Wedding Trends Look Book 2017: Library
Intrigued by historic institutions and resurrection of a modern traditional aesthetic, we visualized: LIBRARY, a focus on knowledge, the arts, and culture. Although the aesthetics of a library wedding cannot be separated from its function, we looked at their reading rooms much like one would look at an art installation. On the one hand, the books in a library can be works of art in their own right and we utilized them in many aspects. On the other, they complement the architectural form of the building that houses the collection. These two aspects form the composite aesthetic that enhances—and often adds to—the scholarly value of a library.
No one can mistake the many rich, variable textures of a classic library, not just by the noble structure itself, but also the rich furnishings and adornments. Even the paintings and plasterwork, the wood of the shelves and galleries, and of course, the repetition of beautiful rows of books create the scene. With an inspiration like LIBRARY, it’s enjoyable to think about each of the main characters; the classic tufted sofas, plush velvet wooden chairs, rows of reading lamps along with heavy wooden tables. Configuring each one would create a unique plot for the story we were about to tell.
With a vibrant punch of orange and blue that mimicked the decorative endpapers of beautifully decorative leather-bound books, we designed the seating for the ceremony from velvet tufted oval-back chairs.
We outlined the aisle with oversized six-foot tall silver leaf floor lamps with a classic creme linen barrel shade. Threading the book inspiration from the beginning, the wedding programs were designed in a trompe l’oeil three-dimensional style to mimic a beautiful novel. Detailing the cast of characters the program shared the love story of the couple.
The ceremony space was lined with large mahogany shelves lined with stacks of books that were monochrome with ivory book jackets. For some of the books, we removed the covers and bound with string for a nostalgic look. Between the shelves, we placed gold statues of the classical Greek Goddesses of the Four Seasons. These towered atop large oak plinth columns.
The reception space highlighted heavy elongated gloss-black library tables placed over an orange, ivory, and steel blue area rug that coordinated with the aisle runner from the ceremony. We selected black velvet chairs to pair with the black table, reminiscent of a law library of the 1920s.
The tablescape displayed large glass cloches with a variety of orange flowers that accented the ceremony chairs, experiential Edison bulbs, and reading books stripped of their colored covers to give an air of intellectual mystery. Small artifacts were also placed within the glass cloches. The “Peacock” china brought in just the right hues of blue with a perfect touch of green accented by alternating gold Damask napkins tucked under the charger or encompassing the menu card.
Bottles of champagne were held in vintage French brasserie engraved champagne buckets. For the astute culinary and stout experts, we created a stout and dinner course pairing from start to finish calling attention to local breweries.
The lounge and after-glow reception area was surrounded by trompe l’oeil velvet panels printed with scenes of a Parisian apartment. Each panel was painstakingly detailed, creating a stately room where one could envision brandy snifters being swirled and cognac being sipped. The hand-painted wedding cake, repeating the pattern from the Peacock china, towered five feet tall with oversized tiers. The cake was rolled in on a cordial cart, then cut and served with Ice Wine.
Photos by Lauren B Photography
