STORY | HEEMSKERK

A Spring Wedding at Landgoed Marquette

By Aleksandria Rudenko | Published 28 October 2026

Bride and groom in the sun on the lawn of Landgoed Marquette, the castle and its tall stair tower rising behind them

This wedding at Landgoed Marquette began in empty rooms and ended in front of a gilded mirror. Selin and Emre came from Turkey to marry at the castle in Heemskerk, with their two closest friends.

Heemskerk lies near the coast, northwest of Amsterdam, so this day is one of my photoshoots across the Netherlands. Selin had chosen the estate for its rooms, and Emre for its garden.

Landgoed Marquette in the Early Spring Sun

I arrived early, because I like to see the rooms while they are still quiet. Marquette Castle is mostly an 18th-century house, but its tall stair tower is far older. On the lawn, the trees were still bare, a white goose wandered past and the sky was deep blue.

Landgoed Marquette in early spring: the castle and its stair tower under a deep blue sky, bare trees and a white goose on the lawn — Marquette Castle and its old stair tower, early April

Inside, the ceremony room was ready, with rows of red chairs under a crystal chandelier. Before anyone arrived, I photographed the small things of a wedding at Landgoed Marquette. A gilded table held red tulips beside a pink velvet chair, and an old mirror caught the chandelier.

A tiered stone fountain in the courtyard of Landgoed Marquette, the red brick tower rising above the white facade

Rows of red chairs set out for a wedding ceremony under a crystal chandelier, tall windows framed by orange curtains

Gilded table with a white marble top, a pink velvet chair and red tulips in a glass vase against floral wallpaper

A pink velvet chair with a carved gilded frame and a round pink cushion, floral wallpaper softly blurred behind it

An ornate gilded mirror reflecting a glowing chandelier and an old clock in a dim, warm room of the castle

From the Fireplace to the Ballroom

Selin waited in a light room with a marble fireplace, her veil spread far across the wooden floor. When Emre came in, they first stood side by side for a while and simply smiled. I stayed back, so those first minutes belonged to them.

Bride in an off-shoulder gown and a long lace-edged veil smiling by a marble fireplace, white calla lilies in her hands

Groom in a navy suit and blue tie taking the bride's hand by the marble fireplace on their wedding day at Marquette

Bride and groom side by side in front of the marble fireplace and a gilded mirror, smiling on their wedding day at Marquette

Then we moved slowly from window to window. Beside a red damask curtain, Selin rested her head against his cheek. Later, Emre sat on a deep windowsill next to a vase almost as tall as she is. She leaned in until their foreheads touched.

Bride resting her head against the groom's cheek beside a red damask curtain and a wall panel painted with flowers

Groom in round glasses sitting on a deep windowsill while the bride leans on his shoulder under her sheer veil

Bride and groom touching foreheads on a windowsill beside a tall cream vase, soft daylight on her veil, at Landgoed Marquette

Behind the scenes in the light rooms of the castle

The ballroom feels like another world, with dark red walls, gilded mirrors and a grand piano. Here the light came from one tall arched window and the chandelier above it. So I placed the couple against the glass, and they turned into soft silhouettes.

Bride laughing in the groom's arms in the ballroom of Landgoed Marquette, dark red walls and a chandelier glowing behind

Close silhouettes of the bride and groom face to face at a tall window, the green garden bright behind the glass

A golden chandelier above the couple silhouetted at an arched window in the ballroom at Landgoed Marquette, a grand piano to the left — The ballroom, with its chandelier and arched window

In the ballroom, between two frames

Lace Socks and Coffee in the Garden

Outside, the April sun was bright and the grass was short and green. When Selin lifted her dress to cross the lawn, I spotted gray lace socks above her heels. Of course, I kept that frame. In the garden with the old fountain, she draped her veil over Emre’s head, and soon after, they both put on sunglasses.

Gray lace socks and pale pink heels peeking out from under a white wedding dress, standing on the short green grass

Bride draping her long veil over the groom as he sits on a garden chair, a stone fountain and box hedges behind them

Bride and groom in sunglasses laughing in the garden of Landgoed Marquette, her hand playfully under his chin

Their two friends joined us for coffee at a small table in the sun, with red tulips in a glass. Then the cups went up for a toast, and the laughter came by itself.

Bride and groom raising small coffee cups at a sunny garden table with red tulips, laughing at each other

Two friends in dark dresses toasting with coffee cups with the bride and groom at a high table in the castle garden — Coffee in the castle garden, in bright spring sun

Back Inside Landgoed Marquette

In the library, Emre crossed the big red carpet in one leap, with Selin’s hand still in his. After that, I made a few quiet portraits of him by a window. Finally, the two of them posed among floral walls, beside a tall gilded mirror.

Groom leaping across the red carpet of the library at Landgoed Marquette, holding the bride's hand as she laughs

Groom in round glasses and a navy suit touching his dotted blue tie, a white rose on his lapel and a framed print behind

Wedding portrait at Landgoed Marquette: the groom seated on an antique chair, the bride beside him by a gilded mirror

The last frame of their wedding at Landgoed Marquette shows the four of them, the friends laughing on either side.

Bride and groom with two friends in front of a gilded mirror and floral wallpaper, the end of their Landgoed Marquette wedding

Before we said goodbye, I took one more picture with my phone, and the mirror behind them caught me too.

Bride, groom and two friends smiling by a tall gilded mirror, which reflects a woman raising her phone with a camera in hand

Planning a wedding in a castle outside the city? Discover where my photoshoots across the Netherlands take me.