A wedding is but a moment in time, a day like any other, until we adorn it with meaning, beauty, and love. And when it comes to adornment, Gustav Klimt’s body of work stands as the paragon of ornamentation.
In Klimt’s most popular paintings, like “The Kiss” and “The Virgins”, we see a romance and sensuality that are at once innocent and transformative, qualities often shared by the milestone of a wedding, making his works the perfect inspiration for this shoot. All of the details, designed by Revel Petals, are super stunning and can be found in the full gallery, photographed by Hailley Howard Photography.
From a styling standpoint, we paid direct homage to Klimt’s work in the table numbers and the postage stamp on the invitation suite, but chose to abstain from being too literal in the styles of dresses, creating a wedding for a contemporary couple with a garden-chic vibe.
Gold was used in the table runner, plates and cutlery, cake and the bride’s neck art, mimicking the lavish gold leaf Klimt used in so many of his paintings. Even our signature cocktail, Golden Emilie, was a striking peach-gold color, accented by delicate locally-grown orchids. Often, Klimt’s artwork contains elements of geometric pattern, which were perfectly reflected in the mosaic floors of the beautiful Ebell Club of Long Beach.
With the cascading flowers and the way the calligraphy and models moved in serpentine lines, we targeted a subtle intimacy that transported us into a Klimtian wonderland, adorning the day in gold-gilded romance that celebrates the monumental moment of a wedding.
By: Alexis Kozak, of Zush By Design. GOLDEN EMILIE: 1 cocktail per serving 1.5 Rhum Agricole Blanc 3/4 St George spiced pear liqueur 1/4 Campari 2 dashes Bar Keep Saffron Bitters Stir. Strain. Serve up in a Coupe. Garnish by squeezing a lemon peel over the top, discard.