ben first contacted me about his wedding about a year before the actual event. this was a groom who absolutely adored his bride, and wanted to make sure every little detail for the wedding was perfect for her. it was also important to them to have their personalities shine through the wedding.
he began by telling me they wanted a goth wedding. to be honest i wasn't quite sure what to say. i immediately pictured a bride wearing a black wedding dress with heavy black eye makeup walking down the aisle next to black flower arrangements with really loud music playing. before i could say "that's really not the kind of work we do", ben proceeded to explain his definition of goth.
what he was really looking for was a classic 19th century look with a modern edge to it; think excessive wax dripping over the edge of candles, ornate candelabras, tightly packed european arrnagements of solid blown open roses, luxurious linens, gold accents and wax seals. instead of the dark, cold and very black wedding i was initially picturing, they really wanted something light, warm and inviting.
even though turning a dark portico/ parking garage into an elegant wedding venue was a bit of a challenge, i loved the outcome of this 19th century inspired, classic goth wedding that ben and china commissioned me to design.
michele m waite is the photographer for these amazing photos.
the dress
china chose the most incredible vera wang gown for her wedding. although this strapless, princess seamed dress, constructed of silk peau de soi, was simple in the front, it featured a dramatic train formed of tiered gathered tulle and was crowned with an oversized bow. china was absolutely stunning.
the bouquet
we wanted to make china distinctive, so despite the champagne and ivory tone on tone color pallete we chose for the decor, china carried a bouquet i arranged with 'black magic' roses and wrapped with a satin ribbon.
the ceremony decor
we began the portico makeover by having the entire room draped with raw silk . Although transforming a room with draped fabric can be quite expensive, it was an essential component if we were going to make this an elegant affair.
we kept the ceremony decor simple, because we were going to have to flip the entire room very quickly for the reception. the aisles were lined with water filled glass cylinder vases of varying heights that floated gold and ivory candles. rose petals filled in the gaps between the cylinders. the chuppah (the traditional jewish canopy that the wedding vows are exchanged under) was constructed of simple wood poles that we covered with thick clumps of 'vendela' roses and topped with a brown and gold woven silk gauze. a program was laid on each chiavari chair for subtle detailing throughout the room. the orange tint of the light bulbs in the chandelier cast a candle lit glow creating a warm ambience.
the reception
we had an hour to flip the ceremony into the reception. the room flip included cleaning up from the ceremony, setting up tables, laying down the linens, decorating each table, putting out each place setting and lighting hundreds of candles. needless to say, we had our hands full that evening.
brown and gold woven silk gauze was puddled down the length of each table. 'vendela' rose arrangements of dfferent sizes were randomly placed inbetween the hundreds of dripping pillar candles. place cards and menus closed shut with a red wax seal greated guests at each place setting. brittany of dolce design was the artist behind all of the beautiful stationery elements.
the reception space was formed with rectangular tables placed end to end forming long banquet style seating. we also alternated massive sized arrangements (each constructed with sixteen dozen roses) and vintage inspired candelabras to fill empty space and offering dramtic height into the room.
i love this picture of china walking arround before any of the guests were let into the room for dinner. she was so delighted as she walked to each table, taking in every detail. seeing how happy she was made all of the hard work more than worth it.
as do many of our couples, ben and china hosted a dessert buffet for their guests, the centerpiece of which was their wedding cake. this couture cake, draped in fondant and decorated with swags and hand made sugar paste flowers was crafted by the incredibly talented bonnie of new renaissance cakes. it was the perfect compliment to the look and feel of the entire evening and echoed all of the other design elements.
ben and china, you are a wonderful couple and i loved bringing your style to life by transforming your space into the classic goth wedding you were dreaming of. china, you were so beautiful that day, carrying yourself with such poise and feminine confidence. ben, you are so good to china, and it was a privillege to work with a groom that showed his love and devotion for his fiance through meticulously planning every detail to be just what she wanted it to be. i hope your love for one another continues to grow deeper and you enjoy a long and happy marriage.