Here's Why an Intimate Wedding Size Allows For Every Guest to Feel Spoiled!
"Whether planning and designing for 10 guests or 50, the goal is to leave guests feeling spoiled with thoughtfulness, love, and sharing together. No detail goes unnoticed. No experience is lost, and each guest is impeccably cared for, no matter who they are"... we couldn't agree more, Krissy! With COVID restrictions still being a major factor in 2021 weddings, it's important to remember the positives. Intimate weddings are a great way to have every one of your VIP's feel the most special. With personalized details to creative seating arrangements - the options are truly endless. Head on over to the full gallery from today's Villa Terrace shoot to get inspired, all take by Clary Pfeiffer Photography!
From Krissy Campbell... During this post-COVID lull in international travel, we’ve seeing couples searching for the perfect space for an intimate wedding while a destination celebration in Europe or otherwise is on hold. In response, we've begun the search stateside for the European-inspired timeless style and glamour that these sophisticated and thoughtful couples have hoped for in a wedding venue. In the process, we've discovered gems like the Villa Terrace that still give post-pandemic weddings a fresh take on the luxury, high-end experience. Based along the sparkling midwestern lakeshore of Wisconsin, the Villa, named Sopra Mare, or "above the sea" in Italian, transports guests to a new kind of destination celebration. One look through this stunning space and you're lost in the Italian Renaissance era and Mediterranean countryside right amid the urban-based Terrace Avenue. "It […] points away from the street, turning inward to its courtyard, terrace, and garden. It speaks of intimacy, subdued elegance and domesticity quite unlike anything else along Terrace Avenue," said the Friends of Villa Terrace.
Staring into the Renaissance Gardens from the Terrazzo Della Luna (Terrace of the Moon), this location begs to tell the story of a couple with love for travel and culture. A couple who desires to reflect their connection to the natural and European architecture while inspiring their wedding guests to discover for themselves perspectives and stories beyond their own - "to see from someone else's window"…to celebrate places and people that may surprise, challenge and inspire. Whether planning and designing for 10 guests or 50, the goal is to leave guests feeling "spoiled" with thoughtfulness, love, and sharing together. No detail goes unnoticed. No experience is lost, and each guest is impeccably cared for, no matter who they are. The moment the invitation hits the door, a window into the celebration space has been created. The color story and surroundings tell of the space and the soul of the anticipated experience. We wanted no less for this villa celebration as the invitation suite and handmade paper goods tied the soft warm tones of the Villa with the neutrals and cool romantic blue hues derived from the "wallpaper" room and hand-painted dressing room, where you see the bride spending a few quiet moments leading up to her celebration. The "wallpaper" room was quickly one of the first spaces we fell in love with for this lovely couple. It features stunning lake views, a carved limestone fireplace surround, and exuberant French wallpaper from the Zuber & Cie company.
Designed in 1832, the pattern of the room's wallpaper is Décor Chinois (Chinese decoration). The wallpaper is a wood-block print by 387 wooden boards carved the same year. The panoramic scene features 10 panels and utilizes 57 colors of ink. Zuber paper is still printed in this manner, and the paper maintains its status as a work of decorative art. You can see why this space is reflective of the thoughtfulness and artistic value that the couple has in creating an experience for themselves and their guests. Fittingly, we used the wallpaper pattern as a basis for the seating assignments for each one. A European-inspired space like a villa or estate has the detail, the history, and the romantic timelessness that is key to an opulent yet inspired celebration experience. We pulled from the space to choose stunning Anne Barge and Millia London gowns, which the bride wore at various times throughout her wedding day. The sleek and sophisticated Anne Barge gown and its accessories were the perfect style for the bride's ceremony attire. In contrast, the champagne Millia London gown made its debut on camera and graced her impeccably as the evening went on. The natural tones of the bride's makeup, classic hairstyle, and beautiful vintage rings spoke to the authenticity yet high-end aesthetic of the couple. The groom's attire flowed right alongside her as he wore a black tux without the vest as a showcasing of their bold yet straightforward approach to fashion and design. The ceremony and celebration itself drew inspiration from the natural surroundings of the gardens and villa courtyard. The stunning floral design had quite warm and neutral tones, subtle pops of deep blue berries, and meadow-like greens that sprung naturally from around the couple during the ceremony, in the bridal bouquet and dinner table arrangements. The floral movement and dynamic reflect the romance and strength of the couples' appreciation for natural beauty and delicate architecture and style. As the evening progressed beyond the sweet vows, applause and laughter resounded from the black-tie guests, a couple of which were also showcasing fashion-forward Millia London evening gowns. The moments beyond this were laced with details through and through…from cocktails in the terrace garden to the beautifully styled charcuterie, delicious menu (also listed on blind embossed paper nonetheless!), handwritten name cards, and toasts all around. The place settings were also designed to replicate the feeling of an elegant Renaissance-era meal with linen napkins cleanly placed at the left side of each delicate piece of china and silver flatware. The linen and place settings' simple and clean tones led the eye inwards and upwards to the floral design and conversation movement across the long banquet-style table. The dinner was wrapped up with cutting a delicious four-tiered cake with white chocolate pieces for another more modern yet clean detail. At the same time, macarons were another lovely nod to their tie to varieties of culture and cuisine. And as the sun went down, there's no more timeless way to capture love than in the flickering candlelight and moonlit sky. What better place to end the night as the couple's silhouettes danced on the terrace surrounded by their closest family and friends? All this said, despite this strange season, we look ahead at the incredible opportunities to find the places that give us space to reflect and capture a couple's story…to create bold statements in timeless strokes of beauty. Villa weddings both near and far help us re-envision the "new" post-pandemic celebration era, where thoughtful design, diversity, intimacy, and destination experiences are everything.
