thirty children, two ceremonies, and a group of friends determined to make it a memorable occasion.

A man in a blue suit stands inside the Ferme Sainte-Anne, near Langres, holding a handwritten sign in French about serving as a wedding witness on multiple occasions, complete with checkboxes and handwritten details—perfect for a secular ceremony.
SAINTE-ANNE FARM

A charming estate at the foot of the ramparts of Langres. A natural, sloping orchard, a vaulted stone hall, an on-site guesthouse, and spacious outdoor areas. This is where I got married myself.

ADDRESS

Sainte-Anne Farm · Langres · 52200 Haute-Marne

gite-sainteanne.fr

@fermesteannelangres

STRENGTHS
  • Secular Ceremony in a Natural Orchard
  • View of the ramparts of Langres
  • On-site lodging (vacation rental)
  • A stone-vaulted room for the evening
  • Spacious outdoor areas
  • Up to 80–100 adults at a reception

Under Amélie's Parents' Linden Tree

I arrive at Amélie’s parents’ house mid-morning. There’s that quiet moment before everything gets going: the introductory session, a few portraits, some time to settle in. Their garden has an old linden tree that dominates the space and brings back childhood memories for Amélie.

Kevin is there with the witnesses, all dressed in suits. They’re laughing under the trees. It’s the start of a long day, and everyone knows it, but the emotions are already running very, very high.


The Mother Who Says Yes

The town hall in Orbigny-au-Val is a small village near Langres. The room is packed: 80 adults and 35 children. Amélie’s mother is the deputy mayor, and she’s presiding over the ceremony. She holds the document on the wooden table, with Kevin and Amélie standing across from her. The look they share at one point is the kind of thing you can’t stage. The kind of moment you want to remember for the rest of your life—and pass on to your children.

The kids, by the way, are moving around, whispering, and getting up. It’s joyful and a little chaotic. Everything I love. Everything that matters.


The Orchard That Brings People Together

In the middle of the afternoon, on a mild summer day, everyone gathered under the orchard at Ferme Sainte Anne for the non-religious ceremony. That orchard, of course, is where I got married in June 2023, on the most beautiful day of my life. And every day, from the office where I’m writing these words, I can see it.

The slight slope of the terrain allows the bride and groom to see everyone’s faces. Behind them, cows graze in the meadow, and the ramparts of Langres are visible in the distance. The secular ceremony at Ferme Sainte-Anne has a setting that speaks for itself.

Kevin’s brother presides from a wooden podium, with the guests seated in evening attire around him. His stress, just as he’s about to speak, is palpable. And yet, he masterfully weaves words and silences together to lead a beautiful ceremony. He’s really stressed. . The ceremony has two distinct tones, and both are just right. The emotional moment comes when the couple’s daughter speaks: in a lavender dress, a white bouquet in her hand, and her words brimming with emotion. I’m not the only one with stinging eyes. The bursts of laughter, meanwhile, come from bananas, Yu-Gi-Oh! cards, or vials of Limoncello that appear at just the right moment.

There’s also Kevin and Amélie’s godson. Now a teenager, he was the reason they met—on the day of his baptism. I’m not sure if he remembered it at the time, but today, there’s little doubt that he’ll ever forget his role in the ceremony.

Kevin's brother at the wooden podium, guests seated in evening attire, secular ceremony at Ferme Sainte-Anne
Guests wearing heart-shaped sunglasses, reception at Ferme Sainte-Anne in Langres

The C3, the Magician, and the Reception

The reception at Ferme Sainte-Anne features several distinct areas. Guests move freely between them. Small groups form and break up; not everyone is crammed into the same spot. That’s exactly what makes it possible to truly personalize your reception.

The surprise of the day: the groom’s witnesses arrived in an old Citroën C5 with the front right door stuck shut and a 50 x 70 photo of Kevin taped to the hood—a photo I’d taken at a previous wedding. I felt a little proud. As for the C5, it’s just a hair’s breadth away from passing its vehicle inspection: with brakes, a door that opens, turn signals, and a few bulbs to replace, and we should be good to go. Amélie loves the gift.

Heart-shaped sunglasses make their debut. Amélie is lifted into the air by friends while the guests, wearing colorful hats, watch. The DJ performs magic tricks among the trays of canapés.


The witnesses' Citroën C3 with the door open; Kevin and Amélie's wedding at Ferme Sainte-Anne
Amélie and Kevin share a romantic kiss in the garden of the Ferme Saint-Anne in Langres, surrounded by greenery and lush trees on their wedding day.

Bubbles, mini-basketball, and slippery tiles

Guests arrive at the evening event amid a shower of soap bubbles. Kevin and Amélie walk through the door, with guests blowing bubbles all around them. Visually, it’s magnificent. But liters of soap on the tile floor—that’s a whole different story.

The evening takes place beneath the vaulted stone ceilings adorned with string lights at Ferme Sainte-Anne. The activities are tailor-made: Amélie is good at tennis, and Kevin is a basketball fan. There’s a mini-court and a mini-hoop. Amélie gets ready to shoot, while Kevin and the guests cheer from beneath the arches. A contest for just about everything.

That’s always what makes a great party: when the entertainment is about the bride and groom, people really get into it. Kevin and Amélie are a perfect example of that.

Amélie kisses Kevin on the cheek—a tender moment between the newlyweds—wedding in Langres

Our wedding photos capture how we felt on that special day… emotion, laughter, celebration, and love!

Amélie


Any questions?

The orchard at Ferme Sainte-Anne has a gentle natural slope that allows all guests to see the bride and groom without having to stand up. Behind the ceremony area, the view extends to the ramparts of Langres and the surrounding fields. It’s a setting that’s both intimate and open, requiring no additional decor. For a non-religious ceremony in Haute-Marne, the space is ideal: no restrictions tied to a place of worship, pleasant natural acoustics, and late-afternoon light that sets the mood perfectly.

I usually arrive before the preparations begin, at the couple’s home or their family’s home, and I stay until the evening. I’m often there for 10 to 12 hours. At Ferme Sainte-Anne, I’m very familiar with the light at different times of day, the angles, and the available spaces. This allows me to be in the right spot just as the key moments unfold. The photos are delivered via a private online gallery within a few weeks of the wedding, with unlimited access for as long as you’d like.

Yes, and that’s one of the venue’s real strengths. The outdoor spaces are large enough for children to move around freely without disrupting the ceremony or the reception. The orchard provides shade, and the grounds are accessible. For Kevin and Amélie, there were 35 children among the guests, and everything went smoothly. That’s the advantage of a venue with plenty of open space.

Amélie and Kevin kiss outdoors at their wedding, while a young girl in a pink dress wraps her arms around them from behind on the grassy field at Ferme Saint-Anne in Langres.

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Oliver, Wedding photographer

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