Scandinavian Red And Black Rustic Wedding
The lush woods surrounding the venue lends a romantic, moody feel evocative of old-world fairy tales, to this rustic Scandinavian shoot while the geometric shape of the house feels both rustic and modern. This intersection between past and present became the overarching theme for the shoot.
The color palette gives this Scandinavian red and black rustic wedding a traditional feel that is elegant and romantic with rich pops of color that embody Scandinavian culture. Keep reading for fun Scandinavian wedding info and take a peek at the entirety of this wedding in the full gallery here, photographed by Roots of Life Photography.
A New Way To DIY
The Scandinavian weddings we read about featured elements that seemed simple, potent, and totally lovely: an intimate dinner for important guests; simple locations that lent themselves to day-long love loitering; delicious homemade foods that were locally in season. They seemed so idyllic, and they also seemed to bring the focus back to the bride and groom, to their love, and to combining their families. We also learned that couples typically create a lot of the components in Scandinavian weddings themselves, so we wanted there to be a prominent DIY element to the shoot. "We wanted to showcase the fact that DIY weddings can be pulled together, modern, and meaningful. A DIY wedding doesn't have to be full of mason jars and covered in two coats of chalkboard paint."
Tradition Meets Modern
Sarah has a gift for sourcing unique items that craft a narrative, and she found and styled all the elements of this wedding--the head table, the bar, the dessert station, etc. The family heirlooms, like carved wood wedding boxes filled with notes and special trinkets; the vintage Scandinavian tablecloth and napkins; and china, silverware, and glassware inherited from generations passed, were mixed with modern pieces like Mikasa oenology wine glasses and a black Magisso ice bucket. The paper backdrop, a nod to modern Scandinavian design, was created by Chicago paper artist Alicja Pulit.
Scandinavian Specialty Cocktails
The specialty cocktails were a great fit for this couple because they are both excellent bartenders as well as photographers who specially designed the cocktails for the wedding shoot. Each took aquavit (a popular Scandinavian liquor which is often drunk during festive gatherings such as a wedding) as their inspiration and transformed it with their own backgrounds and interests. The particular aquavit used in the cocktails--Linie--is special because "each barrel is shipped around the world, from Norway to Australia and back, crossing the equator twice during the journey. They claim that the rocking in the boat, the ocean air, and the changes in temperature and humidity all go toward making it taste better."
The Kransekage Cake
Our sweets table features authentic Scandinavian linens and beautiful Swedish pastries atop uniquely modern corian and walnut cake stands designed by A Heirloom and Nimble Well. The Kransekage with star flowers is the real show piece of our dessert table. The kransekage (literally wreath cake) is a traditional Danish and Norwegian confection, usually eaten on special occasions such as weddings, baptisms, Christmas and New Years. One cultural tradition is for the bride and groom to lift the top layer of the cake at their wedding. The number of cake rings that stick to the top one when they lift it is said to be the number of children the couple will have. Desserts featured: Swedish petit fours, marzaringers, toska tarts, rum rolls, and cream puffs.
- Bridesmaid Dresses: ASOS
- Cake Stands: A Heirloom
- Cakes & Catering: The Swedish Bakery
- Couple & Hand-Crafted Cocktails: Tim & Laura Sulivan
- Flowers: Natural Beauties Floral
- Paper Backdrop: Alicja Pulitv
- Paper Goods & Calligraphy: Emily Rose Ink
- Photographers: Roots of Life Photography
- Rentals: Nimble Well
- Rentals: The Antique & Resale Shoppe