Colorful and Maximalist LGBTQ Micro-Wedding Editorial at the New Luxury Venue, Wrensmoor Castle
Take a step into girlhood, bows, ribbons, pearls, patterns, prints, laces, and color for this high-end, maximalist themed micro wedding design featured at the new luxury wedding venue of Los Angeles, Wrensmoor Castle.
THE VENUE
Wrensmoor Castle, a private gated estate, became available for hosting weddings in 2023. This estate features many on-site bedrooms and entertaining spaces both inside and out, making it the perfect venue for entertaining and carrying your event from space-to-space. With so many luxury details like the carved stone lions, fountain, turrets, multiple chandeliers and fireplaces, floor to ceiling wallpaper, grand staircase, rose garden, and large lush lawns, this east Los Angeles high-end venue is sure to make a big impact on the wedding venue scene of Southern California. Wrensmoor Castle almost feels like a chateau, transporting you to the french countryside without leaving the United States. One of the best features of Wrensmoor Castle is that is is also available as an Airbnb. With the multiple rooms on site, the added feature of having the ability to host your nearest and dearest for a long weekend of wedding celebrations make Wrensmoor Castle a stand out, one of a kind venue experience unlike any other for your hosted events, weddings, and celebrations.
THE EDITORIAL VISION
“A visual feast” was the goal for this styled editorial shoot. For this micro wedding at Wrensmoor Castle, I wanted both the brides and guests who experienced this day as well as those who would view these images to have their eyes take them on a journey from detail to detail all throughout the day. Whether that was the tiny bows tied onto individual floral stems or the hand chosen colored name tags delicately placed on each green fluted champagne glass set upon the floral patterned table scape, I wanted a discovery of luxe, eye catching details to unfold. I wanted to bring a feminine feature to maximalist design to show that weddings do not have to follow trends of all white or beige. And just in time for the coquette theme to take over the internet and the wedding world, there were bows on everything! Anywhere we could feature a bow on this wedding day at Wrensmoor Castle, we did. From the cake, champagne glasses, florals, and guest outfits, everything was adorned with this extra playful wedding detail to make the vision come to life.
The wedding guests were told they would be styled “If Marie Antionette was Gen Z” or “If Paris Fashion Week was inspired by Palm Springs.” Eclectic details, pearls and bows in hair, rhinestones, and wearable florals all made an appearance. My favorite stylist, Sam Ruiz, help create mis-matched bridesmaid looks that also doubled for guest looks. I am seeing wardrobe mood boards and elevated, on-theme guest attire more and more on wedding days so I knew this was going to be an important element of the day.
THE WEDDING STORY
Brides, Lillian and Elise are getting married at Wrensmoor Castle, a new luxury venue near Los Angeles in Southern California. They have rented Wrensmoor Castle out for the weekend and are hosting their vibrantly colored LGBTQ micro wedding on site! These brides were so excited to have their guests stay at the castle with them for the weekend of their celebration, where they planned so many creative maximalist moments for a perfect dinner party celebration. They knew Sarah from Kindred Weddings, would be a perfect fit for their all-inculsive wedding planner because she specializes in micro weddings! Sarah took the reigns in making every dreamed detail come true for Lillian and Elise’s wedding day.
Both brides found gowns at the bridal salon NWLA to wear on their wedding day. One lace and one satin - their Lihi Hod gowns each complimented the other while speaking the an individual style. Ruth Medrano from Ruth Medrano Bridal spent the morning with the beautiful brides doing their hair and makeup. Finishing touches of pearl hair pins and cathedral length veils were added to their final looks after they greeted one another at the bottom of the grand staircase inside Wrensmoor Castle’s entrance.
Since the wedding was an intimate affair, in lieu of having a bridal party, each and every guest was given the honor of being a woman of honor while enjoying the wedding from seats. Still holding true to classic bridesmaid tradition though, the guests each wore outfits that were part of the same color family. In hues of pinks, violets, and reds, these mis-matched bridesmaid looks created a beautiful color palette to bring the theme of the day to life! With extra special care to accessories, guests were invited to accessories with bows, pearls, paper umbrellas, and extra special wearable florals! With You Florals, an absolutely incredible florist in Los Angeles featuring “juicy” wedding colors of vibrant arrays, not only outdid themselves with a jaw dropping floral installation for the ceremony site, but also in creating full floral pieces that could be worn as accessories by the guests. A carnation headband, a structural orchid bow, and larger than life corsages all made an appearance. Their talented wedding stylist, Sam Ruiz from It’s Giving Bridal, made every look come together perfectly!
Guests settled into seats on the back lawn of Wrensmoor Castle facing the stairs for these two beautiful brides to exchange vows, rings, and a kiss! The sun was pouring over the tops of the trees through the back lawn as guests watched on and witnessed this beautiful ceremony on such a breathtaking backdrop.
Cocktail hour took place on the side lawn where there was a portrait backdrop of pink and multi-colored ribbons on display. The pink backdrop filled with ribbons became the backdrop for the three tiered vintage wedding cake. Nicole Bakes Cakes made this beautiful wedding cake featuring the beloved decorative icing lines of a vintage wedding cake in an all-white icing. The cake was also displayed in an amazing cake stand that had individual vases to showcase the wedding florals in the round! Lillian and Elise cut their cake and enjoyed the icing before inviting their guests to join them at a family style table for a dinner.
Their dinner table for their reception was a visual feast of soft, summer elements like cane chairs and wooden handled cutlery, blended with eclectic flare elements like green fluted champagne glasses and irredescent plate chargers. Bows scattered the entire table scape, both on the menus, featuring a lovely spread by Chef Cordelia, the champagne glasses, the floral’s stems and on the individual vases. After speeches, the brides shared their first dance beside their guests on the lawn in the last light of the day!
Now Featured on Style Me Pretty - click here to read their full article on this spectacularly colorful LGBTQ micro wedding design highlighting one of Los Angeles’ newest luxury wedding venue, Wrensmoor Castle!
Shot on digital and 35mm film
VENDORS:PHOTOGRAPHY and CREATIVE DESIGN: VANESSA TODD PHOTOGRAPHER
VENUE: WRENSMOOR CASTLE
CATERING: CHEF CORDELIA
PLANNER: SARAH FROM KINDRED WEDDINGS AND EVENTS
FLORIST: WITH YOU FLORALS
RENTALS: MTB EVENT RENTALS
HMU: RUTH MEDRANo bridal
STYLIST: SAM RUIZ FROM IT’S GIVING BRIDAL
BRIDAL SALON: NWLA BRIDAL
GOWN DESIGNER: LIHI HOD
GOWN NAMES: BLOSSOM AND BLANCA
BAKERY: NICOLE BAKES CAKES
BRIDESMAID OUTFIT SOURCES: BHLDN
