We’re celebrating the most special wedding on the blog today. Join us for the marriage of Zita’We’re celebrating the most special wedding on the blog today. Join us for the marriage of Zita’s son and Laura’s brother Alvaro, to his beloved Lisanne. Enjoy our first instalment, detailing the ceremony, and check back soon for images of the equally magical reception.
Zita dreamt up the entire wedding concept. The event was planned in minute detail, in consultation with the bride and groom. Naturally Zita also designed the floral arrangements. She worked with Laura, who now manages the business, on all aspects of the aesthetic concept and delivery. Laura was also one of the bridesmaids, of course.
The Venue
The extraordinary frescoes that adorn the ceilings at Schloss Weißenstein were Zita’s primary inspiration for this fairytale palace wedding. The main staircase ceiling at the Schloss was especially significant. It was painted in 1713 by Swiss artist Johann Rudolf Byss. This epic fresco shows the four continents that were known at that time, in a resplendent scene framing Apollo and his sun wagon. The colours encompass a subtle natural palette enhanced by rich highlights, another inspiration evidently reflected in the wedding theme.
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The Dress
Lisanne’s dress design was by Louise Selby and features a bodice hand embroidered by Zita. She used her celebrated floral embroidery technique. The soft lilac and creamy white shades of fresh delphiniums define the upper section of the dress. They also decorate the base and top of the sleeves and float dreamily down the skirt and train. A romantic floral headdress crowns the whole ensemble, holding Lisanne’s delicate veil in place.
The Flowers
The bride’s bouquet illuminates the pastel tones of the dress’ natural flower bodice with dashes of pure white sweet peas, blended with café au lait dahlias. These combine with palest pink astilbe, spray roses and achillea, together with more delphiniums, to form an exquisite tapestry of gossamer and lacelike textures. Coral Butterfly ranunculi accent the bridesmaids’ bouquets picking out the vibrant tones of the bridesmaids’ dresses. These were individually created from a single large roll of fabric. Laura’s dress was also custom designed by Louise Selby.
The enveloping floral palette and its painterly shades continue outside. Here foxtail lilies and wild grasses add height and a touch of natural drama. These arrangements lead up the stairs of the palace’s chapel to sculpted sandstone urns, brimful of locally foraged and cultivated foliage and blooms. Both exterior and interior decorations are perfectly offset by the building’s elegant light-grey to white sandstone structure.
Freshly Foraged
Peaches and pinks underscore the warmth in the finely etched gold detailing and ancient wooden pews in the chapel. Schloss Weißenstein’s gardens are edged by woodlands which also belong to the Schönborn family. Zita, Alvaro and his best man Alexander foraged for beech tree branches and other greenery to use in the flower arrangements, notably in the chapel.
The Art
Schloss Weißenstein houses one the largest private Baroque art collections in Germany. This includes pieces by Dürer, Gentileschi and Rembrandt, to name but a few. Some of these could be glimpsed as the wedding guests made their way through the palace to the wedding ceremony.
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The Stationery
The wedding stationery was created by Nadia from Nadia Chin Studio. She took a historic copperplate engraving of Schloss Weißenstein as her inspiration. This was embellished with vintage style lettering. Nadia also designed a custom logo for the couple, which was applied to wax seals. The antique landscape print of the palace adds a luxurious touch to the inside of the envelopes. These, as well as the invitations, use a sophisticated pale grey coupled with a touch of contrasting pastel pink.
A Match Made in Heaven
As is customary with Zita’s designs the entire concept right down to the tiniest detail breathes beauty, harmony and sensibility. It’s a perfect hommage to the calm composure and grace of the beautiful bridal couple.
Congratulations Lisanne and Alvaro! Wishing you happiness, health and prosperity forever after.
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The Dream Team
Wedding planning and design:Â Zita Elze
Venue: Schloss Weißenstein, Pommersfelden, Oberfranken, Germany. This stunning location was also used as the backdrop for Netflix’s The Empress, which coincidentally aired two weeks after Lisanne and Alvaro’s wedding.
Wedding dress: Zita Elze XÂ Louise Selby
Stationery: Nadia from Nadia Chin Studio
Photography:Â Catherine Mead
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Wedding Styling
To conclude part 1 of our fairytale story, you might like to explore Zita’s celebrated wedding design classes. These cover everything from bridal bouquets through to entire event concepts. Search across the site using the Flower School category to see past students’ work. Alternatively you might want to check upcoming courses in London, with both Zita and Laura teaching at the ZE Flower School.
Wedding Gallery:
Lastly, but not least, for more delightful images from Lisanne and Alvaro’s enchanting wedding day, have a scroll through the gallery below.