Marie Antoinette Wedding

A modern Marie Antoinette means beauty from head to toe! This inspirational shoot oozes a mix and modern and magical days gone by. From the soft elegance of the bridal makeup to the absolutely stunning up-do’s, these images will guide you in the right direction for a Marie Antoinette wedding.

Be sure to look for the elegant candelabra elegantly placed on the bridal table as a centrepiece ready to steal the show! And you cannot miss the dessert table of the season. Have fun with this theme!

Details for a Marie Antoinette Wedding

When history looks back at the embattled French queen Marie Antoinette, the monarch’s legacy is one of lavish luxury and decadence. Marie Antoinette was known for throwing huge parties with no expense spared.

Images of Marie Antoinette adorned in only the finest and most opulent of gowns spending lazy days in the Palace of Versailles conjure ideas of an over the top wedding event that is one for the history books. A wedding inspired by Marie Antoinette should invoke elegant yet luxurious decor, a towering wedding cake, and  lacy ballgown dresses, while also being a little nontraditional at the same time

Colour Palettes for a Marie Antoinette Wedding

Choose from a multitude of colours when building the Marie Antoinette Wedding colour palette. However, one definite colour palette comes to mind when planning a Marie Antoinette wedding – shades of pink.

Blush, salmon, magenta, and rose are all perfect hues for a Marie Antoinette wedding. Pair these pinks with shades of beige for an elegant look to your decor. One can always add white and a few dark pinks in the mix for pops of colour. Some brides, however, opt to throw a grey and a hot pink into the palette for more depth of colour.

What to Look for in a Venue for a Marie Antoinette Wedding

While brides can take any type of venue and transform it into an elegant locale for the Marie Antoinette wedding, finding a venue that strongly resembles a ballroom in its original form could be fun. To achieve this, consider hotels with a ballroom, as they already have a bit of the old world elegance feel.

No ballroom nearby? Consider a venue with high ceilings and mirrored walls. A Marie Antoinette wedding must convey elegance, offer lots of sunlight through huge windows, and chandeliers already in place are always a plus. Some event centres will have a dining room with many of these features in lieu of a ballroom.

Food for a Marie Antoinette Wedding

Although we’re not certain Marie actually said, “Let them eat cake” – some historians have debunked this quote – you’ll definitely want lots of decadent food (including cake) at a Marie Antoinette wedding.

Offer an elegant looking and great tasting sweet known as petit-fours, little squares of cake that make great treats. You’ll want to add some opulent foods as well, including pastries (scones are a favourite, too). Roasted chicken is a great main dish, and delicious fruit and cheese trays are appropriate Marie Antoinette wedding food.

Wedding Dresses for a Marie Antoinette Wedding

The bride will want to appear as royal as possible for a Marie Antoinette wedding! This means ballgown type wedding dresses for the big day. You may opt for the traditional white gown, but, since the colour palette includes off-white colours and beiges, you can consider a dress in those colours.

If you’re the type of bride that really wishes to be unique, you may want to consider a blush coloured dress. The subtle pink of this dress is so soft, yet it makes such an impact with its originality.

Since your Marie Antoinette wedding makes you queen for the day, you’ll definitely want to choose a tiara for your headpiece. Make sure the tiara is as bejewelled as possible. A veil is optional, but it will add to the royal theme of the nuptials.

Bridesmaid Dresses for a Marie Antoinette Wedding

Your bridesmaid dresses will need to be designed in the same vein as the Marie Antoinette wedding dress. Long, full ballgowns are the top choice for a Marie Antoinette bridesmaid dress, but sleeveless A-line dresses work well, too.

Your bridesmaid dresses should offer a splash of colour, but, if you choose the blush coloured wedding dress, you will want a more subtle colour for the bridesmaids. However, a blue grey shade, such as periwinkle or a dusty blue, would be the perfect and stunningly elegant colour for bridesmaid dresses. A misty coloured blue works well for bridesmaid dresses, too.

Wedding Cake Ideas for a Marie Antoinette Wedding

Many brides have found inspiration for the Marie Antoinette wedding cake when watching Sophia Copolla’s film depicting the life of the French monarch. Tall, ornately decorated cakes with lots of icing fully encompass the Marie Antoinette era and its indulgence.

The Marie Antoinette wedding cake will typically have several layers – at least four, but more is always acceptable! Many are decorated in white, a soft blush pink, and gold. Others feature a soft, baby blue colour with gold accents.

The wedding cake topper for a Marie Antoinette wedding is very important. Some neat cake topper ideas include a shoe made from sugar – even down to the jewelled toe of the topper! Consider white feathers for the topper, or large flowers made of sugar.

Wedding Invitations for a Marie Antoinette Wedding

The wedding invitations for a Marie Antoinette wedding will also feature elegance and opulence.

You’ll want a bit of a vintage look to the invitations, so ornate calligraphy is a must. Gold accents around the edges offer guests a hint as to the theme of the wedding. However, some brides may wish to go with a wedding invitation design that resembles that of a storybook page.

Because you’re looking to invoke a vintage era on your wedding day, a vintage look to the invitations will be in order. Edges that appear to have been burned will look antique, and the added calligraphy will only lend to the retro era of the French monarch.

Ceremony Decor for a Marie Antoinette Wedding

Again, decadence and over the top are apt descriptions for a Marie Antoinette wedding decor. During the ceremony, lots of flowers and candles are highly appropriate, plus they add to the romance of the day. Foliage is also important for ceremony decor at the Marie Antoinette wedding.

If there are chandeliers already in place, take full advantage of this as part of the decor. If not, you can always rent and add these elegant pieces to the venue. A large arch is also a must-have for the Marie Antoinette wedding ceremony. This arch should be covered in greenery and feature flowers utilised in the wedding bouquets.

Reception Decor for a Marie Antoinette Wedding

At the reception, you’ll want to exude French opulence. This means long, rectangular tables covered with crisp white linens, and huge floral centrepieces. The bride and groom should head the table, and they should be seated in tall chairs that channel the idea of a throne.

The tables can hold tall candelabras; it’s a plus if you can use tall, thin candles in light pink or white for the reception. The dinner table should be set for a queen, with golden flatware and golden chargers. Gold napkins will finish the look of a royal dining table. If you’d like, you can also add a menu for guests.

(Jaw Dropping!) Modern Marie Antoinette

From Calluna Events – “We recently had our company’s ten year anniversary, a huge accomplishment that called for a lavish party. Ten is a very special celebration that called for something over the top, something that you wouldn’t see at just any party. As a business, we love curating an event to a couple’s individual style, in an authentic way.Once our own party came around, we had a very specific vision for our styled shoot and party: Marie Antoinette with a modern twist.

For the shoot, we had so much fun folding in all elements of the Marie Antoinette era, while interlacing our professional and personal style in each element that reflected our interpretation of a ‘Modern Marie.’”

Tess Pace Photography

From Calluna Events – “Sophia Coppola’s Marie Antoinette garnered inspiration of the opulent style and golds with pops of unexpected saturated color throughout in the florals, desserts, linens and décor. Working with the best event vendors Colorado has to offer, we created a party and styled shoot that was completely over the top yet strategically arranged for an appealing atmosphere – just as our daring Marie had done.

The inspiration started from the get go with an elaborate party invitation. Our ‘Calluna is 10’ logo was hand crafted by highly celebrated calligrapher DesignGirl, the custom design and letterpress was crafted by SWEET Letterpress & Design. An envelope liner featuring a Modern Marie, hand drawn by the lovely and talented Lana’s Shop completed the invite.

All areas the day of the event were decked out in decadence – the clothing, the furniture, the tablescape, the flowers, the linens were all unforgettable. Our party resided in the newly opened industrial chic venue in Denver, Blanc. Exposed brick, a warehouse feel and outdoor space were all crucial elements in creating a cohesive space that housed our vision.”

Tess Pace Photography

From Calluna Events – “LMD Productions provided a magnificent pink chandelier and a projection of the Kirsten Dunst/Sofia Coppola Marie Antoinette projecting on a white wall. The projection of the movie during the shoot (and party) provided a modern-day element.

The dessert table was created by Jen Bush of Lucky’s Bakehouse – an over to top sugar display complete with several large cakes, spun sugar, cream puffs, and lots of vibrant color.

Linens came from La Tavola and rentals were sourced from Event Rents + By Design Event Decor. The combination of the two vendors showcased various design styles and an eclectic mix of linens, china, glassware, chargers and place settings. We worked with Yonder (formerly Chairshed) to create a magical ceremony spot with their eclectic vintage white washed chairs and door back drop.

Other areas were a gorgeous and colorful candy bar from Sugarlicious, a stacked book display with covers wrapped in our modern Marie hand drawing by Juniper Books, pashmina’s and parasols across the ceremony chairs were from Splendor For Your Guests and a life-size flower art installation and flower prints decorated the space from bold artist, Kristen Hatgti.

Our dreamy styled shoot was coupled with our anniversary party where industry friends, family and vendors (in costume of course) gathered around to reminisce about Calluna’s 10 years in business. What a way to celebrate such a big milestone!”

Frances Photography

From The Perfect Petal Floral Designers – “The ‘Garden Room’ we created two long reflecting pools filled with floating blooms and candles tucked away for a private moment for guests. French inspired topiaries of lavender, olive and jasmine added a soft element to the sleek lines of Blanc. French tulle, hand died ribbons and blooms nestled in the deer heads which are a signature element of Blancs’s decor. Three huge mirrors and a pink chandelier finished the design for luxe design.

The dining room was a feasting table filled will opulence and overflowing blooms of pastels. Hand sewn runners of gold tulle lined the table and played perfectly off of the gold vases with abundant floral using the stems of roses in muted colors of quicksand, hynose, and amnesia accented with mother of pearl and sahara. Massed carnations brought a modern flair in elegant colors of sand and muted lavender. Antique hydrangea, garden roses in dusty rose and cream lisianthus paired perfectly with gilded pineapples and mini gold candelabras.

Cocktail tables were overflowing with gold and pink mercury glass with pastel florals and macaroons to delight.

Guests were treated to peculiar and one of a kind designs using whole pineapples as vessels with blooms bursting from the fruit.

The model carried a beautiful luxe bouquet of sherbet hued garden roses paired with blooming jasmine vine and lilac. The bouquet spanned the color palette of the lightest butter yellow, to golden roses and muted lavenders paired with tangerine and watermelon roses. The bouquet was finished in a French chiffon and silk.”

Frances Photography

From Perfect Petal Floral Designers – “The ceremony site featured a reclaimed wood backdrop with antique floral patterned wallpaper. Over and throughout the backdrop will be a light garland of smilax vine, jasmine and passion, and groupings of pale pink, peach, apricot, deep rose, pale gold and mint floral.

Two tall double orb topiaries in French pots framed the structure with loose blooms eclectically placed throughout. In the garden, we treated guests to a whimsical display of flowers blooming directly from the grass, which added to the eccentric and novelty of the entire design.

Inside the barn, we hung gorgeous southern smilax dripping from the ceiling down to the two gilded candelabras. The table was filled with eclectic found objects, vintage glassware and candles along with lush blooms for a fanciful design.”

From Maggie Evans Designs – “Serendipity. That’s where this collaboration began. What Calluna Events didn’t know when they asked me to design seven dresses for their Modern Marie Styled shoot and Party was that I had just been gifted a treasure chest of vintage lace the week prior. One of my clients had inherited her grandmother’s collection of laces, rhinestone appliqués, and pieces of silk netting, and because she was down-sizing, gave it to me! It was the exact collection of special bits and pieces that I needed to create Modern Marie dresses.

I used the traditional silhouettes of ball gown skirts and snug-fitting corsets as a starting point and spruced them up with all of the special laces and trims. Each dress was distinctly its own, but together they created a richly textured story. For the bride, I wanted a stately gown with the feel of romance and beauty. The large piece of hand-made cotton lace was the inspiration for the shape of the bodice. Along with many of the vintage lace pieces, I also used silk taffeta for the bodice and English netting for the skirt. Another vintage lace piece was used to create cuffs for the bride which matched the cuffs that the groom wore under his dress shirt.”

Credits: Photography: Tess Pace Photography (Parts 1 + 2) & Frances Photography (Parts 3 + 4) // Event Planning & Styling: Calluna Events // Floral Design: The Perfect Petal // Custom Gowns: Maggie Evans Designs // Invitations & Printed Materials: SWEET Letterpress // Custom Illustrations for Envelope Liner: Lana’s Shop // Calligraphy for Invitations & Printed Material: DesignGirl // Cakes & Sweet Treats: Lucky’s Bakehouse & Creamery // Bartending & Mixology: Peak Beverage // Candy Bar: Sugarlicious // Lighting & AV: LMD Productions // Décor & Furniture: By Design Event Décor // Furniture & Ceremony Chairs: Yonder Floral & Décor House // Catering: Catering By Design // Linens: La Tavola Fine Linen // Music: DJ Jahsonic // Hair for the party: The Bridal Goddess // Hair for the bride: Goldie & Bob // Makeup: Alchemy Mineral Blends // Rentals: Event Rents // Floral Art Installation: Kristen Hatgi // Event Photography: Ashley Sawtelle Photography // Cinematography: KHodge Films // Shawls, Parasols, & Fans: Splendor For Your Guests // Jewelry and Calluna Staff: Todd Reed // Custom Books: Juniper Books // Venue: Blanc Denver.