Blooming Inspiration at a European Villa in California
Prior to designing, Vance Taylor Designs ultimately wanted to create a design that would be a true inspiration for couples who want to plan a European destination wedding close to home. With every decision they made, VTD came back to the question, “what is going to inspire people?” Beautifully captured through Redamancy Photo and Film’s lens, this European editorial does just that - arouses ideas for couples and vendors alike.
This inspiration wedding took place at Villa Del Sol D'Oro, a beautiful venue located near the Sierra Madre mountains. It's architecture was the perfect backdrop for a European getaway. It's build was inspired by a spectacular villa in Florence, which was rumored to have been designed by Michelangelo, himself. With cameos in many Hollywood movies, including Legally Blonde, The Princess Diaries, and more, not only does the villa offer a taste of Italy, it also ties in Southern California's luxurious history, too.
Procured from Lovely Bride, the dresses Selah wore were a beautiful mix of classic and modern. Her ceremony gown was from designer Rime Arodaky and demonstrated fine detailing and structured elegance. The dreamy puff sleeves and high slit were our favorite components! Her reception dress was a sleek romantic number from designer Alexandra Grecco. The sheer sleeves with floral vines incorporated the strong, natural florals present throughout their day.
The ceremony featured lush ground florals and a specialty arch, expertly arranged by Solstice bloom. When designing the editorial, florals were decidedly one of the key elements in creating a colorful European garden for guests to enjoy. A tablescape is one of the most important aspects, as it is the place your guests will spend the majority of their time. VTD chose to place the intimate tablescape on Villa Del Sol d'Oro’s outdoor terrace, tying in the signature archways with perfectly placed natural foliage. Solstice bloom produced the most beautiful bouncy compote arrangements. The blushes, creams, honey yellow, and darker mauves, complemented by a cool blue in the place settings, made for the perfect color palette. In addition, the details procured fromA Rental Connection offered an old world European aesthetic. The china had bold detailing on the rim and the vintage gold flatware had a rich, antique body. It was all brought together with the light blue polyester napkins and French bentwood chairs. VTD wanted to create a unique experience, tying in the florals from Selah and Griffin's ceremony with the stairway leading to their intimate reception. And, finally, cozy indoor fireplace arrangements were a great way to draw everyone inside to enjoy the final moments of Selah and Griffin's special day as the sun began to set.
Our favorite tip for incorporating destination elements into your local wedding is to find the cultural details you're most drawn to - those intentional aspects that make that special place so unique - and incorporate them into your day. For example, we opted to style Cat Lauren Calligraphy's stationery with statue replicas, which paid tribute to the old world beauty found in Europe.
