How to Have a European Inspired Wedding Anywhere

Christine Diaz
July 11, 2017
Categories: Photo Shoot
Tags: Inspiration Session, Styled Shoot

From the English garden to the to the lavender-lined driveway reminiscent of Provence, you’d never know this wedding inspiration dreamed up by Swoon Floral Design and Sweetlife Photography took place in the Pacific Northwest. I love each and every thought-filled, European-inspired detail – the bistro chairs for the ceremony seating, the stunning hand drawing of the venue, the gold-rimmed dinnerware, and the classic Lotus Elan getaway car. If you were looking for a European getaway this week, look no further.

From Swoon Floral Design and Sweetlife Photography… Our initial inspiration for this shoot was the idea of a couple walking through the quiet, tiled streets of a European city, just the two of them walking hand in hand, and surrounded by grand architecture.

Our goal was to demonstrate how to have a European inspired wedding anywhere, and when we first visited Monet Vineyards in Brush Prairie, Washington, we knew this was the perfect venue to bring our vision to life. The owner, visionary, and master landscaper behind Monet Vineyards is Luisa DePaiva, a sweet and generous soul who grew up in Portugal and spent most of her life experiencing various European cultures. When she moved to the Pacific Northwest, she decided to build her dream home – a unique fusion of her European background. From the English garden, to the imported French door locks, to the lavender-lined driveway reminiscent of Provence, what Luisa has accomplished at this stunning property is nothing short of incredible and truly brings a bit of genuine Europe to the Pacific Northwest like no other venue in the area has.

We wanted the color palette of this shoot to be neutral, all while mixing warm and cool tones. We love the juxtaposition of warm ivories, buttery yellows, and cool grays against the texture of marble. Swoon Floral Design’s vision for the table was clean, inviting, and elegant. She loved the contrast between the gorgeous gold rimmed dinnerware and the gray linen. The centerpieces were full of garden roses, peonies, hellebore, and blueberries, just to name a few. For the ceremony vignette, Swoon decided to keep it simple as the backdrop of the estate is so regal by itself with its grand imported front doors and lush green ivy. We used stylish bistro chairs for seating, and white garden urns filled with seasonal greens and white floral flanked the couple as they exchanged vows.

Classic Vintage Rentals provided many elegant pieces for this shoot that tied perfectly into the European story we wanted to tell. From the vanity to the plush sofa and chairs, we love how each piece added character and a richness to the vignette. The cake table featured a statement cake in the center and two smaller cakes on each side. Rosycakes brought a marble design into the cake – the perfect bit of texture. Our calligrapher, Rachel Jacobson, added the French quote by Victor Hugo, “Life is a flower of which love is the honey.” The stationery was perfectly sophisticated, with a stunning hand drawing of the venue. Rachel Jacobson also created place cards and a banner for the getaway car to round out all of the beautiful, European-inspired details.

For the wedding attire, we wanted to convey the kind of style and elegance you’d expect to see at a refined, European estate wedding. “Leigh” by Nicole Miller from The English Department gave us exactly the look we dreamt of, and a traditional tuxedo from The Black Tux gave our Groom the right amount of class and sophistication. For the getaway dress, we wanted to capture a bit of playfulness and imagined a separate top and skirt. Claire la Faye’s “Spellbound” top and “Amour” skirt fit the bill perfectly. Our Bride’s hair by Cassandra Kennedy Beauty had a carefree and romantic feel with loose, natural texture. Her makeup was subtle and fresh with a sheer wash of Bordeaux on the eyes. The look was finished with a stunning vintage diamond ring from Trumpet & Horn.

And lastly our getaway car, a classic Lotus Elan from the UK, provided the perfect ending to the story we hoped to tell. We chose this particular car for its small European-size, and of course, its green color that matched the ivy on the estate perfectly.