The Roaring 20-20’s–Let’s Make It A Thing!
You've never seen a Gatsby-themed wedding quite like this. Gone are the dark and moody elements of a traditional 20's design. Pops of bright colors against cool pastels and modern touches revitalize this forever-classic inspiration where excess and glamour still reign supreme.
Keep scrolling to see more photos by Pablo Beglez. Rapsodia Mon Amour planned every detail of this wedding inspiration and El Arriate created all of these incredible florals you'll see throughout. This team's inspiration came to life at Jardín De La Marquesa. All the images are in the full gallery, so be sure to click through and read on to hear more from Carolina Sophie Rosendorn of Rapsodia Mon Amour.
THE INSPIRATION
'So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past.' This line, the last one from Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby was the very first thing that popped into our minds when we asked ourselves: What would Gatsby’s wedding look like if he had been a Millennial in the 'roaring 20-20’s'—and ended up marrying the love of his life instead of, well, you know, how he actually ended?
So...we took the ‘boats against the current’ bit quite literally and decided that, to give our 20’s their own kind of roar and make it truly unique and trendy for all the modern couples out there, we would go in the exact opposite direction of what most people think of when they think Gatsby-related designs. That is, to begin with, a bright-white, translucent-silver dominated color palette, with popping pink and peach florals. We added a drop of black, for contrast, to replace the usual Gatsby black and gold palette. It also meant leaving behind the oh so 1920’s Art Deco look to pave the way for stylish, modern, and minimalist decor. We even changed Jay and Daisy’s names—in 2020, they’d be called Jim & Diana. What remains untarnished by the passing of time, however, is Gatsby’s hedonistic and over-the-top glam spirit, and a whole lotta references to Scott Fitzgerald’s work, some in plain sight, some hidden in symbolisms—just like Mr. Fitz would have wanted them.
THE STATIONERY
The minimalist, modern, and sophisticated stationery, crafted by Resma Estudio, as well as the frosty acrylic and vellum details (envelope, menus, signs, place cards, and table numbers), feature some of those ‘in plain sight’ references. Jim and Diana invite their loved ones—Scott, Zelda, and even Leo, who are seated at the top table. They are there not only to witness their forever union but also to join them for some bubbly. Do look closely for Resma’s amazing perky details in the wax seals and stamps—aren’t they just perfect?
THE VENUE
To play with our white and transparency dominated scheme, we chose an elegant white greenhouse venue in the middle of the Jardín De La Marquesa (the Marquise’s garden, in English), a 5000 sq-meter botanical garden in the city of Arucas, at the very heart of Gran Canaria (Canary Islands, Spain).
THE CEREMONY
And, since the Great Gatsby inspired quite a bit of artwork, we thought it was only fitting to put up an art gallery-like installation as a ceremony backdrop—a large triptych painting with a vibrant yet minimalist design. It features a soundwave that runs through it to represent the couple’s love for music (a.k.a., parties), created for the occasion by local artist Musharte. The floral arrangements, carefully crafted by El Arriate, included almost translucent Lunaria Annua (honesty flowers) and vibrant pink and peach orchids and roses, to top the acrylic transparent columns. Finally, the out-of-the-box touch comes from the two acrylic bar stools, where the bride and groom can say ‘I do’ while looking like the coolest kids on the block. And who knows, maybe bar stools will become the new trend in ceremony seats?
THE LOOK
As for the couple, they bring the 1920’s right into our decade. A fashion-forward, mixed-nationality couple (she’s from Latvia, he’s Spanish) who just exude chemistry, swing, and a whole lotta style. Our 21st century Gatsby does not relinquish a drop of chicness in his white jacket Enzo Romano tuxedo, courtesy of La Trajeria de Tenerife, and our bride does look like a ‘roaring twenties’ dream in a light, flowy and somewhat translucent dress from Spanish designers, Marco & Maria. Her hairstyle, created by Isaac López Jorge for JLH Hair Salon, and her makeup, done by the talented MUA Siria Ahmed, make us want to bring the good old days right back to life.
THE TABLE
In contrast, the top table has all the modern perks we love. Neutral, timeless, and elegant details mingle with minimalist but vibrant flower arrangements that make the whole design just pop with freshness and fun. We wanted materials that talked to each other and kept that modern sophistication feeling alive. Trendy black ceramic plates and gray water glasses contrast the translucent and white elements, like tiny ceramic and glass vases and the modern silver cutlery and candleholders. The final perky touch, hanging over the table, napkin-long vellum menus that blend in a delicate way with their surroundings, and yet are too fun to be missed. Plus, they can be seen through the acrylic chairs—isn’t that a funky idea?
THE SWEET BUBBLE BAR
Finally, we couldn’t call this a proper Gatsby-inspired design without featuring some bubbly. Some things are just timeless. But here’s an idea: what if we merge two of our favorite wedding party corners (the sweet table and the bar) into one? Yes, a sweet bubble bar! A bit of rosé cava (the Spanish equivalent of champagne), several fancy-looking modern cakes, macarons beautifully crafted by D'Vainilla, and a funky touch of cotton candy to make it fun. And, to take a line from the Baz Luhrmann movie, 'A little party never killed nobody'. Right, old sport?
THAT'S A WRAP
The cherry on top of this styled photoshoot is most definitely and quite literally, wrapping. After taking a stroll in the amazing botanical gardens around the greenhouse, we wrapped our couple in a thin and [you guessed it] transparent plastic film. We wanted to convey not only how our roaring twenties have been forever marked by a whole generation of couples who had to isolate for months during the peak of the covid-19 pandemics, but also that, no matter how much we glitter and glam up a wedding design, ultimately, what matters the most, is the universe lovers create between the two of them. A universe that can be seen (through a transparent film, let’s say) but remains protected, covered, isolated from everyone and everything else. Nothing can touch them, nothing can enter. They are sealed together. Fitzgerald was all about symbolism—and so are we.
Which leads us to our advice for all the modern couples who wish to have a truly outstanding and unique wedding: No matter what inspires you, always look past the clichés—make your wedding your own and make it new.
- Bar table: Grupo Transformer
- Bridal Dress: Marco & Maria
- Cakes and macarons: D'Vainilla
- Couple: Xenia
- Couple: Álvaro
- Event Planning & Design: Rapsodia Mon Amour
- Flowers: El Arriate
- Groom’s attire: La Trajeria
- Hair stylist: Isaac López Jorge
- Makeup Artist: Siria Ahmed
- Paper Goods & Calligraphy: Resma Estudio
- Photographers: Pablo Beglez
- Rentals: Celebraciones Pg
- Rentals: Doble-a-rent
- Rentals: Ginger Mesas Con Vida
- Rentals: Maria & Sea
- Soundwave Artwork Artist: Musharte Arte Libre
- Venues: Jardín De La Marquesa