From event designer, Shannon:
For Sylvie Gil’s 2018 workshop, we were really inspired by the idea of bringing fine art into a wedding – specifically French fine art from the Renaissance period. In our research, we became very interested in the work of Primavera by Botteceili. Primavera means Spring, and being that the workshop was in April, we thought this was very fitting. There is something about Primavera that also feels bridal. We found a beautiful setting behind a classically-inspired statue that we thought was very fitting to our theme.
For the color palette, we chose to work with golden tones. We knew we could use varying depths of this palette throughout the days of the workshop to create varied looks. The use of the russet colored settee in the formal pictures of the bride and groom was a perfect way to bridge the nod to the Renaissance period with the modern world feel of the bride in her tea length dress.
For the welcome dinner, we chose a tonal look of reds and yellows, we affectionally called it the “ketchup and mustard” palette. We wanted to bring in spring bulbs and trays of pears and fresh fruits, along with flowing flower arrangements, to echo the bounty of an outdoor seasonal dinner at the chateau.
The ceremony was a stroke of genius by Kristen. I loved her idea of placing the ceremony in the center of the church to create a ceremony in the round with flowers and greenery adorning the space. The inspiration came from the color of the writing that was etched into the stone walls of the church and the stunning Naeem Khan dress. The bridal look was completed by a modern interpretation of Botteceili’s Primavera in the hair and makeup styling.
Working in France with such a wonderful team of creatives was truly inspiring; it was so much fun to be pushed creatively in a new direction.
