Luxury French Riviera Wedding Venue
Ultimate Wedding Collection French Riviera Wedding Venue
If you have been following us on social media you have noticed that we spent a good amount of time in the south of France last summer and can’t stop talking about it since. Well, that’s correct and for very good reason. It’s incredible! We were on a mission to find the next locations for the Ultimate Wedding Collection, the ultra luxe wedding packages we offer at select properties with a dream team of vendors already on board. And as we’ve admitted, we tend to not keep up with blogging when we get uber busy but we are finally sharing these jaw-dropping venue photos with you taken by the talented Tony Gigov of Austria who I met last spring when I taught a design workshop in Amsterdam.
Our friends over at Venuelust helped put a fire under our butt to show off these Cote d’Azur Wedding Venue gems that we’ve been holding onto a bit too tight so starting with Cap Estel, let me help you dream! Starting with our favorite luxury French Riviera wedding venue, let’s begin!
Cap Estel, located at Eze Bord de Mer (just minutes from Monaco), is an ultra posh 5 star hotel offering unparalleled location, scenery and service. Having hosted guests from Madonna to JFK to Bono, this exclusive property has seen many a fabulous fête. With offerings including a 180-degree view of the Mediterranean, 28 luxurious villas and suites, a Michelin-starred chef and its own private beach, it’s easy to see why Cap Estel has become such a sought after destination for jetsetters and trendsetters alike.
The hotel itself was transformed from a Russian prince’s private villa into a luxurious hotel in the 1950s. Estel has an expansive yet secluded lawn, infinity pool, full service spa, gym, outdoor grill lounge and private beach. The amazing attractiveness doesn’t stop with these features. The clean, crisp and luxurious interior design or the decadent Michelin star meals add to the allure of Cap Estel. The location, near Nice and Monaco, will make is easy for your esteemed guests to get to this luxurious Mediterranean paradise quickly and easily.
Did we mention Madonna’s manager wed there last summer? With Madonna, Bono and Elton John as guests, we think this villa fits the premier standing.
The crisp, clean white on white decor is perfect for a French Riviera wedding venue and just our style. Turning this villa into your and your guests private abode. 
Find an open, expansive lawn with 28* unobstructed ocean views in the South of France is like finding a lottery ticket, so you can imagine how valuable this location is! Not to mention, a dream to design upon.
From your private indoor dining hall, theater and wine cellar, you truly never have to leave. 
A full service underground spa, pool and fitness room lies below the villa at sea level to relax and revive in. 
Stay tuned for our next post where we’ll be showing, and describing in detail, exactly what our dream vision would be for ourselves, or our clients here at Cap Estel.
Photos Tony Gigov
See Ultimate Wedding Collection for details on this location.
Read More »Modern Luxe Mexican Wedding
Modern Glam lakside Mexico Wedding Mascota
When Karoll first contacted me about her wedding I had no idea what it would turn into. A year and a few trips to Puerto Vallarta later, we created one of the most spectacular weddings I had the honor of being a part of. Tucked into the tropical rain forest inland of Puerto Vallarta at one of her family’s resorts, Karoll and Carlos got married in a chapel inspired by the local monastery her dad, the former mayor of Puerto Vallarta, had built with the hopes that one day his two daughters would wed there. His dream came true.
After taking one last carriage ride with her dad around the lake Karoll, clad in Monique Lhuillier was wed to a dapper Carlos styled in Dolce & Gabana in the open aired chapel with the tropical rain forest as their backdrop.
Guests were treated to beautiful displays of charcuterie including iberico ham and imported cheeses on custom wood and chrome tables we had made and sipped cocktails from a massive round bar that surrounded the trunk of an ancient tree.
After the cocktail hour, guests entered the grandiose tent draped in dove grey sheer fabric and lit by custom built crystal chandeliers and edition bulbs. A runway worthy dancefloor of black and white stripes stretched the length of the tent that led up to the stage where the brides favorite band, an electronic orchestra Telefunka, played.
Being in the hotel industry definitely had its perks when it came to the catering. We brought in the family’s hotels best chefs to create a five course dinner including foie gras, oxtail soup, passion fruit sorbet intermezzo and kobe wage filet followed by desserts.
After dinner the guests were invited outside to enjoy a huge firework display while Telefunka played the bride and groom’s favorite song in the background. After dinner the chapel had been transformed into outdoor lounges where we offered cognac’s and hand rolled cigars with the couples monogram.
For an impact-full dessert display we designed a candy-striped wall with oversized flowers as the backdrop for a huge array of chocolate truffles, boxed macarons and confections which flanked a beautiful white petal wedding cake. The best moment was when the petite bride had to stand on a chair to be able to cut the cake!
The partying crowd turned up the volume and danced into the wee hours of the night, finally slowing down after the 5am late night snack of tortas ahogadas.
Karoll & Carlos’ Love Story:
Both Karoll and Carlos grew up in Puerto Vallarta, but were not close friends as Carlos was a few years younger. However, years later, they started a friendship and found out that they were both attending school in San Diego because of mutual friends. After many years, they discovered they loved one another.
“Most girls dream of one day marrying a handsome, smart and creative guy when they grow up, but few find their true love,” Karoll said. Especially not in another country! The two began their journey to adulthood by traveling and experiencing the world and had no idea that fate would lead them to each other in sunny San Diego. Their fate turned to promise when Carlos asked for Karoll’s hand in marriage at Kensington Gardens, in London. Needless to say, she accepted.
Carlos, an architect, and Karoll, a designer, studied at FIDM. After undergrad, she followed him to Hong Kong where he did a prestigious internship for an architect. Shortly after, they returned home to Puerto Rico, where Karoll’s dad was the former Mayor, to start planning their wedding and new life together.
Karoll dreamt of having her wedding on her family’s property in Sierra Lago ever since she could remember. Having experienced her sister’s wedding there, she knew that planning with Carlos and her family would be like “coming home”.
The wedding, reception and party weekend took place at the family’s property built in Sierra Lago, Mexico. The ceremony was in a sacred chapel built specifically for both daughters to wed. It was not only special, but it was created just for them.
Read More »
Holland Wedding Design Workshop
Holland Wedding Design Workshop
Last spring I was lucky enough to be invited to venture over to Holland to teach and speak at a design workshop for the European Wedding Congress along with Mike Larson, Jana Williams and Lawrence Chan, aka Tofurious. Being half Dutch, this was my first trip to Holland and I was over the moon excited! We shot at the magical Kasteel De Hooge Vuursche and got to work with photographers and planners from across Europe.
My inspiration for the tablescape design was inspired by the famed Dutch designer Marcel Wanders who takes his heritage to the next level by taking the classical delft blue and Holland inspired designs into the 20th century with an ultra modern tongue-in-cheek attitude. Enjoy Mike Larson’s beautiful shots of the workshop and some of the behind the scenes!
Destination WEDDING: IBIZA Wedding Venue Scouting
The best Ibiza wedding venues
Hola de Ibiza! We are researching and reporting back to you this month while we explore some of the most beautiful destination wedding venues across Europe during a much needed break in weddings. I am truly a huge fan of destination weddings as it allows you to be more connected with your guests as you adventure together on such an important milestone of your life.
Starting with Ibiza, where our partners Bonder & Co., the premier villa rental and concierge company on the island, showed us some new and unique Ibiza wedding locations to discover including the brand new Cotton Beach Club. We also stopped by Atzaro, a truly beautiful zen resort in the middle of the island and the famed Blue Marlin Beach Club for the couple wants to dance all night in the sand. If you make it there make sure to have lunch next door at the little Spanish restaurant with the best octopus carpaccio I’ve ever had!!! Delicious..
Here is just a tiny sneak peak of what’s to come from Ibiza!! Thank you to Gypsy Westwood for capturing some beautiful photos while exploring the magical island!
Stay tuned for more sneak peaks from my European adventures to come! Cheers to a wonderful sunny summer!
Now for images through my iphone and instagram… with this sort of natural beauty even my camera phone can’t do wrong.
The Es Cubells church is magnificent!
Read More »